From the feedlot to the show ring: Part I

Boon’s advertisement picture from the feedlot in Zillah, Washington on October 23, 2013.
Photo Credit: Samantha Milbredt-Hanson

Boon, a small chestnut horse, somehow found himself hours away from being loaded onto a livestock trailer bound for a slaughterhouse. Had he made it onto the truck, he would have had to endure a 15-hour ride to a slaughterhouse in Alberta, where he would have met a horrible death and his meat would have likely been exported.

Boon was lucky and was spared thanks to Rebels Equine Feedlot Sales (REFS) in Zillah, Yakima County, Washington.

Helen Love founded REFS in 2009 with the idea of setting up a Craig’s List style advertising system where she could list feedlot horses for sale. Love, playing the role of administrator, enlisted the help of an independent horse assessor, Samantha Milbredt-Hanson, to aid buyers in the purchase of the feedlot horses that could be re-homed. Together, Love and Milbredt-Hanson, with help from a few others, have re-homed approximately 1,000 horses in the past five years.

The last American horse slaughterhouse was closed in 2007, but horses are still being sent to U.S. feedlots, only to be shipped to Canada for slaughter. Canada has five horse slaughterhouses, one in B.C., two in Alberta and two in Quebec.

A typical livestock trailer used for hauling a large number of animals. These trailers are double deckers and were designed for shipping cattle and hogs. Horses are also shipped in these trailers despite the fact there is insufficient head room for horses.
Photo Credit: Charles Henry

The feedlot and slaughterhouse process can be difficult to understand. The general gist is that a feedlot owner will buy horses for as little as possible, usually under $100. Horses are typically purchased from auctions or want ads placed in local newspapers, and on the rare occasion, horses are found abandoned and tied to the feedlot fence. The feedlot owner in this case, has a contract with Bouvry Exports Ltd. in Fort Macleod, Alberta, and is expected to deliver a number of horses per month. The feedlot owner has a monitored and regulated scale on which to weigh the horses to determine price. Once a week, a livestock truck takes horses to Bouvry’s slaughterhouse. It is the slaughterhouse that pays the feedlot owner a “meat price” for the horses and then sells the horse meat to major buyers.

According to the 2013 Canadian Meat Council report, 85 per cent of the horse meat processed in Canada is exported to 15 different countries. The major countries are Switzerland, Japan, France, Belgium and Kazakhstan. In 2012, the export of 17.7 million kilograms of horse meat garnered $89 million. Horse meat is considered a delicacy in some areas – including Quebec – and for this approximately 90,000 horses are slaughtered every year in Canada.

REFS has worked out an arrangement with feedlot owner, Chuck Walker, who has given Milbredt-Hanson permission to assess all horses that can be re-homed. Unfortunately, not all horses can be, as some may be deemed unsafe, too old, unsound or sick. Milbredt-Hanson assesses the horses for temperament, presumed age and breed, as well as any injuries. Pictures are taken of each horse, along with a video of the horse being ridden, and then these are added to the horse’s advertisement. Walker determines the horse’s price, normally around $500, depending on how much the horse weighs. An assessment fee is added to the price, approximately $125, to pay the rider and other costs, but the overall sale price of the horse goes towards helping other horses in the feedlot. Love posts the information immediately on the REFS website and Facebook page and hopes that the horses sell before the next shipment leaves.

A photo of Boon’s teeth to help determine his age. The third of three photos on Boon’s advertisement.
Photo Credit: Samantha Milbredt-Hanson

A photo proving Boo’s height. The second of three photos used in his advertisement.
Photo Credit: Samantha Milbredt-Hanson

Potential buyers are encouraged to go to the feedlot to see the horse they are interested in. Buyers are allowed to take a vet in order to inspect the horse’s health and soundness. They are not allowed to ride the horse but can have an REFS rider show how the horse goes under saddle. From there, the potential buyer will have to take a leap of faith.

Once a buyer has purchased a horse it is recommended, but not mandatory, to have the horse quarantined for one month before taking him or her home to make sure the horse is healthy enough to travel and then be stabled with the other horses in the new barn.

Kalyn Chalupa took a leap of faith with Boon and her leap has paid off not only for Boon but also for her.

Part 2: From the feedlot to a new home