The letter to the editor published on Thursday pertaining to horse slaughterhouses neglected many key facts. Horse slaughterhouses have not created overbreeding in any capacity. Quite frankly, they actually led to better care of horses, better prices in the horse market and kept the horse population at a manageable level.

The costs associated with raising horses are extremely high. Anyone from a farm background would understand. Horses consume lots of feed, particularly hay. Hay prices are currently extremely high, creating a large expense. If horses are grazing, adequate land must be had and, again, land prices are at record highs. Vaccinations, facilities and other costs make raising horses very expensive.

Why would people “overbreed” horses to slaughter them if the cost of raising them is so high? No money would be made by the producer.

Without places for horse owners to take their horses, producers lose the will and funds to give them the care they need.

If horse owners could take horses they can’t take care of to slaughterhouses, horses would no longer have to be mistreated.

If horse slaughterhouses were around in the United States today, they would provide a place for producers to send older, injured horses. These horses will be processed and made into many different products that will help people and industry.

Slaughterhouses would improve the treatment of horses, create a better market and the plants themselves would create jobs.

They are not inhumane or cruel. In fact, they would actually ease the suffering of horses and horse producers across the country.