# If you think you can handle the photos



## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

This album link is to photos from a rescue we did tonight.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucas...94138&id=113271398686926&fbid=147646425249423

If you can't see them - let me know and I'll post them, but they are pretty sad, and
many people might not want to see a horse in this condition. . .

Anyway, this is a 5 yr old mare - I am told this girl's father kept this horse in a barn - without letting her out of her stall for 3 YEARS!

They took her and have had her tried to a tree for months.

I was told about it, and the people finally agreed to give her up.

Law enforcement wouldn't do anything and could careless :flame:

They were SERIOUSLY planning to breed her next MONTH!

We've done a lot of rescues, but this horse has the worst feet I have EVER seen. I had thinner horses come through, but none with feet like this - ever. She is thinner than she looks in the photos though. Her hip bones stick up at least 4 inches 

The laceration on her is from getting tangled in the rope she was tied up on and being left for 4 DAYS!

We just brought her in tonight in the pouring rain.

She is stalled now.

I will be calling my farrier in the AM to get him out, but I wanted feedback
if anyone could provide any about the time frame we are looking at to get her 
feet in something that might be considered normal order.

Should I expect this mare to EVER be able to be adopted as rideable?

They were riding her like this :flame::flame::flame:


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

Okay - I am just going to attach the photos here - that way no one must see them unless they scroll down:

































The purple is from something they applied to the laceration - not her actual skin or a bruise


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## ShyAnne (Jun 18, 2008)

Grrrrr. Whats wrong with people.

Glad youve got her now.


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

I know money is tight with people everywhere, as it is here, but if anyone here or someone you all know might want to help fund her recover, we'd sure appreciate the help - she will need all she can get.

http://thevegetarianhomesteader.blogspot.com/2010/07/horse-rescue-is-not-fun-but-someone.html

PLEASE refer to my blog about how to help.


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## lamoncha lover (Mar 1, 2009)

I was expecting more ho hum horse rescue pictures..Ya knowa thin horse with a couple cracksin its hoof...........these folks need to be thrashed.
I am sorry deineria.....great cause but I am too broke here and hoping to be able to feed my own horses this winter. I'd sure help if I could


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

Thin horse photos I can deal with, not pretty but usually it's just a case of more groceries and the problem is solved.

The feet are absolutely incredible. I don't think I've ever seen worse and would have no idea how long it would take to get something like that back to what you could consider "normal" ... and don't know what the chances are of getting the feet back to riding sound.

I have always had problems finding a farrier here so I'm aware that hoof care can not only be expensive but in some areas, it's difficult to locate. But ANYONE can learn to trim/rasp a hoof so you can keep them close to something approaching normal. Maybe not "good" but at least "walking sound" ...


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## BlackWillowFarm (Mar 24, 2008)

Bless your heart for taking her in.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

I have seen feet as bad as that, unfortunately. It will take several trims by a skilled farrier, but they can recover, and usually within 6-12 months. She may or may not have lameness issues, only time will tell.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Marc says he's seen feet as bad or worse than that. It will take work to get them straight again, but work slow and consistently and hopefully she can be turned around. Other than being extremely skinny, is she in good health?
I'm glad you got them to release her to your care. God bless you for taking her in.
Catherine


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

Don't take it slow with the feet. Neglected feet need to be trimmed back to normal length ASAP, and as a farrier who has dealt with this many times before, I would recommend trimming every 3-4 weeks until she begins to look normal.

When I come across neglected feet like this, I am VERY aggressive in my trim and trim the feet back to where they should be on the FIRST trim. Subsequent trims are just letting the straight hoofwall grow out and trimming off the distorted hoofwall.


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## celadon (Aug 23, 2006)

That makes me sick. What is wrong with people.


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## starjj (May 2, 2005)

Absolutely sicking. How could anyone even consider breeding her when she looks like that? I gues there ARE some really stuid people out there.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Do you know how long she's been emaciated? Oftentimes, when the body has to cope with regular feed and water, the internal organs start showing how compromised they are. We once had a mare so long emaciated that she STANK to high heaven- just her body and when she peed- WOW. Took a few months and luckily there was no permanent damage to her internal organs.

My only advice is to trim often and as much as the mare and her hooves can stand. One of ours was so sore/weak that she leaned on me as I held her up for the farrier. A regular 'tryin' to get her feet normal' trim took almost an hour due to the rest breaks


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## snowshoehair (Jul 3, 2008)

I sooooo hate humans sometimes....they just don't know how to use the brains that God gave them. 

Hopefully she has no lameness issues from her overgrown feet. I posted here some months back about a donkey named Richie that had something like 12" slippers when he was rescued. He still hitches his hind feet way up when he walks, like he's still afraid of catching his feet on something. He's doing great now, and that funny walk is the only reminder of what he went through.


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

I believe she has been an abused/neglect horse - starved - from the very start of her life. She has, I believe, always had just enough to eat to keep her alive.

My farrier is highly recommended by my vet, but we will just have to see how he does when he comes out - 11:30 tomorrow. 
I have anothe guy lined up if he doesn't address it like I understand it must be.

I will post after photos.

She is alert and doesn't seem to be the pain I'd expect her to be in. 

Her laceration concerns me. I am going to have the vet out or email photos and see what he thinks. I know how I think I should proceed, but I'd like his opinion.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

malinda said:


> Don't take it slow with the feet. Neglected feet need to be trimmed back to normal length ASAP, and as a farrier who has dealt with this many times before, I would recommend trimming every 3-4 weeks until she begins to look normal.
> 
> When I come across neglected feet like this, I am VERY aggressive in my trim and trim the feet back to where they should be on the FIRST trim. Subsequent trims are just letting the straight hoofwall grow out and trimming off the distorted hoofwall.


This.

I'm so glad she's in good hands now, poor baby.


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## dezingg (Feb 25, 2010)

I don't understand why people refuse to give a horse away if they are unwilling or unable to care for it. The horse would have fared better if they had just lead it down the road and set it free.


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## RideBarefoot (Jun 29, 2008)

I sooo wish I weren't 6 hours from you- I'd trim that horse for free just to document it. Those feet are fixable- make sure your farrier understands exactly what malinda said, go drastic on that first trim. The feet need to start growing correctly and can't do that a bit at a time.

Dang, I wish you were closer, I love rehabbing feet...


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## RideBarefoot (Jun 29, 2008)

for the laceration/proud flesh- this is the best stuff I've found
http://equaide.com/


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

That is just awful. When I first started to scroll, I thought, yea skinny but not too horrible, then I saw the feet. I have a strong stomach but I'm sick to it thinking about those feet and staying in a stall all the time and then to top off the insults being ridden like that? Just awful. An animal designed to run, that running and moving is so much apart of it's life and what it is, to be disabled from movement like that. 

The feet appear fixable.. an xray would tell you if there is permanent coffin bone damage.. well I'm sure there is some, but how much it has remodeled can be seen. I also agree with Malinda, most of it can be done in the first trim, of course months and months for it to grow out and be the way it should. 

Do post after pics after the first trim!


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

My 5 yo is wondering why I am in tears. Thank GOD for you finding her, to give her life and health as she deserves. She doesn't know any different; she will shine when she is loved. Bless you, my Arab loving buddy.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

I am so very glad you are taking her in.

Her owner's however, need to go to jail. Or be treated like they treated this poor horse.
There is no excuse to allow that to happen. Don't care if the people fell on hard times, the animals always come first!!


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

deineria said:


> I believe she has been an abused/neglect horse - starved - from the very start of her life. She has, I believe, always had just enough to eat to keep her alive.
> 
> My farrier is highly recommended by my vet, but we will just have to see how he does when he comes out - 11:30 tomorrow.
> I have anothe guy lined up if he doesn't address it like I understand it must be.
> ...




She may not show signs of pain because it's all she's ever known. 
There may very well be some fusion/joint issues due to the time she's been in this condition- and she may always be a pasture pet.


What is your refeeding plan?


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

dezingg said:


> I don't understand why people refuse to give a horse away if they are unwilling or unable to care for it. The horse would have fared better if they had just lead it down the road and set it free.


It's mental. In some cases, they love old Paint and really can't see the condition he's in. In others, it's because they see the animal as personal property- it has a value to them (and to the rest of the world, they believe) regardless of condition and they're NOT giving that property (not seen as a living, breathing being) away to anyone.


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

I am only giving hay right now because I don't want to shock her system. . .
I am going to gradually start offering Strategy Healthy Edge, which is what my others get,
and then once she is eating that well, I am going to add soaked rice bran pellets, which puts weigh on better than anything I've tried.
I also want her feet to be in better shape, I think, before really trying to put a lot of weight on her. . .
If the hay doesn't start making a difference in a week, I'll believe there is more going on than starvation - most rescues - in one week - you will see a huge weight difference just from hay if nothing else is going on.
I've had some who had ulcers - we'd find out - and so the up in feed made little difference.

These people initially tried to sell her for $500 to the person who reported this to me - and then we she agreed to pay it to get the horse out of there, they refused and said it was worth more. This was a month or so ago. The person had the money to scrape up at the time, but they did not have it to spare when I picked up up yesterday, but they did donate $50 towards the farrier bill, which was nice.

Another lady a "get" goat's milk from (I have goats, but none are in milk) - just didn't charge us for this week's milk (7 gallons) and ask we put it toward her care, and a QH breed friend of her's donated $20, and all that will help.

They talked to me Saturday - asked if I would take her since they realized she was too much work (really?), and I said I would take her. I went to their house and took her - I had a group who heard them turn her over to me, and I just loaded her up and left from the person who took her over to his house a few days before. I didn't give them a chance to show up and change their minds.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

That is truly sickening. We took in a rescue about 6 years back, her ribs looked the same as above and we fed hay and a nursing mare formula until she looked well. fortunatly her hooves were no where near as bad, but our farrier was very aggressive in her care and came every 3 weeks to tend to her. (For very little money).

I hope she is ok.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

I'd hold off on pelleted feed for a while and just go with free choice hay and rice bran/beet pulp mash- there's no way of knowing how compromised her system is. 

This will also allow you time to observe her and her eating habits- to see if she's dropping feed, cudding her hay or having any other issues. 

I don't mean to sound pushy, but i've done equine rescue for almost ten years, both on my own and then with our state's largest rescue... and unfortunately i've seen a LOT.


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## txquilter (Dec 29, 2009)

Oh, this makes me so angry! She looks like a beautiful animal who has had an awful life until the moment you picked her up.

I don't have a lot of money but will go to your website when I get paid and send something to help.

Bless you for rescuing this beautiful animal!


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

Thank you so much, txquilter! I appreciate any help!

I agree - I will not add in pelleted feed until I see how she is doing with hay - so I'm thinking a month or so.
With the rice bran pellets, though I love them, I probably will not offer for about a month either since, I am just thinking, until we start getting these hooves improved - a lot of sudden weight might really cause serious issues -

I will have updated photos tomorrow afternoon


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

Take pics of the soles of her feet too, before and after trim pics should be quite interesting!


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

The soles aren't visible because the hooves are doubled over. . .if that makes sense.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

Yes, that's obvious from the pics already posted. Maybe I should have said the bottoms of her feet?

Her soles will be visible after the first trim because the heels are the starting point and can be quite easily trimmed back to where they should be.


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

After 3 hours of work by my farrier and his assistant, encountering MANY abscesses and a lot of sweat and hard, hard work -

Here are our first after photos with Cheyenne:


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

http://www.facebook.com/tiniastratton#!/album.php?aid=34862&id=113271398686926&ref=mf
That link has all of the photos

Here is the quick video link:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACGH-FzWnXY[/ame]


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## CrashTestRanch (Jul 14, 2010)

*What the $%^&* is wrong with people* :flame:


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## Narshalla (Sep 11, 2008)

CrashTestRanch said:


> *What the $%^&* is wrong with people* :flame:


Yup, that just about says it all.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Even a non-real horsey person can see the immense difference on the feet.
How's he acting now that his feet are 'normal' now?


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

She is VERY sore - but that would be expected. I think - in a week - the soreness should be subsided, and she should be able to enjoy moving - for the first time in many years


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

I cannot wait to see a pic of her with a spark in her eye. She has that look to her, the one that says, "yeah, whatever, just do it."


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## titansrunfarm (Aug 14, 2005)

CrashTestRanch said:


> *What the $%^&* is wrong with people* :flame:


That is EXACTLY what I thought, too. 
Thanks for taking her in, I'm sure she is in quite a bit of pain. 
Do you use Sore-No-More products? I have had good luck using 'The Sauce' for sore feet and the 'Gelotion' is excellent for sore muscles. It is a natural product (smells good too).


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## missysid (Feb 21, 2006)

Yikes. All I kept saying when I saw these photos was - Oh my and people are such jerks!


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## jamo (Jun 6, 2002)

May God bless you, and her.


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## snowshoehair (Jul 3, 2008)

Oh she looks soooo much better already! Those feet hurt just to look at. Now to put a few pounds put back on her and to let that awful haircut grow out... please keep us updated on her (with pictures  )


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## Narshalla (Sep 11, 2008)

It's been a while. How is she doing?


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Narshalla said:


> It's been a while. How is she doing?


Narshalla, it looks like the OP has been banned. If you look at her link it has more recent comments. Doesn't look like the mare is doing well. Says she's eating and drinking but doesn't have bright eyes. Seems OP wonders if the mare would be better off if put down.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=34862&id=113271398686926&ref=mf


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I'm sorry things are going as well as hoped but quite honestly, sometimes the most humane thing a person can do is consider quality of life and know when it's time to do the right thing.


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## NorCalChicks (Dec 7, 2007)

What an awful way to exist for that poor girl. She is very lucky to have you intervene. We live outside Las Vegas, in an area where there are wild horse herds. Last year a neighbor came by and said he found an abandoned horse and wanted to know if we could take him in. This poor old guy is estimated to be about 30 years old; he's a gelded Arabian and he was basically a walking skeleton. We have finally gotten his weight to a healthy level, his feet were bad, but nothing like your girls - I hope she will make good progress!


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

Many horses that are this pulled down will colic within about five days, regardless of what you feed. And interestingly, according to The Hooved Animal Humane Society, the most successful rehab feed is straight alfalfa hay. Lots of small meals. 

If this horse was in my care, I would also add a good probiotic to repopulate the gut with the right bacteria for digestion. 

I'm glad you took those pics. It's always wise to document these things. I don't know what the laws are in your area, but the authorities may need to get involved, especially if they replace this one with another victim.


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## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

I've never done horse rescues but we've had horses (and everything else) for years and the best product for health that we have ever found is Diatomous Earth (known as DE of fossel flour). It is a natural product and we mix it 50/50 with loose mineral and feed it free choice. You will see a difference in your horses in a week. It helps to rid parasites and it adds trace minerals, aids digestion, and gives them the brightest coat. I think it would really help this horse's digestive system and help to slowly rid her of worms etc. If she has not been wormed in a long time, a big dose of wormer may cause problems so a slow worming my work better.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Horseyrider, anytime I've had to rehab something in critically poor condition, I follow the instructions of a terrific old guy. If a horse is in such poor condition that they are in peril, one is inclined to pound feed into them and you'll end up killing them with kindness.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

wr, your terrific old guy is right.


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

Would love to see an update, including the photos!


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## Harmony_Meadows (Nov 4, 2007)

According to her blog, unfortunately, they are going to have to put the mare down. Very sad, but sometimes it is the kindest thing you can do.


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## TwosCompany (Jul 17, 2009)

I just looked at her FaceBook page and the little mare was euthanized yesterday. I hope she's resting at peace now.


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## CCCJerseys (Apr 3, 2010)

malinda said:


> Don't take it slow with the feet. Neglected feet need to be trimmed back to normal length ASAP, and as a farrier who has dealt with this many times before, I would recommend trimming every 3-4 weeks until she begins to look normal.
> 
> When I come across neglected feet like this, I am VERY aggressive in my trim and trim the feet back to where they should be on the FIRST trim. Subsequent trims are just letting the straight hoofwall grow out and trimming off the distorted hoofwall.


But if you don't take it some what on the slow side you can create even worse problem by not allowing the muscles and tendon to change on a gradual basis. 
She looks like she was/is foundered and a foot can grow out like that in a year on a foundered animal.

While she looks awful I have seen way, way worse thru the years. I just hate it.


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

Not so. Distorted hoof causes hoof to grow even more distorted. It needs to be trimmed back to the proper length ASAP in order to begin to grow out correctly. A foundered foot can take a year to grow out because you need to have the strong laminae growing down. That doesn't mean you only trim a little at a time.


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

what happened? can anyone who went to facebook tell the story to the rest of us non-facebookites? 

why did the mare need to be euthanized?

so sad....


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

http://www.thevegetarianhomesteader.blogspot.com/


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## HorseGirl31 (Apr 7, 2010)

Why does it say she is banned?


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