I want to get a rescue horse

Question

i already have one horseand my mom has one, but i really want to get a rescue horse,one that needs training and is free or really cheap, how can i convince my mom?? im willing to pay for both horses and i work with the horse i have right now everyday and im very responsible with taking care of our horses,we have 3 horse stalls but one gets flooded a lot,so if there is some way i could prevent that she would let me get another horse probably,so any advice on how to keep that stall from flooding when it rains? and any good horse rescues near medina ohio??

thanks =]

Answer 1

Sure hate to break this to you...but rescue horses aren't cheap. That is why they are usually at a rescue in the first place...because they have something wrong with them health wise and/or the old owners couldn't afford to take care of them. They are usually not able to be ridden and if they are...it's usually lightly. Now there are some rescues out there that specialize in saving younger or healthier horses that don't have a novel full of health problems that render the horse unusable...but those horses aren't cheap and absolutely not free. There is no such thing as a free horse. If you find one for free...it's either never been trained (see this all the time with broodmares) or it's so skinny and half dead that you will be paying quadruple the ammount in feed and vet bills to bring it back to a good, decent condition...then you will probably still be working with a horse that has never been trained.

I hate to say it...but I am no fan of a lot of rescues out there. Half the horses they "Save" should've gone to slaughter or been euthanized. I firmly believe that for every old or broken down, half dead horse these rescues save...there is a younger or healthier horse bound for Mexico or Canada.

I realize that I will get a ton of thumb downs...but it's just what I believe. My horses will live with me until the day they die...whether it be from natural causes or put down...but I will never let them become someone else's problem.

Good Luck with your search...but I say "Pay attention to the Horses you have. Love them...do more with them. Teach them something new if you are bored with them. A horse has the ability to learn every day of it's life...that is one of the coolest thing about horses.  

Answer 2

I think that's a great goal, and I don't get why everyone's so negative today!  

I have several "freebies" I've gotten here and there over the years, and honestly they've been less trouble and less expense than my more expensive horses.  

I have had 2 OTTB's rescued from slaughter - one was whole and sound and gorgeous, but a TRULY challenging ride when he heard the voices in his head; the other is a love but was hopping onto the slaughter truck on 3 legs when I got him.

I have 2 now retired Arabs - one a broodmare who couldn't conceive (8 at the time) and one from an owner going through a divorcewho  couldn't find a buyer.  Both are great; the first one I broke myself.

Was I up to it?  Weeeelllllllll....  not at first!  But I persevered, and I learned.  And learned.  And loved.

If you can convince your Mom, choose carefully.  There are so many in need of homes out there...  but choose by personality, at least as much as physical characteristics.

I also have the stall flooding problem, and I also live in Ohio.  I live on top of a high hill, but still the water comes up through the ground, and no amount of barrier stops it.  I'm trying to come up with the money for cement floors, as I've already tried floor drains, perimeter drains, field drains, and rain gutters (with underground drains!).  The most effective, cheapest thing I've done is just dig under the topsoil to the clay below, put that in a wheelbarrow, trundle it in and dump it in the stall to build it up 6 inches to a foot.  Tamp it down real good, cover with stall mats.  I have to relevel it at least once a year, but it does keep my babies dry.

I've never used a horse rescue service, as they seem to fall into my lap, but if you put the word out that you're interested locally, you may be able to find one.  There's also the Sugarcreek Auction House...  they're the killer auctions.

Answer 3

Prob the best way to find what the prob is go out in your boots and raincoat when its raining and find why its flooding. Is it from above eg: roof or below from running water catching and pooling?

it might be as simple are redirecting the water with trenches- when its raining you can clearing see where the water is coming from rather the guessing from slope etc, clean the gutters, or could be more work like repairing the roof or releveling the ground- you may be able to tarp the roof temporarily, or rewaterproof the roof - you can get these products readily from a hardware store.

good luck!

Answer 4

I rescued a horse six years ago and she is like no other horse i have ever owned. her mental scars are deep, ingrained and sometimes difficult to understand. she has episodes of insanity and moments of complete anxiety, where she won't eat for weeks and is on the verge of dying then she's fine again.

she cannot be ridden due to the immense trauma that riding causes her. she does not trust anyone, even me, she cannot be tied due to her immense fear of not being able to move. she has to be drugged to the eyeballs to truck her, and knocked out to worm or get her teeth done. she attacks anything that remotely looks like a dog, including small children, attacks men and cannot be handled by a man unless completely knocked out. she forms bonds with random objects like buckets,fence posts and trees and when taken away from them, sweats and paces.

she is 16.1 and 18, I have owned her for 6 years and when i got her she was covered in wounds, matted mane and tail, limping and you could have pushed her over with your little finger, she was so skinny.

I have been in the horse business all my life, and rescued many horses, it's not something that you should go into half-heartedly or even wholeheartedly, unless you know exactly what you are doing, have experienced horsepeople as backup and have your emotions in check. rescue horses cost a lot more then the average pony club pony and not just in money, in time spent and heart break as well.

Amber will never be the same. I have photos of her before she was abused and neglected, and she looks nothing like the horse in the pictures. she is covered in scars, physical and mentally and if it wasn't for my experience, professional help and money, I wouldn't have been able to take her on. amber is a success and a failure in a way, she is so damaged and yet still alive.

Answer 5

Your mum knows your circumstances, experience and capacity to take on a new horse better than we can so listen to her judgement.  She is not saying no just to be mean but will have reasons.  Talk to her about it and I'm sure she will explain why another horse is not a good idea right now.  

Also, why are you considering a rescue horse?  If it is just the buying cost then this is no reason to look at a rescue horse.  They can have extra needs, problems and need specialist care, not just retraining.  They are only for the very experienced and a good rescue centre normally asks for a minimum donation to show that the new carer is not just going for a rescue horse due to initial purchase costs.  They want to see that the new carer (most do not sell the horse) can afford to care for the horse and are making a commitment to this.  

Answer 6

if u r lukin 4 a syt petfinder.com

        they have rescue horses but unless u no u doin i wouldnt5 recomend it

Answer 7

It sounds like you want a project horse, not a rescue.  Rescues involve a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money.  And plenty of experience.  I think you need to concentrate on fixing the barn and finding some new areas to school the horse you currently have.  If you usually ride western, try English.  If you usually focus on showing or jumping, try some gymkhana.  

Answer 8

i dont think its a good idea to get a rescue horse...they take LOTS of knowledge and experience and unless u are very advanced i think you would just be getting something that will be too much for you...maybe just get a cheaper horse that isnt resuce

Answer 9

First off a rescued horse will not be like the horses you have now. You may need to quarantine for disease, blood worms and strangles being pretty common when a horse is left wild and/or neglected. Plus rehab on an abused animal is hard and takes patience, lots of time and consistancy.

I've done alot with abused horses and it is a HUGE responsibility. There is also the chance the horse can't be rehabbed for riding. It is very dangerous as you will be dealing with an animal that may have had no positive human interaction, so their base instincts of fight or flight will be at the for front.

With that said, some of my most rewarding and most talented horses have come from abused pasts. Bear had strangles and was half starved when I ran him into a trailer and took him home. He was a GREAT jumper and was smart as a whip! I sold him to a boy of 11 after a two years of hard rehab and training.

It took my three months to get Thumper to stop double barrel kicking out any time something was behind him. That was dangerous for me and others. He also liked to rear up and strike out when spooked. He was a beautiful paint with brains and talent. After 6 months of hard, everyday for hours work, I sold him to a 60 year old woman. He turned out to be one of those horses that liked to take care of his rider if they weren't as experianced but watch out if you knew a thing or two! :)

Basically, I would really think long and hard before taking in a rescue horse. Make sure you have the time to put in with out neglecting the horses you already have. Make sure you have the horse experiance to train a wild, abused or neglected horse from the ground up. Plus, if you have a pen seperate for quarantine and the money to have a vet check done or deal wit hany future medical needs. Also the money for special feed, the farrier, lice powder, dewormer and so on, cause for the first month you may need all of the above or more.

Good Luck :)

Answer 10

Do NOT rescue a horse unless you know EXACTLY what your doing. Its going to take ALOT of work. More than a regular horse. For the stall flooding thing. If you have like a barn with barn doors just close the doors and put up a board at the end of it and put some buckets. So it kind of like a stall. Like roping of the end of your barn. You can't really do anything about it flooding because your probably on a down hill slope. Maybe put some sand bags down too.