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"Rescued" horses

11K views 59 replies 30 participants last post by  Clava 
#1 ·
I am so sick of reading that someone has rescued a horse. Rescued it from what? The horse doesn't do what you want because it's figured you out, that you don't really know what you are doing? This seems to be the new way to introduce a new horse - "I rescued a horse" or "my new horse was rescued". Doesn't anybody just acquire a horse any more without the stupid notion they've "saved" it. I've seen "rescued" horses wind up in worse situations than the previous ones because of owner ignorance. That is my rant, vent and just had to get it off my chest.
 
#3 ·
People claim they 'rescued' a horse, when in reality all they did was BUY it. Buying at auction doesn't mean the animal was rescued, even though people break their arms patting themselves on the back for 'saving' Pookie.

'Rescue' and 'abused' are two of the most overused words when it comes to horses nowadays, and they've almost completely lost their meanings.

People can and do upgrade.horses every day, but rescue? No.
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#4 ·
Well, ......I rescued my OTTB was rescued directly off the track before he was put on the truck to kill pen. I also rescued my percheron before the authorities took her away from the 50 x 50 paddock she lived in for three years with her 17.1hh filly with no human interaction outside having hay thrown and being watered. She had no vet or farrier care and had slipper foot and could barely stand. She had a coronary band abscess the size of my fist that oozed blood and puss for two months. She also has a broken breast bone. We took the two horses once we heard about them as a humanitarian effort until we could find a home. We found the new home for them, but I couldn't give Belle up. It was very risky since I didn't know if she would ever walk. While my QH mare was in one home for the first 16 years of her life, she was extremely thin when I was given her. Woman gave her up due to divorce. Cheyanne was never ridden and owner was told she never would be ridden because she was nuts. I have been riding her for the last five years and we have a wonderful trust between us. She was my first horse that I learned everything with. She is now retired and will soon not be with us. I'd like to think she has seen, done and had more purpose in the last five years of her life than the first sixteen. So, for these three horses, their lives were changed dramatically when I took them.....all for free because nobody wanted them. Some of them wouldn't be here at all. I would call this 'rescue'.
 
#6 ·
Buying a horse is just that, buying a spoiled, unwanted, good, bad, broke, unbroke horse, whether from a private sale, an auction or a racetrack. That is not rescuing a horse.
To rescue a horse, you get it starved, abused(and I mean abused, not just long feet, or not fed or not living like a king/queen in a stable/box stall)dying. A horse that is on its last legs. A horse that will be dead in a week or less because of starvation.
But, it is no fun to say" look, , I just bought a horse really cheap for a good deal because it is green broke, or buck the last owner off or has bad habits.
That is not a big deal, however a pat on the back and a "wow, you are awesome" comment will be made if you say" Hey, I just rescued this horse from "fill in the blank"..
 
#7 ·
I just gotta ask, why does it bother you that much?

Everyone has their own opinion on what a "rescue" horse is. For mine, he was not healthy at all, dangerous, he was abused in his younger years but not in his previous home prior to coming to me but he hadn't mentally improved much and his health was still a mess.. a huge mess. He probably would have ended up being put down for being too dangerous to himself and to others. He needed "rescuing" and I really actually don't like referring to him as such.. because we're way past that now.

For some it's taking them out of a neglectful situation, for some it's taking them out of an abusive situation, and for others it's about giving them a purpose instead of being sent to the 'kill pens.'

Personally, it doesn't bother me. As long as the life they're living NOW has improved in such that it is better than the situation in which you got your horse, or bought him, or found him.. whatever verb you want to use.

I wouldn't let something that small bother me.. so many others things more concerning to expend energy over *shrug*
 
#8 · (Edited)
For me, if any money changes hands, you aren't rescuing that horse - you're buying it. If money was in play for a horse in terrible condition, you "upgraded" that horse.

Really though, I think the word "rescue" has been so overused that it really has no meaning anymore. It's becoming a cliche that any Joe Schmoe uses to justify that skinny horse in the backyard or why their mare/stallion must breed - "Well, I can't ride it. It was an abused rescue."
It's becoming a glamor word that people drop to justify the ill mannered behavior their animals exhibit and to get congrats from people they run with.


If I wanted to, I suppose I could say that Lacey was a "rescue." I was basically paid to take her, she was a week away from her date with the needle, and she had some serious mental demons. HOWEVER, to my mind, she was not a rescue because her previous owners adored her (however misguidedly), she was not skinny, and she wasn't lacking in hoofcare. She was massively upgraded and I don't think she'd choose to go back there if she were a human, but she wasn't out and out suffering.

At the same time, I do think of my cat as a rescue since I found him abandoned in the woods as a near death 5 week old kitten. I had to spend quite a bit to get him healthy and if I hadn't pulled him out, he would have starved/been eaten by something in those woods within the next 24 hours. Even the vet was pretty sure he wasn't going to survive but he totally did.


Personally, it's not a huge deal to me but I basically refuse to congratulate someone who describes their animal as a rescue. I figure that the people who really do rescue animals are the ones keeping quiet about it because they don't see it as a big deal - they're just doing their "duty." I don't go around saying "This in my RESCUE cat, Booth!". I tell his story if people are interested and let them make their own conclusions.

If people want to try to force themselves to be "cool" via supposed animal rescuing, they can be my guest. I just won't have very much patience for them to regale me with stories about poor poor Cowbell, who was so abused an traumatized when they rescued her for $500. Poor baby. Yeah, NO. :wink: I also think pitying an animal for the situation it came out of is rather silly. Animals live in the now - they're focused on the good treatment they get now, humans are just funny and don't think that way..
 
#60 ·
For me, if any money changes hands, you aren't rescuing that horse - you're buying it. If money was in play for a horse in terrible condition, you "upgraded" that horse.
Well in that case I did not "rescue" my haflinger Hattie as I paid £100 for her, but then again I would always pay something as it helps to make a proper legal purchase and get a receipt for proof of ownership. I have no doubt though that she may well have died if I had not bought her.:-|
 
#9 · (Edited)
If it makes a person feel good to say they rescued a horse from certain death, whether it's from certain slaughter or starvation, neglect, etc. then so be it. I wish there weren't so many happening, then we wouldn't hear about it all the time.
Yes, when it's used unnecessarily it's annoying.
BUYING a horse at auction isn't a rescue unless you KNOW you are outbidding the meat buyer. BUYING an untouched rough horse or horse with a bad habit is a Craigslist PROJECT.

I've had three confiscated animals brought to me, two mules that died within a month, and an 800 pound Clydesdale with slipper feet and cracks you could hide pencils in. He eventually weighed 1,800 and is now completely sound.

More of a Project:
Rick's owner was referred to me by my vet, she had over 20 horses in an acre lot, AC/SO was breathing down her back, liquidate or face fines/jail and confiscation. He WAS in decent condition, I bought him on a Friday, she was taking him and most of the others to the sale the next day. 99% of the horses in decent condition head south, he had a 1% chance. So I have used "rescued" (note the quotations) because there WAS a 1% chance some other insane person would have overlooked his running through the bit, head tossing, rolling eyes, side passing and dangerous behavior and taken him home. He is really a purchased $350 project that's cost well over $2,000. I canceled my $1,250, dream horse, Craigslist purchase to "rescue" Rick. And, no I wasn't "suckered" by the "buy now or he's heading to auction" ploy, my vet whom I adore and trust told me about the situation. He was the vet who evaluated the animals.
We are overrun with horses around here. That sale barn is now closed, even the meat man wouldn't take a hundred + neglected head that were dumped on the owners. They were shut down because they couldn't afford to feed them and they were starving to death, literally.

Sale barns USED to be THE place to go buy a decent prospect or good broke horse. You know, before internet. There are some obviously decent finds to be had, and people bid those up. But now it's mostly just the horse dump.
 
#10 ·
I just want to be clear, I don't tell people Sky is a rescue willy nilly to make myself feel good. Just so they know how far he's come and to show them that horses just need good basic care and patience/respect to blossom.

But it does make me happy to realize just how much he's gotten better since. I managed to figure out his feed with the help of my barn and research I've done.
 
#11 · (Edited)
We know Sky, you've been on a heck of a journey with him!
I agree, it doesn't really matter as long as they are in a better place, and rescued from a literal horse hell! Whatever a person thinks that is. I shouldn't have used the "feel good" in my post.

An "upgade" is what you get when you trade in a cell phone or a car.
 
#12 ·
I really could care less what people call there horses, as long as they are taken care of.

I don't call my filly anything unless the situation specifically asks for some sort of explanation of her past.

Then I like using the word 'adopted', because that is what she is. Although it can be argued that she was perhaps 'rescued', but not by me... rather by the organisation I adopted her from.

However, what does bug me a little personally, is that I often feel as if I have to describe her as a 'rescue' and be vague about it, and then people will respond positively and happily to some imagined evil. Because I've noticed if I really say where she's really from... people don't seem to believe me, and it kind of bums me out to know people think I'm making something up. Not so much in my real life... where people here know about the animal testing thing... but online: awkward. :)
 
#13 ·
Your post made me curious so I had to see the.story behind your horse, lol sorry I kinda stalked your page :oops:

But your story about your filly really touched me, she i s one beautiful filly you have there and it takes an equally beautiful person to do what your doing for that horse.

That kinda goes for anyone who truely rescues a horse.
Just had to say it..
 
#14 ·
I could think of better things to be annoyed about then someone saying they rescued a horse. Good for them.
What annoyes me is when someone comes on here crying for help on a injured horse that needs immediate attention by a vet and they say there is either no vet around or vet wont come or they cant afford a vet. That actually pisses me off. 1 why do they have a horse and 2 how they think we are all stupid to believe such excuses.
So when one comes on and says they "rescued" a horse good for them as long as they can afford to properly care for the horse including events that calls for a vet!

TRR
 
#15 ·
I should like to clarify that horses, even OTTBs do not go directly to the kill pen. The horses go through an auction which is often attended by kill buyers. What they buy depends of the market value of slaughter horses. If it is only 30cts a pound then they will bid only 15cents or 10 cents so they can make a few dollars. Some will even take unwanted horses home and try to sell them privately if sound and seem to have some training. They are in it to make money not just sell to the slaughter houses. The advantage of an auction is that it allows potential buyers to look at many horses in one day and many private deals are made without the horse being auctioned. What sickens me is people who "rescue" a poor cripple that has likely exhausted someones wallet and a vet's attempts to help it and it's been shipped to the auction with the idea that slaughter is the humane way to end the horse's suffering. We can't all euthanize and bury a horse.
 
#16 ·
Thanks nyx - she is a special pony for the progress she's made after what she's been through. But I'm not really the one to credit: I adopted one, but the couple who run the welfare agency, have day jobs just to run this agency that they set up years ago specifically to help these horses. And they have made enormous steps: the last few batches released have all been rehomed, and none sent to slaughter, and this year it was announced no more horses would be bred for testing, and steps would be taken to eliminate testing on live horses at all.
So luckily my girl is one of the last of her kind! Some people are true angels.

Saddlebag - if that is what you're saying, I don't think I could ever approve of people sending a horse to auction, hoping for slaughter, instead of euthanising it humanely because they can't afford it or whatever. That is surely the last responsibility you owe your horse in its time of need.
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#18 ·
muumi, Many people do not have the land on which to bury a horse and if it has been euthanized it has to be buried so the top side is 4' below the surface. This is to prevent animals from getting at the carcass and ingesting the drugs which linger in the meat. Their only option is to send the horse to slaughter. That is how we get canned dog food so at least the horse is recycled. I was just venting at how often we hear the terms "saved or rescued". It seems to preceed most stories from people needing help. My concern about those who use this term is that they excuse the horse's behaviour thinking it's a byproduct of previous ownership when the horse is reading them like a book and knows instantly what it can get away with. You never hear experienced horse people use the term. What you will hear is "horse was a bit skinny", "holes in his training", "nothing some good feed and exercise won't help". Nary a word about saving or rescuing the animal.
 
#20 ·
We rescued two horses when I was 12. As in, we adopted them from a legitimate rescue. Princess was only starved, and was with her mother until age two. Bubba, though, dealt with physical abuse that has forever made him untrusting of people. We've owned them for seven years, and I still cannot go up to Bubba in the field any time I want to. Occasionally, he will let me come up to him and pat him on the head before he turns and walks away. Usually, he just walks away. I'm fine with that. He's content and happy in his field with Princess, making up for the first seven years of his life when he was abused. He's very skittish, but he does trust me the most. So yes, Bubba was a rescue. We saved him from a horrible place and gave him a forever home where he can finally be happy.
 
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#21 ·
I don't know. I think I'm with a few people here in saying that I honestly don't care what a person calls their animal as long as its well cared for. We have a few who technically could be called 'rescues,' four (soon to be three, one is being rehomed) race horses who were all crammed along with two more (already rehomed) horses into two stalls and shut in the dark for over a month, fed moldy hay and water, and had terribly cracked feet. Three of the six had underlying health problems including heart problems and severe ulcers, and one was not able to be saved. We took them in, rehabilitated, and are retraining them to go to new homes. I called them rescues and I stand by the fact that they're rescues because they 'meet' all of the criteria. We did not buy them (except for Peppin, who we officially adopted last month!!!), they came from neglect, and now are not neglected.

Then theres JW, who was abandoned in a field for two years before we took him in. Some could call him a rescue, but we don't. He wasn't thin, did need some corrective trimming though, and wasn't neglected (in a pasture with ample grass and water) He's simply an investment that ended up working better for both him and us.

And Sour...well...in my mind she's a rescue, but I dont actually call her rescued. She wasn't necessarily neglected or abused, although some very rough handling caused her to go completely sour (hehehe....sour) with humans all together, and it took two years to gain her trust and be able to touch her wherever/trim her feet without sedating her. She's still iffy with some men too. So technically she went from bad to good.

My point is that each horse has its own backround and its own personal story. We don't know the details of another person's horse, and thus I dont necessarily think that its fair to judge them. And what good does it do anyways? As long as the animal is well cared for and happy, does it really matter? Its not hurting anyone, and if it strokes someone's ego, then I say go for it. Theres a lot worse that could be happening.
 
#23 ·
muumi, in my neighborhood the nearest zoo if 250 mi. distant and no idea where the nearest rendering plant is. Many have shut down. Back to rescued and abused. When people publicly state that their horse was abused that is a real condemnation of the previous owner who may not have abused the horse at all. But, as I've previously stated, the horse may have figured out the new owner in a heartbeat. Kayella, I tho't you got Bubba from a rescue yet you say you saved him from a horrible place. That rescue shouldn't be in business if that is the case.
 
#24 ·
Definatly rescued my OTTB he was on a feedlot headed to slaughter he would be dead if I hadnt got him. Yes I bought him. Paid the killer buyer his price in meat. He wasn't starving, his feet weren't bad but needed trimmed. He is well broke not crazy at all.
There is such a thing as rescue.
I do get what your saying though a LOT of people do think that they have rescued a horse but in the end the horse ends up in worse condition with the "rescuer" because of ignorance. Something they end up with good hearted people who treat the horse like a horse and give great care to them.
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#25 ·
I don't honestly see what's the big deal, we all have different opinions on what a 'rescue' is.

I say I kinda 'rescued' my mare. I don't boast and brag though that I 'saved' her. I boast and brag about how well she LOOKS now since she was given to me. C'mon, the poor gal was HIT by a drunk driver and lost and eye, then was abandoned not touched for god knows how long, almost sent to auction bc no one would take her....she wasn't starved but wasn't groomed, nor fed properly, and I quote her previous owner 'we didn't have her feet done until they started to curl' :shock:

My gelding I also bought, way over priced at $800. He was bought at out Camelot for $300 something by a dealer who had him for a month locked in a stall. he was about 150+ pounds underweight and it was a struggle keeping weight on him this winter. I don't brag I rescued him either but i do think of him as a rescue in the end anyway.

Rescue means different things to different people.
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#26 ·
The rescue saved him from a horrible place, so we in turn rescued him because we adopted him. Even at the rescue, he was kept in a round pen of hot wire 10 feet in width an he was terrified of the fence because it zapped and buzzed any time the wind blew.
 
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#27 ·
I am sure that there are some people who over use the terms. However, you may rant all you want but with all do respect those of us that own a rescue horse are not all the "idiots" that your post implies! I, personally own 4 horses that I "purchased" on the open market full well knowing ....exactly...what I was doing & why I was buying the horses, what they were going to be used for and what they were capable of doing. I "adopted" a horse with a fee attached from facility run by the state from which I live that is a large rescue facility. She was a confiscated horse due to owner illness...highly trained, extremely sensitive & the "average" adopter couldn't handle her...why was she returned 3 times..IMO because the folks that adopted her had no idea what they were doing...my 10 year old rode the said "crazy" horse w/o a problem. Then, there is my "rescue" from the same facility she was in deplorable conditions with dead horses on the property, parasites, starvation, and out & out physical beating..she is a looong work in progress...it has taken much work & dedication to bring her as far as she has come....sooo no one on this earth or on this forum will ever take that away from me!!
 
#28 ·
clarification..the rescue facility confiscated her from the deplorable place under state law..went to court in both cases & won custody of these horses before I obtained ownership ...so you can hit the back button about them being in business..they are 1 of the most well respected facilities in the Mid west..end of my own rant! good night all Happy trails!!
 
#29 ·
IF you go to01 a 501C rescue YOU PAY an adoption fee.. If you go to an Auction and out of Pity for the poor horse that is going to get shipped to slaughter, then you RESCUED that horse from slaughter. I have 2 ottb from a 501c and they were RESCUED from going to slaughter, yes they were at a TB auction. I have PMU mares and draft mix foals that would have been sent to a Killer in Canada, they were picked up for me, but they also were Slaughter bound.. THEREFORE I saved them aka rescued them. I bought 3 colts in WY and 1 is crippled , he was going to auction to slaughter , as the ranch he came from bred and sold the babies to supplement cattle . So I call him my rescue as he is crippled and just sits in his pen and eats and sh%$. :) so spoiled they be and they be rescued !!!
 
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