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Community Corner

Homeless Horses Part Two: Down Economy Has a Huge Effect on the Equine World

Horse owners face troubled times as the economy takes its toll.

As I continue to ask about, learn and share with you information and my experiences regarding homeless horses, recall where I was telling you about abandoned horses, feedlots and the effects the downturned economy is having on the equine world. I mentioned the 47 young horses that were rescued off of a feedlot and found new homes.

Just two days later, there ended up being a dozen mare-and-foal pairs dropped off at the feedlot. Yep, mammas with babies that no one wanted.

Two of the pairs were rescued immediately and re-homed. One little one lost her mother, no one knew how or why. At about six weeks old she was an orphan. Young horses nurse from their mothers for about four months and do not have teeth to chew food, so what would happen to this little girl?

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Thankfully, when someone went to pick up a pair from the lot the manager mentioned this baby and she was loaded up into the tack room of the trailer and rescued. Can you imagine having a little, tiny horse travel in your horse trailer’s tack room? I am just thankful she was saved and is doing fine.

Over the following two weeks the total number of horses rescued from the feedlot came to more than 100 and all but eight found new homes. This time.

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Folks are still working on the eight that need forever homes. I have faith that it will happen. They are all out of danger of going to slaughter, at least. Another breeder out of business? According to Debra at Stinkin’ Rose Ranch in Bishop, the same breeder brought in this additional shipment of unwanted horses. 

Unwanted horses come from all walks of life. During my most recent camping trip, I was taking with a couple that is into racehorses. They actually are very involved in Arabian racing horses. Most people are familiar with thoroughbred racing, like the Del Mar track offers each summer, but there are other breeds such as the Arabian that people own and race.

They told me the story of woe that has affected the race industry. The races have been trimmed down in the number of horses running each race, and the number of races offered on a given day has also been reduced. The crowds have slimmed to such a degree and cut back on spending money that the trimming has become necessary in order for the industry to continue to some degree.

That spoke volumes to me and may have explained, at least partly, why many racehorses are ending up on the streets, so to speak. Literally they are ending up in rescue centers, and if they are lucky, some will find homes. Others go to feedlots and auction houses for probable slaughter, like so many others.

Horses from many different places end up on feedlots and auction yards and it’s an awful thing to happen. Many fare this fate and sometimes worse—depends on your point of view I guess. 

Emails circulate about horses that are being turned loose in areas around California and across the country, or worse they are just left in a yard or pasture with no food or water. I don’t know if people figure being turned out into the wild is better than nothing, but most domestic horses would not survive for long in the wild. The natural instincts for survival were bred out of most horses long ago, and face it, in California there is no water to be found in the wild.

Some of the horses left by their owners are found dead or dying of starvation and dehydration. You can see that sort of thing on the television show Animal Cops, or possibly next door or down the street. It’s real, it does happen.

The Houston SPCA said in this video (click on Houston in the playlist) that they take in 50 horses per day. That’s one city in one state in one day. I wonder how many go unnoticed and are not seized and taken to the SPCA for rehabilitation and adoption?

Some horses have been left in the yard or trailer of complete strangers. All I can figure is that they were taken somewhere that already contains horses in hopes they might be cared for. A friend of mine had a horse show up in the middle of the night back in April and she had no idea where the horse came from.

Another friend reported going out for a trail ride and upon his return to the staging area and his trailer, there were two unknown horses locked inside. Imagine, having a two-horse trailer and all of a sudden there are four horses standing before you. He had to call the Humane Society and wait for them to show up to get the two homeless horses to safety before he could go home. It took four hours for the horses to get picked up that day.

Some of the more lucky ones will find a home before anything drastic happens. I had a horse returned to me that I sold 4 1/2 years ago. Job loss and subsequent home loss forced these very sweet people to have to give up their horses. They asked if there was any way I could buy her back or even just take her and help them find a home for their other horse too (which I was able to do) because they had to move and could not take the horses. Fortunately I am able to house and feed and otherwise care for several horses. I shudder to think what may have happened if I hadn’t been able to take her in.

Gas prices remain high, unemployment rates remain high and foreclosures continue at a steady rate, and many horses have nowhere to go. The high cost of gas and diesel have driven the price of hay up almost 100 percent. In 2008 I paid $8 a bale for hay and at the present time it costs anywhere between $14 and $18 a bale, with the average cost being $16.

Hay changes many hands and everyone has to make a living, I understand that completely, but I also understand that paying twice as much to feed a horse or multiple horses can create financial issues for an already strapped horse owner. Pile losing a job and/or house on top of that and it is simply impossible to keep a horse for so many.   

The down economy is having a huge effect on the equine world. It’s not all doom and gloom, although at times it seems like it is, at least to me. There are wonderful, caring people working hard to help horses. It’s never enough help and the homeless problem for equines continues.

I want to introduce you to Ari. She is a little filly I paid bail to get her off of the feedlot from the original 33 to save her from slaughter.  Debra H. from Stinkin’ Rose Ranch has been fostering Ari until she is well enough to travel to San Diego County, and Stinkin’ Rose has been helping with the rescue and placement of many of the these horses. Positively amazing.

Ari’s current picture is included in my photos. She may be coming this month. Stay tuned….

Next week I’ll continue to share my experiences with homeless horses and provide some ideas and resources on how you can help. 

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