These Horses Were Rescued

This one is beyond belief. If you can believe he is still standing and not propped. Last night when I got him home he laid down to rest and it took him 30 minutes to get back up. It was horrible. He seems to be doing better today, more rested. This horse is a 9 year old FOUNDATION quarter horse stallion. The people that sold him owned him from the time he was a 2 year old, and they had been RIDING him like this. They RODE him in the ring (a child did). Can you imagine the will to live this horse must have? 7 years of starvation. The camera makes him look fat, compared to what he really looks like. It's disgusting. I bought six rescues at the auction Saturday. Anyone interested in pictures of the others I'll be glad to send them. I just thought this one was the most important for people to see. Good news, horse prices were way up here for the first time in a long time. I didn't pay under $100 for any of the ones I got, and I got the very worst cases there. Jackie Penney email: compmag@megagate.com (Mississippi) October 20, 2002 (pictures lightened so people can see just have starved he is) I wasn't inside when he went through. One of the guys in the ring got him for $100. I asked him after the auction what he was going to do with him and he said he was going to get him back to health and trade him. That was enough for me to offer him money. He took $150 and I took the horse to make sure he was never 'traded' again. I was determined he'd never see an auction ring for the rest of his life. I'd say he's paid his dues to human society more times than he should have. He's been starved for 7 years. The mare that came in with him was pretty poor and she went for $450 because of the bloodline they share. When the stallion went through, I hear tell that there were a lot of boos and hisses and a lot of nasty comments shouted to the owner. So he was more than any of the regulars (traders, forever homes, etc.) could stand to look at. One man shouted that he'd pay someone $100 if they would take him home and feed him. I need to find that guy, cause after buying six horses I really need that $100! LOL But High Tech (now called Techie) has already gotten some of his spirit back. Last night when I went to muck his stall I got in the way of his hay disappearing act and he pointed his lip and shook his head up and down ("I'm a stallion and don't ya forget it!"). I was really intimidated I'm telling you! LOL It was really sweet to see. He's now relaxing one foot (cocked) and arching his neck when I go around him. I've been grooming him as if he was a fine show stallion and he now thinks he is so much better than anyone. The pictures say nothing. But to give you an idea of how horrible he really looks, let me tell you. My husband is like everyone elses. Always making the little remarks about what extremes I go through in order to spoil an abused, starved, whatever horse. "Are we going to eat this month?", "Is THIS one coming in the house? I'm not helping, you'll have to do it yourself.", etc. When we went to load this guy (the auction people were leaving when we loaded the second two and it takes us an hour or so to go home, unload, go back, so they put the last two in an unlocked corral for us. Techie was able to get his front feet into the trailer, but he was too weak to get the rest of him in. My husband had to pick him up to get him the rest of the way in. When he walked around the back of him to pick him up, he started crying and at first refused to try to pick him up because he was afraid his bones would poke through were he pushed. And he shed tears. I told him it was the last trauma that night the horse would have to go through. And let's face it, if a horse needed to get some water and rest, this one was it. So we were successful in getting him home and starting him on his road to recovery. We'll see what the future brings. He's still young and getting his spark back, so I have lots of hope (I didn't the night we brought him home). I am hoping. He's a very sweet guy, and he knows he was saved, I feel. The night we got him here he came up to me after he was finally able to get up and I hugged him. He just dropped his head on me and rested. Of course that made me cry and resolve that he'd make it or wouldn't suffer anymore.

From: Jackie Penney at compmag@megagate.com Date: Thu Oct 17, 2002 9:16 pm Subject: Cricket, Rescued Pony I just got another one tonight. She's very weak. People called and asked if we bought horses. I asked her how much. She said $350. We talked, I told her the best I could do was $150 for pony and tack (saddle, bridle, pad). I'm glad I got her, I can't imagine she would have made it much longer, and I'm worried that she will make it at all. I've attached pictures. :( Jackie (Mississippi)

Located in Tennessee (from a horse auction) Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 05:48:04 : Hi, I bought a little yearling filly, she is in very rough shape, it dosen't look good. Please keep Lilly in your thoughts and prayers tonite. -- Melissa May all that is good in the universe and beyond gather to give strength to you and this baby. -- Athena Date: Wed Aug 21, 2002 7:23 pm Update :) I just thought I would send an update on my little filly. She is doing great today! Last night was rough, it was just like her little body wanted to give up. She was so exhausted and weak, she came 1400 miles from New Mexico to a horse auction in TN then to my house. I really did not think she would make it. We sat up with her all night and all day today. She wants to be friendly in the worst way but she just isnt sure yet. She is the cutest little palomino and white tovero, I am attaching a photo taken this morning. My Vet gave her a special diet, my kitchen looks like a feed store and pharmacy. THANK YOU to everyone who sent well wishes, prayers, good thoughts and positive energy it really does help. I dont have the energy to thank everyone individually but please know it means alot. -- Melissa and Lilly Date: Wed Aug 21, 2002 7:30pm Update on Lilly the filly in TN - I just wanted to let you all know, little Lilly (or whatever her name is now!) is ok. Melissa and her family stayed up all night with her and are completely exhausted. She was just too weak and stressed and they almost lost her. She's been eating hay all night :) and has drank quite a bit of water. I think some of those prayers must have worked. :) And Athena, that really was a nice sentiment. Thank you all for your thoughts. I took more pictures of her today, along with the rest of the menagerie over there :) and either Melissa or I will post them in the next day or two. I'm getting them developed tomorrow sometime. Thanks again everyone. -- Megan Date: Sat Aug 24, 2002 7:40 am Isn't her little face just precious? She is doing great! She is very sweet and friendly. We have been doing some 'Friendly Game' and LOVES her face scratched she cant get enough. She has been very alert and curious the last couple days. She even spun around and snorted at that horse-eating wheelbarrow. Her face has been so much 'brighter' just so much expression. She holds her head so high and perks those little ears up. She is eating like a piggy and is starting to look better already. I am looking into getting her Reg. in one of those Indian horse registeries. When I have more time I will look through them and see if she is eligible. If she is I need help from you guys in choosing a reg name. Thanks again everyone for your replies and e-mails and I will keep you updated on her progress. -- Melissa and Lilly Update Sept 10: Melissa wrote: The little filly I rescued from the auction 3 weeks ago has crossed Rainbow Bridge.... How do you deal with the heartache and stress like this? -- mvilla81@yahoo.com.

Cocoa in Nunn, Colorado Aug 28: She's 100 lbs heavier :)) Aug 15: I just pulled another young mare, she's three about 14.3 hands, has been pretty starved down and is really wormy. Just got home with her. I would really like to place this one into a rescue home and will talk seriously about price on this one to the right person.. She weighed in at 710 on the scale and should weigh in around 900. She's not terrible, I've seen much worse, but she's in pretty rough condition. She's a sorrel paint, mostly white with very wild splashy markings.. For more information, contact: Bridget at bree@jymis.com

Thu Aug 15, 2002 8:40 pm - The story of cocoa, rebuilding a starved down horse So far all I've done is give her two leaves of alfalfa twice a day, don't want to do to much too fast. I haven't wormed her yet, it's standard with all rescues when they come in I give half a dose of Safegaurd, then two weeks later I give thema full dose of safeguard, then two weeks later I give them a full dose of Zimectrin, next rotation if she's still here would be Quest. I like the Zimectrin Quest rotation because it should kill off everything she might have but by doing it the way I do I'm not killing to much to fast and causing colic. On the feeding, I start with two flakes of Alfalfa twice a day for a week, then start adding rolled oats, just a handfull twice a day for a week, then up it to half a 3 lbs coffee can twice a day, for a week then up it again to a full can twice a day. She has free access to both loose (12-12) minerals and block minerals. Her feet are long but not bad, she does have a puncture looks like she caught it on a piece of wire on one back leg that I'm watching and cold hosing. It's swollen about half the leg again. Tomorrow if it doesn't go down I'll put some DMSO on it. Oh she toes out in back but I think that's because she's so under weight, I think once the muscles build back up between the back legs that'll push everything back where it belongs.-- Bridget

From: "Willow290" bjwei@bright.net Date: Wed Aug 28, 2002 10:48 am Subject: Has anyone ever rescued a horse this thin? In Ohio. . . Guess I just need to vent and share. . .I uploaded pictures of Mac to the photos area-titled McFlurry. I've dealt with some very skinny horses over the years, but have never seen one this skinny still alive. His side picture is deceiving-the coat pattern makes him look more rounded, when in all actuality his backbone sticks up about 4 inches and every vertebrae is visible. Every rib is very pronounced. He has no inner flesh on his back legs as you can see. Surprisingly, Mac does have the will to live and still has a sparkle in his eye. How someone could let an animal get like this is beyond me!! It makes me so angry!! :(

Horse Rescue Brigade - an email group working to get more efficient at saving horses, especially where there are large numbers of horses, such as auctions.

horserescuerailroad - This is a place to post if you can help with transporting or overnight stays for horses going to their new homes.

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