A sad story of animal neglect

I think that often applies with cats, Nellie, but these two brothers were not rescuing the horses or keeping them as pets.

I rather feel that people set off with good intentions and the task becomes too much, or gets to be an obsession with saving animals. It ends up with these people with a houseful of cats that they can no longer manage.

I got used to finding injured animals in the garage, or in the kitchen. My best cook's knife was used to cut up worms for a sparrow, and a field mouse that was found after the hay was cut lived in her bedroom for two years! It kept my mother-in-law away as she thought it was a little rat!
The first thing she did after they moved to New Zealand was to volunteer at the local Riding for the Disabled and her two teenagers did as well. It was a wonderful way of making friends. Now they have bought a house with five acres of good grassland just outside Nelson, so she will, no doubt, be finding more animals to rescue.

When I ran the Links hostel for the travelling lads and girls staying over for Newmarket Races, I looked forward to the arrival of one particular racehorse who refused to travel without his stablemate.....A goat! I loved watching them being checked in. The goat would wait patiently to have his chip scanned - just like the horses. Then they would then inspect the loosebox just like a couple arriving at a Premier Inn.

Oh Greatnan, your story had me in tears. 2DDs and I are horse lovers and had a selection of horses over the years. Mostly poor souls that nobody wanted. One in particular had laminitis , a very painful condition due to neglect as his hooves had never been trimmed. We were fortunate to share part of a loch on our land and when I led him into the cold loch, the look of sheer relief on his face was wonderful to see.

Another had begun wind sucking, brought about by boredom when he was locked up in a stable day in day out without any pals to play with. This condition renders the horse unsuitable for sale. I got him home, turned him out to the field with another two horses and the wind sucking eventually disappeared. So you are right about horses needing a pal

My friend is a vet and I have been known to return home with various homeless souls. The most unusual being an injured seagull! We filled the old tin bath, got fish supplies from the fish and chip shop in the village and he made a full recovery.

DH used to despair when he knew I was popping in to see my friend in her surgery

Now it's 2GDs who share our love of horses. Lots of happy memories and funny stories with our various animals.

DD2 went off backpacking in her early twenties. She stayed in the Dairy Flat area of NZ, stayed for 10 months, bought a horse for her time there then had to sell him on when she got the travelling bug again.

Good on Fiona - it's great news that the horse is to be a paddock pal. Years ago one of the horses I helped look after was paired with a donkey, who'd been rescued. The two of them were such good paddock pals. The donkey became like a big dog, he'd follow us teenage girls around the field, when we were checking/repairing fences etc. He also had a starring role in the nativity at Christmas...
I've reached the not very positive conclusion that some people are simply not compassionate or caring. Animals, children and those these individuals form close relationships with are all at risk of some kind of neglect or abuse. We humans can learn how to spot them, and avoid giving them power over us, but sadly, animals can't. I hope Fiona and family enjoy their part in helping this horse land on her hooves so fortunately.

I did wonder if these two brothers had some mental health problems, but they were wily enough to hide some of the worst affected horses when the inspectors went to visit.
I don't know a great deal about horses (apart from the fact that it was very expensive when both my daughters had them in their mid-teens) but I gather they are pack animals and are much happier if they have another animal with them - some people keep a sheep or goat in the paddock.
I do feel a little for my poor son-in-law - every time he comes back off his ship there is another rescue animal to have chipped, registered, neutered, etc. and fed. There are quite strict laws about keeping pets in NZ - and quite rightly so. However, he is a great animal lover himself, so he soon comes round to the new arrival. His parents were very active campaigners against the export of live animals from Dover. I am very glad that my grandchildren are growing up surrounded by animals.

I don't understand why people get into these situations with their animals. You could perhaps understand it if it was one person living alone with, say, a couple of dogs. Depression can strike and things could go sadly awry. But two men?!

Love the idea of a 'paddock pal' though.

I meant doh!

I am so pleased that Molly at least has landed on her hooves with your kind and caring daughter. Hopefully many of the others will find similar good places. I can never understand animal cruelty [cruelty]