When horses were seized from owners for possible neglect, the cost of housing and caring for the animals used to fall on the law enforcement agency making the seizure.
In Colorado, Harmony Equine Center near Castle Rock takes seized horses. When a horse first arrives on the property, it is given a red tag that indicates the horse’s case is still pending in court and it is not available for adoption. Red tag horses are quarantined in a separate barn for several weeks to insure they are not carrying contagious diseases. Unless veterinary care is needed, the staff and volunteers can only feed, water, and monitor the weight of these horses. Many arrive with a body condition score of a one or two, meaning that horse has not only lost its fat reserves, its vertebrae, ribs and hips are clearly visible. In comparison a normal BCS score on the Henneke scale is a four where ribs are the only bones that are slightly visible or a five where the ribs are not visible, but can be felt. By only giving food and water to the horse, the center can provide documentation that if the horse had been given food it would have been in better condition. Owners must appear in court within 10 days of the animal’s seizure. They can pay the cost of rehabilitation or they can forfeit the animal. Once a horse has been surrendered, the facility gives the horse a green tag and moves it to training barn. Trainers and volunteers work with these horses to regain muscle condition and learn to be handled by humans. The goal is to adopt these horses out to loving homes where they will be cared for the rest of their lives. Over the summer the facility brought in 58 horses that had been turned out on pasture and left to themselves. This group included 30 stallions, 20 mares and eight geldings. These horses hadn’t been touched or worked with. Ten babies were born from these mares and many are still at the center and available for adoption. Adoption fees range from $100 to $500 per horse. However, the placement of these animals involves a home visit from one of the investigators and a sit down interview with the trainer to make sure the horse and adopter are a good match. Watch a video about Outlaw and his recovery at the Harmony Equine Center.
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This fall, Colorado State University’s Collegiate Cattlemen and Cattlewomen clubs merged to become Collegiate Stockgrowers. While the club primarily focuses on cattle, it also includes dairy cattle, sheep, goats and swine. The main fundraiser for the club this year will be the Taylor Beef Symposium on December 6, 2014 in the renovated animal sciences building on the main campus. The event will include a tour of the building, four guest speakers and a catered dinner. The cost of the event is $40 per person, although students will be eligible for a discount rate of $20 at the door with their student I.D. The symposium topics include: a market outlook and the macroeconomics in the cattle industry, entrepreneurship and expansion, diversification in todays’ industry, as well as a policy updates and market forecast. The event will have a silent auction and cow pie bingo. Early registration, by November 29, is encouraged to guarantee a spot for the symposium and dinner. Saddle fitting doesn’t have to be a controversial subject with horse owners. It can be exciting order a custom saddle or having a large selection of used saddles at the tack shop to choose from.
However, function and fit on the horse are more important considerations than eye appeal. The breed of the horse can play a huge role in saddle fit. Thoroughbreds or quarter horses with strong thoroughbred lines can have high withers and clearance of the gullet area then becomes a large consideration. The slope of the shoulder is another point where saddle fit can go wrong. Too much pressure can impede forward movement. Putting a saddle on the horse and sliding it from the withers to the back and letting it come into it’s natural resting place will tell you a lot about the fit. Try rocking it from cantle to horn. Is there a lot of forward and backward movement? Try rocking it from side to side? Is it so loose that it would slide right off? Run your hands under the fenders, rigging, and skirting to feel the contact of the bars with the horse. Are there some areas that are tight against your hand or very loose? You want to feel even consistent pressure and you want the saddle to stay in place fairly well on a side-to-side rock. Any problems you see and feel without the saddle pad will only be magnified once the rider is on board. A few problems such as a snug fit at the shoulders can be improved with a little extra padding. Skirting that extends too far behind the cantle on a short-backed horse can lead to problems down the road with back pain. Taking the time to check your saddle fit and make adjustments can lead to happier rides for both you and your horse. |