Horses do get loose even with “good” fencing. I have a half sister to Jaime’s filly who discovered that she could run through 4 strands of very well charged Horseguard and get out…all she has to do is take that initial shock. She also crawls under things and is very very smart. While I do not want to see her filly live in the roundpen her whole life, if Jaime was going to be out of town, I can certainly see why the filly was in there for some safe keeping.
I have to say that I am disappointed with the internet armchair experts who can look at an obviously biased news article, a few pics of what looks like well taken care of horses (mane tangles???seriously…havd any of you ever dealt with the longer maned breeds???) and somehow determine that she deserves this when she was not even home to defend herself to those news teams or animal control officers.
Mao who is also in KY says she spoke to her and she told her of her plans to have her horses cared for while she was gone so I’m 100% convinced it was a failure by her farmsitter.
Just this morning my barn help was an hour late showing up for chores and I had to track her down. It was supposed to be a rare morning off for me. Crap happens and the best plans can fall apart.
No I’m not thrilled with the condition of her farm but I also know what an immense amount of work keeping up a place like that is for one person. I’m healthy and I’m exhausted most of the time, and I don’t get to everything that needs done. Jaime does have Fibromyalgia and struggles with that…and I’m sure that is why the mowing is not done, etc… I also know she is trying hard to find a better job and while money is short for her and it reflects in her facility, the horses looked fine to me. Clearly they are being fed enough.
For those who say their coats look funny…remember it’s mid October in Maine…it’s probably snowing already and you are looking at winter coats. Seriously what horse looks good shaggy and fluffy in winter hair?
Shelter is a funny thing and laws vary by State. In the West on the Great Plains in states like Wyoming or S. Dakota, no shelter is fine and horses winter out where the only wind break from blowing snow might be a draw or gully or a line of cottonwood trees. Out there a certain amount of dead horses or cattle in the Spring from freezing to death or weakening and dying is overlooked. So to condemn her for a citation of no shelter or a loose horse is just crazy to me when you consider what people in other states get away with year after year. Also if she has rugs for them, they probably get covered up in really bad weather.
So please to all of you have her tried and convicted from the comfort of your desks at home, try to consider that it really may not be as simple or clearcut as it seems from those articles. Give her a chance to at least respond when she gets home and gets a chance to read all the venom and nastiness.
Also…to those of you in the NE are or near Jaime…perhaps someone could organize a day to go over to her place and give her a hand with mowing and maintenance? If I were closer, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I suspect she’s self conscious of her need for help and does not want to ask.