Ireland: Abandoned Horses on the Emerald Isle | European Journal

Before the economic downturn, many people in Ireland purchased expensive horses. But the financial crisis has quashed prosperity in the country, and many horses have now simply been let loose.An estimated 20,000 horses have been turned out so far. They can be seen roaming highways, major roadways, housing developments, parks and forests. Unkempt and emaciated, the horses are on the brink of starvation - and animal rights advocates are trying to save them. The lot includes Irish draft horses and Shetland ponies, but especially prime race horses previously sold for prices up to €30,000. But after the crisis broke, their owners couldn't afford to care for them any longer.

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News & Politics

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• Deutsche
• Welle
• Ireland
• DW-TV
• Europa
• European
• Journal
• horses
• financial
• crisis
• marooned
• Abandoned
• Horses

[thisissomuchbother]

This is sensationalist rubbish. Only 104 horses have been rescued in Ireland in 2010, that is a long long way from 20,000. Smithfield market shown is NOT where people in Ireland buy horses. One poor area of dublin has been shown and then using incredible imagination has stretched that to all of Ireland. This is the very worst kind of journalism that damns the 99% of Irish owners and breeders that are responsible and caring

[christoir246]

@mister18cm are you for real saying ireland is richer than germany,i dunno what ireland ur living in but the one im living in has no fukin jobs.

[MannySteinerBIeeky]

the thing is - in a sane normal reality there would have been horses, and plenty of other animals, roaming around wild all along.

it's not a problem unless people have removed the woodlands, pastures, forests etc that they'd otherwise live in and feed from.

[Equestrian08]

America is going to look like this pretty soon because idiot back yard breeders wont quit breeding horses just because they want a cute little foal just like its mother, or because they THINK they'll get rich.

[mister18cm]

"Barely affors adaquate clothing" For fuck's sake is he for real, Ireland is a richer country than Germany, Irish gdp per capita is 35,000 euro compared to Germany's 31,000. Why are the Germans so often as ignorant as thick as clots,. Honestly so many Germans I've met have seemed autistic, really literal minded, and most tragically have no wit what so ever.

[honeywellstables]

this is complete cruelty!!!!!!!!!!!

why do people sell them if they have no where to keep them!!!

these horses are suffering!! and there are even foals with their mums and they are taken away from their mothers to young!! how stupid it is to trade a horse for a video game or a phone or an ipod!! horses are worth everything! i would rather a horse than a house!

[yupmorgan]

i from greenfort and i go te smithfield every mounth loads of my friend are in taht video and thersnutin rong wi it and see that dickhead of a commintater sayin we cant affor proper clothshes thik 

[yupmorgan]

i from greenfort and i go te smithfield every mounth loads of my friend are in taht video and thersnutin rong wi it and see that dickhead of a commintater sayin we cant affor proper cloths ill booy um round fool

[irishveganboy]

Please help us in Ireland save horses and other animals. Cruelty to animals must stop. FULL STOP.

[thisissomuchbother]

hellochick that is a very damning statement to make, especially as you have no facts to back it up. You really should be careful about accusing Irish horse breeders and owners of cruelty. As I am directly connected not only to the business but also to the regulatory end of it I can speak with confidence on this matter. To highlight my point for those who never let a good story get in the way of the truth. There are approximately 350,000 horse owners in Ireland, 3,500 is 1%. Reported cases 104!