Across the country, animal control officers and humane society investigators are often asked to take action to stop cruelty to horses. And frequently, they feel unprepared for the challenges involved in helping these large, beautiful, sometimes frightening, and surprisingly delicate animals. The May-June 2000 issue of Animal Sheltering profiles field-service agencies and shelters that have the facilities and experience to care for horses, and examines the methods and philosophies that have worked for these organizations. It also explores how organizations without stables can work with equine rescue groups and others to ensure that no cry—or neigh—for help will go unanswered.

© Antelope Valley Press The more an ACO or humane society investigator knows about equines and equine care, the better equipped she'll be to rescue starving horses like this one.

A humane society cruelty investigator in Iowa gets a call about a horse. "It looks skinny," says the caller. "I pass it on my way to work and it just doesn't look too good." The investigator goes out to the property to see the situation firsthand. From the outside of the fenced paddock, she can see the horse, who does seem a little on the thin side. But when the investigator knocks on the door of the adjacent home, the owner says the horse has recently been transported from across the country, a trip that has affected his weight. Besides, the owner says, the horse isn't really skinny; he's just a little bit "ribby," and he's also a "cribber."

Huh?

What is a "cribber"? Is it a valid justification of the horse's condition? Is the horse "ribby," or is it skinny? What does "ribby" really mean anyway? Is this a case where charges should be brought against the owner?

For many ACOs and humane society investigators, equine cruelty cases generate more questions than answers. Since the bulk of work for ACOs and field-service officers consists of caring for the needs of cats and dogs—animals whose requirements in terms of food, housing, and care are vastly different from those of horses—staff are often ill-equipped to handle calls regarding equines. They want to help, but they have little idea where to begin. The knowledge and equipment needed to care for horses, especially horses suffering from malnutrition and neglect, are vastly different from the expertise required to care for cats and dogs. "We're not dealing with the same high numbers of animals when we're dealing with horses, because they don't breed like cats and dogs," says Donna Ewing, executive director of the Hooved Animal Humane Society (HAHS) in Illinois, an organization that specializes in sheltering hooved creatures. "But horses are more complex than a little dog or cat that you can pick up and carry. There's more risk, and there's always an element of danger with horses. Even when they're down, they can thrash and kick you and break your leg in a second."

Sometimes, the efforts of investigators and ACOs are stymied by members of the horse community—most often by well-meaning folks who've simply been living and working among horses for so long that they have forgotten how confusing insider terminology can be for the non-expert. The world of horses and horse people can be difficult to grasp, and the multitude of conflicting "expert" opinions—about everything from feeding to transport—can be intimidating. "That's the scary thing about horse people—they all know everything," jokes Ellen Buck, DVM, director of Equine Protection at The HSUS, and herself a devoted horse person. "Even the ones who are starving their horses know everything."

It's usually not that they're trying to mislead you (though the few who are starving or neglecting their horses may try to do just that). It's just that they have their own way of doing something; they know what works for them, and they're convinced it'll also work for you. But if you look at ten equally confident but differing opinions on how to perform a task as simple as leading a horse from his stable to his field, you can get an idea of how confusing dealing with horses and their people can be.

The Quest for Knowledge

Because so many horse owners tend to have the attitude of "It's my way or no way at all," it's doubly important that investigators learn as much as possible about horses before trying to tell a stubborn owner that his way just isn't working. If your organization doesn't have law enforcement authority, it can be difficult enough to establish your legitimacy—and it becomes even more difficult if the owner is convinced that you don't know what you're talking about. "A horse owner can tell in two seconds if you know anything about horses," says Dave Garcia, director of operations at the Houston SPCA. "And if you don't, he's going to try to snow you."

© Equine Rescue League A horse found in this condition raises many questions for investigators—and not all of those questions have to do with food quantities. Other potential problems include poor teeth, an improper feeding schedule, and the presence of more aggressive horses.

There are always the cases that are so clear they're heartbreaking: emaciated horses found in the nick of time—or found in such terrible shape that the only way to help is through euthanasia to prevent further suffering. But it's the less definitive cases that can be the most difficult to handle. "What's really frustrating to us are the borderline cases," says Debra Boswell, executive director of the Mississippi Animal Rescue League (MARL) in Jackson, which frequently handles and houses neglected horses. "They're the cases where the animal is too skinny and will never really reach his full potential, but the conditions aren't such that we could win a case if we went in to seize the animal."

In cases like these, what you know about horses in general, and about the particular horses involved—what they've been fed, where they've been living, what kind of personalities they have, what their health and behavior histories are—can make all the difference. "I knew as much about horses when we first started taking them in as I did about pouring a foundation and building a house," says Boswell. But in 1994, Boswell and the MARL team seized 30 starving horses and successfully prosecuted their owner for all 30 counts of cruelty. It's a testament to the knowledge and expertise that Boswell and her staff have gained over the years. And by documenting cases and communicating knowledge to the owner—and, if necessary, to the judicial system—you, too, can be well on your way to ensuring happy futures for the horses you encounter.

So how do you begin to know?

At the MSPCA/Nevins Farm and Equine Centre in Methuen, Massachusetts, staff and volunteers know a great deal about the special needs of horses. Nevins Farm and Equine Centre runs a successful horse adoption program, housing the majority of the horses who have come under the care of the MSPCA.

When the organization receives a complaint about a skinny horse, an investigator makes the trip to observe the animal. During his visit, he keeps one question foremost in his mind: Is this a safe, good environment for this horse? "That's the question we ask ourselves whether we're investigating an abuse case, or going on a home visit to check out a potential adopter," says Joe Silva, director of the Centre. "And there are some basic things we always look for." These things include the availability of food and water, the condition of the stable and turnout yard, the knowledge and attitude of the owner, and the basic safety level of the environment.

If the horse herself shows signs of abuse or is severely emaciated, her condition alone will usually be sufficient to get a warrant and seize the animal. But in all but the most extreme cases of neglect, a proper evaluation of the horse will involve entering the property. Before you take this step, familiarize yourself with what you're legally allowed to do in your particular locale.

Once you're aware of local laws and restrictions, the best way to begin is to follow your normal protocol for cruelty cases: Speak directly to the owner of the property and get permission to come onto his land. Frequently, the owner of the property will also be the owner of the horse, but not always—horses are commonly boarded on other people's property. But, says Don Rieck, director of Sioux Falls Animal Control in South Dakota, it's always better to begin the investigation by contacting someone on the property. "Sometimes they get really mad," says Rieck, "but at least you can find out what's going on, and who owns the animal....And if they flat refuse, bingo! If they flat refuse, ninety-five percent of the time you're going to get a search warrant based on their refusal."

Up Close and Personal

Whether it's through a search warrant or through permission from the owner, access to the property is crucial to accurately assessing the condition of a horse. In winter, when horses grow fluffy coats to keep themselves warm, they appear much plumper than they really are, making it impossible to get a complete picture of their body condition without doing a hands-on examination. Even in summertime, when there's no fur blocking your view, you have to get up close to the animal in order to assess his health and weight, says the Houston SPCA's Garcia.

Garcia is an instructor at the National Cruelty Investigations School in Missouri. His agency handles 4,000 cruelty complaints every year, and has achieved a 98-percent conviction rate. Like countless other investigators in the field, Garcia uses a method known as the Henneke system to evaluate the condition of horses. Developed by animal science professor Don Henneke during his graduate studies at Texas A & M University, the method helps investigators arrive at a documented conclusion through systematic checks of various parts of the horse's body. It's a hands-on process in which an investigator must touch the horse's neck, withers, shoulders, ribs, loin, and buttocks to feel for fat deposits. Based on the checks, the horse is given a score from 1 to 9, with "1" being emaciated and "9" being severely obese. (See the In Practice article for a basic guide to using the Henneke System.)

© Houston SPCA This neglected horse, who was later seized and rehabilitated by the Houston SPCA, would receive a score of "1" on the Henneke scale.

The system is valid for use with all equines, including mules, donkeys, and miniature horses. It's also fairly easy to learn and use. At Animal Care Expo 2000 in Las Vegas, Garcia, Buck, and Jim Tedford, executive director of the Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County in New York, presented a daylong certificate course on horse cruelty investigations. During the course, a group of ACOs and humane society investigators spent an hour learning the basics of the Henneke method. Even though the participants hadn't had much experience with horses, they were able to apply their newfound knowledge to several horses who had been brought to the site for assessment. All of the participants came within a point or less of Garcia's expert assessment of the horses' conditions.

Beyond the ease of use and the ease of documentation, the Henneke method offers field-service officers yet another advantage, says Tedford. The method was developed not by anyone in the humane movement, but by a professor of animal science who based the procedure on a system ranchers use to assess the condition of cattle. "That fact helps increase your credibility in court," says Tedford.

© Don Franklin At the Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County in New York, an employee picks out the hoof of a horse in the shelter's care. Horses' hooves should be picked out daily.

Although investigators should seek help when dealing with a wild or fractious horse, they can easily apply the Henneke method themselves to more mild-mannered horses. When you first approach a horse, keep in mind that most domesticated horses are used to being approached from the left side of their bodies. "Keep your tone low and your voice steady," advises Buck. "Horses like scratches and pats on their shoulders and neck—they do that to each other all the time—and their field of vision is best on the sides of their heads.... Don't approach a horse from behind, because if you startle them you'll never see the kick coming until you're on the ground."

Interpreting a horse's state of mind can be as simple as checking out his ears, says Buck. A relaxed horse will swivel his ears around constantly. A horse on the alert will flick his ears forward, and the ears of an angry or frightened horse will be pressed back alongside his head.

Once you're close to the horse, you can proceed with the body scoring process, as well as check on the condition of the skin, teeth, and hooves. The hooves are one of the most important—and most frequently neglected—parts of the horse; the hollows of a horse's feet should be picked out daily. By standing at a horse's shoulder and running your hand down his leg, you can let him know that you want to check out his hooves; this advanced warning will prevent resistance on the part of the horse when you try to lift his leg.

© Massachusetts SPCA The consequences of neglecting to trim a horse's hooves can be seen clearly on Zelda, a miniature horse taken in by the MSPCA. Hooves that have grown as long as these require gradual trimmings by a farrier.

Beyond the need for daily picking, trimming is also a necessity: If hooves are not trimmed regularly, they can crack, split, or curl upwards like harem shoes out of Aladdin. "Hooves are more or less analogous to our fingernails, so they're growing constantly," says Buck. In addition, horses' feet are prone to a condition called "thrush," a bacterial infection caused by standing for long periods of time in mud or moisture. The sole of a hoof infected with thrush appears moist and black and emits a nasty smell.

Also examine horses' teeth. If the teeth are not properly tended, they can cause the skinniness that may seem, at first glance, to be the result of a lack of food. The teeth grind against each other and against the horse's food, occasionally causing abnormal wear and making it impossible for the horse to properly chew his food. The teeth can also develop sharp edges that make chewing painful and may lead to a reluctance to eat. If you're comfortable enough with horses, you can open the animal's mouth and shine a flashlight on his teeth to check their condition.

The Need for Feed (and Water)

After examining the horse, you need to attempt to determine what could be causing his poor physical condition. Your observations should include a careful scrutiny of both surroundings and food availability. "When you find a skinny horse, there are a lot of questions that have to be asked beyond, 'What are you feeding this horse?'" says Tedford. "You need to ask about the horse's health status, the horse's age. There may be some tooth problems, there may be parasite issues—there are all sorts of different factors that can affect a horse's weight."

One of those factors can be the presence of other horses. If you encounter a group of horses in which all but one are fat and happy, it's possible that the skinny horse is being bullied out of his share of feed by the others. This can be rectified by ensuring that the horses are fed individually. If the owner is feeding his horses by putting hay in the horses' field, the piles of hay should be kept far enough away from each other that a timid horse can get away from an aggressive one and move easily to another pile, says Buck.

© Don Franklin Caretakers who provide water in buckets should supervise drinking to make sure the buckets don't tip over. Otherwise, water buckets should be attached to stalls to prevent spills.

Horses have small stomachs for their size; this is why they graze, consuming small amounts of food over long periods of time. Horse owners should be catering to this dietary routine by providing a series of small meals throughout the day, rather than one huge one that could make the horse sick. But every horse is an individual, and the amount of food she should receive is determined by a number of factors, including age, health, and living conditions. For example, a horse who is used in competitive riding, or as a plough- or cart-horse, should receive more hay and more high-energy concentrates than a horse who spends most of her time hanging around in a field all day.

That said, it's still possible to make conclusions about the quality and quantity of food that a horse receives. On average, a full-sized healthy horse weighs about 1,000 pounds; other equines, however, will obviously have different ideal weights. Each horse has individual dietary needs, but a general quantitative rule is that the average horse needs to eat between 1.5 and 2 percent of her body weight every day; that 2-percent requirement is based on the horse's ideal weight, not on her weight at the time you encounter her.

And, says Garcia, it's important that when you ask an owner how much a horse is eating, you listen to the answer before saying anything more. "The biggest mistake I see officers make is that they provide the answer," Garcia says. "Ask the question, and then keep quiet. If you say, 'How much does this horse eat, about 2 percent of its body weight daily?' then the owner will just agree with you."

© Bonnie Nance Horses used for farm work or in riding competitions require supplements of high-energy food to maintain a healthy weight.

In addition, Garcia says, you can use the 2-percent guideline in court by comparing the owner's feed receipts to the amount you know the horse should be receiving. For example, if you've figured that a horse should be getting 20 pounds of food daily, and the owner shows receipts that indicate the horse has been getting only ten, you can use that information to make a persuasive argument in court. "If the owner brings receipts for 600 pounds of food purchased over a certain period of time, then you can evaluate that amount against what the horse should have received, and show that to the district attorney," says Garcia.

© Bonnie Nance Horse owners should feed their animals fresh, high-quality hay that meets their nutritional needs; investigators should be wary of stale hay that looks yellowed and smells musty.

Considering the large volume of hay a horse needs to maintain her ideal weight, even the lack of a storage area for feed can be a major warning sign that the horse isn't receiving enough to eat. Horses need plenty of roughage in their diet, and they get that from good, high-quality hay. To many folks, hay is hay—you've seen one bale, you've seen 'em all. Not so to the epicurean horse, who knows the difference between good hay and bad hay the way a person may know the difference between a Caesar salad tossed fresh tableside and a Bag-O-Salad that's been hanging for weeks at the grocery store. Pretend you're a picky horse and follow your nose. "Good horse hay looks like I wouldn't mind eating it myself," says Buck. It should smell sweet and grassy, and should be greenish-yellow with tender stems.

"If you shake it and a bunch of leaves fall off, that's probably a good sign," says Tedford. "That means it had a high leaf content to begin with. But if you shake it and a bunch of cobwebs and dust falls off, that's bad." Blossoms are also a bad sign, and bad hay will be yellowed. If it smells dusty, dirty, and moldy, it probably is. The horse is probably not eating much of it, and even if he is eating it, improperly stored or old hay loses nutritional value and won't meet a horse's needs. In addition to high-quality hay, good supplements for active horses can include oats, barley, flaked corn, and alfalfa pellets.

© Bonnie Nance ACOs and humane society investigators should expect stalls to be as clean as the one this mother and her foal enjoy.

Just as important as the food supply, says Silva, is an adequate water supply—and a stagnant pond isn't one. A filthy, slobber-encrusted bucket with brown water in it is also a bad sign. A running stream from which the horse can drink is helpful, but if it freezes in the winter, the horse won't get enough water. "One of the most frequent things people forget is that horses need tepid, not ice cold water," says Ewing. "[They will eat snow if they have to], but they burn a lot of calories melting the snow. And especially in winter, they should be conserving those calories." You should always check for hanging water buckets in the stalls, and make sure the water is fresh and clean.

© Bonnie Nance Investigators should always ask owners how often their farriers visit; horses' hooves should be checked by farriers every six to eight weeks.

Gimme Shelter

Once you've determined the horse's condition and his food supply, you'll need to survey his other surroundings. For horses, shelter needs vary according to climate. Working in hot, swampy Mississippi, for example, where winters are mild and temperate, Boswell and her team don't consider a stable an absolute necessity for horses. But Tedford and Silva, working out of the icy tundras of New York and Massachusetts respectively, always look for shelter in the horse cases they handle.

Regardless of what your climate dictates, however, any horse's shelter needs to be clean, and the general environment should always be examined for possible safety hazards. "We look at all sorts of things," says Silva. "We check the turnout yard. If it's at the bottom of the hill where it'll be solid mud when it rains, that's an issue because it's terrible for the horse's feet. Are there broken boards in the stables, or holes in the floor? Are there sharp objects lying around?"

To a layperson, a clean barn may seem hard to distinguish from a filthy barn—both are full of dirt and smell like horse manure. That's just the nature of the beast, and even the best-run stables may offend a tender nose. But there is a huge difference between a clean, well-kept barn and a filthy one, and even a casual look will reveal that difference. Roger Lauzé, the farm animal care manager at Nevins Farm, advises barn staff and volunteers to think of the stalls as big boxes of kitty litter: All clumps and moisture should be removed, leaving only clean, fresh shavings behind.

If a stall is cleaned daily, as it should be, a spot check will typically reveal a clean bed of white or yellow shavings, and about four or five piles of manure, says Ronda Ewing, director of development at HAHS. "A case of abuse would be a layer of manure covering the whole stall," she says.

Manure and urine can build up into a nasty swamp. One of the signs of dirtiness is moisture, says Tedford. "If you step into a stall and it squishes under your feet," he says, "that's a bad sign."

Aspects of the physical environment can also provide clues about what sort of nutrition problems the horse may be having. "If you see [chewing] marks on the wood of the stalls," says Ewing, "that can definitely be a sign that the horse isn't getting enough to eat—they'll start chewing on the stalls to supplement their food. They'll eat the wood to survive."

And though the stalls should be cleaned daily, a stall that seems immaculate may signal a problem, too. "If you see a stall with no droppings in it, it can mean one of two things," says Garcia. "One: the people are scooping them as soon as they hit the floor. Or two: the horses are eating them to supplement their diet." (For more information, see Maintaining a Stable Environment.)

Educate First, Then Enforce

Once you've established that there is a problem, the next step is convincing the owner to work with you to correct it. Often the problem derives more from ignorance than from deliberate cruelty, says Donna Ewing, who adds that she's even had owners ask her how much meat they should feed their horses.

"I would guess nine out of ten horse calls that we get are the result of just abject ignorance," says Tedford. "It's people whose experience is limited to cats and dogs, and they get a horse and don't have any idea what they've just gotten themselves into.... Everybody who gets three acres of land thinks they own the Ponderosa, and they have to fill it up with horses."

As with other animal cruelty cases, the majority of people with malnourished or neglected horses want to do the right thing. Often a good dose of encouragement and education will set them on the path to proper horse care. When feasible, the educational avenue is always preferable to impounding horses, whose care requires more time, money, and space than most shelters can provide. "Our job is first to educate, and then to enforce," says Rieck.

When speaking with horse owners, compassion and understanding are vital to the job. Just as with animals, it's all in your approach. The owners are feeding the horse bad hay? Help them find a source for better hay. Broken down, unsafe barn? Explain what needs to be fixed up. When icy weather hits the Jackson area, Boswell and the MARL team distribute hay and grain to horse owners who might not have prepared for the storm by stockpiling enough feed for their animals.

"If you automatically go to the door and say, 'Look, you're a scumball,' then you're not going to get a real positive reaction," says Tedford. "You have to go in with the attitude that you really are there to help them solve a problem."

It's with education in mind that effective investigators approach owners and seek to reach an understanding. It's helpful to provide the names and numbers of equine veterinarians in the area, and to suggest other resources to which owners can turn for information; investigators can do this while also making it clear that further steps will have to be taken if problems aren't corrected. When investigators approach an owner with suggestions and advice, they often find the owner is more than willing to cooperate and learn. "If what they've done is so terrible that they've got to be punished, then by God press charges," says Silva. "But if it's just personal problems, like they're in the middle of a divorce and they're struggling, then it's most important to look at the animal's health."

At some point in your career, you may have to handle a case involving a horse who's either too old or too sick to rehabilitate. In such an instance, when an equine vet advises you that a horse is in constant pain, and that nothing can be done to alleviate his suffering, you should encourage his owner to choose humane euthanasia over selling the horse for slaughter.

© Equine Rescue League The uneven, straggly coat of this filly is a symptom of her malnourishment—and obvious evidence of neglect. Now being cared for by the Equine Rescue League in Virginia, the horse is on her way to recovery.

Often, Silva says, owners can be trying to fatten up an aging or sick horse, and they're not yet prepared to have him euthanized. In a case where euthanasia is the most humane option for the horse, grief counseling may help an owner adjust to the idea of letting her animal go. If the owner is resistant to such suggestions, you may have to use stronger language and make it clear that, while you are there to help and you sympathize with her pain, there are legal and ethical issues at stake. "You have to tell them, 'You've gone beyond struggling to a real problem. There are laws, and you can't break laws just because you love your animal [and want to keep him alive],'" says Silva.

"Unless the case is really egregious, we try to get folks to agree not to own animals in the future rather than pressing cruelty charges," Silva says. "Wanting an animal is biological, like being attracted to water or fire, but not everyone can do it right. And if you can help people learn that about themselves, that means less risk of their doing the same thing in the future."

Becoming a Veterinary Veteran

The experts agree: For an owner who wants to do the best thing for his horse but needs some assistance, there's nothing better than putting him in touch with an equine veterinarian. A veterinarian can provide medical expertise and can help diagnose the problems—be they behavioral or medical—that are causing the horse's starvation. She can also work with the owner in developing a diet that meets the horse's particular nutritional needs, at the same time furthering your agenda of educating the well-meaning but ignorant owner. If the owner's attitude toward you or your agency is less than positive, a veterinarian may also be able to persuade that owner that the problems you see are real, serious, and treatable. "The very first thing we do with owners is drive them straight to [a] veterinarian," says Tedford. "We want to make sure that they establish that relationship as soon as they possibly can."

By referring owners to veterinarians, ACOs and other field officers do more than just meet the immediate goal of improving the health of the animals. They help owners gain the knowledge necessary to providing better horse care. They help veterinarians gain new clients. And by establishing a positive relationship with the veterinary world, they help themselves—veterinarians are more likely to speak well of the investigators' organizations and their work, and may be more willing to provide future assistance.

"We have a wonderful working relationship with every equine veterinarian in the state of Illinois," says Donna Ewing. "That's because we notify the vets about a problem, but we don't tell owners who to call. We just give them lists of local vets and tell them to call whoever they want." Once a good relationship has been established, investigators can follow up with veterinarians to check on the progress of different horses and to find out more about owners' attitudes.

What's more, says Ewing, if a case turns ugly enough that you have to go to court, having a veterinarian on your side can make a world of difference. "We never take an animal unless we have an equine practitioner pass the final judgement," she says. "Even with the staff who are extremely knowledgeable, I still insist on the final word being given by an equine practitioner. Then you know you haven't made a mistake, [which is important] because once you start the wheels turning to impound, [the impoundment process] is a major, major undertaking."

The investigators at Nevins Farm follow the same guidelines. "We use vets in all our seizures," says Silva. "And when we're working to rehabilitate a horse, a vet is involved in every step of the work."

Getting Ready to Rumble

There's an old saying: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." The stubbornness attributed to equines by this saying could be rephrased to address neglectful owners: You can lead an owner to knowledge, but you can't make him think. If you've suggested ways to improve the horse's condition, and given the owner time to make corrections, you've done your job thoroughly. If the owner has made no attempt to follow your advice and continues to blatantly neglect his animal, then the time has come to press charges.

If you've tried to be helpful and have shown the owner how to treat his horse humanely, then you're already on firmer legal ground. "If you work with the owner, he can't claim, 'They never gave me a chance.' Because you can say, 'Oh yes we did,'" says Garcia. "You let them know a crime's been committed, give them a time frame to correct it, and let them know when you'll be back to check."

Document everything you see on a case, says Garcia. When you fill out the form detailing the violation, get the suspect to sign the form. That signature establishes the owner's knowledge of the problem. If you've provided a list of problems that the owner subsequently ignores, his failure to act is deliberate. Later, his signature may help you establish malicious intent in court. If the owner gets angry and won't sign, says Garcia, try to get him to initial the form to declare his refusal. This accomplishes the same thing: an acknowledgment that he's been warned.

© Don Franklin Volunteering at stables and learning the hands-on basics of equine care is a great way to develop a comfort level with horses.

When seeking a conviction, the crucial task is to record everything you see, says Garcia. Once they've obtained a warrant to enter a property for a horse seizure, Garcia and his team take photographs and video footage of the entire environment. They take notes on the condition of the housing, the feed, and the availability of water. They take samples of the feed and water. Water is analyzed for cleanliness; an agricultural extension service tests the level of nutrients in hay to determine whether the food in question is meeting the animal's needs.

After documenting the conditions in which the animal has been kept, Garcia's team creates a careful account of the horse. This entails not only detailing his emaciated condition, but also photographing his identifying marks. By photographing the face, the legs, and any brands or unusual markings, investigators can prevent owners from claiming that the horse in question isn't theirs. And by having a vet take samples of blood and fecal matter, investigators can eliminate medical causes of malnourishment, such as parasites and equine infectious anemia. "The whole goal is to eliminate the question of medical problems and get down to one reason: owner starvation," says Garcia. "If you're that thorough, what defense does the owner have? He's going to go for the sympathy defense: 'poor me.' And with all the evidence you'll be showing, the judge is not going to listen to that."

Using the Henneke system, Garcia's team scores the horse. The team photographs the horse, making sure that a laminated card displaying the rating the horse received on the Henneke chart is visible in the photo. Garcia also recommends taking photos from higher angles, because a higher-angle shot can more accurately and dramatically capture the boniness of a starving horse.

Only after documenting everything about the situation do Garcia and his colleagues take possession of the animal and remove him from the property.

Getting Silver Outta There

The actual physical process of seizing a horse can be complicated. Often, says Lauzé, search and seizure warrants are good for only a day. So you must be prepared to act—quickly, legally, and in the best interests of the animal. That means you have to have a safe means of transporting the horse, as well as a place to put him that's better than the place he's being removed from.

Most horses have been trained to walk into a trailer, but it's always best to have an expert on hand to help coax him if he's reluctant. "You've got to have a good trailer and a good driver," says Lauzé. "And once you're on the road, you have to be thinking about the horse in the trailer behind you. Take corners smoothly, go slow, and ignore the honking horns. I've been known to have a mile of traffic honking behind me on the road, because the safety of the animal has to come first."

For investigators whose facilities don't include the space or resources to transport or house a horse, it's a good time to put networking skills to the test. "The best thing you can do is make friends," says Tedford. "There may be people with whom you have major philosophical differences who you'll end up working with. . . . It's fine to have those differences of opinion, but at 2 a.m. when a tractor-trailer full of yearling horses overturns on the interstate, you'll need those folks as a resource. The bottom line is they care about horses, and you care about horses, so you put those differences aside in a crisis. And you need to have your network set up in advance, so that in an emergency you can put your plan into effect."

Silva recalls an instance when the MSPCA seized 15 horses and didn't have room to house them all. "We fostered them in barns all over the area, and appealed to the community for help. It spread out the burden of the cost and still solved the problem." You have to consider what your needs are, says Silva. For example, if you care for one horse a year, is the cost of a trailer really worthwhile? Instead, he suggests, maintain a list of reliable transporters.

"By using the community as a resource, you show your support of them and get them involved in your work, too," Silva says. "You'll involve people who normally wouldn't hear anything about the humane movement." For instance, if a local transporter helps you transport an emaciated horse, and sees for himself the poor condition of the animal, he'll later emphasize to other local folks that your organization was right to take action.

Over the course of his years in the humane movement, Tedford has received help from fairgrounds, defunct racetracks, and stockyards, all of which provided safe temporary homes for seized horses. His advice is to take it step by step: Identify your potential helpers, offer them training, and go to them for training as well. Commit a plan in writing so that all parties know what's expected of them. And establish a communication system so that if you do have a crisis in the middle of the night, you have your telephone tree in place and know exactly whom to start calling.

Finding More Friends

If what you need is some basic training in order to develop a comfort level with horses, you can turn to your community for that as well. Volunteer at a barn and get some basic experience—most places will be happy to have you. Go to the local library and read up on the special needs of horses.

Equine rescue groups and other horse experts also offer training programs for ACOs and investigators. The staff of the Texas Animal Control Association and the Travis County Sheriff's Department, for instance, have received training in horse evaluation from Doug Householder, PhD, a professor of animal science at Texas A & M. Wherever you are, you can access information to pass on to staff, volunteers, and struggling owners.

Beyond offering basic information and training, many reputable horse sanctuaries and equine rescue groups can provide transport and housing—and may be able to provide invaluable advice when it comes to proceeding with cruelty prosecutions. Keller Haden, animal control supervisor of the Humane Society of Washington County in Maugansville, Maryland, recalls a case in which a sanctuary came to the rescue of her organization at a crucial moment. When Haden's shelter had to seize and find homes for 11 horses, Day's End Farm Horse Rescue in Woodbine, Maryland, not only took the horses in, but also did the necessary homework to prepare for trial. "Their preparation for court really made our case," Haden says.

Day's End works with every animal control facility and humane organization in Maryland, says Kathleen Schwartz, executive director of Day's End. "If they go out on a cruelty investigation or if they need us when they're impounding the animals, then we'll go and help them," says Schwartz. "We provide the rehabilitation, and then we document everything from the time the horse comes in to [the time of the trial]. All our veterinarians, farriers, and dentists are prepared to testify."

If you do decide to work with an equine rescue group, make sure you visit the facility first, advises Pat Rogers of the Equine Rescue League in Leesburg, Virginia. You should check for the same things that you would when investigating, and, most importantly, check the condition of the animals in the facility's care. "Make sure that the horses are getting attention, rather than just being warehoused," says Rogers.

Ask as many questions as you need to, says Robin Lohnes, executive director of the American Horse Protection Association. Reputable organizations will understand the ins and outs of equine rescue and rehabilitation, and will not be offended by your inquiries, says Lohnes. "And if they are offended, or refuse to give you an answer, that would be a red flag," she says. "They should be able to tell you who their vet is and how often the horses are looked at." Ask questions that speak to each of the following concerns: administrative issues (such as what will happen to the horses if the organization goes under financially), horse husbandry issues, veterinary care, and legal matters, says Lohnes. It's a good idea to establish a contract that addresses these issues.

Difficulties and Rewards

Once the horse is safe in his temporary home, ensuring his return to health is hard work. A malnourished horse needs constant veterinary care and constant observation, not to mention frequent small feedings. It can take a year to recoup a starving horse, says Lauzé, noting that a horse's improved external appearance can sometimes mask the ongoing internal problems and complications resulting from previous neglect.

© Bonnie Smith Before you decide to work with a horse sanctuary, examine the horses already in the organization's care to make sure they're in good condition. Through cooperative relationships with reputable organizations, you can see more happy, healthy faces like these.

More than anything, caring for horses, especially those who aren't in the best shape, requires lots of time and money. For example, in the first nine months of 1999, Nevins Farm and Equine Centre spent about $21,000 on the veterinary costs of healthy horses. In Mississippi, over the course of the year before their placement in foster homes, the 30 horses seized by MARL consumed 85,000 pounds of feed and about 400 bales of hay. Employees spent a total of 3,000 hours caring for these animals.

Because of such extreme costs, you'll often have to do some explaining—to your staff, your volunteers, your adopters, and the community in general—about the distinctions between sheltering horses and sheltering other companion animals, says Silva. "Running an equine shelter is different," Silva says. "The social expectations are different. People are often shocked that horses are ever euthanized, and there's more pressure from the public to save horses....You just have to talk from the heart and be honest about why it's the nature of the animal that [dictates] the holding period, not some arbitrary value that we've placed on the animals' lives."

But among these difficulties—among the heartaches of lost court cases and the pitiful tales of horses found too late to be saved—there are the happy stories. At Nevins Farm, pictures on the wall show the progress of the horses who came in starving and went out, healthy and happy, to new homes.

The staff love to tell about horses like Arrow, a gelding who came in 150 pounds underweight. "A woman came who was willing to work with him to train him, but she didn't want to adopt him," says Silva. "She worked with him for three weeks in the indoor ring, and then took him on a trail ride and got lost in the cold. She couldn't find her way back to the stable, and she was getting hysterical, and she just slumped down in the saddle and started crying—and Arrow walked home all by himself. The woman is totally convinced that he saved her life," Silva grins. "When we called to tell her that we had someone interested in adopting him, she said, 'I'll die before this horse leaves.' Not only did she adopt him, but she's continued helping us train other horses."

Rehabilitating neglected and abused horses can be extremely rewarding for staff, says Boswell. "We had a pony here who used to be used for pony rides, and I said, 'For once, I want her to be a real horse,'" says Boswell. "She got cancer later and we did have to put her down, but she'd had a pasture and a warm stall and good feed every day for the last two years of her life."

Out at the Equine Rescue League, Pat Rogers surveys the herd she cares for with her daughter Sheryl and several dedicated volunteers. The League is currently caring for several yearlings, a herd of full-grown horses, a few miniature horses, and three donkeys—one of whom, Bubba, is the "spokes-donkey" for the League's Web site. With Bubba in tow, Pat walks around the facility and tells the stories of her equine friends. "All these horses who've been nearly starving, they look at us so gratefully when we bring them food," she says, shaking her head in amazement. "We put them on the earth, we breed them, and they look grateful to us. As far as I'm concerned, a meal and shelter isn't something they should have to feel grateful for. It's just common sense."

RESOURCES
Here's a list of resources available to ACOs and other field-services officers involved in equine cruelty cases.

The American Horse Protection Association maintains a list of equine rescue organizations across the country. AHPA is a national nonprofit organization devoted exclusively to equine welfare. Since 1966, AHPA has promoted responsible horse ownership, the humane treatment of horses in competition, the humane transportation of equines, and the preservation of America's wild horses and burros. Contact the American Horse Protection Association, Inc., 1000 29th St., NW, Ste. T-100, Washington, DC 20007; 202-965-0500.

This year, The MSPCA/ Nevins Farm and Equine Centre, in conjunction with the American Horse Shows Association,will publish a book entitled Horse Transport Guidelines. The organization also sponsors a series of humane education workshops on subjects such as basic equine care, construction and management of a working barn, and care and housing of farm animals. To order the book, contact MSPCA/Nevins Farm and Equine Centre, 400 Broadway (Route 28), Box 455, Methuen, MA 01844; 978-687-1150.

The Law Enforcement Training Institute and the American Humane Association run the National Cruelty Investigations School at the University of Missouri in Columbia. The school offers comprehensive training in cruelty investigation procedures to both ACOs and humane society investigators. For information, call 800-825-6505.

If you need some basic but thorough reading material, The Complete Horse Care Manual: The Essential Practical Guide to All Aspects of Caring for Your Horse by Colin Vogel provides a great introduction to horses. The book is illustrated with color photographs of people doing the right things for horses, and includes great information about feeding, grooming, and equine illness. The book retails for $24.95, and is available through major retailers.

The horse evaluation materials of Doug Householder, PhD, are available through Ellen Buck, DVM, Director of Equine Protection, The HSUS. Buck can also provide information about basic feeding, care, and veterinary issues, and she can help organizations find answers about equine-related legal issues in their states. Contact her at 2100 L. St., NW, Washington DC 20037; 301-548-7707; ebuck@hsus.org.