Please Help Buttercup, Chief and Sugar

With the aid of Horse Helpers, Johnson County, Tennessee, Seizes 4 Horses November 2009

In October, a Horse Helper supporter called us about two starving horses just over the the Tennessee line from where she lived. She asked that we go and look at them. Her description was in no way an exaggeration, the condition of these two poor horses was horrible and they were living in a trash dump with no grass or forage anywhere to be seen. We saw no fresh water and they were foraging for food between pieces of lawn mowers and washing machines, barbed wire and old cars.

Thus began our latest rescue, the seizure of four horses for the Johnson County, Tennessee Sheriff's Department. Having never dealt with Johnson County officials Horse Helpers began trying to track down who was responsible for handling animal cruelty cases. Our search led us to Sheriff Mike Reese who told us that they had received numerous calls about these two horses and had been out to talk to the owners on at least two occasions. Since they had no way to pick up the horses or care for them they were pleased that we could work together. But over the course of a couple of weeks, as the sheriff's office was getting the paperwork ready, first one new horse and then another appeared on the property, still with no hay being offered. To my surprise, Sheriff Reese declared that he was seizing all four horses since he knew the shape the two newer ones would end up in if they stayed. Way to go Sheriff Reese!!

November 2 was the day determined by the sheriff to go and seize these four horses. We fixed four big nets of hay for the trailer and threw in another bale to give them while we were getting them ready to load and headed to the sheriff's office in Mountain City. Then, together we turned out of the sheriff's dept. and joined what felt like a parade of deputy cars, the sheriff's car, and Horse Helper's trailer headed to a little holler on the outskirts of Mountain City. They either were expecting trouble or were really bored, it wasn't clear and we didn't want to ask. When we arrived at the property we parked  on the narrow mountain road , as we did so a truck was slowly weaving its way through the deputies and cars, they saw our rescue sign on the side of the truck and gave us a huge thumbs up! I guess the plight of these horses had been bothering people for a while.









With the deputies' help we took the necessary photographs, haltered each horse and led them onto the trailer. Amazingly they each went on willingly, happy to see more hay to eat. They were so hungry!! About thirty minutes later we were back at the farm and could really begin the evaluation of each of horse. For the two newer arrivals at the seizure location evaluation was relatively easy. Midnight, a black quarter horse was beginning to lose some muscle mass from starvation and we had to cut his too tight halter off since it was cutting into his face. But these problems would be easy to remedy. The last horse to arrive was a little bay named Sugar and she was in good weight. We were beginning to think restoring these horses' health would be fairly simple but then we discovered the LICE!! Our quarantine barn was going to be very full for a while until we got the lice under control. Lice tend to populate horses in the winter so for these horses to have lice before winter had even really started was a bad sign. They are also very difficult to get under control given their life cycle. You can kill the live lice but you can't kill the eggs. If you don't stay on top of the treatment you will continue to get new batches of lice.



The truly horrifying indication of how starved these horses had been and how desperate to find food followed the lice discovery. Their poop was a rich brown color composed of sticks, leaves, and dirt. No hay, no grass, no grain, nothing that would give the correct consistency of horse poo or the proper nutrition. Just sticks and leaves and dirt!!

Finally, we evaluated the two worst horses. Chief appears to be a Tennessee Walker paint cross; he was suffering from starvation and a pretty bad case of lice. He had open sores on his back that looked as if they were from being ridden without a saddle pad and the saddle had rubbed his spine raw since he had no fat to protect it. Chief is the leader of the four and he is a good soul. A friendly sweet horse that it was hard to imagine anyone could neglect.

But the horse in the worst shape was a little white pony, Buttercup, in her twenties, who was skin and bones and had open sores and bald spots all over her body. She has a growth on the inside of her lower eyelid, protruding out past the eye socket. She was infested with lice and was desperately scratching herself on anything she could find, me, a tree, a barn wall, anything! It was like she was on fire. At least we knew the source of the sores and bald spots, these are classic signs of lice, and lice are classic signs of neglect and stress. According to Bill Clymer, a parasitologist in Texas, "lice occur most often in horses that are stressed by inadequate nutrition, a severe winter, illness, injury, etc. . . Well fed, well-groomed horses seldom get lice." Not only did poor little Buttercup have a louse infestation, no one had attended to her feet and she was walking on what are called slippers, her hooves were so long that they came way out in front of what would be her normal hoof wall. It was going to take a while to get her back in shape.

These horses will not belong to Horse Helpers until the court case on January 6, 2010. Until then we will try to deal with the most immediate problems-lice, vaccinations, , temporary solutions for Buttercup's eye, and food. If the court awards the horses to us we will move forward with teeth floating, more food, and addressing Buttercup's eye in a permanent way.







These initial goals will cost at least $1000. We need help continuing to provide the appropriate care for these four.

Update

Since their arrival all of the horses have put on weight. The vet came out and evaluated everyone, they received their vaccinations and wormings, no one has lice anymore, and the farrier has worked on everyone's feet. All four are out of the quarantine barn and in with the rescue's other horses. Chief's sores are healed and the open sores from Midnight's too tight halter are gone also. It took Sugar, Midnight and Chief one month to get rid of those pesky lice, leaving poor Buttercup all by herself. She could only talk to the horses across two fence lines. On Christmas eve she got to move into the barn with everyone else and she is now much happier. She no longer has any bald spots and is getting less and less emaciated by the day. Who says being old means you have to look like a bag of bones?

Update

On December 30, 2009, the court awarded custody of Midnight back to his owner. Midnight had only been at the location for two weeks and had lost little weight. The owners appeared unaware of both the visits by the police and the condition of the other two horses. They have worked hard to show the court that they have Midnight's best interest at heart and will do right by him. Horse Helper's will monitor Midnight's care and report to the court.

We delivered Midnight to his new pasture at his owner's house on the evening of Dec. 30. The family was very excited and concerned that they do everything they need to for Midnight. This is the best outcome, for people to be open to learn how to properly care for their animal and then be willing to follow through. We hope that this is going to be a great long term situation for Midnight.

Below are pictures showing the progress Buttercup and Chief have made. These were taken on January 5, 2010.




On January 6 the owners of the horses go to trial, having pled not guilty to animal cruelty charges. A Horse Helpers' representative will be there testify on behalf of the horses. We will keep you updated as to the outcome.

Update-January 2010
On January 6th the prosecutor and defending attorneys struck a deal regarding Chief and Sugar. They gave the owners 30 days to bring their property up to acceptable standards and show an ability to feed the two horses. Thankfully the owner signed over Buttercup to Horse Helpers. We can now move forward with the surgery on her eye.

Update--February 14, 2010
February 14 and no word from the owners of Chief and Sugar. Sugar has been doing well and Chief has made a miraculous recovery. After discussing the situation with the attorneys it was determined that the horse revert to the ownership of Horse Helpers. Now we can finish rehabbing them both and then finding them the loving homes they both deserve.

Please Help

Rescues like this are incredibly costly. The vet bill alone was over $600, the farrier $300 and then there is the high quality hay that is needed to refeed starved horses.  We also had the expense of  powder for lice, wormer, and sweet feed. We are waiting to address Buttercup's eye until we know she is in our custody permanently and fund raise for the treatment.

To help with the care of Buttercup, Chief or Sugar you can send a donation by mail or by Paypal--see the link on the home page. Horse Helpers is a nonprofit organization and a 501c3 so all donations are tax deductible.

Horse Helpers
1199 Odes Wilson Rd.
Zionville, NC 28698