Abuse of Horses Boarding Horses

Abuse of Horses

Boarding Horses vs. Neglect of Horses

Human beings would not be as far advanced as they are today if it were not for the presence of animals, in particular, animals that can be and have been over the centuries domesticated. The most important domesticated animals that have helped humanity over the years are dogs and horses, according to an article in Transactions of the Ethnological Society of London (Crawfurd, 1863). Yes, this article is one hundred and forty-four years old, but the research is highly pertinent to this discussion of animal rights and animal abuse. How much do we humans value our animals? Are they just pets to us, something to "own" and play with when we feel like spending some time with them?

The thesis is this: If animals, most particularly horses, have been so vitally important to humanity and the progress of mankind, why would anyone harm or neglect a horse? That is a question with no answer. But the real point is that it is unconscionable in this world today, in America today, for any horse-owner to abuse or neglect a horse either out of indifference, ignorance, or hostility toward the animal.

INTRODUCTION #1: "Man, I may premise, is himself a domesticated animal," John Crawfurd writes, and without the "possession of some of the domesticated animals, man must forever have continued a precarious savage," he continues. That may be a bit of an exaggeration to some. But Crawfurd goes on to correctly point out that if New Zealanders, for example, had possessed an ox, in addition to the dog they had at their earliest moments of "modern man," they would have become "...a nation more civilized and powerful than the Mexicans and Peruvians, whose sole beast of burden was the feeble llama." All they lacked was a bigger animal to domesticate. He is of course speaking of the advanced civilizations of the Aztecs and Incas in contrast to a relatively uncivilized New Zealand culture compared with the Aztecs.

The writer also observes that early Arab and Turkish civilizations, because they possessed the ox, the horse, the sheep, goat and donkey, were able to attain more than a moderately early civilized culture. The point is made; domesticated animals have enriched humanity to extraordinary degrees, and certainly that was true in this continent, as Native Americans used the horse to hunt buffalo and to protect their domains. Americans need to be respectful of their horses, and every watchful that someone else doesn't abuse a horse in the neighborhood.

INTRODUCTION #2: What constitutes animal neglect when it comes to horse ownership?

Horses are a lot like humans in that they need companionship. With that in mind, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) asserts that when a human owns a horse and keeps it in a boarding stable, "alone most of the time," that is tantamount to cruelty. Horse owners who haven't enough time to spend with their animals should consider getting "a second horse or other animal, such as a goat, for company" (www.aspca.org).In fact, horses that have little opportunity to graze and socialize "are more likely to have behavioral problems," the ASPCA suggests. And if human neglect is the reason the horse can't graze, can't get out from under a shed or barn, and has no companionship, the horse owner is subject to at the minimum accusations of abuse, and at the maximum, legal penalties (depending on state and local laws).

When it comes to care for horses, what is considered neglect? The United States Equine Rescue League (USERL) defines neglect as "failure to provide sustenance and care sufficient to maintain an equine's good health." This includes but is not limited to food, water, veterinary and farrier care, and adequate shelter.

In order to recognize neglect, one must know something about what a healthy horse looks like. The USERL says when a horse's neck shows "easily noticeable bone structure," when the ribs "project prominently" and the bone structure is easily recognizable in the shoulder and withers, the condition of the horse is poor. On the other hand, a horse is "extremely fat" because it has had little or no exercise and is imprisoned in a stable due to neglect when its neck and withers are "bulging fat" and there is an "obvious positive crease" down the back of its lion. This particular overweight horse - the USERL "Henneke Body Condition Scoring Chart" explains - can be identified by "patchy fat appearing over ribs" and "bulging fat" on its shoulder.

The USERL Web site explains that a person can tell if a horse is dehydrated by pinching the skin; "...if it takes more than three seconds to return to normal, the horse is dehydrated." Another sign of neglect for a horse is if it does not have proper shelter. A horse should have "at least a stand of trees," and USERL recommends a "three-sided shelter" for a horse. So the very minimum is that a horse should be allowed out of its stable boarding area, and into a grassy field if possible. Without "regular veterinary care to ensure their health," a horse may be considered in a condition of neglect, USERL explains. Also, de-worming is absolutely essential for the health of a horse; if a horse shows signs of abdominal "bloating," or if there are "rub marks" on the horse's tail and the points of the buttocks, the horse may have worms.

The feet of a horse must be constantly cared for and maintained; if not cared for regularly, the USERL staff explains that they may eventually experienced "difficulty walking, or more serious hoof diseases." If the feet appear "too long, cracked, or infected, it may be considered a case of neglect."

Recent cases of neglect of horses: Many times abused and neglected horses go unnoticed and suffer because of it. But in other cases, responsible, alert citizens see the abuse of horses and report those abuses to the authorities. To wit, in the city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Hamlin County DoubleHP ("Horse Help Providers") group discovered (and rescued) four neglected horses and took the horses to an animal vet for proper care. Three of the horses were "extremely underweight" (Hortness 2007) and one is "extremely emaciated with a body condition score of 1," according to the Argus Leader newspaper (www.argusleader.com).

All of the horses had their teeth "floated" and were started on a vaccination and de-worming program. The woman who had neglected the horses admitted that she had not given the horses veterinary care for more than ten years, but she was not charged with a crime after agreed to two things: she will never board horses again, and she will agree to pay the vet's fees for the care the horses are now in need of.

In February, 2007, twenty-two horses in Australia died because of neglect, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. When authorities arrived at the ranch, they found 16 dead horses and another six that were so emaciated that they had to be "put down" by the local humane society. This is very sad, and also very avoidable; if people cannot care for animals under their care, they should let other individuals who do have the ability to care for them, to take them.