[RedmondDressage]

Oh my gosh, she is just precious. Jingles for baby and momma as well.

[lep]

http://s1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj622/lep2/

[lep]

FYI, Baby Jewel's dam was just identified as Dance Recital:
http://www.pedigreequery.com/dance+recital

It is believed that the sire was one of the stallions taken from the Many property, Cat Strike.
http://www.pedigreequery.com/cat+strike

[lep]

Could this baby be any cuter? And note the pictures of the 3 yearlings who survived.

http://mcobb.exposuremanager.com/g/tb_rescue

[luvmytbs]

Way, way, way too cute.

Jingling for both mom and baby to get strong and healthy.

[lep]

http://pastthegrandstand.blogspot.co...ntle-soul.html

[FalseImpression]

OMG Not THAT bad? I bet he never missed a meal... Amazing that she survived! and that she even has the strength to trot...

[bayou_bengal]

This is indeed a sad situation. But In a related matter, I am wondering why we haven't been hearing about the 450 horses starving on a ranch near Billings, Montana? Maybe some one has posted about it and I just didn't see the story.

Pundits are now saying we are in the middle of the Great Recession-- I guess they are using that label because they don't want to admit this is really the Second Great Depression. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost jobs, houses, cars and, yes, their pets and even family members. Families are splitting up and some people have even committed suicide. Hundreds of thousands of people who are willing to work haven't found jobs, and have been unemployed for a year or more. Other people, like Mr. Ford, have seen their businesses fail to the brink of bankruptcy.

In the days to come, we will probably hear more and more about starving horses and other starving animals. During the Great Depression, back when horse slaughter was legal in the US and wasn't given a second thought, thousands of horses were turned loose by farmers who could no longer afford to feed them or who didn't have fodder for them-- remember a great drought that resulted in the "dust bowl" happened back then, too.

Anyway, here is the link about the Montana situation. Just another FYI.

http://ravallirepublic.com/news/stat...dc9cdc922.html

[quietann]

This is indeed a sad situation. But In a related matter, I am wondering why we haven't been hearing about the 450 horses starving on a ranch near Billings, Montana? Maybe some one has posted about it and I just didn't see the story.

Um, that article was posted over a year ago, in January 2011. The situation was discussed here, a little bit, and also came up on FHOTD. I have no idea what has happened since then, but I do vaguely recall some difficulties getting the owner to surrender any of the horses, because he thought they were worth too much money to just "give away." He'd filed for bankruptcy, and that too could have kept the fate of the horses on hold as they would be considered an asset, even in very poor shape.

[bayou_bengal]

Thanks for the info. I didn't see the original story- but this link carried a 2012 date.

As I said in my post, I think we will see more and more of this kind of thing in the coming months. This whole situation is so sad, but I do not believe it is caused solely because horse slaughter for human consumption has been outlawed in the US, as some people would have us believe.

Horse slaughter is still legal and is going on in many places in the US, as long as the horses are not used for human consumption.

Here is a link to a story about horses being dumped in Missouri. The "wild" horse herd mentioned is actually a band of feral horses decended from horses turned loose by farmers in the Great Depression.

There is a group that patrols the area searching for new "dumpees" because they are not accepted by this herd, and don't know how to forage for food in the winter.

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/09...oblem-for.html

[summerhorse]

The Billings horses were taken by the court and auctioned off. Unfortunately a good chunk of them (quarter? half?) were bought by the owner's son and probably sent right back into hell. No news on them since then.

[lep]

One of the 2-year-olds had to be euthanized this morning after she couldn't get up. Very sad that a month after being rescued, they all still aren't out of the woods.

[Louise]

Oh, I'm so sorry. lep, thank you so much for keeping us all updated about this story. It must be hard to report the bad stuff. Hopefully, soon, it will all be good.

[lep]

Baby Jewel is doing well and got a shout out on Eventing Nation and Horse Nation. All the broodmares except one, Bullet's Baby, have been adopted. (Also, I believe Jewel's mom won't be available for adoption until Jewel is weaned.) Bullet's Baby is a cute grey who is blind in one eye. I think she raced as well. There are still some 2 year olds and some 3 yearlings who will need homes.

Also, a couple weeks ago, someone surrended 8 pitiful broodmares from a different farm. Their pictures are on LHRA's FB page. 4 of them need homes. https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/se...2960871&type=3

Remember Me posts updates on their website. They just put video up of the emaciated grey, Be Bop Baby, who is definitely gaining weight!

[cowgirljenn]

This is indeed a sad situation. But In a related matter, I am wondering why we haven't been hearing about the 450 horses starving on a ranch near Billings, Montana? Maybe some one has posted about it and I just didn't see the story.

I think the media and horse people and horse lovers are just overwhelmed with these cases. We were involved in a seizure of 12 horses with at least six dead horses on the property. The case is still on-going, and I cannot get any media outlet to pick it up. They're tired of horse neglect cases. (I am, too, but I wish we could get help with this case).

[bayou_bengal]

cowgirljenn- I believe you are right. There are just so many of these stories breaking right now. This was just a horrific winter to get through with the hay shortage. We have been "lucky" here in the South, and in most of the country, that the winter has been so mild. I believe that if we had had more cold days, the situation would have been much worse than it is.

I was anticipating a hay shortage when I began seeing trucks headed west out of Louisiana in August with stacks and stacks of hay rolls and squares on them. I planted winter grass -- even in my front yard -- anticipating that I would need as much winter grass as possible this year. I planted it all myself with a garden tractor and a draft horse taking turns as needed. My preparation paid off because the winter grazing has allowed me to stretch what hay I could afford to get -- at the inflated prices, with the help of family and friends--so I still have hay when other people have used all of theirs.

The good news is that with all the rains and mild weather, the grass coming up as though we are already in April. I hope that all the horses needing help get it, and that they do have another chance at a "good" life. But I just don't know where homes are going to be found for all of them.

[lep]

I just received the below update from a friend who adopted one of the rescued TB mares:

"The jury trial for Charles Ford, who plead not guilty to numerous felony charges of animal abuse (one count for each horse or other animal that died as a result of starvation and abuse), is set for January 22, 2013. His attorney asked that the felonies be reduced to misdemeanors. Thankfully, the DA’s office refused."

She asked that letters be written to the judge expressing views on the situation: Judge Stephen Beasley, c/o District Attorney Don Burkett, District Attorney's Office, 495 South Capital Street, Many, LA 71449. Please write "Attn: Karen Williams" on the envelope.

[ptownevt]

Thanks for the update and address.