I respect the concerns that you have for the welfare of the horses, Mia, should they be freed from the spectre of slaughter. I have spent a lot of time studying the statistics, hearing various arguments, and have concluded that the industry feeds itself, i.e. because there is the slaughter option, it continues on. If slaughter were banned, breeders would have to become accountable for the lives that they had helped to bring into the world. Many foals wouldn't even be born. Numbers of horses in Canada would decrease, and it would be more possible to find good homes for existing ones.
Have you watched the video on the website of Veterinarians for Equine Welfare? http://www.vetsforequinewelfare.org/video.php There is a comparison of humane euthanasia by a qualified professional and the act of slaughter. If we accept slaughter as a fact of life, then we need to face some other facts--slaughter is NOT humane euthanasia. Anyone believing that slaughter is not cruel should watch the footage. Also, for an additional reality check (and I apologize if this has already appeared in previous posts), go here:
http://www.animals-angels.com/index.php?pageID=563&synlink:docID=i8386&synlink:linkID . Scroll down to Investigation at Richelieu Meats as well as the link to the Natural Valley Foods report (left hand side of page). This is the reality of slaughter: an industry that really knows no ethics.
To say that we should not ban horse slaughter because some horses will suffer and die is comparable to telling Abraham Lincoln that he should not free the slaves because some poor souls would die on the streets with nowhere to go. I, for one, am thankful that Mr. Lincoln was a big picture thinker. He did what he had to do, and the rest is history.
We CAN free the horses from this ugly industry by making people accountable. With the slaughter option removed, there will be other options. They may decide to keep their horses after all. They might adopt them out, sell them, or give them to rescues. As a last resort, they may decide to euthanize--a humane death, at least.
Sinikka