# Largest case of horse abuse ever in MD



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

If someone is interested in adoption... Yeah, something indeed....  

Largest case of horse abuse ever in Md: 133 horses in need of care (video) - National domestic crimes | Examiner.com


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I heard about that yesterday, Kitten. Such a shame those lovely, well bred Arabians were treated like that. Canterbury Farms used to be quite the showplace, and now it's come to this. :-|

It's my understanding that Day's End has plans to shred the registration papers of those horses. I don't agree with that decision, but it's not mine to make. I think they'd be more valuable as papered stock than not, though.


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## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

This makes me sad.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

What a total shame. Is Days End taking them?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

As many as they can Cori, but that's a lot of horses to place.

From what I understand, they're asking for volunteer foster homes.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Poor sweethearts! Even in their horrible shape, you can still the the gentleness and the well bred spirit in each of them. I sure hope they all find good homes <3


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

corinowalk said:


> Is Days End taking them?


Some, but their resources are limited. They have quite a bit of horses there including those from WV abuse in horrible condition. 

What can I say, folks... I _could _of understand 10 horses, 20, 30, but 100+ that's just beyond me.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I got some updates on my local forum:

"Days End is leading this, but Paradise Stables in Mt Airy took in 80, Gentle Giants has 10 I think. The Frederick paper is wrong stating they are all stallions but they have a contact to help.I think Days End is still under quarantine for strangles at the main farm, they took in 10 criticals to their farm near Hagerstown. "


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Speed Racer said:


> It's my understanding that Day's End has plans to shred the registration papers of those horses. I don't agree with that decision, but it's not mine to make. I think they'd be more valuable as papered stock than not, though.


I would disagree with that also. Why lessen the potentional use/value?


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I don't get it; are they trying to give them a "fresh start" by shredding the papers? A lot of good money and time went into perfecting the breed for that, IMO.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

equiniphile said:


> I don't get it; are they trying to give them a "fresh start" by shredding the papers? A lot of good money and time went into perfecting the breed for that, IMO.


The theory is that with out papers people will be unlikely to breed them. 
It is not an uncommon practice with shelters when dealing with dogs (if they are the type of shelter who does not neuter/spay prior to adopting dogs out).


In this case I think they are truly limited the places the horses will end up by shredding their papers.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

No equiniphile, it's so that nobody takes the mares and then breeds them.

The AHA is all about DNA typing and keeping the Arabian breed pure, and if you have an unpapered animal the resulting foal can't be registered as a purebred.

If all the horses are registered the AHA should have their DNA on file, but it'll take a lot of time and money getting hardship replacement papers, and that's _only_ if the adoptee knows the horse's actual, registered name.

Besides, I'd think since these horses will be considered rescues and adopted out, the people who get them won't ever actually _own_ them. Even if DEFHR turns over ownership to them at some point, I'm sure it'll be with a stipulation that the animal can't be bred or it's forfeited back to the rescue.

I think many of these animals would make fine show horses, but without their papers they're unable to be shown at Arabian breed shows.


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## horselvr (Apr 5, 2011)

They are shredding their papers for reason. They do not want the mares to be bred number one. Number two they are now considered rescue horses. Typically when you adopt a horse from a rescue situation they do not give you the papers because they want you to keep the horse for the rest of its life.


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

If these are indeed some of the best of the best and great lines, I think its very short sighted of the rescues to shred the papers of the very best picks. 

If they rehabbed the absolute best and sold them to top of the line show or even breeding homes, they could help fund gelding the extra not so great stallions and colts and get feed, hay, vaccinations, floats etc etc. 

It isnt a crime to save the best of the best or breed the best of the best in responsible hands. I think they would be better served and the horses would be better served in the long run going about it this way. How short sighted IMO


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

horselvr said:


> Typically when you adopt a horse from a rescue situation they do not give you the papers because they want you to keep the horse for the rest of its life.



If you sell me a horse, and that's what I consider an adoption 'fee' to be, a sale price, then you don't get to tell me what I can or can't do with the animal after you've taken money for it. Which is why I'd never willingly 'adopt' an animal that had such strings attached.

Rescues are all about shooting themselves in the foot when they put ridiculous stipulations on the people who are actually _willing_ to take on horses from them.

Many rescue people are control freaks who are only one or two steps away from being hoarders themselves. No thanks. I may_ donate_ money to foster an animal, but there's no way I'd ever pay for the privilege of having some nosy numbnuts hovering over my shoulder the rest of an animal's life. :-x


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Ahh, I get it.


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## horselvr (Apr 5, 2011)

Trinity3205 said:


> If these are indeed some of the best of the best and great lines, I think its very short sighted of the rescues to shred the papers of the very best picks.
> 
> If they rehabbed the absolute best and sold them to top of the line show or even breeding homes, they could help fund gelding the extra not so great stallions and colts and get feed, hay, vaccinations, floats etc etc.
> 
> It isnt a crime to save the best of the best or breed the best of the best in responsible hands. I think they would be better served and the horses would be better served in the long run going about it this way. How short sighted IMO


They do not want anymore horses to end up at the kill pen or at the auction or even worse in another situation like this. Even top of the line horses end up at the kill pen. I have been there I have seen it. Finding responsible hands is harder than it sounds. The farm that all of these horses were rescued from at one time was the place to go to for the top of the line Arab's now look where the horses are, they are all at rescues that are overloaded with other situations very similar. I dont find it short sighted at all. Infact I feel it is quite the opposite they are looking down the road in 15 years when these horses are no longer good riding horses and they are only good for pasture mates, then who is going to home them? 



Speed Racer said:


> If you sell me a horse, and that's what I consider an adoption 'fee' to be, a sale price, then you don't get to tell me what I can or can't do with the animal after you've taken money for it. Which is why I'd never willingly 'adopt' an animal that had such strings attached.
> 
> Rescues are all about shooting themselves in the foot when they put ridiculous stipulations on the people who are actually _willing_ to take on horses from them.
> 
> Many rescue people are control freaks who are only one or two steps away from being hoarders themselves. No thanks. I may_ donate_ money to foster an animal, but there's no way I'd ever pay for the privilege of having some nosy numbnuts hovering over my shoulder the rest of an animal's life. :-x


I understand the limitations often are frustrating but again the rescue is looking for the best intrest of the horse, what happens if you want to sell that horse to someone who is a dealer? Then that dealer turns around and takes it to the kill pen? The number of horses in kill pens and being exported to Canada and Mexico for meat. 

Dont get me wrong I am not against putting horses down when they need to be put down but the number of horses that go through the kill pen that have papers and have an amazing pedigree is disgusting.


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

Oh I get the reasoning for it Horselvr. I just think its short sighted when more people with means might be interested if they were showble at breed shows or could be bred if they had rare or desirable bloodlines and had nothing wrong with them. Its a chance to live a great life. Look at all the GOOD homes out there too not just the bad ones.

Breeding isnt a sin. If we dont breed the best of the best we will have NO horses of quality around. Its just common sense and they are shooting themselves in the foot here. Just becasue this person screwed up doesnt mean someone else will. That is a buttload of grade arabian (possibly many high strung and not beginner horses) horses to rehome. Its limiting the best horses out of these to pleasure homes only which are in short supply and making the worst of them the least desirable and the least likely to get a good home. Short sighted.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I agree, with papers they are more "wanted".


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## Scoope (Oct 19, 2010)

Also , surely with papers they are worth more (correct me if im wrong here) , and the money they could get for selling those horses with amazing pedigrees with their papers could in turn be used to help more horses in need? indeed the money that could be brought in by selling those few horses with great papers could in turn help the grade horses that haven't got a hope otherwise.

Surely it is better to keep the papered horses papered for their own well being , rather than reducing them to grade status with all the other worthless grades around?


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

I think shredding the papers is asinine. These aren't garbage animals, and all they're doing is risking an even bigger chance of at least a percentage of these horses ending up in slaughter anyway because they've been reduced to "lowly Grades". These are wellbred and sought after animals, and the majority of them don't really require rehab - the issue is this woman had so many older horses who started going downhill. The yearlings, for the most part, are scruffy and in need of a good worming.

Unless they're going to keep track of every single one of these animals, they can't guarantee they won't end up for slaughter anyway and how have you helped by "stopping breeding"? At least if someone DOES breed them there's a chance the foal will be worth something.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Trinity3205 said:


> If these are indeed some of the best of the best and great lines, I think its very short sighted of the rescues to shred the papers of the very best picks.


I couldn't agree more. IF the person wants to breed he/she WILL breed (even if there are no papers and/or horse is from rescue with the contract etc.). Heck, the true grades (no papers in 1st place) are bred ALL THE TIME. 

I do think it's not smart at all of DEFHR.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

horselvr said:


> Typically when you adopt a horse from a rescue situation they do not give you the papers because they want you to keep the horse for the rest of its life.


Maybe it is two thoughts in one sentence. 
I do not get how a horse NOT having papers in anyway makes a person more likely to keep it for the rest of its life.


No papers means you are telling the entire crowd of people who show or think they may want to show in the future that the rescue is not interested in their value has a horse owner.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

This is a case where the animals have been _thoughtfully_ bred for beautiful, useful horses for the last 30 years. 

It would be a downright dirty shame to deny these horses their registration papers, when they're some of the most well bred Polish Arabians out there.

I don't know what happened at Canterbury Farm or what hell the owner has been going through, but I do know she showed and bred some of the loveliest horses I've ever seen. To lose those carefully preserved bloodlines would be a devastating blow to the Arabian industry.

Anyone can breed crap to crap and get crap. She bred the best to the best and got _even better_. That takes time, money, patience, and the ability to see potential in picking certain bloodlines.

I'm not going to pass judgment on the owner until I hear more of the story. All I know is it's a tragic end to what started as a good, solid breeding and showing operation.


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## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

Subbing to find out more. This is a sad situation for not only the horses, but also the Arabian breed if the papers are destroyed. So many opportunities are opened up for well bred registered horses that just aren't there for horses that are just "pretty grades" now. 

I understand their line of thought, but in this case, I don't agree with it.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> This is a case where the animals have been _thoughtfully_ bred for beautiful, useful horses for the last 30 years.
> 
> It would be a downright dirty shame to deny these horses their registration papers, when they're some of the most well bred Polish Arabians out there.
> 
> ...


My Arab friends on Facebook are strongly discussing this, and from what I understand she got sick. This isn't a classic case of a hoarder breeding pure garbage, this is a woman who had a beautiful program and hit hard times. Yes, she should have asked for help, but from what I understand the only horses in terrible condition were really old (I've heard at least half the stock was OLD broodmares and retirees). It sounds like in actually trying to keep them and not be a twit who sends her used up horses to auction, she just got in over her head.

No, age is not an excuse for a horse to look horrible, but I've heard some pretty questionable things in regards to this - aka. confiscating ALL the animals. Apparently the yearlings were scruffy, but not anywhere near starving to death. It sounds like they took a couple pics of the worst animals and basically started announcing every one of the 133 horses looked that way.

It makes you think twice when you hear the other side of the story - FHOTD is ripping this woman a new one with absolutely NO concern over what may have actually happened. It's never an excuse, but it's silly to confiscate 50+ perfectly healthy horses, shred their papers and tout them as "rescues".


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## horselvr (Apr 5, 2011)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> My Arab friends on Facebook are strongly discussing this, and from what I understand she got sick. This isn't a classic case of a hoarder breeding pure garbage, this is a woman who had a beautiful program and hit hard times. Yes, she should have asked for help, but from what I understand the only horses in terrible condition were really old (I've heard at least half the stock was OLD broodmares and retirees). It sounds like in actually trying to keep them and not be a twit who sends her used up horses to auction, she just got in over her head.
> 
> No, age is not an excuse for a horse to look horrible, but I've heard some pretty questionable things in regards to this - aka. confiscating ALL the animals. Apparently the yearlings were scruffy, but not anywhere near starving to death. It sounds like they took a couple pics of the worst animals and basically started announcing every one of the 133 horses looked that way.
> 
> It makes you think twice when you hear the other side of the story - FHOTD is ripping this woman a new one with absolutely NO concern over what may have actually happened. It's never an excuse, but it's silly to confiscate 50+ perfectly healthy horses, shred their papers and tout them as "rescues".


I am very close to one of the rescues that took in 35 of the horses. All 133 were seized. Yes they were not all in horrible shape, but they were all seized none the less. 80 were taken by another rescue org and the others were spread out among a some other rescues. But all of her horses were taken. It is a sad story, as she was ill and unemployed had fallen on hard times.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

You know, the options are getting few and far between for horse owners who have fallen on hard times.

Can't give 'em away, because the market's glutted and everyone already has their own horses to worry about. Can't sell 'em at auction, because people like Fugly will be all over them like white on rice, calling them evil monsters for selling to the kill buyers. Can't euth 'em, because ZOMG YOU HORRIBLE HORSE KILLER for putting down healthy stock!!!!

So what are we to do if we fall on hard times? We're damned if we keep them and can't feed them properly, damned if we try to give them away and can't, damned if we sell them at auction, and damned if we try to have them euthed.

Then when we've been damned for all those options, the AC swoops in and takes them, and we get vilified for not taking proper care of our animals.

It's a no win situation folks, and there but for the grace of God, illness, and loss of a paycheck, go any of us!


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

I absolutely agree with that last post, SR. You also might want to tack on the fact that this very type of situation is what's keeping a lot of us from getting another horse or two, even if we ARE able take care of them now. I technically have room and funds for a couple new ones, but we have been stretched so thin in the past that we are afraid to even try to bring in any more because god forbid something should go wrong and we fall on hard times again. When you have been in the position of deciding whether to pay the power bill to keep your kids warm or buy hay to feed your horses, then you think twice before immediately condemning someone else, but you also think twice before helping. It truly is a no-win situation anymore, like you said.


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## BigGreyHorse (Sep 28, 2009)

SR: Exactly!

What options do you have when you are attacked for not asking for help AND attacked if you do ask for help? Though I have no Arabians, I've been following this on several sites and, frankly, it is frightening. One board is already reporting breeders going out of business and a large number of elderly horses being euth'd in response to this. I hope that somehow the bloodlines of these horses can be preserved but at this point I don't believe that will happen. What a sad, unfortunate mess!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

BigGreyHorse said:


> What options do you have when you are attacked for not asking for help AND attacked if you do ask for help?


Exactly true.

MM, I used to like FHOTD a lot, but with time I actually had less and less respect for her (in particularly because she's a PETA activist :? ). While I agree with lots of things she's saying, I do remember situations when she jumped hard on people without doing some prior research. Heck, things DO happen in this life whether we like it or not and it can be hard on person as well as animals.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Yeah, she always has this attitude problem like it's their own fault for ever getting 100+ horses, like every single last person with a lot of horses is a horrible abusive owner. I understand it's not typical or even advised, but there are plenty of renowned studs that are fully capable of employing enough staff to care for dozens of horses.

Just seems like people are so quick to judge and blame. I heard that she HAD been asking for help - anyone able to verify those rumours?


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

This situation just gets even more and more unfortunate. Im not impressed at all.


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