how should i discuss conditions of my inlaws horse with them

I haven't been in months to see my in law's horses ( the way the are kept I refuse to see them) we had to return some thing to them today and went to see the horses, once again there 36 x36 pens, there pens have not been mucked about in about a week or so, I notice that my father in law horse was having trouble walking and was leaning way to far back on her front, upond closer look I notice that her hooves have not been trimed ( only way I can describe it...like a duck bill) with the heel very worn down, I also notice that the coranry band was way to flacky for my liking on her back hoof with a servre chip in that hoof, I checked on the other 2 horses in the next pen, one seemed fine and the 2 year old filly looked really ribby and the hoofs where duck billed (flaired out), last time I tried to help her out she told me off and told me she could do what she wanted with her horses...well i've had it with them....no horse has to go through what theses poor horses are being put there and just about to go over the sheriffs dept heads, theses are people who have never bought horses and it show's...to bad that I don't have a digital camera on hand to show you what I mean, but i'm willing to play nice with them till animal welfare comes in...any suguestion how to tell them about there horses?

Yikes! That's a hard situation......do they love their horses and are just ignorant? Or do they purposly do that? Try to help them find a vet and farrier in the area and if they don't want to pay for it,suggest they sell them and just lease some horses. Probably if you make them aware of the situation,they'll step up. Good luck! :(

They say they do, it's gotten to the point my kids are not allowed around the pen's because the horses all bite, they'll get popped in the nose if the inlaws feel they need it, they can't even aford a vet or blacksmith, they expect us to trim "there" horses hooves, well it's beyond that now, they need to see a black smith, as for a vet.....they have never seen a vet in there lifes....the last shots they got we're last year when my husband gave them to them, our horses are up todate on shot's and worming and trims. Each of there horses get about 12 oz of grain x2 a day with hay.....that's a size of a can of pop, I wont even go in to the siduation they have

Why do people like that even have horses??? And these are your inlaws???? You poor thing!!

Hate to say it but you need to bring professionals in. Your in-laws don't even have to know that it was you who phoned. Think about the pain the horses are in.

Hi KT,

I remember your initial post about this months ago. As I said before its such a difficult situation to be in, especially when its family. I know you are going to find this hard, but you're going to have to go to town on them. Report them, not just to the Sherriff's Dept, but to some animal cruelty organisations. You've tried to help them/advise them and they've just thrown it back in your face. Bite the bullet as the saying goes, and do what you think is right for those horses, before they're too bad to save.
I watch a program over here in UK about Animal Cops Houston!?! Do you have any place like that near by?
I'm sure they wouldn't just stand by like the Sheriff does, they'd get the ball rolling and get those poor babies sorted.

I'm sending you (((BIG HUGS))), and you know how to reach me if you need a chat.

Tough call, tough thing to have to see. I would totally feel for them, it's so sad. You can't change what other people do. When they said "I'll take care of my horses the way I want." maybe you jumped her stuff about it and they got defensive? If you say something more specific and questioning, like "I don't know, I think I saw a hoof just like that in an article in a horse magazine, and that doesn't look right" try and be more helpful.

But again, they may just be idiots. Most idiots can't be helped.

Just my 2c.

Amy

I agree. If the horses are as bad as you say, and your inlaws are as stubborn as they sound, they may not listen to anyone but the police or spca. Even then they might not listen, but if they don't the animals would be taken away and that would probably be for the best.

The difference between inlaws and outlaws is that outlaws are wanted. With that in mind, call the cops, the animal control, the SPCA, the newspaper, the TV stations and then call the local radio stations. Get 100 people protesting in front of their house holding signs. Get them fired from their job. Do what it takes to make them take care of these defensless animals and/or release them to someone who will take care of them! Do it today!

Ok that's a little extream...getting her fired from her job...she just got off of food stamps, yes she had 4 horses and was on food stamps.....she took a job at the hospital I turned down afer my husband wanted me to stay home with the kids, doesn't pay much but it didn't mater to me, for her every penny counts(in her words) her husband refuses to work (some thing to do with a workers comp he never got and is still waitting for it) I haven't been back since and do not want to go there again it just sickens me to a point