Steffi Schaffler, chair of the British Horse Loggers Charitable Trust, said: “Horse logging is a method of extracting timber from forestry sites that is sensitive, sustainable and effective.

You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by ...

Because no heavy machines are involved, horse logging is low-impact. A horse typically weighs about 1,600 pounds, whereas a rubber-tired skidder can weigh up to 10,000 pounds.

Canada and Mexico have four plants each, and more than 166,000 U.S. horses were slaughtered for meat in those countries last year, according to U.S. and Canadian agricultural statistics.

Rescue groups can offer safe haven to only 33,000 horses. Long-haul trucks ferried 102,554 horses to slaughter houses in Mexico last year and 39,523 horses to facilities in Canada.

After a year of settling in, the horses – Eli, an 18-year-old Irish Draught, Luke, an Irish Cob aged 14, and Ben, an eight-year-old French Comtois x Suffolk Punch – are now being used to ...