[Little Red Dun]

The title says it all. What do you consider to be a rescued horse? I say "rescued horse" instead of just "rescue" because I think of a rescue as a place where the horses go to be taken care of.

As a brief disclaimer, this is not meant to prove anyone wrong or say that anyone is wrong, or claim that anyone's horse is or is not a rescued horse, etc. I was reading over a few topics and this question came to mind so I thought I would ask.

[Lindsayanne]

I think in my own head I define "rescue" by physical and mental condition.


If you go through a rescue and adopt a horse that was donated healthy and happy in great shape by a loving owner who just couldn't keep it any more is that MORE of a rescue than buying an emaciated half-feral horse from an otherwise well-presented private seller?

I don't think so. I do think the term is overused, though.

I got Bazy through a "rescue". She needed groceries and was feral but she definitely wasn't in any imminent danger and if the owner had listed her for sale instead of going through the rescue she would have sold quickly (instantly if she knew who to market her to...). Is SHE a rescue?

[Anti-Silence]

Mine all came from a rescue... Do I consider them rescued? Not necessarily. Parker, yes... when I got him (which was less than a week after the rescue got him) he was seriously underweight, had worms, and strangles. Smores and Smudge were PMU foals... were they rescues? Probably not... As for Bogey, I have no clue, the rescue had him for a year before I came so he was in good shape when I saw him, but I don't know his past. They are all rescue horses, but not necessarily rescued.

[Teaka_Winnie]

to me, a rescue is a horse that is in serious need of help. not one that WAS rescued in the past. but one that is in danger of dying at the moment.

[ItchingPostFarm]

I think a rescue is much different than an adoption.

I've done both. The two that I have rescued each came from severely neglectful situations. I got each of them from their original owners. The first, named Trouble (he wasn't any trouble at all - LOL) was seven years old, had never seen a vet, was loaded with parasites, and had cancer that was not being treated. I was able to give him a loving, wonderful home for the last eight months of his life. I sunk thousands of dollars into his health care but it was worth every penny - he was a very sweet boy and I was honored that I had him in my life. The second, a stallion, was living in about two feet of filth in a tiny pen with chronic respiratory problems that had never been treated. He'd been in that pen for years aside from being taken out once in a while to breed. He was underweight, malnourished, and had untreated, runny eyes on top of the other problems. In his prime he was a top show prospect that wound up in a horrible situation due to the poor choices of people. I was able to give him a wonderful home for almost a year, but sunk thousands of dollars into his health care trying to get him healthy. The years of living in that caustic environment had taken their toll, and he passed away from what we suspect was an undiagnosed guttural pouch infection. Those can be awfully hard to diagnose, and I'd just had him at our local veterinary teaching hospital to try to figure out what was wrong. He wound up being my once in a lifetime horse, and not a day goes by that I don't wish we had had a little bit longer to get to the bottom of what was going on with his health. We were so close, and he'd come soooo far. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word, and was a stallion that deserved to be kept intact. I don't say that lightly. *sigh* Rescuing is costly both financially and emotionally and is not for the faint of heart.

Adoptions, on the other hand could be horses that are in need of re-homing due to career changes (think horses off the track that aren't profitable) or owner surrenders due to life changes like death or divorce. Some of the horses in adoption programs are rescues, and in those cases the hard work (as far as addressing health concerns and basic handling issues if there are any) have already been taken care of or are disclosed before the adopter takes on the responsibility of caring for the horse. With a lot of adoptions you are getting a horse that has already had basic veterinary care. With rescues you never really know what you are getting until you have posession of the horse and have had a vet do an evaluation.

I, too, think the term rescue is overused. I get slightly irritated when people tell me how they rescued a dog/horse/cat that was really an adoption. I know a lot of people don't put much thought into the distinction between the two, but they are worlds apart in my opinion.

[4horsem0m]

I consider this a rescue! I purchased him for $400 (photo taken May 4, 2004), but not from a "rescue", just from some friends of a friend. No hoof care for 1 1/2 years, he was being fed day old bread because it was cheaper than hay, was wormy (yeah, go figure!) and lice infested, and a stallion so he was confined to a stall or indoor arena.


This was taken the end of July or beginning of August (Yes, less than three months from previous picture!!) I do believe that I rescued him, because I truly believe that he would have died if he would have stayed where he was.

[pocahontas]

One that is:
*not given proper, food, water, and shelter to maintain a healthy life.
*physcially abused
*proper maintence of health not being taken care of
*medical attention not given when needed
*over used physically to where it is physically to much for the horse

[Stormyheart6160]

MY definition of a "rescued horse" is.......any horse removed from a bad situation re: neglect, abuse, abandonment,......and put into a better situation, rather than just killing it, is a rescued horse.

[LazyDaisy]

Originally Posted by 4horsem0m

I consider this a rescue! I purchased him for $400 (photo taken May 4, 2004), but not from a "rescue", just from some friends of a friend. No hoof care for 1 1/2 years, he was being fed day old bread because it was cheaper than hay, was wormy (yeah, go figure!) and lice infested, and a stallion so he was confined to a stall or indoor arena.


This was taken the end of July or beginning of August (Yes, less than three months from previous picture!!) I do believe that I rescued him, because I truly believe that he would have died if he would have stayed where he was.

In a word WOW, nice work 4horsem0m! He looks so great and loved now you'd never have thought it was the same horse in the first pic.

I'm inclined to think like Pocahontas...

One that is:
*not given proper, food, water, and shelter to maintain a healthy life.
*physcially abused
*proper maintence of health not being taken care of
*medical attention not given when needed
*over used physically to where it is physically to much for the horse

[oldhorsehome]

Originally Posted by stormyheart6160

MY definition of a "rescued horse" is.......any horse removed from a bad situation re: neglect, abuse, abandonment,......and put into a better situation, rather than just killing it, is a rescued horse.

I agree with this. My guys are definitely rescues. Buddy was starving in a pasture where 2 other horses had already starved to death. Cowboy was owned by people that loved him but had no clue what to do.
Buddy on arrival

Cowboy on arrival