The before and after pics are alarming. I made a lot of noise when I saw the after. Sadly this is an issue that is prevalent and often without witness ot recourse. I spoke with a track vet this , orning who has reclaimed a horse she thoughr eas in a good sit but was starved. She has the horse back in her care and is rehabbing him. Op, best of luck and lots of jingles.
[QUOTE=ReSomething;7207698]
I’m really sorry. The old guy eats overnight as well and his “fat-as-a-tick” pasturemate is kept segregated from him all night long. He’s gaining weight on 9 lbs of TC Sr, with pellets, a little oil and grass hay as well, but I know for a fact he’s the only one eating it.
I just don’t know how much effort some people will go to, or how much people should be expected to go to, to keep a quirky old horse going. I wish they’d honor the first right of refusal and let you take him home and either make him happy in his last days or turn him around for a few more.[/QUOTE]
I don’t undertand this post. Do you KNOW that he is segregated and eating all his food himself? Your profile says you are in KY??Gaining weight on 9 lbs…is that once or 2xs a day?
His whole demeanor is so different from the arrival and the now pictures and if that’s what 50 lb drop in weight is…I’d hate to see 100 or 300lb drop. I agree I’d rather see him PTS than suffer a slow death by starvation and broken heart.
Oh, OP, - so disheartened to hear this report. Any way you can get the ID of the vet, and mail her his records and “before” photos, and previous history? Although it almost sounds as if the vet will go along with the farm, considering the general reputation of this facility.
But your writing on this thread is so thoughtful and point on - I think you might make a real impression.
I can relate slightly as 3 post-track barns my OTTB was at my horse did not fit in. At least 1 admitted he wasn’t a good fit. The other 2 BO/BMs just shrugged their shoulders, just in a hurry to throw a lovely horse under the bus - simply because he didn’t work well in a pasture with a herd, or he was smart enough to stay sound at the edges of mud laden pastures, or was given inadequate hay. Thoughtful care for individuals seems to be so scoffed at, yet something like Smartpak/unending meds/shots so easily fallen back on, in place of observation and what works for each horse. When you are with a horse for a long time, and finally figure out what works for him - why must everyone else know better?!? Why make the horse suffer for the old guy’s pride?!?:mad:
Here no one wants to ruffle feathers. No one wants to believe what is right before their eyes. Just incredible. :no:
Would they let the person who had him most recently take him back? Or, did she relinquish ‘ownership’ which is dubious since you were the last owner of record?
[QUOTE=sdlbredfan;7208287]
Would they let the person who had him most recently take him back? Or, did she relinquish ‘ownership’ which is dubious since you were the last owner of record?[/QUOTE]
As I understand in order to gain admittance to Mill Creek she had to sign over any rights to ownership. I don’t believe her acts to be dubious she waited the appropriate amount of time before claiming him on a boarders lien. I just wish fate would have intervened and gotten her my cell number before she relinquished him vs after. It was literally a two or three week time difference.
I don’t blame her and I know she really believed she was doing a good thing for him. She had no idea it would go so wrong . I’ve spoken to her a few times and she is devastated.
Why doesn’t the horse have socks in the rear in the ‘after’ photo ?? Are we sure it’s the same horse ??
[QUOTE=twadwis;7208448]
Why doesn’t the horse have socks in the rear in the ‘after’ photo ?? Are we sure it’s the same horse ??[/QUOTE]
Wow–no socks on the “after” photo.
OP, Florida is not a huge state. What is keeping you from jumping in the car for the weekend and going up and seeing for yourself? Maybe face to face you can work something out.
And, BTW, at least in this area (Gainesville) a lot of horses with anhidrosis seem to be able to maintain themselves in a pasture with shade without too much stress, so I can sort of see why the vet would eliminate that particular med. And, going into fall and winter he’s not going to need it anyway.
From the looks of the ‘before’ picture, I think his ‘socks’ were leftover poultice or sweat or something of that type as opposed to actual markings.
[QUOTE=betonbill;7208597]
Wow–no socks on the “after” photo.
OP, Florida is not a huge state. What is keeping you from jumping in the car for the weekend and going up and seeing for yourself? Maybe face to face you can work something out.
And, BTW, at least in this area (Gainesville) a lot of horses with anhidrosis seem to be able to maintain themselves in a pasture with shade without too much stress, so I can sort of see why the vet would eliminate that particular med. And, going into fall and winter he’s not going to need it anyway.[/QUOTE]
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Its poultice not socks . Yes I’m certain its the same horse no conspiracy theory’s please. I certainly know a horse my family owned for 22 years. He has a tiny coronet of white on his left hind and an even smaller spot in the front of his right hind. Sometimes in the winter you can barely see either.
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Max arrived at Mill Creek in JULY and was taken of his One AC at that time. Certainly not a good choice to pull a horse who was thriving on it off in the middle of summer. Especially a horse who is transitioning from living in a stall with fans during the day to a field 24/7. Clearly hes not thriving now or do you disagree Betonbill??
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I was just made aware of the change in circumstances on Oct6th the photo’s were from Oct 5th. Mill Creek only allows visitors on Saturday. I wasn’t able to get away from work this Saturday but am attempting to do so in the future.
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Betonbill since you are local any chance you’d be willing to stop in and check on him ?
I didn’t even make this thread until AFTER I’d exhausted my means attempting to contact and speak to Mr. Gregory abut the horse. Including him hanging up no me the moment I said “I’m calling about Max”. He knows full well there are issues. Even when the ACO Deptuty called he responded with “you must be calling about Max” .
Like I’ve said a dozen times at this point. They offer a great service for horses in need. There are horses that do fantastically there. Max is’n’t thriving in the environment they can provide and he has many people who are willing to step up and provide a change for him. At this point it is simply the Gregory’s preventing that. Their excuse “he’s old” ; that is not acceptable to me. I pray every night we can find a peaceful resolution.
This is SO frustrating…
I just looked at the pictures. Your heart must be breaking over this. (Hugs)
[QUOTE=RxCate;7202262]
Did no one notice “Winnie” on their page ? I don’t really know the scale for thinness but she’s pushing a -2. There is even a ‘before’ picture right next to a current one, where she is fat. WTH?[/QUOTE]
Delilah is a rack of bones too, and there are several others that are well on their way. I had to stop looking at the pictures because they are so upsetting. Juxtaposed next to pictures like “Field of Dreams”… I’m horrified.
[QUOTE=GotGait;7209151]
Delilah is a rack of bones too, and there are several others that are well on their way. I had to stop looking at the pictures because they are so upsetting. Juxtaposed next to pictures like “Field of Dreams”… these are hoarders with a nice coat of paint. I’m horrified.[/QUOTE]
They are “sweet” older people who had money to burn and who by their own admission liked to walk down the road and feed the ponies .
By the way notice the ponies feet at :33 and its general condition. or the bays condition trotting the fence line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b8hxdTniP8
or this horses condition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0so_0gJJ6Q
Or the bay with the volunteers or the mule at 1:15 or the chestnut that walks up the fence line @ 1:22
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMdLe3VyBAM
Just awful. I’m shocked that anyone would make videos of ponies with slipper feet and walking racks of bones as if these are such lucky animals. These horses are not receiving the care they need. I don’t care how old they are. There are several horses on my farm that need special care because they are over 30 and NONE of them look like this.
I’ve been lurking through this whole thread. I have a permanent lump in my throat because of the condition of Max (and Winnie and Delilah), and, mainly, because of your position at the mercy of the owners and a vet who won’t see the truth! How much longer can Max hang on? The light has gone out of his eyes. I’m a million miles away and I want to do something now! The facility looks lovely, but what does that matter when some of the horses look so unwell? It’s like saying there’s a heating system in place (at my dogs’ quarantine kennels when we moved to the UK), but if it’s not turned on, there’s no heat! What can be done? There must be some legal precedent for you to be able to be reunited with Max, ASAP.
OP, you and uphill have done a lot to try and get Max help.
I just do not understand why the owners of this facility will not release him to you, if they were explained how Max arrived and how you were unaware. It seems they are being unreasonable, and quite frankly, mean.
I understand financially you may not be able to swing an attorney, but lawyering up does change things. People respond to attorneys, and ignore lay people.
If you need help, I bet folks would contribute to a lawyer donation.
This is very upsetting to me, and to many.
I think I saw this place years ago on some tv show. It is idyllic place for some horses. Unfortunately, like humans, they are all individuals and require different needs.
I have my own little herd of horses I have rescued, and I cannot treat them all the same. Its much more labor intensive, but it has to be done if I want them looking and feeling good.
I also would suggest you contact the state licensing board or state vet regarding the vet at the facility if she continues to act ethically. No way on earth should he have been so promptly taken off his supps, esp AC 1. Can you ask your vet to contact her?
I know its exhausting, but keep at it. I strongly suggest if you cannot have a conversation with the owners, explaining how the situation evolved that Max ended up there, then its time to lawyer up.
As I said, no reasonable person who cares about and started a rescue to help horses should not respect that this one horse has someone who wants him back who owned him for most of his life.
Now you are dealing with another problem with them.
They have painted themselves into a corner. I’m sure they feel that if they give up Max, they will be admitting that they are in error. Can’t have that!!
So they are stone walling. the question is did the barn owner have the legal right to surrender Max. Did she go through due process to legally acquire him?
[QUOTE=merrygoround;7211404]
Now you are dealing with another problem with them.
They have painted themselves into a corner. I’m sure they feel that if they give up Max, they will be admitting that they are in error. Can’t have that!![/QUOTE]
They can admit a different error. Not that they do not have the ability or facility for this horse.
They can easily say they did not understand the barn owner versus the abandoned horse versus the past owner thing and now they understand and they are so sorry for the delay and here is your horse. They can turn it into a good thing, where they are doing right by the horse by giving it to the owner who lost it thru no real fault of their own.
[QUOTE=trubandloki;7211422]
They can admit a different error. Not that they do not have the ability or facility for this horse.
They can easily say they did not understand the barn owner versus the abandoned horse versus the past owner thing and now they understand and they are so sorry for the delay and here is your horse. They can turn it into a good thing, where they are doing right by the horse by giving it to the owner who lost it thru no real fault of their own.[/QUOTE]
Personally from the conversations’ I’ve had I don’t think it matters one bit that he has people willing to take him back.
This facility very much opperates under the premise of giving horses “better” lives. He called my suggestion that Max should be stalled under fans in the summer during the day and turned out at night “keeping him shuttered up” and that no animal in their care would be subject to that.
As fare as I can tell they will never return the horse because it is their police that no horse ever leaves there because they give them some majikal better life.
I was simply giving them an out. I realize from reading what has been posted that they are closed minded and stubborn. I was hoping that they too are reading and might see this as an opportunity to turn what might end badly for them into some good will that will give them good press.
