What's for Dinner.. hope it isn't me!
Authors: Jennifer Swanson & Cheryl Hanna
Good evening everyone. Before you go out to dinner tonight, I would like to
tell you about myself. You see.. I am a thoroughbred racehorse, or rather I
was a racehorse. Now I am retired because I could not make the grade or
rather the purse..I am only five years old; my references are impeccable, and
might I add that my grandfather was the last triple crown winner. Unfortunately
a few months ago, during my last race I was hurt, and no one wanted to wait
until I was healed. So my time was over. I was going to be sent to
slaughter, and just before I was loaded onto a truck to be hauled off to the slaughter
house, a horse rescue organization stepped up and saved me… yes .. in the
very nick of time. "Affirmed Fever" after his bath; Swat, Alu-Shield, Furazone and wormer all
part of his daily regimen.. all not to be used on animals for human
consumption.
This is a very relaxing place to me. Everyone is very patient and kind. I am
being rehabbed to ride trails as a pleasure horse or maybe even a show
horse. I would love to show you my picture now; I think I am looking very
sleek. I doubt that you would recognize me if I had been drizzled with a demi
-glaze.
Please excuse my appearance anyhow ; I have just finished my bath and my
caretakers are tending to all of my equine needs. The white stuff around my
mouth is the wormer. It tastes really bad , but it kills all the worms and
parasites in my body. I get this every six weeks, and it stays in my body for 6
months. Don’t tell anyone, but on the box I read where it states, “ Not to
be used for animals intended for human consumption. The pink stuff under my eyes
is not eye make-up silly. It is called SWAT, and that keeps the bugs away
from my face. It absorbs into my skin and my bloodstream. Oops.. same warning
on that jar, “ Not to be used for animals intended for human
consumption. Now that yellow gook on my legs is for the scratches I always get from playing
or just running around in the pasture. The caretakers call that Furazone, and
they use gloves when they apply that to my open sores. It has carcinogens in
it. The silver stuff called AluShield works as a band aide, but I don’t think
it is edible. Whenever I get a stomach ache or my muscles start to hurt, I
get bute and banamine. The faster it gets into my bloodstream, the faster my
aches and pains stop, but I think I remember the same warnings on those
medications too which also read, “ Not to be used for animals intended for
human consumption.
I would think in this day and age, humans would be very concerned with
chemicals and especially carcinogens that may be mixed in our bodies. No one in
the US tells you that horse owners do not have to report what drugs they give
their horses, and the horse slaughter houses brag how fast our bodies go from
living to dying, ("From Table to Stable in 4 Days")which means the drugs stay
in our system. You may think you are eating an American legacy, but in
reality you are dining on the poisons and carcinogens pumped into our bodies
to keep us looking and feeling good. Bon Appetite Mon Ami..... I hope you're not
eating me!
Jennifer Swanson
561-254-0415
Pure Thoughts
Horse & Foal Rescue
_www.PTHR.org_ (
http://www.PTHR.org)
Saving the life of a horse may not change the world...........
........but it will change that horse's world.