A Call to Save Horses

By Beth Young

Christine Barrett-Distefano has rescued 27 horses from slaughterhouses in the past year, but she still believes that not enough people know that horses are actually being slaughtered in this country and shipped oversees to be eaten.
Christine, who owns the Amyrillis Farm Equine Rescue on Merchants Path in Southampton, held a candlelight vigil on Long Wharf in Sag Harbor on Memorial Day to help raise that awareness.
She billed it as a "nationwide candlelight vigil," and began calling other horse lovers in Washington, Georgia, Florida, Virginia and Maryland, asking them to hold vigils of their own.
In Sag Harbor, the turnout was mostly kids, which Christine finds to be very hopeful.
"We're continually trying to raise awareness, with field trips," she said. "Everyone that comes is stunned that the slaughter even exists. We have kids writing letters to the president."
Several foreign-owned companies have horse slaughterhouses in the United States, and import the meat to Italy, France, Belgium and Japan. In Japan, fresh horse meat is such a delicacy that foals are often tied up outside expensive restaurants to be picked out, killed and eaten on the spot.
A bill that would ban horse slaughter, known as HR 503, is currently sitting in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Christine is hoping to use the Internet, and letters from kids, to send a message to congressmen who are working on the bill.
"If this comes out to be voted on, there's a strong possibility we could end slaughter," she said.
Christine currently has 19 horses at the horse rescue, and nine strong workers, all girls, helping her keep them cleaned and fed.
"I've been lucky I have not had a medical crisis, but I could use some professional riders that would volunteer their time to help out a horse," she said.
Christine's next plan to raise awareness is to bring a horse trailer and march in the Fourth of July parade in Southampton.
To get more information on HR503, go to Christine's website, forrascal.com, and click on the button that says "Urgent."