On April 25, the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee of the U.S. Senate held a mark-up for S. 311, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA), voting 15 to 7 in favor of sending the bill to be considered before the full U.S. Senate.
During the proceedings, California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer argued, “We have this law in place in California… since 1998. The people voted for it, and the state has seen no increase in neglect and no abandoned horses – and this is from the largest state in the Union.”
The three remaining foreign-owned slaughter plants in the United States, located in Illinois and Texas, have been shut down temporarily by federal courts and a state ruling to uphold a Texas law.  However, passage of the bill is critical to ensure horses are protected from slaughter forever, and that they are not exported elsewhere to be killed for the same purpose, explains Chris Heyde, deputy legislative director of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation. “Until Congress acts, horses are being hauled under horrible conditions across the border to Mexico and Canada, where they are brutally slaughtered. The AHSPA is their only hope.”
During the proceedings, Nevada Republican Senator John Ensign noted that “92 percent of horses slaughtered are deemed to be healthy horses, and the cost of humanely euthanizing a horse is equivalent to one month’s care.” In response to the claim that slaughter is necessary to dispose of old, sick or unwanted horses, Ensign continued, “The problem is irresponsible owners, people who take on too many animals.”
While getting this bill moved forward is described as a “significant hurdle,” the long legislative battle regarding slaughter is far from over. The SAPL is now calling for the bill to move swiftly through the Senate and the House of Representatives to become law. 
Two years ago, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to stop horse slaughter for a year, and last year, the House passed the bill.  But, Congress went out of session before the Senate could vote on the measure. If passed, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act will ensure that the practice of horse slaughter for human consumption is stopped permanently.

Wild Horses Win Again
In related news, the SAPL reports that, on April 26, U.S. House of Representatives “resoundingly reaffirmed what it originally declared in 1971: that America’s wild, free-roaming horses and burros must be protected from commercial exploitation and the cruel slaughter industry. In a tremendous victory on behalf of all horses, the House passed H.R. 249 with a vote of 277 to 137, restoring the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros.”
“Today, our elected representatives have listened to the truth about wild horses,” continues SAPL’s Heyde. “Despite the enormous amount of misinformation being spread by pro-horse slaughter individuals, the facts remain clear: wild horses are not to blame for rangeland destruction, and they are not starving to death.”
In late 2004, a rider stripping away the original Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act’s decades-old protections was adopted without public awareness or Congressional oversight. Passage of H.R. 249, reintroduced in the 110th Congress by House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) and Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY), effectively stops the Bureau of Land Management from implementing this “reprehensible measure,” Heyde explains.
The measure must now be considered before the U.S. Senate before becoming law.

Indoor Arena at Thermal
In response to a nearly unanimous March 29 vote among West Coast World Cup contenders to hold all their league’s qualifiers at indoor venues, (California Riding Magazine, May 2007) Horse Shows In The Sun is planning to build such a venue at their new Thermal showgrounds.
Although it was too soon to discuss details, HITS vice president of marketing John Eickman said HITS expects the new ring to be created in time for next year’s qualifying season, which would allow the six-week competition to keep the four qualifiers that have been held at the HITS Desert Circuit for the past several years. Until this year, these classes were held at the circuit’s former venue in Indio, in an outdoor ring that was smaller than the grand prix ring at Thermal.

The news evolved through a circuitous route.
Per USEF protocol, the riders’ March 29 vote to recommend only-indoors qualifiers went to the USEF’s National Jumper Committee. In a mid-April meeting, the issue appeared to get lumped together with rider complaints about footing at both Thermal and Wellington, FL. The West Coast riders’ recommendation was denied. Instead, the National Jumper Committee recommended that both venues be “put on notice” that their qualifiers were in jeopardy until various assurances about the footing were made.
West Coast Active Riders chairman Bernie Traurig acknowledged that footing was an issue, but considers the subject well addressed by assurances made by HITS founder Tom Struzzieri at a March 28 meeting with exhibitors. Traurig stressed that indoor World Cup preparation was the sole concern of his constituents’ vote. He persuaded the National Jumper Committee to revisit the issue. When the committee next convened April 24, Traurig clarified the issue and the committee agreed to uphold the riders’ request. The decision was forwarded to the USEF’s executive board, which was expected to honor the recommendation and forward it to the FEI.
As to why local riders are only now lobbying for indoor qualifiers, Traurig, who assumed the top WCAR post in January, said he, too, questioned why it’s taken so long. He thought the extra large size of Thermal’s grand prix ring was a factor, but primarily pointed to the groundswell of rider activism and empowerment that resulted from complaints about the footing and other conditions at Thermal’s debut.
The West Coast World Cup league had 12 qualifiers in the 2006-2007 season. All but Thermal’s four were held at indoor venues in Los Angeles, San Juan Capistrano, Del Mar and Las Vegas.
HITS’ Eickman said the company is a month away from nailing down details, but predicted that the venue’s indoor ring would most likely be a new, relatively small, tented arena, the most feasible way of creating a simulation of the Finals venue in time. He acknowledged that the circuit’s exhibitor participation and bottom line would probably not suffer much without the qualifiers and described the indoor ring decision as an attempt to give the region’s top riders what they want.
The Gallop welcomes news, tips and photos. Please contact editor Kim F. Miller at 949-644-2165 or via e-mail at kimfmiller@msn.com.