Thanks for your replies to my post about my Cranbury rescue mare. I had the vet out when she arrived and because of the picking up the feet problem, the vet only felt all the legs and joints and pronounced her to be just fine other than the respiratory problem which wasn’t affecting the lungs - just a snotty nose. The horse is obviously barefoot but shows no signs of lameness or sore feet and seems to be very happy to be turned out with my other mare.
I have already posted on Melissa’s Horses of New Holland site but if anyone has any other ideas I’d be happy to hear them.
Thing is, they have always had a ban as far as I can remember. About 10 years ago when digital and phone cameras became more common is when you started to see some photos, and it grew from there. I think it just got to the point where they were getting enough complaints that they decided to enforce the rule again.
Yes, bad stuff does go on there that they may try to hide, but there are other valid reasons to ban photos. First off, it’s not illegal to sell a horse at auction, and people were being harassed when they or their (not abused) horses were pictured. Secondly, photos were being used to ID horses to help buy and rehome them (okay in itself) but then some people would dig in the horse’s past and send nasty messages to past connections who had absolutely zero to do with the horse being at the auction. (This is why when the NJ auction was still Camelot they stopped posting registered names or photos of tattoos and brands. Notifying past owners is one thing, but scolding and getting mean when they can’t help or buy the horse they sold 10 years ago back is another.) And yes, there’s an issue where some Amish do not want their photos taken or even to be in the background, etc. NH may not have decided to start enforcing this rule again if parts of the rescue community had been focusing on the horses themselves instead of identifying and shaming people who legally did nothing wrong.
I think if Dr Holt was judicious in checking over and sending away or calling authorities about horses who are clearly unwell, lame, not fit for sale in some way… many who wish to be there taking pictures would no longer feel the need to do so.
