Cheshire

This was a very sad case, one that should have had a happier ending. We received a complaint that a horse and a pony were being kept in a field and not being fed, as evidenced by their skeletal condition. After a driveby, it was apparent that this was indeed the case, as the horse's bones were all very visible -from across the street and up a hill and through their winter coats. Our vet made the following assessment of the situation: the horse was a 1 1/2 on the Henneke Condition Score (where 5 is ideal, 1 is emaciated and 10 is obese) - in poor, very thin condition. The Pony was a 3 - in thin condition. The horse was emaciated with prominent bony structures of the pelvic bones, spinous process (backbone) and tailhead, ribs, withers, shoulders and neck. Fecals showed numerous Strongyles spp. eggs and manure showed undigested grass, indicating probable dental problems.

We reported this case to the Department of Agriculture, who, after finally contacting a very disinterested owner, confiscated the animals. The horse was take to the office of a vet, who we would not have approved as a qualified equine vet, after being run around for several hours in an attempt to load her on a trailer. Mind you, this is an aged and very thin horse - weak to start with. According to reports we received, the vet said that the horse would not get up, not even to eat, so she put her down. The pony was taken to a boarding facility where it reportedly died of colic - more than likely because they tried to feed it too much at once and had no knowledge of how to rehabilitate an emaciated horse. This pony was also aged and very possibly had dental problems to boot.

One of the things that C.A.P. has taken great pains to develope is a referal list of "safe homes" where knowledgeable people have volunteered to rehabilitate and care for the horses we rescue until they are adopted. We feel very strongly that these two would not have died had this system been utilized. One of the issues we have tried for years to correct is that the animal control agents of the towns, state and CT Humane Society have little or no knowledge of large animals. We have asked that they be required to have at least a minimum training in this area. Some have taken advantage of this idea while in this instance, it is obvious that this was not the case.