Update on Hearts and Hooves ponies
February 7th, 2008 by admin 
Last week, two pit bulls attacked five miniature horses, killing one and injuring four others. One week later, two of those injured horses are back at home. The other two are still recovering.”I just want to thank everyone from the bottom of our ‘hearts and hooves.’ And we truly mean it,” said Kauli Sparks, of Hearts and Hooves of Lubbock. “Lubbock has been so incredible with all the calls and prayers. We want you to keep the prayers going.”
If you would like to help Hearts and Hooves, Sparks says they still need towels, blankets and hay. Or if you would like to make a donation, a fund is set up for Hearts and Hooves at Security State Bank.
Source: KCBD NewsChannel
If you wish to follow updates on the ponies´ recovery, click here
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US Horse Industry in Peril
February 7th, 2008 by adminStarving horses, horses being turned loose to fend for themselves, rescue organizations needing rescue, all because of the bleeding heart PETA and Humane Society of the United States supporters thinking horse slaughter should be stopped. I am a “horse crazy girl grown up” and I believe there is a place for horse slaughter. Would I send one of mine to slaughter? No, but for the 60-100,000 unwanted horses every year, this is the best end-of-life solution.
In September 2006, the House passed HR 503, which amends the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes. The sister bill S 311 is in the Senate now. This bill also added that the Secretary of Agriculture can inspect or confiscate your horse from a sale, show or other event if he thinks it is sore. If these bills pass I am afraid the entire horse industry will be in peril. There are approximately 455,600 Texans involved in our state’s horse industry, and $5.2 billion dollars that we stir into the Texas economy.
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Help to Amersham Horses
February 6th, 2008 by adminEndurance GB, the governing body for the sport of endurance riding in Great Britain, has donated £1000 to Redwings Horse Sanctuary to support the work that the charity is doing treating horses rescued from Spindles Farm in Amersham.
Following the biggest rescue operation ever mounted by combined charities, there was much discussion on the Forum section of EGB’s website, about what members could do to show support for the rescue, and help the charities involved. After discussion at the Management Committee, it was decided that, in accordance with a principal tenet of EGB ‘welfare of the horse is paramount’ a substantial donation would be the best way to show the concern of EGB members, and would be the quickest way to give tangible help for the horses.
“There were many requests from ride organisers for permission to ask entrants for an extra £1 at rides, to collect for Operation Esther, or permission to run events specifically to raise money for the rescued horses,” said John Yeoman, chairman of Endurance GB. “But the management committee felt that a more immediate response was called for, and that is what led us to give this substantial donation.”
Operation Esther had its beginning when Horse and Hound online forum member Michelle Mortimer placed a plea on the site for people to give up a luxury and donate that money to the charities concerned.
Operation Esther is named after the youngest donkey rescued from the farm. Esther and her mum Mary were taken to Redwings sanctuary, where she was given her name.
“Everybody involved with Operation Esther and the collection of donations has really taken it to their hearts and we are all very grateful,” Michelle said.
“It is brilliant to be able to help the charities who took in not only these equines, but take in rescued horses, ponies and donkeys all year round.”
Source: Horse Talk
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Marwari Horse
February 4th, 2008 by admin 
In the cold rajasthani desert, the marwari horse shows its mettle in endurance racing.
The moon is still high above the horizon in the wee hours of a freezing winter morning.
I stagger out of my tent to see a fully suited rider warming himself in front of a roaring fire. His mount has already been exercised and is raring like him to head out into the darkness. The day promises to test their skill to the limit.
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Ponies healing from PittBull Attack
February 3rd, 2008 by admin
The four little horses that survived a pit bull attack Thursday were doing better Friday.
Still, the attack that left wounds and bite marks over much of the miniature horses’ bodies has sparked outrage within the community that has had numerous pit bull attacks in the past few years.
“I’ve been on the phone since I got in this morning,” Kevin Overstreet, Animal Services director, said Friday afternoon. He and other city staff have received dozens of calls from residents; many are asking: “What can we do to ban pit bulls in the city of Lubbock?”
Five Hearts and Hooves miniature therapy horses were attacked by two pit bull terriers in their stalls Thursday morning. One did not survive, but the other four are expected to live.
The dogs have already been put down, and their owners, Les and Laura Hurley, are not facing any criminal charges.
Les Hurley said Friday evening he did not wish to comment on the situation.
Several residents have donated money to help with the horses’ veterinary bills.
“Pepper Jack and Sparkles are doing good,” said Kim Sparks, one of the horses’ owners. “Jolly and Honor are definitely doing better.”
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Winter weather and horses
February 3rd, 2008 by adminHorses prefer, and are better off, outdoors even in cold weather, and will acclimate to cold temperatures if given the opportunity. However, horses should have access to shelter from wind, sleet and storms. Easy access to a stable or open-sided shed works well, as do trees if a building is not available.
In the absence of wind and moisture, horses, acclimated to the extreme cold can tolerate temperatures near 5 degrees. If horses have access to a shelter, they can tolerate temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero. However, horses are most comfortable at temperatures between 18 degrees if the horse has a winter coat and 59 degrees if the horse has a summer or wet coat.
Keep in mind that a horse’s winter coat can be an excellent insulator, but its insulating value is lost if it gets wet, so it is important to keep the horse dry and sheltered from moisture.
Blanketing the horse is beneficial when the wind-chill and/or temperature is less than comfortable. Blanketing is not beneficial when the temperature is comfortable for your horse.
If you house your horse in a closed and heated stable, make sure it is properly ventilated. Poorly ventilated barns can result in respiratory problems. In terms of feeding, energy needs for maintenance of horses increase 1.4 percent for each degree of temperature below 18 degrees.
It is best to provide the extra energy as forage (hay). For example, if the temperature is zero, a 1,000-pound idle, adult horse would need an additional 4 pounds of forage each day. Ideally, forage would be provided on a free choice basis so the horse could eat what it needed.
Much more heat is produced when forages are fermented, which helps heat the horse from the inside, compared to the digestion and absorption of grains. Most data suggest that the need for other nutrients do not change during cold weather.
Water should be kept at 45 to 65 degrees (use of a tank heater, etc.) to maximize water consumption. Waters should be cleaned regularly (even in the winter), and clean, fresh water should always be available, regardless of temperature.
Source: The Prairie Star
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Equine Rescue Looking for Help
January 30th, 2008 by adminINDUSTRY (NEWS CENTER) — Double B Equine Rescue is running low on hay to feed the abused and neglected horses it has rescued. The farm goes through 19 bales of hay each day.
Double B Equine Rescue is down to about a two and a half week supply of hay. The rescue farm in Industry, which is northeast of Farmington, currently houses 19 horses.
Owner Bob DuBois says the farm is a state certified animal rescue but relies on donations from the public to survive. DuBois says he gets his horses from all over Maine.
They come to him abused, malnurished, sick, and sometimes have mental issues because of their handling.
The farm nurses the horses back to health and then finds new homes for them.
At this point dubois is trying to raise $5,000 for hay, and will accept donations of money and hay.
If you’d like to donate you can give them a call at 778-6479.
Source: WCSH6
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Wet Weather threat to Horses
January 30th, 2008 by adminAfrican Horse Sickness thrives in warm, rainy months
Outbreaks of African Horse Sickness could be worse this year due to climatic changes as well as the high number of horses that have not been vaccinated against the deadly virus. Read the Article here
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Silver State home to horses
January 27th, 2008 by admin 
There are at least two things newcomers to Nevada should know: one, that Nevada is pronounced using the short “a” sound as in apple, and two, that Nevada is home to the largest number of wild horses in the United States.
While anyone mispronouncing the state’s name will soon be corrected, it might take longer to learn that some 13,665 wild horses and 998 burros roam more than
16 million acres of federal land in Nevada.
Those numbers do not include wild horses and burros on state or private lands.
To keep wild horses manageable, the Bureau of Land Management has divided the state into 102 herd management areas. While horses in some of those areas show distinct features, like the Baskir Curlies near Eureka that have a curly coat, others hardly stand out.
Wild horse herds developed after ranchers, miners, ranchers, missionaries, explorers and others released horses on public land centuries ago.
“The BLM estimates that a herd can double in four to five years,” said JoLynn Worley, a public information specialist with the BLM.
BLM officials enter herd areas every three to four years to gather up extra horses, which are taken to adoption facilities.
“They are shipped all over the country for adoption,” Worley said. “By far, most of the wild horses are adopted east of the Mississippi.”
Wild horses can be viewed in the Black Rock Desert area, but it’s best to try after winter. Horses can also be seen at the The National Wild Horse and Burro Center at Palomino Valley north of Sparks, but they are corralled there.
A wild horse adoption day is scheduled Feb. 10 at the Warm Springs Correctional Facility in Carson City.
Source: Reno Gazette Journal
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48 horses seized
January 25th, 2008 by adminThe Loudoun County Department of Animal Care and Control last night seized 48 horses from a Middleburg farm, alleging the animals were found to be in varying stages of neglect.
Today, the horses were at the county animal shelter and in the process of being further evaluated by Dr. Karen Lovino of Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates. Lovino is measuring the horses’ body scale, which is a factor in determining the degree of malnutrition and distress in an animal.
“The lowest body scale for a horse goes from one at the lowest to nine. There are a few that are a ‘one,’ where you can see their shoulder blades and ribs showing through. Others aren’t too bad,” said Laura Rizer, LCACC’s Community Outreach and Resource Services Manager.
“None of the horses is in danger of death,” she said.
Animal Control Officers had been monitoring the farm since November of 2007, when an anonymous tipster alerted the officers that the horses might be suffering from neglect. During a routine follow-up Tuesday, the officers became concerned as the horses’ condition had sharply deteriorated and enlisted the assistance of Dr. Lovino. She briefly examined the horses on site and determined that their condition warranted their removal from the property.
The animals were transported to the shelter that evening, and will remain there until a Jan. 30 hearing to determine if the horses will remain in the county’s custody.
Animal Control is also working with Commonwealth’s Attorney James Plowman to identify any charges that may be brought against the owner of the horses. The owner’s name has not been released as no charges have been filed.
“We are not sure yet whether this is a matter of neglect or abuse,” said Rizer. “There were no other animals on the premises as far as we know.”
Source: Leesburg Today
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