You must hang around a different set of Germans! So we are horse people - or more precisely my daughter is - I write checks. You need to check out the kill pens online. Truly derelict animals end up in Mexico and Canada. Those with value are sold (usually for too much to bleeding hearts who think they are saving them from Canada or Mexico - subject for another day). I can't speak for Australia, but I don't know anywhere in this country where horses are simply turned out.
@Red Leg in all your journeys you were never offered Horse Wurst or other sausages? The Germans even regulate special butcher and meat shops for the sale of horse. I think horse is also popular in Iceland...they were slow to convert to Christianity because the Pope said if they convert they had to stop eating horse!