Opinions on hot branding?

What do you think about hot branding?

I read that "Three German warmblood horse breeding organisations have joined forces to fight a proposed ban by the country's Federal Government on hot branding.

After a meeting in Verden, the organisations representing the Holsteiner, Hanoverian and Trakehner breeds agreed to work together to fight to keep hot branding. As well as exploring legal options, the organisations are also collecting signatures for a petition."

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Permalink Reply by Jan Jollymour on October 30, 2010 at 10:10pm

I was raised on a cattle ranch, where ear tagging, castration, and hot branding were a regular occurence. There is no doubt in my mind that branding is inhumane, period.

If my ego requires that my partners undergo such an unnecessary and painful procedure then I clearly need psychiatric help.

I currently ride DWB's and Trakehners, none of whom are branded, and none of whom will be branded. They ARE all microchipped.

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Permalink Reply by Ginny Cassil on October 31, 2010 at 1:59am

I have watched numerous warm blood colts hot branded at inspections and while I'm sure it hurts briefly they sure don't seem very disturbed by it. While I have never hot branded I have had all my horses freeze branded as a theft deterent. I had my vet lightly sedate them so they would not flinch or be disturbed and they tolerated it without any aparent discomfort. All my horses are also michipped but as a potential thief cannot tell they are microchipped it is not going to discourage thieves, the visable white brand on my horses left shoulders might make a thief think twice about trying to steal my horses.
In Oregon I have a registered brand which I designed, submitted and had aproved to brand left shoulders on my horses, crossing State lines many states require brand inspections so I hope a thief will prefer unbranded horses to steal.
the microcjip is a great proof of ownership but not a theft deterant.
my horses are friendly would come to anyone and load up in any trailer, Right now with the horse market in the dumps and kill plants closed the risk of theft may not be great but I have read about enouth stolen horses and have even personaly known a few so I guess I'm a bit paranoid about loosing my horses who are permanent members of my family, It would be heartbreaking to loose one, even worse to imagine them shipped to slaughter so I believe the brief discomfort is worth it