Homeless Horses Part Three: How You Can Help

The economy has continued to decline, we are all very aware of that. The number of homeless horses that I know of has gone way up along with the decline. As I have investigated and researched homeless horses over the past few years, I’ve met some terrific people in person and online. Homelessness for horses has been an issue for a very long time, but it has become so much worse of late.

I talked to the manager of Painted Spirit Ranch via email some years ago about the rescue she runs in Murrieta. Back then she’d take in horses whose owners could no longer feed them or were moving. Kim would re-home the horses, and it was manageable.

Nowadays, Kim struggles and her rescue is sometimes full. She told me how hard it is to obtain funding and get volunteers to help out, but she trudges on and does everything she can to better the lives of those horses.

Just days ago, Kim said, “We are trying so hard to keep owners from taking them to auction that I am doing the Internet advertising for them and featuring horses on my site that are at high risk for auction. Tonight some will be taken there if we don’t find homes today.”

Things are desperate for people—thus for horses. Kim is amazing.

Many people do try to sell a horse they can no longer afford, but horses aren’t selling. The average price on a decent horse in our area used to be about $3,000, with some costing less and some much more. At the present time, people are not buying horses and the average price is about $800. Check the classified ads—even if a horse is listed for more, the price is most often negotiated for much less, if a sale occurs at all.

A month or so ago I went to Equine Wellbeing, a rescue in Ramona and talked with the manager, Christine. She said, “I work with a few rescue groups and the numbers of animals they have coming in is often too much for them to handle. Some have had their numbers nearly double in under a year. Resources are tight, donations are down and the horses just keep coming.”

Then she introduced me to Coffee Mugs, a mustang gelding that was abandoned at a boarding facility by his owner. That stuck the boarding facility with another mouth to feed and all the back board that was never paid.

“It’s tough for the owners of the facility to feed extra horses,” Christine said. “They have this happening more and more and often a couple at a time and they just can’t keep all the abandoned horses. People lose their job and just leave their horse for the boarding facility to deal with. I was glad they called me about Coffee, he is so sweet, and I just had to go get him.” (Coffee has found a wonderful forever home.)

The economy has also forced gas prices higher, which in turn makes the transportation of goods more expensive. The rise in feed costs typically makes the price of boarding a horse or two more costly as well, since feed is usually provided with the board fee. Even keeping a horse at home is more costly than it used to be. Hay prices are up and farrier costs are too, not to mention the rise in vet fees.

Farrier costs rose approximately 60 percent a couple of years ago due to rising fuel costs, since most farriers drive diesel trucks. Thankfully, some of their fees have subsequently gone down slightly with the decrease in fuel costs; however, we are beginning to see a steady rise in fuel costs again with diesel at about $4.07 a gallon. We’ll see what that relates to in horse-care-cost increases soon enough.

Veterinary services are also more expensive in this bad economy. Ranch call costs have gone from about $35 to anywhere from $45 (in town) to $85, even more for some caregivers. Of course, everything they need to conduct their practice has increased in cost for the very same reasons and those costs are passed on to the horse owner. 

It’s a vicious and pricey cycle. All of these factors play into whether or not someone can keep the horses they own. Even if they don’t lose their job or home, it just may be too much as expenses continue to go up. What’s a person to do? 

There are many folks trying to help homeless horses. The horses from the feedlot were all re-homed. There are more and more equine rescue groups and organizations being formed and opening, such as Painted Spirit Ranch, Equine Wellbeing and Stinkin Rose Ranch. From quarter horses to thoroughbreds, Arabians and mustangs, horses of every breed are suffering homelessness.

Many abandoned horses are re-homed by someone somehow—however, thousands lose the battle every year and end up dying in a back yard alone, being set free and dying or going to the meat market or dog food factory.

There are ways you can help.

• You can volunteer at a rescue. They need help around the facility in weed pulling, mucking corrals and walking or grooming horses.
• Donate to a rescue. All of the rescue organizations (and other non-profits) that I know of are reporting that donations have dropped off sharply. Many rescues are non-profit 501 (c)3 organizations and your donations could be tax deductible.
• Report abandoned horses to the ASPCA or Humane Society, or anybody that will help you report it, as soon as possible. If you are not familiar with the equine species, find someone who can help you decide if the horse is abandoned, starving or otherwise in need of some help

It isn’t just our household pets that need help. Horses are being abandoned in record numbers and the emails and Facebook postings within equine circles continue to beg for help. Mainstream America needs to be aware that horses are suffering in the stagnant economy and there are fewer people that are able to help them than the smaller household pets. Horses don’t fit in an apartment or back yard and it’s illegal in many areas to keep a horse, limitations that further exacerbate the problem.

No one talks about the ugliness of homeless horses and no one wants to hear about neglect or slaughter, not even me—but it’s real.

Maybe it’s time we open the topic and see if there is some way to help save the horses. Remind people to stop overbreeding horses. We spay and neuter dogs and cats, and there is still an overpopulation of them. We geld stallions (mares are rarely if ever spayed), but there is still an overpopulation of horses. Be aware and reach out if you can and help homeless horses.

Oh, and I haven’t met Ari yet, the little horse I recently rescued from the feedlot, but she is doing well and I’m told she is very vocal and a regular alarm clock. Smart girl knows when it’s feeding time. She remains at a rescue facility until she is strong enough to travel. I get pictures and updates regularly. I’ll introduce her to you as soon as I can.

Next week I’ll discuss my experience with the free-horse advertisements that are more numerous these days and most are the result of the poor economic situation we face each day.