[BRed]

http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/358361.html

[texasgal]

** sigh ** It just never ends ...

[tbtrainer]

Wondering if the owners ever asked for help... bet not.

[doublebarr]

First - I sure wish there were better pictures so you could tell how the horses really look. Just standing looking at their heads in a trailer tells you nothing, so I'm not ready to "line up at the gallows" yet. Not saying it's not true about the horses, but we've seen other cases where the "hype" was way off base.

Second - this line kills me:

Instead of seizing animals and bringing charges, the government should help people by finding and providing hay, Maness said.

It is NOT the "governments" job to feed your horses. You bought those horses and it is YOUR job to provide for them or find them new zipcodes. My tax dollars should not go to feed your horses. YOU should work to feed your horses, just like the rest of us do.

[lovemyhorses]

Agreed on the hay.

Its the owners job to provide feed for their animals. I understand hay prices are unreal, but if you can't afford it then you don't need a horse. I have a hard time feeding my horse due to the price, but I do, and its cost me an arm and leg this winter. I just don't understand people like that.

[katertott]

I agree on the personal responsibility, however, since my hard earned money is already being used by the government for many things I don't agree with whatsoever IF I had a choice I wouldn't mind feeding needy horses with it instead of alot of other things I am forced to support

[Haas Horse Farm]

DB that line killed me too. WOW is that not the way a lot of people think... the government should provide for everyone... Sorry I have zero compassion for the owner and her attitude. She had the chance to change things. With the current market and everything else with horses changes will have to be made. From the statements the owner made it sounds like the pasture was over grazed already... a year ago. Why did she not try to find homes for her horses a year ago to prevent this from happening. The comment about it being an inside job really gets me too. I cannot believe that anyone would be that foolish to think that someone should not complain about their horses being thin and underfed. Very sad when owners do not want to take responsibility for their horses well being.

As I have said all along... this is only going to get worse... as the economy continues to decline.

[Haas Horse Farm]

Originally Posted by katertott

I agree on the personal responsibility, however, since my hard earned money is already being used by the government for many things I don't agree with whatsoever IF I had a choice I wouldn't mind feeding needy horses with it instead of alot of other things I am forced to support

That is not the problem the problem we have is that the OWNER EXPECTS the government to save her horses when she is the one responsible for having too many horses on too few acres.

[gardenmum]

Originally Posted by doublebarr

First - I sure wish there were better pictures so you could tell how the horses really look. Just standing looking at their heads in a trailer tells you nothing, so I'm not ready to "line up at the gallows" yet. Not saying it's not true about the horses, but we've seen other cases where the "hype" was way off base.

Second - this line kills me:




It is NOT the "governments" job to feed your horses. You bought those horses and it is YOUR job to provide for them or find them new zipcodes. My tax dollars should not go to feed your horses. YOU should work to feed your horses, just like the rest of us do.

Yep, that got me too! It is the same kind of remark that the people who owned the 9 horses that were seized by the SPCA, the one I was involved with, said in an article in the paper after the seizure.

"But for Page, the community now leaves a sour taste in her mouth. “I wish that people felt like they could approach us with what they thought they were seeing. It wasn’t nice of them to go behind our backs and complain to authorities when I’ve always tried to be approachable. We could’ve used some help,” said Page. “If someone would offer their tractor to clean our pasture we would’ve accepted. We were not keeping the horses that way because we’re mean people. We never wanted it to end this way. It’s saddening and it’s going to be very hard to trust people from now on.”

The irony is that I and my sister were friends of her, we had mentioned multiple times to her about all of the horses conditions, and there were others in town who offered help in various ways, as in one person offered to get a load of hay and give it to them and they refused it, one offered to trim the feet at anytime but they were always "too busy" with other things to have it done, and there were others. So, everyone was a bit upset with these remarks about going behind their backs and that she was "approachable". As we noticed the horses getting worse, my sister and I tried to contact her by phone, stopping by and emails. No replies to calls or emails, and no answering the door even though we knew she was home. So, we too had to turn them into the SPCA, but the wheels turn slowly for them before they can legally do the seizure. AND, to say that they would have liked someone to offer their tractor to help clean out their pasture.... well, ummm... don't we all wish that someone else would come in and take care of our pastures/stalls for us....lol. Really!! I clean my own barn daily and take care of my own pastures. And, I PAY to have my winter manure pile moved with a tractor to the "compost" area. Gee, I just don't understand why no one offers to give me free hay or clean my stalls/pasture for me for free!?!

So, we know by experience, that the people who have their animals taken can and will say all kinds of lies to the press and anyone who will listen. (This paragraph is only a portion of the lies they told about the reasons for the condition of their horse) I am NOT saying that everyone lies nor am I saying that the SPCA is unfailable and that they don't sometimes step in when they shouldn't, I have seen that happen once too, but for me, now when I see someone denying in the newspaper that anything was wrong with their animals, I am apt to believe the rescuers. And, whenever I see remarks like this one about the government should help out with hay made by the offender(s), it makes me even more sure that the SPCA did the right thing and the animals were in the condition as stated.

I hope all those horse are able to find good, loving homes.

[gardenmum]

Originally Posted by Haas Horse Farm

DB that line killed me too. WOW is that not the way a lot of people think... the government should provide for everyone... Sorry I have zero compassion for the owner and her attitude. She had the chance to change things. With the current market and everything else with horses changes will have to be made. From the statements the owner made it sounds like the pasture was over grazed already... a year ago. Why did she not try to find homes for her horses a year ago to prevent this from happening. The comment about it being an inside job really gets me too. I cannot believe that anyone would be that foolish to think that someone should not complain about their horses being thin and underfed. Very sad when owners do not want to take responsibility for their horses well being.

As I have said all along... this is only going to get worse... as the economy continues to decline.

I agree, the economy is going to create more situations like this, very regretfully! I do feel bad that there are people out there that have had their horses for a long time and the economy is causing their life and dreams to fall apart... BUT, as bad as I feel for their situation, I cannot understand why they don't step up to the plate and do what they have to do to find homes for these horses instead of watching them slowly starve in their pastures?!!? As hard as it is to realize that your life and dreams are gone, how can they live with the idea that their animals are suffering??? I just cannot understand how anyone can see their animal (any kind of animal) starve to death and not feel guilty for doing so.

Maybe they are hoping that they can "hold out" till things get better for them, who knows, but it is sad that the horses have to suffer for it all. If they have 10 - 20 horses and can no longer afford their care, then it would be in their best interest, as well as the horses, to find homes for all but maybe 1 or 2 of them. That way they could still enjoy owning a horse as well as feel good that they are not starving anyone. In the perfect word, that is.