# Gentle Barn?



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I've been following them for a while just out of curiousity, and I was wondering what you guys thought of them. I'm definitely not pro-vegan (I love me some burger! LOL) and I think they're a litte...excessive...but they do do some good work, and their animals are all obviously very well cared for.

One thing that bothers me about them though, is that they don't seem to know when to say 'enough' when it comes to prolonging an animal's health. For example, this poor little filly that they're on their way to go rescue right now. Even at a glance, this is a filly that I wouldn't even attempt to save considering how horrendously deformed BOTH of her front legs are, and how expensive/painful/hard to overcome the surgery would be. I can't imagine her ever being pain free or sound. 

Photos belong to GB.


















Besides that though, I can't say they don't do good work. They have saved many lives and work with abused/misunderstood/disabled children in their area, which is pretty darned neat.

I just had to shudder at this last emergency rescue though...


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

That's really sad. I agree, people don't know when enough is enough! This filly will never have a good quality of life. Why not put her down and use that money they are going to spend on her (meds, surgery, accommodations) and save two horses. I'll never understand it. Just recently someone shared a photo on FB of a SKIN AND BONES dog with a caption saying "Queen is fighting for her life"... Well she died 5 days later... Why not just end her suffering?!
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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

Ok my first thought is, sweet Jesus why is that horse that old! My second thought is, hmmm I bet she'll adapt and get around. Where in lays the issue or question. Put her down the day this was obvious, or keep her forever to prove that life can over come. I see both sides, but know where my next rug would come from, she's goergously colored.
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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

The horse may adapt, but the joint surfaces are going to wear unevenly, she's going to be in pain, and I expect she already is.

I think outfits like the one keeping this horse alive are horridly cruel and I have no respect for them.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Like I said, as a whole I tend to respect Gentle Barn for all of their work in the community, but their whole 'animal communications' thing and now this filly make me feel a little weird. An animal like this shouldn't be alive. They're expecting an 8 week stall lay up where she'll be suspended in a sling. This is a one year old baby. I can't imagine her understanding why she'll be immobile for so long.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Endiku said:


> Like I said, as a whole I tend to respect Gentle Barn for all of their work in the community, but their whole 'animal communications' thing and now this filly make me feel a little weird. An animal like this shouldn't be alive. They're expecting an 8 week stall lay up where she'll be suspended in a sling. This is a one year old baby. I can't imagine her understanding why she'll be immobile for so long.


Not only that, think of the resources that are going to be needed! Paying for surgery, the sling, the meds, the follow ups, bandages, etc.... Ball park $20,000, easy? Why? So this filly can sit in a pasture until she is to crippled to move? Meanwhile there are 100s of other horses who deserve and earned to spend the rest of their days in a pasture. Put that money toward horses who could actually use a second chance!
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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Yep, they're saying it will run $6-7 grand alone for the surgery, plus 2 weeks of ICU care, plus tons of antibiotics... I've only seen this surgery be sucessful in horses with only one double capped knee like this. This filly has two.


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## jumanji321 (Dec 1, 2010)

I went through their website and it seems they do this a lot. Spending money on animals who don't have a terribly bright outlook regardless of the outcome. I would just euthanize this filly since it sounds very risky even if it is successful.


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## azwantapaint (Feb 5, 2012)

I'm exposed to both sides of this equation every day.
My honey works at a livestock rescue, and much of what they do makes zero sense to me.
The ranch mission is to act as both rescue and sanctuary.
However, there's a very fine line between caring for these animals, and being cruel.
Seeing some of those animals just suffering outright makes my blood boil.
However, the owner and ranch manager are very devout animal activists and very much against putting anything down except in extreme situations.
In their minds, they're helping that horse live a little longer life.
The reality of the situation in our minds is that it's a very cruel and expensive experiment that will likely kill the horse.
Who's right? 
Both sides are, to an extent, and both are wrong to an extent.
The horse doesn't know any different.
It just wants to feel the sunshine on it's back and eat some hay today.
My thoughts are this- i would consult a trusted vet, and determine whether the horse is in pain.
If not, leave it alone. if yes, put it down.


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## Wild Heart (Oct 4, 2010)

Poor thing! 
I hope one day they will see that quality of life is much more important than just being alive. 

Plus, they would save more money to get a farrier out there. Just look at the hooves on the horse behind the filly in the last photo!


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

azwantapaint said:


> However, the owner and ranch manager are very *devout animal activists* and very much against putting anything down except in extreme situations.
> In their minds, they're helping that horse live a little longer life.


I don't understand how twisted the minds of these type of people are, and what has made them so cruel. And to spout off as if they have an animals interests at heart! Unconscionable.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

The horse behind the filly is on the ranch where they are rescuing the animals from. It doesnt belong to the Gentle Barn. Gentle Barn even goes as far as to put their 2100 lb 18hh PMU draft gelding in a sling every four weeks to trim his hooves because it 'bothers' him to have his feet done normally due to his weight


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

How awful! Those pictures just make me cringe. Sad to think how many underweight/minimal issue horses they could really save with the money they will put into that filly and for what? Horrible.


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## Wild Heart (Oct 4, 2010)

Endiku said:


> The horse behind the filly is on the ranch where they are rescuing the animals from. It doesnt belong to the Gentle Barn. Gentle Barn even goes as far as to put their 2100 lb 18hh PMU draft gelding in a sling every four weeks to trim his hooves because it 'bothers' him to have his feet done normally due to his weight


Ah okay, I do hope that horse gets a trim but if it doesn't belong to them I guess there isn't much the can do about it. 
Asides from this situation, sounds like they take good care of the animals they have.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Thanks for the heads up about another organization I would never donate to. My list is fairly large. 

It would seem that many 'rescues' put their own desires above what is best for the horse, and then use the horse as a poster child. 
No thanks.


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