Malnourished horses?

Question

I'm looking at horses to buy right now and I had been emailing a lady that buys and sells horses for a living. We had set up a time for me to come look at and ride two of her horses yesterday. She had sent me some pictures and they looked fine in them, but when I went to look at them, their hooves were grown way out and cracking and you could see their ribs. All of her 9 horses were like that. They were in individual pastures, but the pastures didn't have any grass or anything in them. It was all sand. The horses were rubbing their heads up against me and trying to nip, acting like they were hungry. I didn't ride because their owner was gone. She had been gone for about a week with her mother in California. Her cell didn't work very well up there and she couldn't call us and tell us she couldn't be there until after we were there, but she said we could go look at the horses. She left her friend (that knows nothing about horses) to feed them. I really doubt these horses are that skinny because they're worked often. Looking at their hooves, it really makes me think that they're neglected. Do you think they could get like that in the week she was gone?

She wants $8,500 for one of them and $7,500 for the other.

Answer 1

They wouldn't be in that condition after only one week.  However, you need to look at more than just the ribs to determine their condition...many fit horses have some visibility of the ribs.  Do their hips and rumps appear sunken and bony?  How grown out are the hooves...just enough to have some chipping, or way long and curling?  SPCA cases generally are underweight enough so that the overall body condition is affected, and hooves appear to have been neglected for more than a week or two overdue for trimming.  Was there hay and access to water in each paddock?  If you really feel the neglect has been ongoing, the SPCA should be called....I just find it hard to believe that anyone would be stupid enough to invite people to come to see these horses, ask that price for them, and be neglecting them to such a degree.

Answer 2

That's ridiculous. Call the ASPCA. I'm not kidding.

Unfortuantely, a lot of dealers treat their horses like that. Some are good, but you often see this kind; the type that are just in it for the money, not to help the horses and people find their matches.

You don't get emaciated in a week. If the horses have ribs easily visible, she's been treating them like that for a while. Probably a month.

No reputable dealer would allow you to come and see her horses if she wasn't there, and they wouldn't leave an irresponsible person in charge when they leave. Call the animal police in your area; you don't want to be responsible for allowing those horses to be abused or even die!

And $8,500 or $7,500 for some sick-looking horses? She's WAY over-pricing it.

My parents bought my registered Thoroughbred mare for $4,000, and she was, and still is,  in perfect condition, athletic and talented, only 8 years old. Pristine health.  She'd been in schooled in hunter-jumping and dressage, and I love her to pieces. She's my first horse, and I couldn't ask for a better partner. Never spooks, never refuses, very affectionate, never taken a lame step in her life. Only $4,000. So your dealer's definitely cheating you, big-time.

Answer 3

ok well she apparently dosnt worm her horses... no it dosnt happen over the course of a couple days or 2 weeks.... theres nothing wrong with the horses being out with no grass but my horses in the dirt turn outs get 3 flakes of hay scattered in diffrent parts of the turn out... apparently she need to give her horses away to people that know how to care for them or if u feel that they are mistreated and malnutrished... call the mspca or the aspca

Answer 4

Call up the SPCA and report them.  That neglect doesn't happen over the coarse of one week.

Answer 5

No, they definitely were not malnourished in one weeks time!  It takes months of neglect to get their hooves that long and cracking/splitting.  Ribby horses can have health issues resulting in the rib showing, but all 9 of them like that?  Please call the animal control to have them helped.  It may take them coming out several times before the horses are removed, but it will be worth it for them.  They absolutely are not worth what she is asking.  You can invest in a re-homed rescue horse for loads less than that.  Then you know all the issues the horse may or may not have had, and you can help give a 4 legged friend a chance to be happy and loved.  Thanks for giving us a reality check when we tend to forget our equine friends are not always living the good life.  Take care and good job helping those guys!!!

Answer 6

I don't think a week of neglect will do that. Contact the ASPCA. And a horse in that condition is not worth what she is asking for them. We got a neglected horse that looked like he hadn't been fed in  months. Paid $2000 for him, rehabbed him and sold him for $12500.

Answer 7

You stated the owner was "away" in California, but said the pastures were sand, so I'm guessing you're in AZ or NV.  

ASPCA isn't in most places.  Chances are you'll need to call Animal Control OR you can threaten the owner with calling them and see if she starts making sure the animals are better off.  I had to play that game last week, after the owner of the stable where I was boarding wanted to play games because I was leaving and she was losing most of her income (5 horses there).  Fortunately, one of my kids was here and in the background made comments like calling Animal Control and the better business bureau.  Boy did that lady's attitude change!  This was a full care boarding facility and even my notoriously easy keeping gelding was lookin' ribby.  I was NOT a happy camper!

Answer 8

I absolutely agree with everyone else. Call the SPCA & do not do business with this person!

Answer 9

i recently bought a horse and she had been neglected as well we made a deal with the owner that my dad could fix his garage- lights,wiring, and upstairs room in trade for the horse  ( my dad is a electrician/handyman). she was a race horse, but was retired at age 4 because her hips messed up in a race or somethin, but when we brought her to our house we slowly started feeding her Purina Strategy and now you can barely see her ribs :) My horses feet were also messed up but i started cleaning them and i am scheduling a farrier appointment in a few weeks. she is a great horse and is now worth a lot of money but i wouldn't sell her for the world! You should ask the owner if you could take care of the horse you want and if she gets better you should buy her. and if you get her you might want to call SPCA about the other horses. good luck finding the perfect horse!  

Answer 10

There is no way that a healthy horse at a good weight could look neglected in a week.  I have a fat horse who is on a dry lot so I can regulate his hay.  He's been on it for a month and is just now showing some signs of weight loss.

These horses are being and have been neglected.  Call your local humane society with the address and the condition of the horses.  OR call the ASPCA and report it to them. I'd try the Humane Society first as they seem to be able to investigate quicker.

Whatever you do, do something!