#saleyards

The handlers

Roma cattle saleyards

10 years ago catch-up: 3rd December 2008.

Roma Saleyards - Truckie and his dog.

Rolleiflex 3.5B

I know I don’t normally post things like this, but this short little video means a lot to me. I’ve spent the last three hours crying about all these amazing, caring animals, thousands of little girls and boys best friends spending their finals hours in such a evil and saddening place as the stockyards. It’s incredibly easy to distance yourself from it- ‘They’re old, they’re sick, they’ll never be ridden.’. For some this is true. They will not spend much more time on this earth. But when a dog gets old or sick, we do not think of being rid of them because they have ‘outlived their purpose’. They can’t, their purpose is to be our friends. 

Why is this so different about horses.

I never thought much of it, until I watched this video and thought of my Hector there. Afraid and lonely and not understanding why. Smelling their friends fear and death and being so, so scared. 

My sweet, loyal Hector, living his final moments in a crowded, dirty, loud pen with people heckling him and hitting him with poly pipes, and finding amusement in his pain. 

My amazing Hector, who pulls me into his shoulder to cry when I am sad, being told that he’s too old, or sick, or skinny or ugly to earn the right to live. 

To live out his days in a paddock, as recompense for the years of aid and love that he has given the people that have been graced to know him.

The most important thing is that the horses do not understand.

They don’t understand that you don’t love them enough to stand by them when they need you, as they have done so often for you.

They don’t understand that you want a bigger, better, faster, stronger, younger horse.

They don’t understand that their love doesn’t make the cut for you anymore.

They don’t understand that when you walk away, you are not leaving to get hay for them, or to bring them a carrot and a hug.

They don’t understand that you are never coming back.

And then there are the babies.