Monday, November 8, 2010

LOOKING FOR: HH Majestic Illusion

Past owner is looking for any information on the following horse:

HH Majestic Illusion, also known as "Jessy"
1996 (14 years old) Bay Half-Arab Gelding
Markings: left hind sock, star and a scar on his right cheek/jaw and a starburst shape of white hairs under his star from an injury when he was a baby



Additional Information from previous owner: "I sold him to a Beth Scanlan, in Trenton, Mo. He was transferred to her daughter’s name of Ashley Scanlan and then transferred again to a Moonlight Gift Arabians in Iowa. This was were he was supposedly located when he was sold at some auction some 2 years ago. I bred and raised “Jessy." I would LOVE to at least know that he’s in a good home."

If you have any information on Jessy, please contact Linda Harper at lindakharper*consolidated.net (replace the * with a @), or leave a comment on this post.

If you wish to remain anonymous feel free to leave an anonymous reply to this post. Any and all information is greatly appreciated. If you're looking for a horse or have a horse that you'd like to find the history on, please send me an email at rosevalleyranch@yahoo.com.

Friday, November 5, 2010

A Small Change--This Blog is Now YOURS

I've had this internal battle over this blog for quite sometime now. I feel like I'm not doing the good with it that I really wish I can, to honor such a great mare and really make a contribution. The problem is, anyone who does read this blog either (1) doesn't need to read it, aka "preaching to the choir" or (2) thinks they know everything anyway so they read but don't think any of it applies to them. In either of these scenarios the information written on this blog is doing nothing to make any real contribution towards the betterment of horses.

So, in light of the situation with Kerry Kid, and after obtaining my own self-imposed permission requirement, I've decided to use this blog to truly help others. There are so many horses out there that ARE loved, but are deemed "unwanted" just because their last owner decides to throw them away. Kerry Kid was a prime example--there are no less than four people who genuinely would have given him a great home, if they had known about him, but instead he was actually turned DOWN by a kill buyer! In my eyes this is unacceptable. How many other slaughter-bound horses out there could have had great homes if the right connections had just been made?

I've decided to post, one-per-day (and hopefully at that rate) the horses that people are looking for, or horses that people have gotten with little or no information and they want to know more. I hope we can make some connections, like we did with Kerry Kid. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, reading the right webpage and in the right frame of mind to remember him. It can't hurt at all to post as many other horses as we can to hopefully jog someone else's memory.

If you have a horse that you would like featured, email me at rosevalleyranch@yahoo.com. Please provide the best picture(s) you can of identifying marks, any known in formation (like last location known, names, etc) and be sure to specify whether you are looking for this horse, or have this horse and you're trying to track down it's history. Any and all breeds welcome. Don't forget the long-ears, too :)

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Hay You Guys!

Note: Be sure to click on the links for references and much more information.

High-quality forage is probably the best investment you can make in your horse's health. Above all else, a horse is a grazing animal and will require most of its nutritional and caloric needs be met through grazing and roughage. If adequate pasture is not available, then hay becomes the next best thing.

There are many different types of hay available in the US, and many types are area-specific. However, hay is usually broken up into two different catagories:

Legume Hay (alfalfa, clover, lespedeza)

Grass Hay (timothy, brome, prairie, bermuda, fescue, orchard grass)

Legume hay tends to be more calorie and nutrient-dense, and is generally a better choice for performance horses, young horses, and breeding stock. Grass hay tends to have a better nutritional balance and is a better choice for adult horses that do not fit into the other catagories. Of course these are generalities, and may not be true in your area.

Nutritional content of hay varies widely by area. I've learned this through experience. The alfalfa I got in Arizona was not the same as the alfalfa I got in Kansas and it certainly was not the same alfalfa I got in Missouri. Nutritional content can change dramatically even locally--a 50 mile drive in my area can make all the difference between stemmy, hard-to-digest hay and fine-stemmed, leafy, beautifully green hay.

I have tried to picture the most popular types of hay below, linked to an article with more information.

Alfalfa



Lespedeza



Clover



Timothy



Prairie Hay

Ideally, everyone would be able to test their hay. Unfortunately that is often not what is practical. There is, however, a "test" you can perform on hay when you pick it up, to ensure it's the best quality hay possible. Although nutrition can vary with region, you can still determine good hay by appearance. With the help of an equine nutritionist, you can combine different hay types available in your area, along with supplemental nutrition such as grain, supplements, beet pulp and bran, and develop a program that keeps your horses in optimal health.

Monday, October 18, 2010

No Hoof, No Horse

Anyone in the horse industry that has had to deal with laminitis, navicular, white line disease, or a host of other foot ailments that plague horses knows how important a healthy hoof is.



I admit it--years ago I knew how to clean out my horse's feet, and that was pretty much it. I knew what the frog was, but the internal mechanisms of the foot were lost on me. I had a farrier for that, afterall, right? A farrier was a person I felt I should be able to call up if there were any issues in the general hoof area at all. A farrier was supposed to fix that stuff, afterall.

Then I adopted a special-needs stallion and the only farrier in the area decided he'd leave on a hunting trip for two months without telling me, standing me up for our already-set appointment (right when the horse was due for a trim and reset), so this circumstance forced me to learn more about the hoof.

It's sad it took an extreme circumstance to get me to learn more about my horse--something I hope to never repeat again.

So, it's my hope that by providing some resources, that you, too, will be inspired to expand your knowledge about the hoof, whether you are a professional farrier, or have a horse as a pet in your backyard to keep the weeds down. One thing about the equine hoof--there is always something to learn!

To the right I have a list of links and among these are some websites that deal exclusively with hoof-related issues:

Barefoot for Soundness
This is where I first learned to trim from and it still serves as a very handy resource.

Pete Ramey's How-To Articles
I am forever referencing these articles. While some of the cadaver pictures are a bit unsettling, once you get over the "ick" factor, they are extremely important learning tools to see what the inside of the foot looks like.



A healthy hoof

I'm not saying, by any means, that everyone should trim their own as I do. It's terribly hard work, and if you aren't careful you can really do some damage. Honestly, if you have a good farrier, then be sure to tip him/her a little extra next time. They truly don't get paid enough for the hard work they do!

I think, though, it is very important to try to be as educated as possible as to how the hoof works, what the signs of trouble are (sometimes the signs appear before the trouble does, and if you know, you can help stop it!), and it even helps the farrier out when the owner is more knowledgable. In the past couple of years I've had to call a farrier a couple of times due to my back troubles. I'm always pleasantly surprised that when I explain that I usually trim my own, the farriers tend to come out much more quickly, follow up with me better and do a better job trimming! It's truly a win/win, to become as knowledgable about our equine friends as possible.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Winter-Ready

It's coming! Are you ready?

If you're anything like me, winter is your least-favorite season. It's cold and there are very little daylight hours. Both those things add up to very little riding time.

Plus, feeding and watering seem to take twice as long when you're trudging through the snow, or having to chip ice out of a tank because your tank heater has malfunctioned.

It doesn't really matter if we like it or not, though--winter is coming. The best we can do, short of all moving south, is to prepare. The Horse recently did a great article on preparing for winter weather.

Earlier this year I also wrote a post on my other blog about the importance of making sure that our horses have fresh water all winter long.

It's time to increase your horse's feed, make sure they are in optimal health, make sure they're wormed (and I'll add clean the manure out of your pens/pastures and scrape those bot eggs off your horse's legs, or worming doesn't do as much good), get those shelters and blankets all ready, get all your feed stocked up, and test your tank heaters.

Then go inside, make sure you've got plenty of hot cocoa on hand, hunker down and pray for spring!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Happy Un-Hump Day

Since this is Wednesday I thought it might be appropriate (or at least a little funny) to designate this as "Un-hump day," in an effort to draw a little attention to the responsibilities involved in breeding horses.

Foals are cute. They come into this world on their wobbly long legs and within a few days they are chunky, fuzzy, doe-eyed creatures who are amazingly agile and quick on said wobbly long legs.

They are in the same catagory as kittens, puppies, and even human babies. They have a very high "Awwww" factor. We want to scoop them up in our arms and cuddle them (although with don't carry out that desire with foals, for obvious reasons).

Genetically we are programmed to love babies. The trouble is, babies grow up. And with foals, that means they eat a lot, need a lot of training (in which you mostly likely will get hurt in some form or fashion) and they tend to need to be wrapped in bubble wrap 24/7 (because they will definitely hurt themselves in some form or fashion). Cuteness gives way to responsiblity. A LOT of responsiblity.


At this point, most people want to sell the foal. Sometimes these are foals with great pedigrees and great conformations who were raised correctly, with the right training and nutrition. Sometimes they are not. The process begins the same--with a "for sale" posting, but the results tend to be quite different.


For this reason, I've put together a list of questions to ask yourself before you decide to breed that mare of yours. And in all fairness, I will answer each one myself. I am by no means exempt from these responsiblities, so let's begin.


1. Why are you breeding your mare?
I don't plan on breeding either one in the near future. I'm not breeding them because I'm not prepared for the responsiblity of properly raising a foal right now, and I don't think they've earned the right to reproduce yet. They have to have their careers before family....


2. Is your mare of high enough quality to contribute positively to the gene pool?
Right now, no--they aren't. Having reproductive organs does not automatically qualify a horse to be breeding stock. I believe they have potential, yes. But, they must show they can do something other than stand around, converting alfalfa into manure.


3. Are you willing to lose your mare and/or foal?
This one is tricky. Most people think it will never happen to them. They point fingers and say "Well, I've never lost a foal!" Just wait. It's not if, it's when. Right now I'm not willing to lose either one of my girls. I'm not ready to bury another foal.


4. What are your plans for the foal?
This is probably the number one reason my girls will remain foal-less for a while. I want to show any foals that they have, but first, they need to show. I have a full-time job and a farm to care for by myself. That leaves limited time to fit and show a horse. I will be lucky to be able to get two trained, fit, and shown. No time for foals right now....


5. If your plans include selling, are you willing/able to keep the foal if it does not sell? Or, are you willing to sell to just anyone, at any price?
I was told once "You care too much where they go." Well, that was news to me. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to care. I thought if I created a living, breathing creature that I had some responsiblity to it. Silly me.
The point is that I will not breed my mares until I'm able to have another permanent mouth to feed. Could I sell a horse? Sure! Moose almost left for France and I didn't even have him advertised. If the perfect home comes up then some of my horses could be sold. In this economy, though, I'm not pushing my luck.
And I am unwilling to advertise my horses on Craigslist for $300 like some backyard junk. It's tasteless and grossly irresponsible, as is continuing to breed horses when you can't even sell the foals you have. If no one wants what you already have, why make more?


I'm not saying that no one should breed horses right now. That's not only ridiculous, but it's unrealistic. If your foals are selling, in good homes, being productive in some way other than creating more unwanted foals, then you're obviously doing something right.

If this isn't the case, then please give yourself a big slap and wake up. Equine Overpopulation is a very REAL problem. If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. No one is exempt from responsiblity.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

What Do You Know?

I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.
~Eartha Kitt





For some reason, one of the favorite excuses of abusers, neglectors, back-yard-breeders and generally ignorant bad-horse owners everywhere when they're caught with their proverbial foot in their mouth is "You're just a dang-gum know-it-all ain't ya?!"

The irony of their statement is lost on them--they claim those trying to educate them are "know-it-alls," yet they refuse to open their minds to any information whatsoever. I suppose their point is it is better to be a "know-nothing" like them?

That's hypothetical, of course. My point is that most of the enjoyment of owning horses comes from the fact that there is always something more to learn. They are a challenge, which makes it exciting and enjoyable to own and work with them.

Here are a few sites I have bookmarked, that I feel are good general resources for equine-ownership education:

The Horse
Although this website is a bit irritating in that you have to sign up to view the entire article, the information in the articles are well worth whatever advertisements you'll have to delete in your inbox.

EquiSearch
I haven't been on this site much, but there are some great articles here I'll be coming back to!

The American Association of Equine Practitioners
In the horse owner's section there is a plethora of information, and most recently some excellent articles on preparing for the winter.

HorseCity
General information, including articles, videos, podcasts, and a forum.

On Twitter, you can get informational updates by following:
Americas Horse
Go Horse Show.com

There are many, many more that I will cover in subsequent posts, so if you have a site you love, be sure to leave it in the comments!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Addiction

As horse owners, we probably have all gotten that email or at least read somewhere the "dangers" of horse hair (which is really cute, by the way), but in all seriousness, there comes a point when a passion can turn into a serious addiction, with disasterous consequences.


Addiction is defined as "A habit or practice that damages, jeopardizes or shortens one's life but when ceased causes trauma, or a pathological relationship to mood altering experience that has life damaging consequences. "

Most of the time the word "addiction" is associated with mind or mood altering substances, such as drugs or alcohol. However, we now know that there are actions that can be addicting as well: gambling, overeating, shopping, and even sex. The definition of "addiction" has been expanded to include behavior in a broader sense--any type of behavior that a person engages in that they cannot stop doing, even to the detriment of others.

The five symptoms of any addiction are:

1. Unable to meet responsibilities at home, school or office.

2. Continues to use substances or engage in behavior even when it is dangerous.

3. The need increases to engage in behavior or use more of a substance to achieve the same effect or feeling.

4. Has tried but failed to stop using the substance or end the behavior.

5. Continues to engage in the behavior or use the substances even when they are aware of the dangers.

Only answering yes to 3 of the above symptoms consititutes an addiction.

Horses can become an addiction. I know. I am a horse addict.

And I don't mean that in a cutsie "My boyfriend can't keep me away from the barn" sort of way. I was a true addict and like an alcoholic, I will always be a horse addict. So, rather than give a secondary example, I will provide a first-hand account of my addiction, the consequences, and what I now must to do keep my "habit" in check.

I've always loved horses. I grew up with horses, and so when I got out on my own, my goals always included having and showing horses again. The opportunity came when I got out of law school and began making enough money to board a couple of them. Then I found out I was going to move to a place where I could keep my horses on my own land, so suddenly two horses became four. In my mind, I could, so why wouldn't I?

In Arizona, four horses became six, then a move back to Kansas and in in two years six became eighteen. I know it seems ridiculous. Looking back, I completely agree. At the time, though, I kept finding opportunities to get more horses--ones that would improve my herd, ones that I could breed to my stallion, ones that I thought I could ride or show or that just needed to be rescued and put into a good home. I'd buy/adopt trailer-loads of horses at a time, thinking I could do this or that with them, all the while living on the hope that one day all my dreams would come true.

The thing is, I could take care of eighteen. I leased 60 acres of pasture, and in the winter I brought them all home and put them on roundbales of dairy-quality alfalfa. They were fat and healthy. I had land and the room. They all got their needed veterinary care. They were all easy to handle and I worked with the ones that weren't. I had eighteen horses because I could. I bred several mares because I could.

It had never occured to me, that just because I could, didn't mean I should.

I had so many horses the only thing I had time for was to feed them. Only a couple of lucky ones got shelter in the winter. I had to convert my garage into a foaling stall one year because I was so ill-prepared. My house was a mess. Every bit of my freetime was spent on the computer searching for more horses. I borrowed from next paycheck to buy gas to go get another horse two states away. My relationships suffered. Instead of buying basic neccessities (like clothing, food, doctor's visits, haircuts) all my money was spent on just feed for my horses. I couldn't even afford things for them like vaccinations and wormer. Once in a while I would get them caught up on those things, but as soon as I did they were all due again and I couldn't afford it.

I spent a lot of money trying to save horses. I let my emotions lead me to believe I was doing a good thing, when all I was doing was creating an outlet for people who didn't want to take responsibility for their own in-actions--aka, "Just give them to Jessie and she'll fix them." It was emotionally and financially draining, as many of these horses were neglected to the point that they were permanently affected.

I couldn't afford tack to ride in, so I never was able to properly break out a horse, and I could afford to show any. I didn't have any room in my facilities to properly fit a horse to show, even if I could have found the time or money. I was in debt for my hay, to my vet, and to anyone else that would let me get anything on credit. I was eeking (purposefully spelled wrong) out a way of life, always putting horses first, no matter what the cost to me, or even to the horses I loved.

Ultimately, my inability to control my own addiction led to harming those I love most. I leased out horses that did not receive even the basic care that they required and it cost several of them their lives. I didn't face my own responsiblity of putting down one beloved horse that I should have, instead letting her suffer for another year (once again trading judgement for hope). I didn't geld a colt I sold and he ended up in the hands of someone who had no business owning a stallion, so he ran through a fence breaking his back legs. All these things happened because of me--because I was too consumed by my addiction to realize that if I had only owned a few horses, I could have cared for them better, been better-prepared for the unexpected, been able to afford gelding and been able to face my responsiblity to euthanize those that are suffering without any hope of recovery. I now face a lifetime of consuming guilt for these things that I did, because of my addiction.

Today I only have four horses. I am not overexaggerating when I say it is a daily struggle to maintain status quo. I get offered beautiful horses all the time. In fact, I was recently offered, for free, a gorgeous broodmare who I've adored for YEARS. She recently had a colt that I would have owned if I could have afforded him, and I could easily do the same exact cross again for the next few years. This mare produces stunning foals, is a dilute color and a pretty nice pedigree. I really wanted her--I still do. I could easily get her. I have room. I have feed. I make enough money to afford another one to worm, vaccinate, trim, and vet.

But I said no. I said no because just because I can, doesn't mean I should. I said no because she doesn't fit into my current plans. I said no because having that thrill of me getting a new horse only takes away from my concentration on my current ones. I said no because rather than spending money feeding, breeding, and foaling out more horses I can spend that money on other experiences: showing the horses I have, paying down my debt and ultimately taking the trip to Peru I promised my friend several years ago.

Right now every one of my horses has shelter (thanks to the extra funds I had to buy a second shelter). Every one is entirely up-to-date on all their care, including vaccinations, worming, and farrier work. Every one has a winter blanket, a halter of their own, and although it has nothing to do with their health, they are all clipped and well-groomed. My pens have lots of beautiful grass in them because I have plenty of area for the four horses I have, so they are never forced to stand in mud and they always have something to graze on. I have a roundpen to train in, and a fenced arena. I have the trailer I always wanted, a reliable truck to pull it with, and I now have plenty of tack and even show clothes for next year.

There will always be the temptation to get another horse (or three more), but I just have to keep reminding myself how nice it is not to be overwhelmed, how nice it is to look out and see them standing in their shelters, warm and dry on a cold, rainy day, how nice it is to be able to work with every single one of them on a nice day.

Ultimately, I have not conquered my addiction, I've merely got a better handle on it. It will always be difficult to say no to another horse, especially the really good ones, but then when I go out and spend time with Paula, Bambi, Moose, and Fabian, I know that I say "no" for them. They need me a lot more than I need another one of them.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

"But I Love Horses!"

"Stop talking about love. Every asshole in the world says he loves somebody. It means nothing. It still doesn't mean anything. What you feel only matters to you. It's what you do to the people you say you love, that's what matters. It's the only thing that counts."
~The Last Kiss

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time, because so many people miss this simple point: it's not what you say, but the actions you do, that determines who you are.

I've heard it so many times that it now sickens me: I see an emaciated horse and inevitably one of excuses that come spewing forth is "But I love him/her!"

Listen, neglectors: love is a feeling, not an action. If you truly love something, then show you love it through your ACTIONS. For example:

Does this horse look loved?

How about now?

Yes, that's the same horse. I made the mistake of leasing her out to someone who came to pick her up, pretending to love on her and her mother (who died in this person's so-called "care"), who scratched them and talked to them like they'd be one of the family. Instead she dumped them in a pasture and forgot about them. Thankfully she is back home with me, and as you can see, she is healthy once again--a loved horse.

Speaking of said neglector, this horse, in the same "care" of the person who starved my gray mare above--does she look like anyone cares about her?

What is really sad is she was due to foal anyday here. Obviously no love, no compassion at all, for either her or her unborn foal. Even if she wasn't thin, why in the world is she left to foal out with so many other horses, out in the dirt, unattended?

This poor horse was loved once:

That is a picture of a loved horse. Good weight, hooves trimmed, shiny coat.


In case it hasn't sunk in yet, here's another horse who was purchased "with love."


When she became too much for them to handle, they suddenly didn't love her anymore.

Thankfully she is very, very well-loved today.

She even looks happier, doesn't she?


The word "love" is entirely overrated. Love doesn't pay the feed bills. Love doesn't deworm your horse. Love doesn't trim their feet or curry their coat. Love doesn't train, it doesn't feed, it doesn't water. Love doesn't cover your horse in a storm. Love doesn't keep your horse off the highway.

Love won't save your horses when you aren't responsible enough to do the right thing when things get tough. Love doesn't break ice in the dead of winter. Love doesn't feed when you're so sick you can't hardly breathe. Love doesn't pay the hay bill when you've lost your job. Love doesn't call the farrier if you're too broke or too lazy to do it. Love doesn't euthanize your horse when it's pain becomes too much to take.

If you truly do care about your animals, then show it to them with proper care. Take them to the vet when they're sick. Make sure they are getting enough food and water. Keep them up-to-date on their hoof care, vaccinations, and deworming. Keep them safe with adequate fencing.

If you truly love them and are unable to accomplish these things, then the answer is very simple: don't own a horse. Owning one is a privilege, not a right.

Friday, May 14, 2010

PLEASE Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

I've heard these words so many times, and yet they never cease to make me physically ill when I hear them:

"I found a great deal on a horse--it's FREE!!"


By the way, every horse pictured in this post was advertised as free.

The people who I hear uttering these words typically live on an acre or two with droopy, barbed-wire fencing and have never owned a horse in their lives. They have absolutely no intentions of getting any lessons, gathering hay and farrier contacts, or even so much as mending their fences.

What these people fail to realize is that GETTING a horse is the least expensive part, whether it's free or you pay $10,000 for it.

Here are just the very basic costs a person is looking at, just to keep the horse alive and in fairly decent condition (on your own property):

Hay at $100 per ton, 1200 lbs per month = $720 per year
Farrier at $25 per trim, 7 trims per year = $175 per year (does not include shoes)
Wormer and vaccinations (if you administer them yourself) = $90 per year
Grain (if your hay is not sufficient) at $12 per 50 lb bag = $432 per year

BASIC price for owning a horse: $1,417.00 per year.

If you have that horse for 5 years, you'll be spending $7,085 for your "free" horse...

...and that's if you never do anything with it!

Now, as any experienced horse person knows, EVERY horse has a death wish. Right now I'm up to almost a grand in vet bills for my stallion, and his ordeal isn't even over yet. Horses will find anything to get cut on, and cut deeply. They'll strain muscles, tendons and ligaments. They'll founder or colic. They'll become navicular, choke, or contract strangles. They're a living, breathing, ridable minefield of all sorts of medical ailments.

Considering this, lets say you get very lucky and spend $1000 for emergency vet care for a horse in its lifetime. You will also need to get his teeth floated (once a year is preferable, but realistically let's say you do it every other year). So, now you're up to $1500 in additional vet expenses over those five years.

THEN, if you want to do anything with the horse at all, you'll have to purchase a saddle, saddle blanket, bridle, bit, reins, halter, leadrope, leg protection, fly spray, brushes, combs, and hoof pick. You'll need boots for yourself, some decent riding pants, possibly a helmet, a truck and a trailer so you can go somewhere, a roundpen so you can practice or some sort of safe fencing for riding around in. Let's see, that's all about $13,000 for all that.

THEN, if you really didn't know all this, you will most certainly need lessons. You will probably need horse training as well. Let's say you really commit to lessons/training with a great trainer and get it all done in 90 days: $1500+
I won't even get into participation and hauling expenses, if you actually want to go anywhere and do anything with your horse.

So, let's total up the amount of your "free" horse...
Basic care: $7085.00
Add'l vet: $1500.00
Tack/hauling: $13,000.00
Lessons/training: $1500.00

Total cost of owning one horse for five years (if kept on your own property): $23,085.00+

Knowing what you're getting yourself into and being properly prepared, so you can make the most of your relationship with your "free" horse? Priceless.

Friday, May 7, 2010

The Difficult Choice

Euthanasia is an unpleasant topic to discuss, but as horse owners we have to face the reality that there will be a time when you will lose a horse, either through natural or an assisted death.

There are people out there who will say they've never lost a horse. I know, as I was one of them. Please believe me when I say, though, that's it's not a matter of "if" but "when." The harsh truth of the matter is that if you are not prepared to face the unpleasant parts of horse ownership, then you probably need to just rent a horse at your local stable once in a while rather than commit to full-on ownership.

Horses are suprisingly fragile animals. They also seem to have a perpetual death wish. These two things are a combination for disaster and also the primary reasons we, as horse owners, need to make sure we have contingency plans in place for the worst-case-scenario.

There is an excellent article from UC Davis regarding the facts about equine euthanasia.

Please take the time to read the above article. As a horse owner, though, I want to discuss the emotional aspect of euthanasia, which people rarely cover. I've witnessed the euthanasia of five horses. Two were laying down, three standing up. Four by injection and one by bullet. Three adults and two foals.

Before going on, there are two very important items I want to stress:

(1) The very hardest part of euthanasia is coming to terms with the decision.

(2) Death is never pretty.

I'll go more into these in a second.

I personally think a lot of horse suffer needlessly because of two very strong emotions: fear and denial. It's difficult to decide to put a horse down when you don't know what is going to happen. It's a scary process, even for someone who is experienced, let alone someone having to go through it for the first time. Putting down a horse that isn't "down" is very intimidating--a thousand-pound creature falling down and dying is a terrifying thought. Denial is an equally strong emotional pull away from euthanasia: hope often overrides the rational part of our brains. We think, if we can just do this or do that, our horse will get better. We trade hope for our better judgement and the horse ends up suffering.

What we have to do is move away from our fear of the unknown and of death and look at the situation and ask ourselves the tough questions. Will the horse get better? What quality of life does the horse currently have? What quality of life will the horse have in the foreseable future? Will the pain the horse has to endure to "recover" be worth the quality of life it will have after treatment? What are the horse's chances of survival? What are its chances of returning to a good quality of life?

Although it sounds harsh, we also must force ourselves to look at the economics of the situation. While many of us love our horses dearly, there are very few of even the wealthiest people out there prepared to spend unlimited amounts on a horse that might never fully recover. Will the cost of treating the horse be worth the benefits (emotional, physical and financial) that will accrue from pursuing treatment versus euthanasia?

If we are unable to keep our horses, euthanasia must also be considered for the ones that are "unwanted." There are very few homes out there that are both willing and prepared enough to accomidate an elderly or other special-needs horse. Euthanasia is certainly a better choice than starvation or suffering other means of "disposal."

One of the things that I keep in mind, when I'm facing this kind of delimma, is something a very wise friend of mine once said to me:

"Sometimes life really isn't better than death."

That right there helps me put my emotions in check and try to think about what the best decision is for the horse. Most of us are ingrained with the idea that we are to preserve life no matter what, but rationally-speaking, we need to consider not only life itself but the quality of that life. If I decide to pursue treatment rather than euthanasia, I want to make sure it's the right thing for the horse, and not just the right thing for me.

Once you decide that euthanasia is the best course of action, you will have to make a few more decisions that will unfortunately test your resolve to pursue euthanasia. This is why I said above that coming to terms with your decision is the hardest part, because in planning for the unpleasant event you will have to revisit your decision several times, usually over the course of several days or even weeks.

First, you will have to decide how you are going to euthanize your horse. While the UC Davis article outlines three means, there are basically only two (blood-letting is to only be used in very extreme circumstances and only when the horse is already unconscious and there are no other means available):

(1) Vet-administered

(2) Bullet

Like many people, I prefer the first as it is safer and easier to deal with on an emotional level. Vets usually go about the process in a clinical manner, and it happens relatively swiftly (although be prepared that the horse often moves for several minutes after euthanasia is complete). The drawbacks are expense and timing. My last vet-administered euthanazia was $100 and I had to wait a week for the vet's appointment.

Euthanasia via bullet should only be performed by a person with the knowledge of how to properly administer the shot and is well-versed in firearms and firearms safety. If not done correctly, this method can lead to an injured and further-suffering horse and/or a injury to the people around the horse. The bullet has to be a large enough caliber to penetrate the skull but not go through it. The horse has to be shot in the correct place so as to result in a swift and painless death. The advantages of this method, though, are cost and it can be done anywhere at anytime, so long as the proper person and firearm is available.

When looking at the emotional aspect of either situation, neither one is any "messier" or harder to take than another. Death is never pretty. It's not peaceful. It's not pleasant. The horse doesn't lay down calmly and take its last breath like a sigh of relief as it passes on. Horses struggle--it's in their nature to grasp onto any remaining life whatsoever and it can be very difficult to watch. What we have to keep in mind, however, is that they don't realize that they'd never really live, had they gone on. They don't understand life and death as we do, so they don't know how to "let go"--they are programmed for survival, so that's what they do, sometimes even after they are clinically deceased. As human beings we know that a life full of pain is really no life at all, so we have to be able to cope with our emotions and realize when we euthanize a horse, that it might not be peaceful, but it is the right thing to do.

The second unpleasant matter of business that you'll have to see to is the disposal of the horse's body. Before considering what you would be most comfortable with, please check your legal options. Many states prohibit burial. Check the Humane Society's website to see the regulations for your state.

After considering your legal options you will have to decide the best means of disposal for you both financially and emotionally. The first horse I lost was to natural death and I thought I could not bear to dispose of her body via renderer, so I rented a backhoe and spent all day long burying her. In the end, I ended up spending more money and by the time I got her properly buried, I realized that it was just a body--her spirit was gone and the part of her I loved was gone and her body didn't mean as much to me as I thought it would have. In other words, I learned that the render is ok for me.

This is a decision, though, that has to be made on an individual basis. In other words, decide what you think will work best for you. It may change over time. It may be a financial or practical decision (for example, I don't mind buring a foal by hand where I live now because the sandy soil is relatively easy to dig a deep grave in, but when I lived in a rocky terrain and euthanized a full grown horse I had a renderer pick her up as it would have been extremely difficult to bury her there).

Once you've decided the method of euthanasia and the means of disposal, if you have time, you might want to spend some time with your horse and do something special to help you remember him or her. Many people save tail hair and there are talented artists out there who can create special momentos to help you remember your equine friend. I like to give my horse a special treat, and ones in pain I will go ahead and up their dosage of pain meds so they can enjoy their last days relatively pain free (and since the negatives of doing so, like increased stomach acid or ulcers aren't going to affect them immediately). I usually brush them a few hours before the vet arrives and let them out to graze, even if it's out in my yard if that's the best grass available (which is a very calming and happy experience for a horse).

It also helps to have a friend with you who is knowledgable about horses and experienced with equine euthanasia. Having someone to support you emotionally when the deed is carried out can be a huge help. Also be sure to prepare what you'll need after the horse has passed--a large tarp to cover the body until it can be disposed of is helpful. I also prefer to keep my dogs inside during the process so that they're not underfoot and potentially get in the way and be harmed, or distracting to the vet.

The greatest gift we can give an animal we dearly care for is a release from that pain, despite causing enormous pain for ourselves in our overwhelming grief. Because we benefit from the love and admiration of these great creatures, we must also bear the burden and responsibility of knowing when it is time to say goodbye and summon the courage to carry through what needs to be done.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Red Flags, Part I

Rather than try to tackle a huge subject like this all in one post, I'm going to start with some pretty obvious, but sometimes overlooked warning signs that you might encounter when trying to place your horse in a good home. These warning signs are meant to not neccessarily pinpoint any potentially bad home on their own, but combined with other red flags they may serve as a warning of a home that you may not want your horse in, or, you may want to request more references or do a little homework.

Red Flag #1: The person does business in a particular breed, but is suspended from that breed.

For example, you own an APHA mare that you want to lease to a person who breeds paint horses. They claim to show in APHA and stand an APHA stud. Don't be afraid to call APHA and check their membership status! They WILL tell you.

After leasing a pregnant mare and her filly, and only getting the filly back home alive (in very poor condition), I later found out that the lessee had been suspended from AQHA since November of 2007 and she was also suspended from APHA. A little later her daughter's name came up on the suspended list, so apparently they are registering horses under their childrens' names and getting them suspended as well. This person still stands an AQHA stud to the public, so I would suggest anytime you do business with someone, make the call and check their status! I have no idea how anyone breeding to that stud will get papers on their foal....

Red Flag #2: Their website features outdated and closely cropped photos only.

For example, take this picture below.
Looks like a cute, happy little horse, doesn't it?

Now take a look at the entire photo:


It's quite a different picture, isn't it? The mare is clearly emaciated, junk laying all over the place, and the other horse's feet are in terrible shape. When all you see on a person's business website is old photos that have been on there a year, photos that are so closely cropped that you cannot see the whole horse or anything around it, or plain and simple no photos at all, it should make you question what they're hiding.

In case you're wondering, the horse in this picture, Atari, was immediately returned home after this picture was taken by a sheriff's department. The culprit: the same lessee who I leased three horses to and only got one back alive, which brings up another point....

Red Flag #3: Follow up on any references and/or name dropping!

More often than not these are multiple-offenders. If you check, there WILL be signs. Ask around on the forums, check with anyone whose name they dropped (and see if they owe them money or are otherwise delinquent on any other obligations). Google their name and the name of their ranch. Here's a tip on how to best Google a name:

Go to http://www.google.com/ and type in their name in quotations: "Jim Bob Johnson" or "JBJ Acres"

If there's any sign at all follow up. For example, if someone says they are trying to get a hold of them and can't, follow up with that person and see if they ever found them. Don't be afraid to snoop. This is too important to be dismissive of details.

Red Flag #4: They change their phone number often or they move or move your horses without telling you.

This is a more of an after-the-fact red flag, but if they keep changing cell phone companies, there's probably a reason (they can't pay the bill, so then, can they afford to feed your horse?). Furthermore, there is almost always a clause in a lease agreement that states that they must inform you if they move the horse. ENFORCE IT. Know at all times where your horse is. If they don't respond, send the sheriff out immediately.

To be continued in Part II, but in the meantime, if you have any tips, don't be afraid to comment!

Hope You're Sitting Down

O-M-G, I have finally done a post on this poor, long-forgotten blog of mine. Time to get to work....

I've actually been thinking on this for quite a while now. Often times I feel like I'm definitely no expert, having had so many of my horses end up harmed or even dead at the hands of people I thought I could trust.

But, then I think of how much I've learned, how now in hindsight I've seen the warning signs and they stick out like huge red banners across the sky. I keep thinking, I should have known.

In today's economic climate, though, horse selling is getting harder than ever (probably EVER), so it's time to batten down the hatches and do our research if we find we can no longer keep a horse.

And so, it begins....