Starving Horses?

[LRWright]

I do not have horses and I'm not overly familiar with them but I am concerned about some horses on a farm near me. The owner has 5 horses on about a 20 acre track of land. Part of this area (maybe 12 acres) is wooded area and there is no grass left in the field area. The lack of grass is due to the horses grazing it down to almost the dirt in the fall and now it is all covered by a few inches of snow. I often drive by this farm and there is never any hay available to the horses and no grain either. I have cows and I always have to have hay available for them but I'm not sure if this applies to horses too. Anyway, I'm driving by them today (it is in the 20s and snowing with 4 inches of snow on the ground) and the horses were eating tree bark off of the trees. Is this normal of is this a sign that the horses are very hungry/straving? I won't hestitate to call the necessary organization if the horses are strarving in order to get them some help...I just want to make sure that the horses really are hungry since they are eating the tree bark.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Bez+]

I do not have horses and I'm not overly familiar with them but I am concerned about some horses on a farm near me. The owner has 5 horses on about a 20 acre track of land. Part of this area (maybe 12 acres) is wooded area and there is no grass left in the field area. The lack of grass is due to the horses grazing it down to almost the dirt in the fall and now it is all covered by a few inches of snow. I often drive by this farm and there is never any hay available to the horses and no grain either. I have cows and I always have to have hay available for them but I'm not sure if this applies to horses too. Anyway, I'm driving by them today (it is in the 20s and snowing with 4 inches of snow on the ground) and the horses were eating tree bark off of the trees. Is this normal of is this a sign that the horses are very hungry/straving? I won't hestitate to call the necessary organization if the horses are strarving in order to get them some help...I just want to make sure that the horses really are hungry since they are eating the tree bark.

Thanks in advance for your help.

This is no different than cows - do a search here on CT

There are thousands of posts like yours - with many suggestions on what to do.

Horses are not worth much - so they get treated tuff by some.

If you are concerned stop in for a friendly visit.

See for yourself

Bez+

[VtMapleGal]

can you see thier ribs?

[jonbri55]

If you can see their ribs and they are eating bark-I'd guess they aren't being fed. Horses will sometimes chew bark for something to do not just because they are starving. I agree with Bez+ stop by for a friendly chat. If that produces nothing and the horses aren't being fed you can call the brand inspector in your county.

[Running Arrow Bill]

If there is no hay for them, nothing but dirt and tree bark to eat, and cold weather...the result should be obvious.

Call the Sheriff or Animal Control.

I rest my case...

[msscamp]

If there is no hay for them, nothing but dirt and tree bark to eat, and cold weather...the result should be obvious.

Call the Sheriff or Animal Control.

I rest my case...

If I'm reading your post right, then I should expect a visit from Animal Control or the County sheriff any day now. Our horses do not have hay available free choice, but they are fed twice a day every day. That would not be readily apparent to a visitor/passer by unless they happened to arrive/pass by at feeding time or within an hour or so after feeding time. There is a little more to whether a horse is being starved than hay being obviously apparent - I would be more concerned with how the horses looked, their behaviour, body condition, and how they acted before I took it upon myself to call the sheriff or animal control.

[Running Arrow Bill]

If there is no hay for them, nothing but dirt and tree bark to eat, and cold weather...the result should be obvious.

Call the Sheriff or Animal Control.

I rest my case...

If I'm reading your post right, then I should expect a visit from Animal Control or the County sheriff any day now. Our horses do not have hay available free choice, but they are fed twice a day every day. That would not be readily apparent to a visitor/passer by unless they happened to arrive/pass by at feeding time or within an hour or so after feeding time. There is a little more to whether a horse is being starved than hay being obviously apparent - I would be more concerned with how the horses looked, their behaviour, body condition, and how they acted before I took it upon myself to call the sheriff or animal control.

Obviously, you missed my point...

The point was...that IF the horses (or cattle, or other species) are in a neglected and/or starving mode and the "owner" doesn't have a clue or resources to feed/care for them, THEN someone should call the authorities to get the animals taken care of.

[peg4x4]

Call animal control-they won't use your name-heck,you don't have to give your name..

[msscamp]

If there is no hay for them, nothing but dirt and tree bark to eat, and cold weather...the result should be obvious.

Call the Sheriff or Animal Control.

I rest my case...

If I'm reading your post right, then I should expect a visit from Animal Control or the County sheriff any day now. Our horses do not have hay available free choice, but they are fed twice a day every day. That would not be readily apparent to a visitor/passer by unless they happened to arrive/pass by at feeding time or within an hour or so after feeding time. There is a little more to whether a horse is being starved than hay being obviously apparent - I would be more concerned with how the horses looked, their behaviour, body condition, and how they acted before I took it upon myself to call the sheriff or animal control.

Obviously, you missed my point...

The point was...that IF the horses (or cattle, or other species) are in a neglected and/or starving mode and the "owner" doesn't have a clue or resources to feed/care for them, THEN someone should call the authorities to get the animals taken care of.

No, I did not miss your point. Re-read your post from a novices point of view. You and I know what to look for - we know how to gauge body condition, as well as the signs of neglect. The original poster does not, and your post suggested that if hay was not readily apparent then the horse was being neglected. That suggestion was incorrect, and that was all I was trying to get across to you.

[ArrowHBrand]

If there is no hay for them, nothing but dirt and tree bark to eat, and cold weather...the result should be obvious.

Call the Sheriff or Animal Control.

I rest my case...

If I'm reading your post right, then I should expect a visit from Animal Control or the County sheriff any day now. Our horses do not have hay available free choice, but they are fed twice a day every day. That would not be readily apparent to a visitor/passer by unless they happened to arrive/pass by at feeding time or within an hour or so after feeding time. There is a little more to whether a horse is being starved than hay being obviously apparent - I would be more concerned with how the horses looked, their behaviour, body condition, and how they acted before I took it upon myself to call the sheriff or animal control.

Same at our place, unless someone drives by at 5 am or 5 pm they won't see us feeding our horses. We have one gelding who just loves to chew on wood whether it's bark or fence. I'd either stop to take a closer look or just go over and stop by. If you can see ribs, spine, and hips or if there's any doubt in your mind, call someone.

[Wild Cattle]

Hey, here is an idea...mind your own business. I have been on the recieving end of this type of do gooder and it is no fun. If you don't want to stop and talk to the folks yourself and find out the story and offer them some help then stay out of it.

Paul T

[peg4x4]

Stay out of it ?? Not in this life! You don't report abuse,whether child or animal abuse,that means you condone it..whether child,animal or elder.. If things are ok they" will leave,no harm,no foul. things not ok? then help for the abused will arrive.

[ranchwabble]

I don't know why people do that. To me it's like not feeding your kids. You can try and talk with the owner. Maybe they just want to give them away. Otherwise you should report them. I've reported someone before. The only problem is that the laws for hoses thinks it an educational problem so the poeple usually get the horses back a few times before the government takes them in and sells them at auction or gives then to a rescue.

We take horses in like this all the time. We stuff them full of supliments and fatten them up, train or retrain them and resell them. Even if they are just skinny, they won't gain weight unless their insides are working correctly. That's what the supliments do for them. A healthy horse needs 20% of it's body wieght in food every day.

Good luck
Bret

[Bez+]

I don't know why people do that. To me it's like not feeding your kids. You can try and talk with the owner. Maybe they just want to give them away. Otherwise you should report them. I've reported someone before. The only problem is that the laws for hoses thinks it an educational problem so the poeple usually get the horses back a few times before the government takes them in and sells them at auction or gives then to a rescue.

We take horses in like this all the time. We stuff them full of supliments and fatten them up, train or retrain them and resell them. Even if they are just skinny, they won't gain weight unless their insides are working correctly. That's what the supliments do for them. A healthy horse needs 20% of it's body wieght in food every day.

Good luck
Bret

It is a very old topic -you stepped in four months after the last post - and yes it is to bad - what we really need is the ability to kill unwanted horses either through slaughter or through straight shooting and affordable disposal

Unfortunately the doo-gooders have screwed that up big time.

Bez+

[V_Key]

Calling the Authorities _ Do not give your Name!
Ha - Watch out - with the new phone systems they have your Name and Number and they WILL give it out - I know[/b]

Now dad has a "Telephone Repair/Test Phone"
He goes to a Local Trouble Makers Phone when he's not home and hooks-up to their Phone from outside his house to report things

Who gets the Blame? Guess