Image from George Donnelly
Every day I see pictures of horses that look like this and it is not ok. (let’s be real, I choose an image that isn’t very graphic).
What Is Wrong With Them?
It takes a special kind of person to allow an animal to slowly starve, and that kind of person should not be allowed to own animals. If you can’t afford them, don’t buy/ breed or take them.
Animals Are Suffering
All of us have a responsibility to these animals which we plucked from the wild, domesticated the instinct out of, and used for our purposes. They should be respected.
There are things you can do to help, even if you don’t have much money or time.
11 Ways To Help Starving Horses
A few tips to help you help. Some more labor intensive than others, but all good for everyone involved.
1. Open Your Mouth
Report, be a snitch, blabber, whatever you must call it. If your gut tells you an animal looks too skinny, that a wound looks suspicious, or a measure of discipline is damaging or abusive, say something.
Don’t allow self-doubt to cloud your judgement – 9 times out of 10 your gut was right.
There are no excuses, there is no worrying about being offensive to someone and there is no going back.
If you aren’t brave enough to open your mouth, go to someone with the moxie to do it.
2. Donate Your Money
This is an obvious solution, but one that not everyone can afford.
There are a number of International and National charities devoted to upholding animal rights.
If you prefer to donate within your own community, find a local rescue in your area and donate your funds to them.
Make sure that your dollars go someplace whose donations go directly to the care and benefit of the animals themselves.
Here are lists of horse charities worth donating your money to.
3. Volunteer Your Time
Almost anyone can find a way to give their time to help abused animals.
All rescue facilities need manpower to help, horses are hard work – especially sick, malnourished and abused ones.
If you have specific horse knowledge and know-how (or even if you just love horses and want to help) put it all to good use helping those less fortunate.
Almost any type of horse rescue, adoption center or even a local riding stable can always use a helping hand.
4. Share Your Stuff
If you can’t afford to donate your expensive equipment, loan it out.
Chances are there is a horse rescue (or someone rescuing horses) not far from you, especially if you live somewhere where you have space for equipment.
Chances are they are also bursting at the seams and in need of machinery to help with big jobs.
Contributing your equipment helps to increase the efficiency of rescue stables, which in turn allows them to help even more animals and provide a better level of service.
5. Dole Out Your Food
Feed an animal – or someone working tirelessly to tend and mend them.
Buy an extra bale of hay/ bag of grain/ even a couple of apples next time you hit the feed store and drop them off at your local rescue.
A few dollars and a few minutes of your time helps to alleviate already stressful financial times and feeds a hungry horse or two.
Donating food is a good way to help offset the skyrocketing cost of feed and ensures that your donation goes right where it belongs – in the horses mouth.
6. Give What You Don’t Use
Have an extra rake hanging in your tackroom, old halters crumpled in the corner, wormers you can’t use before they expire?
Shake the dust off of them, give them a quick clean and take them where they can be used.
We live in a society of excess, which means that many of us have, well, excess we don’t have a use for.
If you aren’t using it, find a good home for it – tack, tools and equipment are expensive so the more you can share the more animals benefit.
7. Visit Your Local Horse Auction
If you have a few extra bucks, some space to spare and want to be guaranteed you will save an animals life, this is the place to do it.
Low-end auctions are not a pretty place – this is where horses go to have their grim fate decided on a daily basis.
Many of these animals just need a little TLC and some nourishment to become the best horse ever for someone who loves them.
These auctions are one of the main places and ways you can do the most to help.
8. Adopt or Sponsor a Horse
There are so many horses out there looking for someone to love them. Really it is a sad state of affairs.
If you have the space, time and money, adoption is great for the soul. Saving an animal generally initiates a very close bond.
There are so many animals whose abuse has left them unable to carry a rider. Sponsoring one is another way to help in the financial department, without taking on the physical responsibility of such a large animal.
Either way is a good one to help another animal enjoy a fat and happy future.
9. Contribute Your Skills
Whatever your skills are, chances are they can be applied to horse care and management in some way.
Donate your knowledge and skill to local rescue facilities – whether it is unclogging the barn water supply or trimming the hooves of rescue animals.
Frankly there is always something that needs to be done around stables and barns. Much of it doesn’t require any real experience, just a willingness to get dirty.
However skilled labor volunteers ensure a proper job, proper safety and help to teach others new skills.
10. Show Your Kindness
Even if you have no horse skills, knowledge or real time to spare. It doesn’t take much to go pet a nose or two.
These are animals who have been abused, neglected, starved and traumatized. They are social by nature and attempting to heal both physically and emotionally.
A kind pat and a few sweet words will feel as good to you as it does to them. Rescued animals need companionship to help them heal.
Plus, teaching an abused animals that people aren’t all bad is an incredibly healthy and rewarding way to spend your lunch break.
11. Use Your Voice
Get involved in rescue operations, hold your local government accountable for upholding animal abuse laws and encourage your community to do the same.
Write about it in your blogs, on your Facebook, promote it on social media – get the word out anywhere you can.
The louder we get, the more people will learn, and the more animals will be saved.
Regardless of your opinions about her methods, FHOTD has really done her part to draw attention (and put a stop to) the horrors of abuse.
Off You Go
There is an option on this list that suits every lifestyle, bank account, and ideology. Take your pick and have at it, make a horses life better today.
Great suggestions. I will pass along…
I am spending my week volunteering at the rescue that coordinated the adoption for my draft cross colt that came from a former PMU ranch. The women that run the rescue, as with most, have limited funds and unlimited work. Helping out is a good feeling. I like all of your suggestions. People need to remember, owning an animal is one which REQUIRES responsibility. If you can’t handle responsibility, don’t get into ownership!!
Great suggestions…I own a yearling filly that I took from a backyard breeder…I didn’t think that she would survive…but she did and she is the best horse…but the most distrubing thing that I encountered while going through the rescue process was my vet’s comments- “why are you wasting your money on this you can buy four healthy horses for the cost of the vet bills” Needless to say she is nolonger my vet