The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Worst Horse Owners I Know

5K views 40 replies 17 participants last post by  loveduffy 
#1 ·
So these neighbors of my parents have a 1 dollar lease on the land they keep their junk (old cars, scap metal, tires, crap etc).They only keep the lease by keeping livestock on their land. So they keep a minimum of two horses on it at all times. They go to auction, buy horses for meat price, keep them until they die of neglect or take them to auction and come home with new ones. One of their horses collapsed by the road and theycajoled her onto a piece of plywood so that when she died they could drag her to the treeline to rot. She laid there for a week until she finally died. Anyways this is a thoroughbred gelding they had for about 2 years.








He could barely walk. In the months that he was like this I don't even think they knew, or they just didn't care enough to waste a bullet, let alone pay the vet to put him down.

And I have a question... what does this look like? The only similar pictures I have found are broken knees, but I'm not sure if that's very common. Anybody have an idea?
 
See less See more
6
#2 ·
Do you know if its the owner's neglect, or a previous injury?

The welfare of the animals sure is a concern, and as for the pictures I can't help there... but what honestly can you do?

If you call animal welfare, or whomever it is that you contact, they may or may not take the animal away. Has he access to food, water, shelter? His overall condition isn't fab, but he's not got bones sticking out from what little I can see.

I would be at a loss of what to do, but from my own experience they'd be told to clean the place up, and providing the horse is able to get access too food, water, shelter, leave it at that. What happened to the other mare was horrific, too :(
 
#3 ·
Other people have called the spca, as far as that goes, nothing has changed with the pasture condition or treatment of the horses. They have no water source or food through the winter. Absolutely untouched. Nothing I can do bout. And its not my business either. Right now there's a real sweet black filly and friendly grey mare, they're both so well put together its sad to know that maybe neither of them will make it through the winter.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#5 ·
We have people located by us that have abought 20 horse and they let them indreed and also the do not feed these horses. We called the spca on them but they wont do anything until they find dead ones. Although 3 horses died so far. It is disgustin what these people do. We offered to buy a mare and a foal for 500 and they said «no she will make a good horse some day» then guess what. They never even touched her.
 
#6 ·
20!? Yeah, 2 have died that I know of... The SPCA must have bigger concerns, can't save em all I guess. I know another lady I used to work with has her pregnant mares out in the back quarter with no water and 3 feet of snow. And when her 2 year old stud misbehaves when she rides him she ties him for a week with no food.
 
#7 ·
well if there is snow on the ground water is really not a big issue. lots of animals learn quickly that eating snow is a source of water and hydration. as for food that is very sad.
as for the condition of the horses legs... not sure i would first think broken knees as well. but then again it could be so much fluid build up in the knees that keeping them bent relieves pain or calcium deposits of some sort around the bone joints have caused shifting... not sure those are pure guesses :(
 
#12 ·
Sad that they do that just to keep their land lease. Our local animal welfare isn't worth a darn either, there have been more than a few that I've called on myself. One place it did no good, I asked my vet to drive by there for me. We've got a 20+ year working relationship and freely discuss just about anything so I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. She did and stopped, had a lengthy discussion on proper care and even offered them discounted services. She kept an eye on the place and when they didn't get care for the animals, she called on them and then the animals did get removed.
 
#13 ·
Our local vet is money money money, and is quite busy as well as he's the only one around. They are aware of the needs their horses have, as most people who neglect animals are. They simply do not care. They don't even use the land other than to throw their junk on instead of taking it to the dump 5 minutes away.
 
#14 ·
I am wondering if we have all the facts here....

I find it hard to believe that the SPCA would turn their backs on horses repeatedly dropping dead on these people's property. That just doesn't seem likely....

And as for horses getting adequate water from eating snow;

http://www.horseforum.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=1275931

Horses will tend to reduce their water intake as temperatures fall. This reduced water intake, combined with increased forage consumption can lead to a greater incidence of impaction and colic. Water should be maintained between 45 and 65 degrees F and any ice crystals should be removed. Water should be checked twice daily and provided at all times as horses will drink eight to 12 gallons a day. Forcing a horse to produce moisture by eating snow is counterproductive.Six times as much snow must be eaten to provide an equal amount of water. Furthermore, calories are used to melt the snow that should be used for body warmth.

http://www.horseforum.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=1275931

The main cause of colic during the winter is from reduced water consumption. Snow will not provide enough water; one gallon (128 fluid ounces) of average moisture snow contains only 10 ounces of water. Also, eating snow will force your horse to burn precious calories to keep his body temperature steady

http://www.agri.idaho.gov/Categories/Animals/Documents/horsecarebroc.pdf

Winter is also the time when horses’ water
needs becomes very important. When it is
cold many people think horses drink less.
After all, the horses can eat snow. Snow is
cold and wet.
However snow does not contain very much
water. One foot of snow equals about an inch
of water. The melting of snow into water takes
energy.
The average horse needs 8 gallons of water,
about 1 cubic foot of water, or roughly 13
cubic feet of snow per day. The energy
needed to melt snow comes from the food the
horses eat, usually requiring up to an
additional 3 pounds of high quality alfalfa hay
or equivalent. These calories would be​
required each and every day.

***********************************************************************
IMO, some horses with adequate body fat COULD survive on snow alone...possibly....but it is still a dangerous chance to take....

BUT.......

For horses with an already depleted amount of body fat, being forced to eat snow for water could have devastating effects....


 
#15 ·
The SPCA has been called several times, they came out twice. As far as I've seen nothing has been done, and they have ceased responding to complaints (I'm not the only one making them). The horses lose all muscle and fat during our 6 month freezing cold winters. Over the summer and fall some are still skin and bones. I'm surprised just two have died. Though they had an old buckskin that weren't with the other two last time I was out at my parents, could have sold it though. They aren't even shy about it, the horses are up by the road all the time, people in the town go give them carrots and oats and hay, they feel so bad for them.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I'm not really concerned about the water as there is alot of snow... but yeah, there's alot of snow, even if they pawed through it to get the very little that remains under to eat, they've exerted that energy in -40, to eat short dead grass with no nutrients.

EDIT: definitely worded that wrong haha. I'm not as concerned about them having to eat snow as a source of water, as opposed to the lack of food.
 
#17 ·
Mysty, has anyone asked the SPCA what they have found in their investigations of this property and why the horses are still left there?

Perhaps there is a logical explanation, even though I can't think of one.

You need to find out what their investigations revealed....as I said, I am fairly certain the SPCA has it's reasons for not removing those horses.

I do not want to believe that they are allowing this alleged neglect to continue and won't intervene.
 
#20 ·
They were given a warning to clean the premise and provide records of deworming, trimming, vaccines within a certain date years ago. At which point they took those 4 horses to auction and replaced them with a small herd of cattle. The next season, they purchased two more horses. After the winter the spca was called again, they came out and the premise wasn't cleaned up, the horses looked 3/4 of the way to dead and I have no idea why they weren't seized..I'm assuming different horses than last time maybe cut them some slack on providing records for them as well? I'm not really sure what the spca's procedure is when dealing with these types of things. The spca for this area is quite a distance from us...and it's just really frustrating that even though I know multiple people have put in complaints, I know a lady across the way even had a police officer come out.. and nothing happened there. I have NO idea. :?
 
#19 ·
She said the SPCA has been there....twice. so they know what's going on....

They need to account to mysty and the others who called as to why those horses are still there.

I am hoping they have good reason to believe things are not as they appear and there are viable reasons why the horses are in those conditions....else we will be forced to accept that they are apathetic and have failed to do the duty their organization was created to do.

I am not ready to believe that ....yet. Call me naive.
 
#21 ·
The horses are usually in good health when they first arrive. I don't know if visits were made when the horses looked healthy? Maybe this lead them to believe that a harsh winter or..something... I dunno. I don't want to discredit the spca at this point, I know they work closely with one rescue organization that is fairly active...maybe there are bigger fish to fry closer to their area?
 
#22 ·
The SPCA is just an association. They can offer to take the horses, but unless something is different witht he laws in Canada they have no authority to just walk onto someones property and confiscate animals. Despite the TV shows, and how they like to dress up in uniforms and pretend they are cops of somesort. Which in itself is illegal but evidently isnt enforced.
SO I assume the SPCA tried to contact the owners offered help or to remove the animals and the owners said get lost. The SPCA probably contacted law enforcement and their is nothing else they can do if the law enforcemnt agencies wont do anything.
Maybe yoou should tell the landowners about goats. They really dont need much care, can eat anything, pretty much take care of themselves and are livestock to meet their lease agreement.
 
#23 ·
The SPCA is just an association. They can offer to take the horses, but unless something is different witht he laws in Canada they have no authority to just walk onto someones property and confiscate animals. Despite the TV shows, and how they like to dress up in uniforms and pretend they are cops of somesort. Which in itself is illegal but evidently isnt enforced.
SO I assume the SPCA tried to contact the owners offered help or to remove the animals and the owners said get lost. The SPCA probably contacted law enforcement and their is nothing else they can do if the law enforcemnt agencies wont do anything.
Maybe yoou should tell the landowners about goats. They really dont need much care, can eat anything, pretty much take care of themselves and are livestock to meet their lease agreement.

Haha goats are too cute. Unfortunately 3 wire barbed wire fences don't keep those in lol
 
#28 ·
I just looked it up too, wow that is scarey, A private organization that has got itself appointed as official law enforcement by the state. Definetly need to saty alert to attempts to do that here.
Can you imagine PETA with arrest powers ? They consider riding a horse or using an animal for anything, "Abuse"
 
#37 ·
Yeh I was suprised and didnt believe it either. But under Alberta law the SPCA have gotten themselves deputized as a privately contracted law enforcement agency. I kid you not. Look up the Alberta Animal protection act. Pretty scarey if you ask me.
I dont remember the exact quote, but something along the lines of "The path to tyranny is filled with good intentions."
 
#30 ·
I could not imagine PETA with that kind of authority, those people are crazy! Haha
Yep, I just looked it up on the alberta spca site. They vary from province to province
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#33 ·
This is very sad. I had a woman interested in buying my horse this summer and she was all set to drive down to see her one weekend. I googled her name for some odd reason and come up with several accounts of animal abuse. Apparently she was some sort of animal hoarder and every time she got caught she moved to a different county! Needless to say I called her that night and told her not to bother coming! A website with a news report about her said to contact them if she tried buying a horse from you so I gave them a heads up.

Anyways, that was off topic. I know hay and stuff is expensive, but it there any way you and the people who are concerned about them could scrape up some money and buy a round bale to somehow get on their side of the fence? Or just square bales? Anything to give them some sort of forage in the winter :-/ I know it's not your job, but maybe you can get them through the winter! Although, they won't look like crap after the winter and then the SPCA would have absolutely no reason to do anything about it :-/ What an awful situation!
 
#34 ·
This is very sad. I had a woman interested in buying my horse this summer and she was all set to drive down to see her one weekend. I googled her name for some odd reason and come up with several accounts of animal abuse. Apparently she was some sort of animal hoarder and every time she got caught she moved to a different county! Needless to say I called her that night and told her not to bother coming! A website with a news report about her said to contact them if she tried buying a horse from you so I gave them a heads up.

Anyways, that was off topic. I know hay and stuff is expensive, but it there any way you and the people who are concerned about them could scrape up some money and buy a round bale to somehow get on their side of the fence? Or just square bales? Anything to give them some sort of forage in the winter :-/ I know it's not your job, but maybe you can get them through the winter! Although, they won't look like crap after the winter and then the SPCA would have absolutely no reason to do anything about it :-/ What an awful situation!

Ah crazy people I tell ya! Good thing you looked in to it.

That is what my parents and i have done in the past, thrown square bales in when it's really cold to give them some extra energy to help keep themselves warm.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top