[Appylvr]

There is this horse that lives down the street from me. This horse is beyond skinny... he is basically skin and bones. I would say he's like a 1 or 2 on the BCS... I have heard so many people asking about this horse... like they want to report it or why is it like this... I have wanted the same things.

Not too long ago I was driving past this house and I look over there... (I usually do because it makes me so mad and I keep expecting it to be dead) and see a big sign on the fence! I whip a U-Turn so I can read it and you won't believe what it says!

DON'T FEED THE HORSE

SPECIAL DIET

My immediate thought was to hang another sign next to it that says...

SPECIAL DIET NOT WORKING!!!

TRY SOMETHING THAT DOES!!!

Do you think I should?

Can you believe these people? I saw the horse when they first got it. HE LOOKED GOOD!!! That was about 4 years ago and he has been like this for about 2 years now. They say the horse is 36 years old and foundered, so they have to keep him like that...

I say that's no life to live... it would be kinder to put him down!

[Xiphias]

if that is the case they should put the horse down...Cathy

[Jess!]

I'd report them, or put that sign up.

[sher327]

Can you get a pic of him?

[Blistering Winds]

Ok, FIRST, there are reasons to keep a horse at a BCS of 4. NOT 2. So I personally think either you are reading the BCS wrong on this horse or the owners went overboard and went too far.

Also, if they choose to, they CAN allow the horse to die naturally, no matter HOW horrible it may seem. The horse may not be able to digest things, and the diet he's on is keeping him alive and, well, aweful looking because the horse cannot digest anything else and is dying slow.

Unfortunatley, you cannot tell the owners how they can allow their horse to die. that may be the case. They are keeping the horse up and alive as long as he'll hold on, and trying the best they can. Unfortunately, nature is saying otherwise and the horse is wilting away.

It happens, it looks like abuse, but it isn't.

So before having a HUGE fit, you MUST find out ALL the facts.

And if you feel the authorities need to be called, do it. They will find out the story, confirm the story, and determine what is legal that they can or cannot force the owners to do.

If the horse is under vet care and the vet is aware the horse is dying and will continue to get worse, as long as the vet says he's not in pain currently, technically, nothing legally most places can do about it.


Being 36 years old, I BET This is the case more than abuse. His body is giving up but the owners haven't.

[KZWestern]

I agree with BW. I have a neighbor who takes maticulous care of her horses, but she has one that's very old and can't get nutrients from his food, and also has no teeth. He's skin and bones and has foundered... Don't get me wrong, she is doing everything she can at this point for him. The vet comes out all the time, he's on a very special diet and he is constantly monitered. This guy is skinny but is taken very well care of. All of her other horses are what I would call over weight, and all of them have excellent health care.

Sometimes people just don't want to let a horse go, and that's my neighbor's issue. She is however now contemplating putting him down before winter.

I'm just trying to point out that sometimes there are reasons for an old old horse to be that skinny, that is not abuse.

However, I still think it would be a good idea to investigate if you feel it needs to be done, just to give everyone a peace of mind.