How to Rescue an Abused Horse

Because horses are animals that are seen as having a use value, they're often abused or neglected when they're no longer useful or when they start to falter in their duties. If you intervene whenever you see an abused or neglected horse, you can help save many lives.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Observe horses and their environments carefully. Look for signs of malnourishment like a dull coat and prominent ribs; signs of neglect like too-long hooves, no shelter, no food and water or a very dirty enclosure; and signs of overt abuse like welts and open wounds.

2. Talk to the person housing the horse if the horse is on private property and if you feel comfortable doing so. Express your concern about the horse and find out if she has a medical issue. If appropriate, ask the owner if he needs help caring for his horse, or if he'd like help placing his horse in another home. Sometimes, an apparently abused or neglected horse is a sign that her owner needs help.

3. Report the horse to your local Animal Control if talking to the person doesn't resolve the issue. Provide a full report of what you observed. Be sure to have the exact address of the horse and to give evidence to support your interpretation of abuse.

4. Contact a local horse rescue association and tell its staff about the horse you've found. If Animal Control has custody of the horse, let them know. If you have property on which you can house the horse, offer to be the abused horse's foster person. Horse rescues often rely on fosters to provide housing for their horses because there are simply too many abused and neglected horses to house.

5. Volunteer to pick the horse up from the shelter and deliver him to a foster home or to your own home if you have a horse trailer. If you don't have a trailer, ask the horse rescue association what you can do. The donation of your time may mean the difference between rescuing or turning away a horse, and the horse rescue association will appreciate your efforts.

6. Realize that abused horses may not be especially friendly towards humans. If severely abused, horses generally see humans as their enemies and may either try to flee or attack. A general knowledge of horse behavior can help you as you work with an abused horse.

Tips & Warnings

• Assume the best when you see a horse that appears to be abused or neglected. Chances are that the horse is receiving veterinary care or is elderly. Assume that the person is doing her best with the horse, and approach a conversation with this in mind.
• Many abused and neglected horses end up at feedlots. Investigate your community to see if a feedlot exists in your area. If so, visit it on a regular basis. Create a professional relationship with the feedlot operator, and you may be able to rescue a number of horses who might otherwise be killed. Unfortunately, you generally need to buy horses by the pound to rescue them from feedlots, but if you create a strong relationship with the operator, you may only need to pay a nominal fee.
• In some states, it's a felony to take photographs or video of animals on private property, even when you're doing so to document a violation of the law. Check your state laws before you offer photographic evidence of horse abuse on private property.
• Horses picked up by Animal Control are often sold at auction if they aren't adopted from the shelter, where they may be purchased by buyers who intend to sell the horses for slaughter. If you can't take the abused horse you find, lining up a potential adopter or foster when you report an abused horse can save the horse's life.