My Rescue Horses’ Story

By Cindy Perry (from summer of 2021)

Magic

Wendy

According to the Humane Society, in the US "over 100,000 horses are sent to slaughter each year, and the vast majority would be rehomed; not every horse going to slaughter needs to go to rescue. The USDA documented that 92.3 percent of horses sent to slaughter are in good condition and are able to live out a productive life. These horses would be sold, donated or otherwise rehomed; however, kill buyers outbid legitimate horse owners and rescues at auctions, robbing horses of ever having a second chance at life." Most horses are shipped either to Mexico for slaughter or to Quebec or Alberta for slaughter or shipped overseas to be slaughtered for food.

In April of 2021, three horses started their journey's north to Canada. The first horse, a Thoroughbred stallion named Joey's Mizzen Mast, came from Texas. He was in deplorable condition but the look in his eye convinced me to pay his bail, a whopping $1,150 US. His body condition was a 1 out of 9 only because it couldn't go lower. Joey survived the trip from Texas to quarantine in Washington but died in his stall on his second day. He was too weak to get up and there was nothing that could be done to save him despite the best efforts of the vets and the care from BB Stables. In the last 3 weeks of his life he had food, clean water and people around him that cared for him. Joey weighed 800 pounds and should have weighed around 1300 pounds. Not to be deterred in the search for a gaited horse, a couple more kill pen horses were located in Louisiana… a 9-year-old registered Tennessee Walker gelding and a single-footing mare named Wendy. Their bail was paid and then the 3 month journey began to get them home to Salmon Arm BC. In the process, the horses were "horse-napped" and ended up in Texas. The horses were skinny, dehydrated and had multiple bite and kick marks on them when they were finally located about 2 weeks later. Fortunately contacts had been made in Texas with Joey and a trusted hauler was able to go pick them up as soon as they were found. The USDA, SPCA and law enforcement were involved and both the kill pen owners and the person they had given the horses to were investigated and that hauler has since lost his license. Barb Hento from BB Stables again took in these horses for quarantine once they arrived in Bellingham WA. In the 2 weeks the horses were missing, their body condition deteriorated and they needed time and food before they would pass inspection for importation into Canada. Barb and her staff put their hearts and souls into nursing them back to health. Barb had been an international judge earlier in her career and thinks that Magic (the TWH gelding) had been a show horse somewhere along the line. After almost 2 months there, the horses finally arrived in Canada on July 7th.

The horses have come a long way both literally and figuratively in the past 4 months. They both still need to gain another 100-150 pounds but they are bright-eyed and nicker when you go out the door. When going out to feed or clean their paddock, they are right there looking for a scratch.

There were many people involved in getting these horses to Canada and much like it takes a community to raise a child, it takes a community to accomplish these rescues. Both horses still have a ways to go. We can't save every kill pen horse but for these two amigos, it has been worth the blood sweat and tears, time and dollars spent.