Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The consequences of faith


Let this be a caution to everyone who boards horses up here. The photo at left was taken yesterday at our local AC, just before the horse was delivered to my place for recovery.

That, dear visitors, is a condition score 1.5

This is the horse that left last September a plump condition score 5.5 to 6. See what happened over six months?

She's actually a little worse than the picture shows-pictures do tend to add false weight. She has been started on a detailed recovery program, with everything weighed down to the ounce and pound. She will be fed four times a day to start, and have clean, nutritious grass hay 24/7. She is a bit lethargic (to be expected) but settled right into her old digs, calm as could be. Testing proves that there is no physical reason for the horse to be in this condition. Period.

This is what happens when you have faith alone, that the horse is in a good place. That the caretaker knows what they are doing. When you believe what they tell you about standards of care, about their management, their feeding regimen.

To anyone thinking of moving their horse(s), for whatever reason-I can only suggest that you ask around to other horse owners, or ask your vet, before just taking a casual friends' word for it that the place where you are leaving your pride and joy, is safe, experienced, and knows what they are doing. Find out if they have a business license. You should have a good boarding contract that spells out (in detail if necessary) the diet and the responsibilities of the operation.

I am sickened over what has happened to this horse. I am even more upset about the woman who runs this "boading place" since she has had numerous loose horses, one has died on the property this winter, and has been formally charged with animal cruelty over this horse. I know her name, but not her face-and that's probably a good thing because I would surely loose it and get myself into all sorts of trouble if I met her in person!

Letting the chips fall where they may..........

Leta Belardi, I hope you rot for what what you have done to the innocent horses in your "care"

3 comments:

suvalley said...

Here's a link to an excellent description of the Henneke Condition Scoring method. It is widely accepted (and used) by law enforcement, courts, veterinarians, horse professionals and others-like myself. I have even given classes on how to condition score in previous years. Once you get the hang of it, you can CS a horse within two minutes, using your hands.

http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/conditionscore.shtml

Missy said...

WHAT A CROCK OF SHIT!!There is NO reason for this!! Bottom line my animals get feed before I do ! I'm wondering if "LETA" looks like this too ? ROT ? my ass ! what a crock of shit !

suvalley said...

Missy, I could not post what was going through my mind about that person-not suitable for print!

I will let it be known that the previous "caretaker" has been calling the owner-for board.

This, a week after the horse has been impounded. My take is, she needed the money to bail the horse out of impound before she was caught out.