Yep, the owner said that fat horses founder. She is keeping them thin ON PURPOSE.
OMG SERIOUSLY WHAT.
Keep in mind, this was my 3rd visit within 2 weeks, its not as though I hadn't been out in a year and was shocked by this.
I didn't pay attention to the other horses on the first visit, but thought Foxy looked a little thinner than usual. Nothing drastic, but thinnish. A week later I went back with family to visit her.....Foxy was a bit thinner, on the ribby side....and the other horses were SKINNY. Even my completely non-horsie family members said WOW WHY ARE THEY SO SKINNY. So that was a Monday.
At that point, I started looking for a new boarding barn and scheduled the vet to come out to update shots/coggins.
The next day (tuesday) I went to visit a new boarding place (and loved it). The following day (wednesday) was the horrible tornados that ripped across the south so as much as I wanted to go check on Foxy, it was actually life-endangering to leave my house, so I had to wait.
thursday I met the vet. She was as concerned about the condition of both Foxy and the other horses, just like I was. She said Foxy was approximately 100lbs underweight.
Foxy was moved within the hour.
The following day I confronted the barn owner (via text) about the conditions of the horses. She said that fat horses founder, so she kept them thin on purpose. And they were out of condition.
Whatever.
Here is the incredibly sad part.
Know what he used to look like?
Know what the gray mare used to look like?
Another sad part? There is hay in the barn. And multiple EMPTY fields surrounding this one. All with knee high grass and clover.
Foxy is doing good. She is enjoying a private pasture at the new boarding barn, although she will eventually have a mare or two for companions.
Foxy BY FAR looked the best of the horses. Foxy is the easiest keeper alive. 2 flakes of hay a day and she is fat as a cow. She is a mustang at heart, I think.
Foxy at her new home. It is closer to my house so I can visit more often. All the horses there were fat and happy, barn owner lives on site and is very involved in the care of the horses, plus they have an actual paid employee there as well. And multiple boarders who have been there for years.
6 comments:
That is really horrible and I am very glad you will be calling AC. There isn't a justification to starve someone or thing, ever IMO. I would bet the owner isn't starving and I would bet they have some sort of health problem. Grrr!
Sadly I have had no luck whatsoever reporting them. I've tried multiple channels to get help and have had zero interest. Very disheartening.owner is moving out of state and taking the horses with her, so it may be a moot point anyways. Sad though.
Have you considered going after her in civil court? For intentional negligence of Foxy? You have a ton of before and after photos of her and the other horses on the property and a vet report saying she was approx 100 pounds underweight within a matter of 3 weeks tops. At least she will learn a lesson of what not to do, especially since she just did this suddenly. I mean, Foxy had been there years with no issue and all of a sudden she tries to say they will founder? It doesn't sound logical in the least.
That is awful. So glad you got Foxy out of there and she is ok. Hope you can get someone to listen to you and get those horses moved to a safe place.
Have you contacted Fugly Horse of the day about the other horses? Maybe she can help out....
sadly, unless the horses are shockingly emaciated (or dead) AC will do little. Nothing, really. I'm glad Foxy us safe again.
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