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It just doesn't END. Kenzie has been mutilated.

131K views 968 replies 159 participants last post by  verona1016 
#1 ·
I don't even know what to feel anymore. Devestated? Horrified? Exhausted? Angry? Frustrated? Maybe all of them...all at once. I just...I don't get it. WHY does this have to happen? Especially to Kenzie..of all horse. I don't understand.


I'm sure you want to know what I'm blabbering on about. I want to know too. How do you explain this?!



I came out yesterday and found her like this...with her ear literally torn in two. Only about 1/2 an inch of skin is holding it on, covered in grime, flies all over it, and a huge knot on the ear. Its hard to tell, but from above you can clearly see that the tendon or whatever is severed, as is all of the muscle- with only tissue holding it together.





I'm usually strong with this kind of thing. I stood through Peppin detaching his eye, Xcia being found with gashes from a bobcat fight, and Gorilla bleeding from the eyes after being kicked in the head. But I don't know...after all that Kenzie has been through, after all of her progress...coming out and seeing her like this just broke my heart.

I immediately called for the vet and texted him pictures, and I was horrified when his answer was " no reason to come out, that can't be fixed. Wash it and let it heal on its own. " What kind of answer is that? I called another vet. Same answer. Another vet, 'just put her down if she has that many problems.' I called SIX VETS as far out as 3 hours away trying to get them to come out, and not a single one would. I was furious. Even if it can't be stitched, she needed help. I needed help. She's a 400 lb baby with minimal handling and a torn ear. What could I do?

It took me 16 calls to finally push one vet (that I honestly don't like) into coming out and making an emergency call on, God forbid, good Friday- but it was already 4 hours after I found her. Just as I suspected, even if it had been stitchable at first, after 4 hours of waiting and however long it took for me to find her, it was too late. She was so terrified and hurting so badly that we had to tranq her to even look at it, and it was NASTY. The vet was able to put a few stitches in the muscles and stuff to hold it together, but everything else was already dying. She thinks part of the ear will fall off, because it has lost its blood supply. And theres nothing we can do about it. She's almost guarenteed to have lost all of her hearing in that ear, and it appears that she can't and won't ever be able to move it again.

Whats worse? Its a completely clean slice, like someone used a razor to do it. As soon as I realized that I started looking around for evidence, and found a piece of paper in her feed bucket with the word 'your warning' written in red on it. This was ON PURPOSE, and I don't know why. I obviously called the police but without anything else, they have nothing to go on. We're going to install security cameras on her fence....which we can't afford...but that change what happened.

I am devestated. She was making so much progress... both physically any mentally. But now its all for naught. No one is going to want a horse with a lop ear, if we even can keep the infection out of it. I can't afford to buy or keep her. BO can't afford to keep spending money like this. The rescue is pretty much done with her. She's terrified of me again. It took me over an hour to get close to her this morning to look at her ear, and she tried to kick me twice. WHY? Why would someone do this to her? I've lost hope. I'm exhausted. I don't know what to do. But I have to do something, don't I? She has nothing without me. But I've begun to question...if its even fair to make her go through all of this. If its even worth it. How do you know when a horse is done? When it just doesn't care anymore? How do you know when its not just your petty human emotions that are forcing them to go on?









It looks a little better today in terms of cleanliness, but the vet only gave her a shot of antibiotics and cleaned up some of the blood. I don't know how to wrap it, what to put on it to keep the flies away, whether or not to clean it... and she won't even let me near her, much less near her ear. Add to that that the BO is really wary about me even touching her because she's gone crazy with fear, and I just don't know what to do. It took me 1 1/2 hours to get her caught and tied to look at her ear today, and I really didn't get anything accomplished. Its like everything we worked for has just...left.

I don't even know what to do now.
 
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#847 ·
You should be able to tighten the nose via the fiador knot by pushing the excess nose rope into the knot, then pulling it out the clip loop. If that makes any sense at all.
The clip loop will be huge for a while but that excess will disappear fast as she grows. :)

I would leave all the other knots as they are, tightening up the nose will probably be just the ticket (it'll sit lower at the correct "bigness" for her nose = take up a lot of the excess cheek/throat/etc stuff).

She looks haught AND hot in her new spiffin' halter! :lol:
 
#848 ·
She is turning into a pretty good horse! Boy oh boy is she light boned though! I don't think I have seen such light rear cannons on a horse! She is nice through the body.. short coupled and short backed. She has a lovely shoulder ( so far).

Cribbing in Thoroughbreds.. TRUE cribbing with air swallowing.. is often genetic. Yes... really. It is part of an obsessive compulsive behavior on par with weaving.

I have often heard it said that cribbing in Thoroughbreds is caused by racing and being stalled. No. It is often found in lines and being stalled shows it off more. I have seen horses out in a herd, on pasture crib at a stump or a fence. Ton of grass and socialization.. and there the horse is cribbing. In the field. The ones that don't crib will weave. Is an increase in cribbing ulcer sourced? Maybe.

What is really going on is that cribbing releases endorphins and the horse actually become addicted to that release. Years ago I read a study.. where they gave horses some sort of medication.. and the cribbing stopped. I forget what that was.. but the horses stopped cribbing.. then the meds were removed and cribbing restarted.

Considering where this filly has come from she very well could have ulcers and yes.. that should be checked.
 
#851 ·
What is really going on is that cribbing releases endorphins and the horse actually become addicted to that release. Years ago I read a study.. where they gave horses some sort of medication.. and the cribbing stopped. I forget what that was.. but the horses stopped cribbing.. then the meds were removed and cribbing restarted.
I read about that study and found it to be very interesting, and very confusing :-p The medication they used blocks endorphin receptors, so should block the natural 'high' from cribbing. You'd think they'd just try harder if a medication blocked those endorphins (like how a drug addict will keep taking higher and higher doses of drugs to get the same high because the body 'gets used to' the smaller doses), but they didn't.

Here's the abstract to that study: The effect of the NMDA receptor bloc... [Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2001] - PubMed - NCBI
 
#849 ·
Haha, yeah she definitely has lots of 'wiggle room' in that halter, so I'm thinking she'll fit it for a loooong time xD fine with me though.

Thanks for that tip Wallaby, I think it makes sense! I'll fiddle around with it today and see if I can't get it a bit smaller through the nose, then take a picture so you guys can check it. Those knots are tight, tight, tight, but the fiador knot isn't as bad so I think with some work it will loosen.

Hopefully I at least have it tied right? xD I tied it wrong for FOREVER, and just a few months ago a friend of mine was like 'errrr....so yeah. Let me help you with that." Turns out everyone at my farm ties it wrong, and yet we're a 'western' facility. -headdesk-

You're not kidding Elana! I'm used to our wide-as-tall Quarter Horses so having Kenzie around is...strange to say the least. I feel like she'll break if I touch her xD those cannons are just so darned long, and she is still pretty badly cow hocked in the back. The left hind has corrected itself some though, which I'm glad for.

I'm not sure where she got those toothpick legs...maybe her dam? Mama was light boned and had all sorts of lameness issues/stocked up super easily in the short time that we had her while trying to rehab her... but her legs weren't as light as Kenzie's are.

(Poor skinny mama. I really wish we could have helped her.)





I'm not sure who her sire is though, so maybe he had funky legs. I think her sire might of been this crypto 3 year old that was apparently with them most of the time, but I think her breeder had another stallion too.

If the crypto (Jethro. We gelded him and he's quite the trail horse for someone now!) was her daddy, he had some pretty crazy legs and clubby feet, so that might explain it.


Either way, unless she somehow manages to grow into those cannons (unlikely) I don't see her doing anything too strenuous as an adult, but maybe she'll make a nice all rounder for someone. I doubt anyone would want a show horse with as many scars as she has anyways.

She's definitely a true cribber. I can hear her suck in and make that belching sound every time she cribs, and she doesn't chew. I don't think I'm going to try a collar after all though, as anyone I've asked said it just makes them pick up another habit and creates stress for them. I'll figure out another way to deal with it. I'll definitely have her checked for the ulcers and treat those if she has them, and if she still cribs after that...well, so be it. I guess she'll just require more dental care and as much turn out as possible to keep cribbing to a minimum.
 
#850 ·
Those legs are.. just hers. Mother seems a nice enough looking horse and the crypto is a nice enough horse. Adequate bone in both.

Kenzie may be a different horse altogether in 6 months. Time will tell!
 
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#853 ·
That really is an interesting idea...thanks for the link to the abstract Verona. I didn't even realize it was possible to block receptors like that! Wow.


Alright, well bear with me as I write this all out since I have a lot on my mind, but here I go... ;)


As I've mentioned multiple times, I've been trying and trying to figure out how to rehome Kenzie, but its really just not seeming to work considering the fact that she's mine. You guys mentioning just how twisted it is that I'm paying so much but having no say in anything also has really gotten me thinking.

Please, feel free to give me cons to any idea I throw out, discourage me from doing it, tell me things I may have not thought out correctly (I'm a teenager, it tends to happen! LOL) etc., I won't be offended...

The only way that I can possibly rehome Kenzie 'for sure' at this point, is if I own her correct? But BO is also unwilling to put in the work to rehome Kenzie, and even if she did I can't be sure that she would put Kenzie into the right home. I'm not questioning her intentions, but she has a LOT on her plate and a lot of financial strain so I can definitely see her going for what will 'regain her losses' best while also not take much time rather than what is really going work for Kenzie. Me owning her long term though...as in, longer than a few months, is out of the question.

However, I also just can't leave Kenzie where she is much longer. Things are falling apart at the farm more and more, and its just really not all that safe for her. Not so much because of security right now, but because people just don't have the horse's best interest at heart anymore. Not just BO, but all of the volunteers either. I really think the intention of the facility was good, but the love in it has just...died. And without dedication, a place like this farm goes down, and it goes down quickly. The horses still aren't neglected but many of them are in need of more than they're getting...things like dental work, therapeudic farrier care, higher quality feed, etc), and a trainer has been brought in who has philosophies that are distinctively Hispanic (I am not trying to be racist or anything, please understand, but Hispanic horsemanship at least in MY area tends to be cruel and inhumane) and I'm worried about the affect he will have on the farm. Mechanical Hackamoors, TTs, and rough handling are beginning to resurface at the farm dispite all that I've done to educate and get rid of those things. Add to that the fact that BO's son has begun 'training' and is taking multiple young horses that we own and, strictly IMO, is ruining them....and I'm worried that if Kenzie stays, they are going to do something ignorant such as breed her or start her far too early. Lastly, the facility is getting run down and I'm constantly finding bits of metal, baling twine, wire, etc and I am worried that she is going to injure herself again.

So that leaves me with the job of figuring out what to do with her. Obviously the first step would be to buy her. That's fine, I have the money to do that. Boarding is my big issue, because of the price, but I might have a short term solution to that. It isn't ideal, but I know she'd get good care. A friend's friend owns a little private farm about 85 minutes from where I live. Lovely little facility, with plenty of grass and safe fencing/shade, etc. She's an 'older' lady, maybe 60, who decided to take in a few misfortuned horses much like Kenzie a few years ago and she has 10 currently, including 4 minis. Each horse has it's own problem, whether it has been abused or isn't ridable anymore, but she makes sure they are all well cared for.

I hesitated to call her because I've only known her for a short time (I'm helping her start a colt of one of her last rescues because he is undamaged and she'd like to sell him on) and I know she already has a LOT to do with that many horses and it only being her caring for them, but I contacted her this weekend and while she isn't able to take Kenzie permanently, she's willing to let me keep her there for just a bit of money to help her out, as long as I take care of all of her expenses (farrier, vet, worming, feed, hay, etc...which I'm already doing) and feed her twice a day. Sounds optimal, but remember...that would mean transporting Kenzie the required miles (I have no trailer access) somehow, and it would also mean not getting to see her often.Maybe once a week. But its not about me is it?

Bringing her to this woman's ranch would only work under certain conditions though.

One, I would have to buy her from BO. I don't think it would be too hard, but theres always the chance BO will completely close up about it again.

Two, I would have to figure out a way to get her there.

Three, my parents would have to be in on this too. I have convinced them to let me buy Kenzie, but ONLY if I have a 'plan' that includes someone who is willing to take Kenzie from me within 6 months once I have her rehabbed (another plus of her going out there is that there is a MUCH better farrier who could help her hooves). That's the big thing. Of course, if I OWNED Kenzie, I would not be limited to just local people. I would have the option if anyone on HF that might be interested, people near where Kenzie would be living, people in my area...our horizons would be broadened considerably because I would not be the middleman anymore, and we would not have to deal with certain difficult people. I would even be willing to help pay for, or use the rest of Kenzie's fund for, professional transportation to another state.

The last stipulation is the biggest. To buy Kenzie with my parents approval, I must already have someone willing to take her (with the understanding that they might have to back out if there is a huge life change or something)...which would take a lot of thought.

I don't know...it all sounds so complicated with a lot of variables that could go wrong. But what we're doing now just isn't going to work. You guys are right...the only thing this can end in right now is heartache. :/
 
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#855 ·
sorry, lots of typos. When my mind starts moving fast, it jumbles itself up.

*considering that she is not mine

let me know if anything didn't make sense. I just reread my post and its hard for even me to follow my line of thought xD

I'm just so worried about making rash decisions on my part and getting Kenzie or I into a situation. I'm trying to keep my ties with BO friendly for my sake and for the sake of the other horses on the farm (I'm their only advocate right now) which is a huge factor, but Kenzie also needs to get out of there.

I'm very seriously considering doing it though.
 
#856 ·
Endiku I feel that you should make this all about you.

Instead of telling the BO that you want a better life for Kenzie, totally go off of emotions alone and talk about how much Kenzie means to you, etc. I am sure that she would be happy to hand her over to you if you express yourself in this way.

It's only advice; you don't have to take it. But I feel if you do focus on the things Kenzie isn't getting, it will put the BO on the defensive side.
 
#857 ·
I absolutely agree with Sky, go all soft and sentimental on BO and sweet talk her into letting you have Kenzie. As much as you have been through with Kenzie already is pretty convincing evidence of how much you care for her.

Will you be able to move Sour too? She really needs to be away from there as well, I worry about her also. :-(
 
#858 · (Edited)
On the "where to move her" front, are there any pastures you, say, drive by on a daily basis or see often that you just sort of wonder about? [I think the idea with your older friend is great too, this is just another idea]

Anyway, basically what I'm getting at is that the exact same thing you wrote about started happening with the place I initially boarded Lacey at. It's all so the same that I wonder if those people moved to Texas [they didn't but you know]. :lol:
Obviously, I had to get Lacey out.
My elderly neighbors own pasture land where they had kept horses when I was little, until one horse died in a seriously traumatic freak accident involving the pasture [the "baby" -it was their one time breeding "experiment" baby- stuck his head through a metal gate+slit a neck artery on the gate latch]..then they got out of horses.
I swallowed my fear and one day decided to go over there, just to ask if they might consider letting me board there.

They immediately agreed to let me keep Lacey on their property and, even though I offered to pay, don't charge me a dime and let me do whatever I need with the pasture. For instance, bringing the goats home: I went over to ask if that was ok since it is their land...and they said "of course it's ok! It's your pasture!!"
They act like I'm doing them some kind of service by being on the land everyday but really, come on. :lol:

I've had Lacey "home" for nearly 3 years now, on their property, and it's still working out great. But it never would have happened if I hadn't listened to the "mind itch" and gone over to ask. Heck, I didn't even know these people, beyond having them yell at me about my neighbor's dog once, prior to asking! :lol:

Anyway, just something to think about. Ask people you don't expect. There will be a solution. I know it.
And like Celeste said, buy Kenzie and we will help you figure it out. :hug:
 
#860 · (Edited)
First off, you guys are awesome. But I hope you already know that.

I think you're absolutely right Sky. She definitely gets defensive very quickly and I didn't do a good job of realizing that last time. And when she gets defensive, she gets angry. If and when I do approach her about buying Kenzie, I'll make this a 'I love her so much, and I promise I'll take care of her if you let me buy her from you.' yadayadayada thing. Maybe it will work since I'm still young. And I DO love Kenzie... I just realize that I can't be her owner. At least not for long anyways.

Wallaby, I was actually thinking about that this morning! I pass tons of pastures on my way to work and school, but they're all cattle pastures with barbed wire fences, 40+ acres each, with cattle occupying them. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I have no idea how to go about contacting the ranchers that own those pastures, and I'm not sure how I'd go about FINDING Kenzie in all of that xD

There's another field literally RIGHT by where she is now that is really nice and lush considering the time of year, and the people who own it raise meat goats and cattle (only 4-5 at a time) as far as I can tell, soI thought about going to ask them, but its just TOO close to the farm for me to be comfortable with moving her there. Not to mention that it is all barbed wire also.

I don't know. Maybe I'm being too picky.

One thing I'm worried about though, is going on about how I love Kenzie and want to have her, then turning right around and rehoming her. Seems a little...fishy, even to me xD What if BO realizes I'm really just going around her to get Kenzie rehomed? Like I said, I don't think she'd do anything drastic, but you just never know. I'll definitely get paperwork drawn up and stuff when I do buy her, but I just keep getting all of these 'what ifs' in my head.

Celeste, I'm not sure. Originally she was talking $350 or so, which seems a bit much considering the economy right now, but she keeps going on about bloodlines even though Kenzie isn't registered as far as I know. Maybe I can talk her down with cash.

As for Sour...I'm working on that too. I feel a little better about her PROVIDED that I don't make BO mad or anything, since she IS legally mine and I can do whatever I feel like doing with her. I want her off the farm too, and plan to get her off ASAP. Once everything with Kenzie is settled, I think I know where I want to take her. I just cant afford Kenzie AND boarding Sour at this particular place because board is $280 per month as opposed to the $125 + hay and feed that I'm paying right now (remember, I work off half my board)

Also, Sour is an adult and she doesn't require quite the upkeep and Kenzie does. She'll be OK 12 hours in a stall, 12 hours out, so its a lot easier for me to find a place that can take her and accommodate her.
 
#861 ·
If you ever need to transport Kenzie, you know we have a trailer waiting for her. :wink: It's definitely a tough decision and requires a lot of thinking. But nothing gets done when you don't take risks, right?
 
#862 ·
If I buy her Kayella, I'll have to take you up on that. Hopefully it would just be a one time thing transporting her up to the woman (we'll call her Mrs. N)'s farm. I'd be very grateful.
 
#863 ·
I would just pay the price and get her moved. You should try talking to some farmers around there. You might find that they let you pasture board her really cheap. How you will find her is to call her. She will want her feed even if she is full of grass. Another thing about moving her, if she has good pasture, your feeding expenses will go way down.
 
#864 ·
That's very true Celeste. Any idea how you go about contacting them though? I rarely see trucks, and there are usually no trespass signs and such so I'd feel weird just going up to them and going "HEY, so question..."
 
#865 ·
Well Wallaby, I went with a sudden "mind itch" and remembered a girl in my class last year who has two horses living at home, and contacted her.

I don't have many details yet and it isn't 'for sure' but I just might have a solution... and its only 20 minutes away.

I know most of you aren't Christians, but God is Good! And so are mind itches. And advice. LOL.
 
#867 ·
WOW. Kenzie officially has a place to stay if I can just buy her. My parents have given me their ok, and the place she'll be going is great. Another pasture with at least some grass and only two other horses, and the family she'll be staying with live on the property, have a great barefoot farrier, and already know she isn't in great condition. They have barbed wire but it is reinforced with electric tape and is upkept nicely, so hopefully it will work out.

I sure hope this works out...

Kayella, I'm going to send you a PM.
 
#869 ·
Almost too perfect. My mind is spinning. I really hope this all works out...Kenzie (and I) has been through so much...getting her off of the property and officially in my care will be a BIG and very good step in the right direction.

She'll be able to be out 24/7 as well unless there is severe weather. I almost don't want to believe how perfect this might be.

Ofcourse, this is only IF I can get her from BO. Big if. Prayers, jingles, and thoughts appreciated now more than ever! I'll talk to BO about it within the next day or two.
 
#875 ·
Ofcourse, this is only IF I can get her from BO. Big if. Prayers, jingles, and thoughts appreciated now more than ever! I'll talk to BO about it within the next day or two.

I should mention Endiku that I was in the same awkward pickle.

Honestly you just have to take a chance and hope that they don't take it personally. At the end of the day as long as your girlies are safe, that's what counts.
 
#870 ·
You may actually be able to keep Kenzie long term. She is small, but you are not exactly over-sized yourself. You might make a nice pair. Yes you are going to college. That may not mean she has to go. You can save a LOT of money by going to college locally and staying home a little longer. Having a horse while I was in college actually was a good investment because of all the trouble that it kept me out of. I wonder if you could move Sour as well.
 
#873 · (Edited)
This times a million.

Also, "I need to get home to take care of the horse" is a GREAT excuse for getting out of parties and other "fun" activities without seeming rude. :lol: Don't tell anyone but I used that one a lot this past year to get out of "alternate" activities that were not my kind of thing. I am a terrible person. hahaha

And even, depending on how far away an "acceptable" college is, commuting is really not that bad. During the school year I travel 1.5 hours, one way, to school on mass transit everyday...which I was sure would be terrible when I prepared to transfer to this school. But it's really not bad. :)
Of course, we don't want to get too ahead of ourselves, but STILL. This could work.
 
#872 ·
Wooo mind itches! One of my recent mind itches has opened up a whole new pathway fora future career. All with just one question! Funny how those things work hehe.

Just let me know when(if) little Kenzie will need to be moved and we'll work something out!
 
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