An Epidemic of Abandoned Horses {owners broke} (TIME)

[eppur_se_muova]

By PAT DAWSON

Horses congregate at Denkai Animal Sanctuary in Carr, Colorado. The pace of animal rescue has skyrocketed the past year, especially for horses, as people from Colorado who have lost their properties in the national housing crisis abandon them when they move out.

The global food and fuel crisis is resulting in more than just people going hungry. Rising grain and gas prices, as well as the closure of American slaughterhouses, have contributed to a virtual stampede of horses being abandoned — some starving — and turned loose into the deserts and plains of the West to die cruel and lonesome deaths. Horse rescue projects, which are mostly small, volunteer operations with limited land and resources, are feeling the consequences of this convergence of events. In the meantime, many now unaffordable horses are being sold to abbatoirs south of the border where inhumane methods of slaughter are practiced.

"It's a growing problem. Basically, it's the economy," says Brent Glover, who has run Idaho's Orphan Acres since 1975, and has found new homes for 1,600 rescued horses. "We're getting calls constantly." With more horses coming onto his 50-acre refuge, he is feeling the pinch of a hay bill that has risen from $28,000 to $80,000 this year, not to mention rising transportation and grain costs. "It's a horrible mess of bad consequences," says Colorado State University animal sciences Professor Temple Grandin. "People are turning them loose because of the decline in discretionary spending."

Outside Pueblo, Colorado, 101 rescued horses graze on 850 acres at Dreamcatchers Equine Sanctuary, and more are on the way. "It's a very scary situation right now," explains manager Julie DeMuesy. "Everybody's stressed to the max. It exploded for us at the end of 2007." Some horses are coming from people who have had their mortgages foreclosed, and can't afford to feed their steeds. "We're trying desperately to reduce our herd to good homes. It's become a revolving door — They're coming in as fast as they are going out to new homes."
***
more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1809950,00.html?xid=site-cnn-partner

[lapfog_1]

1. Good hay is $14.50 per long bale in AZ

right now.

1/3 of a long bale feeds two horses per day (if they have a bit of supplemental grain and are relatively inactive, plus have a bit of pasture and trees to graze on).

that's $3.00 a day per horse. Or over about $100 a month per horse.

To fully feed them, figure 1/2 a long bale a day per horse.

[MuseRider]

6. My crop is looking pretty good

so if I have any Brome that I think I can spare I will send it down. I did that when Texas was having such a bad time and getting charged a terribly high price for hay. Free hay.

Man that is a huge price. I think it is going for about $5.50/long bale here. I have 7 horses so if I have any extra it won't be much but a little is better than nothing and I am certain there will be big semis out this way looking for hay.

[lapfog_1]

8. yeah, I was thinking of having family in Kansas buy a semi

load and then I have a local guy that drives... maybe he could make the trip. Only I don't have an appropriate trailer.

Sell for $1 bale over our cost.

[MuseRider]

9. Nope it would be free.

If there are parts of the country suffering from a lack of hay because of drought or now because of taking in abandoned horses then any excess I have will go for free. That is just the way we do things, well some of us anyway. :hi:

[lonestarnot]

10. Love that Muse!

:loveya:

[MuseRider]

13. Why I oughtta.....

That is what I call farmers welfare or country welfare. Farmers don't know it but they are absolutely socialists at heart. Blows their mind when I tell them that. But But But.......................not MEEEEEE! It is a riot.

Hey. There is nothing worse than watching your or someone else's livestock starve to death. If I can help I will.

Lordy, if I could only spell! Edit for outta? Oughtta? Not enough time to look it up now. Maybe later! :) :hi:

[lonestarnot]

20. I can't even watch the abused animal commercial when Sara starts

singing, I have to change the channel :cry: :hug:

[MuseRider]

24. I love that song

and I got suckered into catching the first part of the ad by hearing it. Those kinds of images give me serious nightmares and they just never leave my mind. It almost makes me feel crazy sometimes, it just hurts so much.

[lonestarnot]

25. I know exactly how you feel.

These last 8 years have made me nuttier than I care to admit. That is why I come here, to retain what's left of my sanity. I can't talk about how I feel when it comes to critters and children suffering, so I just avoid it.

[mike_c]

2. this tragedy occurred recently in my county....

http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/13541/CA/US/

39 horses seized from farm
Myers Flat, CA (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008
County: Humboldt

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Elsie Smith

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Officials seized 39 horses from a small farm in Miranda Tuesday in what was described as the largest horse rescue operation in recent memory.

”I've seen worse horses, but I don't know that I've seen living conditions for horses as bad,” said Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Phil Buihner. “The main thing we've had is cats, dogs and exotic animals -- this is the largest seizure I've ever known.”

Lt. Steve Knight concurred. “I don't think the county ever seized that many, to my knowledge.”

more@link

[dkf]

3. So sad :(

[LWolf]

4. Horses are going cheaply, or free,

in my local area. I've got a friend who is moving out of state. She's got too many horses, and will only take a couple with her. She's been unable to find buyers in the last 6 months, for ridiculously low prices. Especially when you consider the investment in professional training she's put into a couple of them.

I don't need more horses to take care of, and I can't afford to feed more than I've got.

[Kali]

5. where are you?

I might be able to take a couple if they are usable. Lost my old saddle horse last fall and am not really in good enough shape to be starting colts.

[LWolf]

12. Oregon. n/t

[MuseRider]

7. That just hurts my heart,

I can't imagine leaving horses. HaHa, I kept the one's I bred for partly because I could not stand to let them go. I was a poor horse breeder so I stopped that nonsense after 2.

I would be in big trouble if my herd were not mostly old. One is around 40 (the vet changes his mind between 30/40) but still hanging in, 2 over 20 and 1 getting close to 20. It will be hard when they die but having to leave them behind would be worse. Give your friend a horse hug from me, I feel for her.

[LWolf]

15. I will do that; I just gave her a big one this morning.

She came over to visit my new filly.

It's been 7 years since the last time we had a foal. I knew I wanted one more from my old mare before she was TOO old; her last is my current riding horse.

Looking at the price of gas and hay, a large part of me is wondering, "What were you THINKING?"

I cannot let go of them, either. How many horses does one person need?

Remind me of this next time I get that particular itch.

Meanwhile, we have a big, strong, straight-legged dun filly who's cavorting around the place, keeping her poor mom hopping. She was due, and showing that she was ready, the day before Memorial Day weekend. I was up every 2 hours to check on her that Thursday night, and again that Friday. I really hoped it would be Friday, so I could make up for lost sleep and have the 3 day weekend to spend with them, but no. Every 2 hours, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Monday night I checked at 8:30, and the mare was standing in a corner dozing. I figured nothing was happening, but went back out at 10:30 just in case.

Just in time to find a brand new wet filly, mom and baby still down. I was up until 2am making sure she was on her feet and nursing, and mom was in good shape. Everything was smooth and easy. Except when my alarm went off at 4am, and I had to go to work.

I'll be helping her to find homes for her extras.

[MuseRider]

17. HAY (intended) Congratulations!

How fun! They are so sweet, so clueless and unspoiled at that age. Ahhh. I remember just coming apart when I would hear those little sucking noises they make when they nurse. Enjoy her.

I did the same but actually caught mine when her water broke. Good thing, she was 16 and never been bred and her filly got her feet out and she quit pushing. I had to pull her and it was awful hard but we both got her out and on her feet and I was able to bond with her early. The next one was OK but the third, well....I stayed out here at the farm sleeping in my barn and getting up like that for a month thinking that she was bred later than the breeder said (I bought her pregnant) and had it confirmed by sonogram at the Vet school. I got pneumonia and sometime during my not very clear time she must have had it in the pasture and something got it or it was a stillbirth and something got it. I never found a trace and she morned for a long time. It was horrible. Sorry, not such a great story.

Anyway, post pictures if you have them. I have a dun and he is just beautiful! I am jealous. Have a wonderful time with her. I bet Mom is really proud and now you will have her daughter. Nothing like passing on the great genes.

[LWolf]

26. I've been lucky.

My mare has had 3 foals with no complications. Her mom had 5. I've always believed it had something to do with the strain of mustang in their background; natural selection for hardiness probably includes reproductive hardiness.

PM me an email address, and I'll send pics. :hi:

[Miss Carly]

16. Holy cow, you have a 40 year old horse??!!!!

I thought they usually live to 25-30
Carly

[MuseRider]

18. Occasionally they get older

and we do not really know but he is ancient, that I do know. Swaybacked as all get out and thin, difficult to keep him at weight. He is the best horse I have and I have some well bred horses. He is just a grade gelding and the one I would want to keep forever. He is losing his teeth and he stumbles but he is a real sweetie.

[morningglory]

11. Formerly unwanted horses were slaughtered and sent to Europe for food.

Peta made that illegal, so people are dropping their horses off in parks to browse, hoping things will get better, so they can come back and whistle, and get their old horse back. Also, big horses like Clydesdales or some kind of heavy horse mares were kept in extremely small stalls, with no room to move at all, kept pregnant and their urine was collected for Premarin, a hormone (pregnant mare urine). This practice was deemed inhumane, and of course it was, but my sister goes to animal auctions and she said there are loads of heavy horse females for sale for $200. It is all very sad, and of course, whistle ass' fault.

[FirstLight]

14. I have been wanting a horse or two for a long time now

...too bad I am a renter, and live in an alpine climate... but I wish I could use a horse & buggy or something instead of the car. maybe it isn't such a bad idea after all? I could turn my carport into a stable?

*sigh* I think things are going to be shifting towards the turn of the century type of technology, so maybe a horse would be a good idea...besides I love them as intelligent and beautiful animals.

[lonestarnot]

21. You need to educate yourself about them before you jump in, you

can kill one without even realize what you're doing.

[nolabels]

19. And the answer is........

Animal glue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_glue

[lonestarnot]

22. Just like they are going to do for us soon.

[atjrpsych]

23. Does anyone know of a recommended charity to help contribute?

Does anyone know where to contribute to help assist in this rescue?