Interesting Craigslist ad for boarding

[SonnysMom]

So I sometimes look at Craigslist just for fun. I found this ad for horse boarding. Too far from me and not the amenities that I would need but I like to tuck places like this in my mind in case somebody asks. I love the look of these really old barns BUT then I get to the last picture and REALLY REALLY wonder what they were thinking when they selected this picture of the the horse.
https://reading.craigslist.org/grd/d/reading-horse-boarding/6823637451.html

DH sent screen shots and links to our local large animal protection society. I think this place is out of their range but may have some suggestions on who to refer them too. Maybe the horse is just old but really? that is the picture you choose to advertise your boarding barn.

[mdp9]

:eek: So odd- field full of grass, stall with hay in it… and then an emaciated horse?

Thank you for looking into it.

[cutter99]

I know exactly where this is, but can’t picture it. LAPS may have some jurisdiction in that area, but if you are relying on any local humane officer, good luck!

[Sparrowette]

Maybe the horse is a new resident? Owner sent him there to eat? It looks like he’s in that one long run area, so he doesn’t have to compete with the other horses in the other pasture.

[enjoytheride]

I agree. The rest of the facility looks immaculate. There’s hay in the stalls. There’s a ton of grass. That horse looks very old and he’s all stocked up behind. Plus he’s in a little run full of grass by himself. My guess is a non horse person took a pic that included the new rescue and didn’t think a bunch of people would call the humane society about it.

[2DogsFarm]

Yeah…
My first thought was Senior Horse.

Before turning them in to AC, since it is in your area, why not call & ask?
Any answer you may get would then help you decide if this a true abuse case, or just bad choice of photo.

[Wanderosa]

Is it an Amish place? It sure looks it from the outside and the horse looks like an old broken down driving horse. But they generally don’t board outside horses or, you know, have electric fencing! So I don’t know what to make of it.

[SonnysMom]

It is only sorta in my area. Maybe an hour away. So not easy for me to go visit. I also work an hour in the opposite direction.
I have worked with LAPS (Large Animal Protection Society) before and that is who we reported them to. My past history with them is that they are willing to work with the owners from an education standpoint before they take draconian measures.

I was actually at a farm that was reported to them. The electric company had access to our leased property and accidentally let the horses out. Somebody reported us for the loose horses. We made some changes to how the gates were set up so it couldn’t happen again. I had a long talk with one of the founders of LAPS and never felt uncomfortable dealing with her. She was comfortable with how we were keeping he horses.

I have reported 2 horses to LAPs in the past 15 years. Likely old horses but maybe not. One decided it was time to let the horse go after talking to LAPS. The other horse is still around. Because of the reputation of LAPS I am more willing to report and let them sort it out than I would in other areas. The specialize in large animals versus an local humane officer with only cat/dog experience.

Regretfully I am not comfortable knocking on somebody’s door or calling them up and telling them hey I think your horse looks like crap. Are your abusing him or do you need some guidance with feeding him? Since we have a good official organization that can do that I will happily defer to them.

[Texarkana]

I think LAPS is used to getting “dumb” reports. Happens all the time. This would not be a dumb report. Thanks for contacting them.

I’m also guessing non-horse people or new-to-horses people. Or “old school” type people who think it’s normal/okay for elderly horses to be skinny.

I used to live next door to the large animal control officer for the county where we lived. He had 2 horses and a donkey: one was emaciated and starved to death, the other was grossly obese and died (yes, died, not euthanized) from complications of founder. The third was a donkey whose feet were so long and curled that he walked on his fetlocks. The donkey also fell ill and died. He got a very pretty new horse shortly before we moved (why???). I hated to leave her behind, all alone and sentenced to death by neglect. She called and called to my horses the day we moved. Heartbreaking. Everyone would ask me why I didn’t report him to the authorities… um… who was I supposed to report him to?!? Himself???

[mmeqcenter]

I too would assume it is a senior with health problems or a newly acquired rescue. Strange photo to use to advertise boarding, especially since the place looks quite nice.

[Toblersmom]

Really bizarre choice of photo to include in an ad. Even if the place took in a rescue, why would they put THAT photo in a general boarding ad? The barn where I board takes in rescues, but they don’t use photos of them in their general promotional materials. It’s not like he’s just a little ribby and swaybacked… Even if he’s a “senior” there’s no excuse for having a horse in that condition, other than having just very recently acquired him in that condition. Old age is not a disease. Old horses that look like this have not been given appropriate dental and veterinary care, and/or not been given feed appropriate to their needs (e.g. pelleted hay replacements for those who can no longer chew normal hay or grass adequately). If a horse dose have some untreatable/unmanageable condition, the humane thing is to let them go before they slide this far down hill.

I disagree that people should directly approach the owners in this kind of situation and ask/try to help. 1) Let’s say it really is a rescue situation, either a one-off or a more organized rescue that regularly takes in horses. Which would be more annoying/intrusive—an initial surprise visit from LAPS, show them your facilities and explain things, maybe a few check-ins later on to make sure things stay on the up-and-up and aren’t devolving into a hoarding situation; or an ongoing parade of “concerned citizens” who have seen the horse? Some of which may be totally ignorant about horses, some of which may not accept your story or agree with the details of what you are doing and keep pecking at you, etc. 2) The barn owner could well be a nut job hoarder who gets belligerent when confronted, however nicely. 3) In this particular case, sounds like the OP’s local LAPS is willing and able to provide good education and guide people toward other resources and, if needed, take in a surrendered horse (or start the ball rolling on forcibly taking a horse if the person turns out to be a belligerent nut job).

[Gamma]

Looks really shaggy for the time of year based on the height and greenness of the grass, too… maybe some kind of metabolic problem going on?

[PalmPony]

This looks JUST like a barn near where I grew up…and the location is correct as well. Always spooky to see places pop up. As I recall that barn was empty for a long time, nice to see it in better repair than I remember if it is in fact thesame place.

I think you did the right thing by calling LAPS. She is super easy to talk to, and is happy to educate rather than just persecute people for ignorance if they in fact, do not know their husbandry sucks.

[merrygoround]

Cow people to whom that protruding backbone is normal?

[SonnysMom]

There are some people that think if they are old then of course they are thin. Which is some cases may be true. I have known a few that even with high quality grain, regular dental care, regular vet care, good blanketing they just won’t eat enough to maintain their weight. I think like old people they do not process the nutrients as well and lose their appetite so don’t want to eat as much or get picky.

On the other hand there are people that don’t know that there are different management practices that can help keep them from getting thin. Or maybe they need to be tested for Cushings or blanketed when that horse never needed blankets in the past.

I knew one old horseman who thought that pretty much all ponies foundered every spring. It was what ponies did. He came from an era that didn’t understand how to prevent founder the way we understand it now.

Even if I called the owners I think the conversation from a random stranger would be really weird. Okay so he is old? How old? When did you have his teeth last done? What are your feeding? COB or Senior food? How many meals a day? Have your tried adding extra fat? I don’t think I would appreciate some random person trying to help me manage my horses weight based on a picture in an ad. Coming from LAPS it will be quite different.