The horse, an elegant creature, dancing across fields, meant to be free; the horror going on behind the curtain defiles his spirit of freedom. He is viewed by many as a loyal companion. In sporting events, he represents half of the team, the momentous force that propels the duo to victory. He shares the pain and tears, the struggles and triumphs, with his human counterpart. As a gentle friend, he teaches fearful adults how to trust again; reinvigorates the hopeless with the drive to live; and provides disabled children with a comforting way to become reacquainted with the world. The common denominator derived from the roles played by the majestic equine is the intimate bond shared by horse and rider. This bond can be compared to that between a dog and his owner, one that is as inseparable as mother and daughter. However, a fiery issue has come to light, one that has the equestrian world hopelessly divided. It concerns the controversial matter of horse slaughter in the United States of America. The plight of the unwanted horse is complicated and to some the idea of getting rid of the financial burden and getting paid for it seems like a godsend. However, horse slaughter is a cruel practice. To put it simply, horses are not raised to be slaughtered in the same manner that cows and pigs are; the emotional and physical trauma involved for the horse is too big a price to pay as well as being generally illegal; and there are countless alternatives to inhumane slaughter.…