Early last Friday, three horses were found on a private farm by field service officers with the Humane Society of Washington County (HSWC), a nonprofit organization that contracts with Washington County, Maryland to provide animal control services.
A case of severe horse neglect
When field officers of the HSWC responded to a concerned citizen, they found three emaciated horses with rotten teeth and three foot-long hoofs confined in separate stalls.
The officers were initially responding to a concerned citizen calling about the welfare of pet pigeons. But protocol demands that the officers investigate the conditions for the other animals on the property, as well.
What they found was this: three horses â two stallions and a miniature â confined to individual stalls.They were emaciated. They had rotten teeth. Their hooves, which had never been properly cared for, were more than 3 feet long.
And they had been living like this for upwards of 15 years.
One miniature mare had to be euthanized on the rundown property before she could be transported to DEFHR due to ruptured ligaments causing irreparable fetlock dislocation. The two others are in critical condition, with the worst hoof neglect the veterinarian and farrier have ever seen.
The hooves on two of the horses were so long (over 3 feet) that the horses could barely move without being at risk of getting tangled in their own hooves. In order to transport them safely to DEFHRâs rehabilitative care facility, the vet and farrier worked together to sedate the horses and lay them down so they could remove portions of their hooves.
The horses were transported from the private property to DEFHR by horse trailers, says Robertson, after their excess hooves were removed. "They couldn't be transported with their full hooves because they could have been tangled up with each other," she says.
Their condition, according to Robertson, is critical. "There are a lot of factors that come into play with hoof neglect: Ligaments and muscles and bone structures have been compromised for years. This is a slow detriment to their mental and physical well-being," she says. "We are taking this very slowly while their bodies adjust to their new feet and exposures."
If Quest and Rio survive, they will be introduced to a new world. "Everything for them," Robertson says, "is new."
No charges have yet been filed.
The condition of the horses on the property was discovered when a Good Samaritan called the Humane Society of Washington County with concerns about the welfare of pet pigeons. It is standard practice during welfare inspections to check all animals on the property, which is how the horses were discovered. The investigation is ongoing and cruelty charges could be pending.
About Days End Farm Horse Rescue
Of the over 2,170 horses DEFHR has rescued in its 26-year history, these are the worst, most extreme cases of hoof neglect the organization has ever seen. On scene at the impoundment, Erin Ochoa, DEFHRâs Executive Director, told the gray stallion, âToday your life changes.â
The average cost for critical rehabilitative care for horses is $1,900 to $2,400 per horse per month. These horses will be on the higher end of this cost scale. DEFHR is experiencing its leanest year financially since 2008, so donations and support for these deserving animals could not be more critical.
DEFHRâs mission is to support animal control in abuse and neglect cases and THIS is what DEFHR is here for. DEFHR is here for the horses! These horses needed help, and now they need donors to ensure that one day they will be able to walk in a grassy pasture pain free!
Days End Farm Horse Rescue is a 501c3 nonprofit organization currently providing rehabilitation and ongoing care for 78 rescue horses. The organization relies primarily on donations to help these horses. All donations are tax deductible. To donate go to www.defhr.org.
"Our organization has been around 26 years and we have rescued 3000 horses in our history," Caroline Robertson, development director for the Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR), which is currently caring for the horses, told The Dodo. "From a hoof neglect standpoint, this is the worst case we, our veterinarian and our farrier [who trims horses' hooves] have ever seen."
To read more about Quest and Rio and to donate to their care, please visit Days End Farm Horse Rescue.
At a small self-care boarding stable in 1989, Kathleen Howe met a buckskin gelding named Toby; though neither knew it then, they would change each other's lives forever.
Kathy and her family visited the stable regularly to care for their own horse, Mercy. Noticing Toby was rapidly losing weight - seemingly abandoned by his owner - Kathy and Allan Schwartz took action to adopt Toby. After bringing him home to their own 10-acre farm, Kathy and her family nursed Toby back to health.
Kathy credits much of Toby's success to the help she received from friends and neighbors. Unfamiliar with the unique needs of horses recovering from starvation, Kathy relied on a neighboring veterinarian to help develop a care and nutrition plan for Toby. During his first few weeks, Toby would lie down to rest and struggle to stand back up. Kathy called on a few strong men she frequently played darts with to assist in lifting Toby to his feet. With the help of her community, Kathy gave Toby a healthy, happy future; however, this was just the beginning for Kathy.
Kathy continued her rehabilitative work, opening her home to horses in need and nursing them back to health. She joined the Maryland Horse Council and assisted in founding the council's Equine Welfare Committee. Working with state stable inspector Beverly Raymond and animal welfare professional Carolyn "Nicky" Ratfliff, the committee examined local laws and developed Maryland's "Guide to Minimum Standards of Care for Equines" - now a standard for animal welfare professionals investigating cases of suspected abuse or neglect.
Kathy continued pursuing ways to ensure quality care of treatment and horses by joining PAWS - the Professional Animal Workers Society - and developing partnerships with local animal control authorities and humane agencies. Her tireless efforts established relationships that endure today as DEFHR's primary work centers on rescuing and rehabilitating critically ill and injured horses impounded by these agencies.
Since 1989, Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) has gone from a small non-profit sheltering a few horses to a full-scale, well respected national rescue and rehabilitation facility sheltering 110 to 150 horses annually. All horses come through animal protection authorities from across Maryland and surrounding states.
After their rehabilitation, the horses are evaluated and provided the training needed to best prepare them for adoption. DEFHR utilizes principles of natural horsemanship in an effort to help each horse realize its full potential as an equine partner.
The mission of Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) is not only to rescue and rehabilitate suffering horses, but to prevent abuse and neglect through education and community outreach. DEFHR offers a wide variety of educational programs and internships, providing opportunities for experiential learning. DEFHR also shares online resources for learning about equine welfare, rescue, and rehabilitation.
DEFHR's continued success would not be possible without the hard work of many dedicated volunteers. Volunteers provide over 48,000 hours of service each year helping to rescue and rehabilitate horses, educating the community about equine abuse and neglect, and raising funds to provide for future horses in need. DEFHR offers a wide range of volunteer options, giving volunteers of all ages and abilities the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of abused and neglected horses.