boarding at a barn that is also a horse rescue? *Update*

karen&rio · 12-01-2006, 06:17 AM

I am planning on moving to a different part of the city in about 6 months. I will probably move my horse to a barn that is closer to my new residence. The barn that I am looking at is VERY close to where I will be living also operates as a horse rescue. Obviously, I am okay with it being a rescue, I just don't know how many diseases my horse may be exposed to with so many new and possibly sick horses always coming and going. Of course, my horse will always be current on worming and vaccinations, but I worry about other germs he might come into contact with, mainly strangles. If I move Rio there, should I get him vaccinated for strangles? Or should I just find a different barn without such a fluctuating horse population??

The barn itself is really nice, kept clean, and in good repair. The horses (even the rescue ones) appear to be in good general health.

short_kid · 12-01-2006, 06:20 AM

Are the rescues kept seperatly from the boarding population or are they free to mingle?

karen&rio · 12-01-2006, 06:38 AM

Hmmm, i'm not sure. I would definitely want my horse to be kept seperate. I will have to ask them that. Would keeping my horse seperate be enough to help keep him healthy?

JoAnne · 12-01-2006, 06:51 AM

ask if the horses coming in are quarantined first before they get there and vetted/wormed. best of luck, if you go, it would be interesting!

**divinemisselle** · 12-01-2006, 07:25 AM

I'm with Joanne. If they stick to a stringent 10-14 day quarantine schedule on new horses coming in, I would feel okay with it. From the sounds of it, it is one of the nicer boarding/rescue barns out there. Go with your gut and what you see. If it's run how you would run it if it were yours, then I'd say go for it!

Good luck in your relocation!

OSUJillyBean · 12-02-2006, 11:13 PM

Make sure they have an UTD coggins and other things that can be transmitted to your horse without the horses mingling.

Cat2006 · 12-02-2006, 11:21 PM

It really isn't any different then your horse being boarded at any another type of boarding stable. Show barns have horses coming and going that are exposed to many differnt horses, trail riding/camping barns meet other horses on trail, etc... The best thing to do is keep utd on your horses' health and you will be okay.

A J · 12-03-2006, 11:01 AM

My current barn also does rescue. The rescue horses are kept seperate from the boarders horses.

Personally, I'm very happy there. I know that as a rescue, she really cares about the well-being of the animals, and her care runs deeper than just the "pretty show horses" - not that there aren't some of those there too, but I know she will take great care of a horse, no matter what they look like.

If the facilities are well maintained, and the place is kept clean, that is probably a good sign that they are responsable in other areas (like quarantines). Ask to be sure, but it definitly sounds like a great place!

ilovepaints1 · 12-03-2006, 11:08 AM

My main concerns would be EIA and strangles? I have personally heard alot of people say the strangles vaccine doesnt work but I dont have personal experience with it. But I am like everyone else if they are kept quarintined in a different barn enough yardage away from the other boarders I would probaly do it.

Cat2006 · 12-03-2006, 09:18 PM

You are going to run the risk of your horse getting EIA or Strangles at any barn. Any horse can leave the barn for a weekend and come back with it. I wouldn't worry about boarding at a resuce, they have horses coming and going just like any other boarding stable.

karen&rio · 12-03-2006, 11:16 PM

Thanks for all the great input. it probably is true that boarding at a rescue is really no different than boarding at another large barn. I mean, I think it's awesome that there even are horse rescues, and they do seem to take really good care of the horses at this particular one, so I think my horse should stay pretty healthy there. I guess I'm just a bit of hypochondriac (sp?) when it comes to my horse!!

ToveroMom · 12-03-2006, 11:17 PM

Yes but rescue horses are often ill and have generally NOT received the routine maintenance and shots.
This is a different situation.
It is not a bad thing to be concerned about.

karen&rio · 12-04-2006, 12:46 AM

*Update* on the boarding stable/horse rescue I was thinking of moving my horse to in the near future...
well, I don't know why but I just had a bad feeling about it (that's the main reason I asked for advice here), so I did a little internet research this evening. Looks like the owner has been investigated multiple times for animal cruelty! He was acquitted just this past July on 6 counts of animal cruelty involving 5 horses and a goat. Three of the horses and the goat in this case had to put down, because they had not received adequate, timely veterinary care. Even though he was acquitted, I found several newspaper articles detailing witness accounts of the awful situations the animals live in. For example, I read about horses with strangle abcesses being kept in the general population, moldy hay, lame horses that were drugged just to get them "adopted" /sold. I guess he constantly misrepresents horses to adopters, and they often have to be returned. One of the articles even quoted a vet that works in the clinic where I take my horse saying that this guy owes the clinic over $6000 in unpaid vet bills.
So..... it sounds like this guy is a major creep/criminal. Even though I had visited the facility and all had seemed in order, I still just didn't get a good vibe. Like something was being covered up, ya know? I mean, the barn was newer and nice and looked clean, but that doesn't make up for treating the horses like crap! I will never board my horse there! I don't care how far I have to drive to visit him, I know he won't be kept at this particular place

Rocking Horse · 12-04-2006, 07:16 AM

I wonder how he is still in business

**divinemisselle** · 12-04-2006, 07:26 AM

I'm so glad you followed your gut and did some research on this place!

How sad and unfortunate for those critters.

I hope you find something suitalbe quickly!

12-01-2006, 06:17 AM
karen&rio Halter broke Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: DENVER Posts: 136	boarding at a barn that is also a horse rescue? Update I am planning on moving to a different part of the city in about 6 months. I will probably move my horse to a barn that is closer to my new residence. The barn that I am looking at is VERY close to where I will be living also operates as a horse rescue. Obviously, I am okay with it being a rescue, I just don't know how many diseases my horse may be exposed to with so many new and possibly sick horses always coming and going. Of course, my horse will always be current on worming and vaccinations, but I worry about other germs he might come into contact with, mainly strangles. If I move Rio there, should I get him vaccinated for strangles? Or should I just find a different barn without such a fluctuating horse population?? The barn itself is really nice, kept clean, and in good repair. The horses (even the rescue ones) appear to be in good general health. __________________ Karen Horses....a natural antidepressant!

12-01-2006, 06:20 AM
short_kid Started Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: michigan Posts: 2,299	Are the rescues kept seperatly from the boarding population or are they free to mingle?

12-01-2006, 06:38 AM
karen&rio Halter broke Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: DENVER Posts: 136	Hmmm, i'm not sure. I would definitely want my horse to be kept seperate. I will have to ask them that. Would keeping my horse seperate be enough to help keep him healthy? __________________ Karen Horses....a natural antidepressant!

12-01-2006, 06:51 AM
JoAnne Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 2,442	ask if the horses coming in are quarantined first before they get there and vetted/wormed. best of luck, if you go, it would be interesting!

12-01-2006, 07:25 AM
divinemisselle Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,650	I'm with Joanne. If they stick to a stringent 10-14 day quarantine schedule on new horses coming in, I would feel okay with it. From the sounds of it, it is one of the nicer boarding/rescue barns out there. Go with your gut and what you see. If it's run how you would run it if it were yours, then I'd say go for it! Good luck in your relocation! __________________ *Ditto.*

12-02-2006, 11:13 PM
OSUJillyBean Greenbroke Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 3,096	Make sure they have an UTD coggins and other things that can be transmitted to your horse without the horses mingling. __________________ "And speaking of Italy and sports cars that I stole there, you still owe me a yellow Porsche." — Alice Cullen

12-02-2006, 11:21 PM
Cat2006 Newborn Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Central Minnesota Posts: 24	It really isn't any different then your horse being boarded at any another type of boarding stable. Show barns have horses coming and going that are exposed to many differnt horses, trail riding/camping barns meet other horses on trail, etc... The best thing to do is keep utd on your horses' health and you will be okay.

12-03-2006, 11:01 AM
A J Greenbroke Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 3,476	My current barn also does rescue. The rescue horses are kept seperate from the boarders horses. Personally, I'm very happy there. I know that as a rescue, she really cares about the well-being of the animals, and her care runs deeper than just the "pretty show horses" - not that there aren't some of those there too, but I know she will take great care of a horse, no matter what they look like. If the facilities are well maintained, and the place is kept clean, that is probably a good sign that they are responsable in other areas (like quarantines). Ask to be sure, but it definitly sounds like a great place! __________________ Try not, do. Do or do not. There is no try.

12-03-2006, 11:08 AM
ilovepaints1 Long Yearling Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,072	My main concerns would be EIA and strangles? I have personally heard alot of people say the strangles vaccine doesnt work but I dont have personal experience with it. But I am like everyone else if they are kept quarintined in a different barn enough yardage away from the other boarders I would probaly do it.

12-03-2006, 09:18 PM
Cat2006 Newborn Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Central Minnesota Posts: 24	You are going to run the risk of your horse getting EIA or Strangles at any barn. Any horse can leave the barn for a weekend and come back with it. I wouldn't worry about boarding at a resuce, they have horses coming and going just like any other boarding stable.

12-03-2006, 11:16 PM
karen&rio Halter broke Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: DENVER Posts: 136	Thanks for all the great input. it probably is true that boarding at a rescue is really no different than boarding at another large barn. I mean, I think it's awesome that there even are horse rescues, and they do seem to take really good care of the horses at this particular one, so I think my horse should stay pretty healthy there. I guess I'm just a bit of hypochondriac (sp?) when it comes to my horse!! __________________ Karen Horses....a natural antidepressant!

12-03-2006, 11:17 PM
ToveroMom Pasture Pet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cleveland TX Posts: 15,727	Yes but rescue horses are often ill and have generally NOT received the routine maintenance and shots. This is a different situation. It is not a bad thing to be concerned about. __________________ In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. Aaron Rose

12-04-2006, 12:46 AM
karen&rio Halter broke Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: DENVER Posts: 136	Update on the boarding stable/horse rescue I was thinking of moving my horse to in the near future... well, I don't know why but I just had a bad feeling about it (that's the main reason I asked for advice here), so I did a little internet research this evening. Looks like the owner has been investigated multiple times for animal cruelty! He was acquitted just this past July on 6 counts of animal cruelty involving 5 horses and a goat. Three of the horses and the goat in this case had to put down, because they had not received adequate, timely veterinary care. Even though he was acquitted, I found several newspaper articles detailing witness accounts of the awful situations the animals live in. For example, I read about horses with strangle abcesses being kept in the general population, moldy hay, lame horses that were drugged just to get them "adopted" /sold. I guess he constantly misrepresents horses to adopters, and they often have to be returned. One of the articles even quoted a vet that works in the clinic where I take my horse saying that this guy owes the clinic over $6000 in unpaid vet bills. So..... it sounds like this guy is a major creep/criminal. Even though I had visited the facility and all had seemed in order, I still just didn't get a good vibe. Like something was being covered up, ya know? I mean, the barn was newer and nice and looked clean, but that doesn't make up for treating the horses like crap! I will never board my horse there! I don't care how far I have to drive to visit him, I know he won't be kept at this particular place __________________ Karen Horses....a natural antidepressant!

12-04-2006, 07:16 AM
Rocking Horse Started Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,367	I wonder how he is still in business __________________ ~ Too many freaks, not enough circuses ~

12-04-2006, 07:26 AM
divinemisselle Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,650	I'm so glad you followed your gut and did some research on this place! How sad and unfortunate for those critters. I hope you find something suitalbe quickly! __________________ *Ditto.*