We rescue horses. We are not a non profit. I was informed by the state office in Topeka that you cannot run a non profit and a business from the same address and so we decided that, while we have a passion for rescue, we really loved breaking and training, giving lessons, and helping people with their horses too much to give it up.
Therefore, we rescue out of our own pocket. All of the hay, feed, hoof care, medicine, vet bills, blankets, halters, leads, supplies, and training are provided for these horses with no financial assistance from anyone. That’s okay. We feel that it’s important work and the results more than compensate for our financial loss.
The economy has gotten to the point that many people find themselves no longer able to care for their horses. These people love their horses just as much as the next guy but most of them understand that their feelings are insignificant when it comes to paying for food and board. Love won’t buy grain, as much as I wish it did :). Most people are able to find their horse a new place before it gets too bad. Before they loose weight, their feet get overgrown, they develop a pot belly from worms and poor nutrition.
But what about those poor horses that exist in these conditions daily? What about those that are starved and neglected because the people charged with their care simply don’t?
The following story is graphic and cruel as well as the pictures.
We received a call in April from a woman that was frantic. She lived in Oklahoma and because of the drought there last summer was boarding her horses out of state. Because of the number of horses she was forced to find a new place to board in March. On March 8th she placed her horses in the care of Dennis and Danny out of Douglass, Ks.
In the six weeks that they were there she had four horses die. Because she was out of state and dealing with issues from her father’s death, the owner of the horses took the word of these men that one of her horses had died from West Nile Virus. When the others died she got suspicious and began to try to find another place for them. The problem was getting a trailer and the people to load twelve horses and relocate them.
You see, the men had told her that the horses would be placed on sixty acres of pasture and that they would board them for $150.00 for all. Yet, in the six weeks that they were there the horses were never placed on this pasture and were instead supposedly fed hay. This were billed to the owner of the horses, as well as the disposal fee for the ones that died, wormer for the other horses, farrier costs, alfalfa hay (that one of the men admitted he wouldn’t have fed to his own cows - but he fed it to her horses [allegedly]) and several other things. In the short six weeks that the horses were there she paid out right around $1500.00.
Take a look at these pictures and tell me what you think. We rescued these horses on a Friday. Some of these photos were taken Friday night and the others Saturday morning.
8 Yr Old Tennessee Walking Horse Stallion
This little gray stud was the first of the horses to be loaded. The men pulled him out from a stall, trying to hurriedly shut the door before I saw the condition inside. I, however (with my lightening quick reflexes *snort*), did see inside and wasn’t shocked, just appalled, at the knee deep manure and filth and the pitch black darkness of the interior. Indeed, when they led him out he squeezed his eyes shut and stumbled around blind for a few minutes until his poor eyes adjusted. He shuffled over to the water tank drinking in great slurping gulps until, afraid for him, we pulled him away. I was told that he needed his teeth done and that they couldn’t keep weight on him. My thought was that you don’t need teeth to drink water. After he’s been here for the last four days I can tell you that he’s eating fine. In fact, he hasn’t stopped eating since he got here and is working his way up from all the hay he can eat to hay and grain.
A three year old pony gelding (the black) and a yearling sorrel colt.
Poor baby.
This is an eight year old QH mare, sweet as she can be.
Four year old QH filly.
Six year old mare.
These are just a few of the pictures that were taken. Do you see the sunken eyes, raised backbones, protruding ribs and hips? This is why we do what we do. Twelve down, how many more to go?
Seriously folks, do you know how much twelve horses eat? How much more “non-profit” can we get, lol!
Please feel free to comment. Tell me what you do to help others or why you don’t.
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