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Monday, June 14, 2010

Ruby Red: Horse



http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

This horse in this photo has nothing to do with this story. I just needed a horse and something red.

I have been watching a lot of SPCA shows and was infuriated at how a farmer and his wife could starve a cow. She (the cow) was so emaciated that the vet had to put her down. The farmer gave the excuse that the cow did not belong to them and it came with the floods.

A poor farmer with no money to feed his herd was given advice. But this news of a riding coach nelglecting a horse is another.

An investigation is under way into allegations that a top equestrian coach left a horse in her care to starve.

The woman, a high performance coach for Equestrian Sports New Zealand, is under investigation after a complaint was made against her this year.

Another woman - a rider under the same organisation - is also being investigated for her role in the alleged neglect of the horse.

A man who is now taking care of the 8-year-old stallion made a complaint against the two women after being contacted by the horse's owner in Melbourne to find out where it was.

Neither the rider - who took out a lease for the horse from its owners - nor the coach, who was the guarantor, contacted the owners after they decided not to use the stallion in dressage competitions in New Zealand.

"They've basically just left him out in a paddock with no food, nothing. And he damn-near starved to death," said the man, who did not want to be named.


A veterinary report issued after an examination on May 14 showed the horse to be in a condition of "2 out of 9, with the pin bones, spine of scapular and ribs all clearly visible".

The stallion's condition score rates it as "very thin" under the Equine Body Condition Scoring System.

The most severe rating - one out of nine - is listed as "emaciated".

6 comments:

Sciarada said...

Ciao Ann, who are the animals?!
Have a good day

Delphyne said...

I simply will never understand this kind of cruelty to animals - it's sickening.

Thanks for visiting my place for RT - you may definitely have seconds on the tomato sauce!

maryt/theteach said...

This is all so terrible, Ann. :(

Ah Ngao said...

the creature may happened to be a horse but it's akin to leaving a human being in the desert to starve ! - knowing that something better could be done to the poor horse.

Jim said...

Hi Ann ~~ You are right, if people can't take proper care of their animals someone who can should have them. That's like kids too, isn't it?
Happy RT! Thanks for peeking in on my bicycle for two. Two people don't peddle at the same time. Instead, per my story, two people own the bike. I hope you enjoyed singing your Daisy song. :)
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Jim said...

Forgot to say, this is a very pretty horse. I hope you can ride it a lot!
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