Is it hard to keep weight on old horses? Yes, sometimes. Is that an excuse for the condition that the seized horses are in? Absolutely not. Old horses often require extra care, and any responsible horse owner should know that before they buy an older horse AND be willing to meet those needs. Old horses need their teeth floated (filed down to remove edges that have worn sharp) more frequently than a younger horse would. Older horses need to be monitored for parasite load, meaning they must be given dewormer on a rotational basis. They must receive high quality hay and grain, and they will often require special supplements and probiotics. You cannot simply put the horse into a stall, throw it some hay and a handful of grain, and say that you ""tried"" to put weight on it.\r
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If Peter Sparks is short on cash, then he needs to disperse his herd of 50+ horses. ""I don't have enough money to properly feed, give medical attention to, and maintain ALL of my horses"" is an extremely irresponsible ""excuse"". If he doesn't have the time or the funds to care of ""special case"" horses, then he ought not own any in the first place.\r
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If these were ""rescued"" horses, they would not be carrying riders on trail rides. (And some of them have, as recently as last week - I have seen it myself). They have to have access to fresh water and hay 24/7, and they need thick bedding in their stalls. They need vigilant vet and farrier (person who puts horseshoes on) care, and they need special feed and supplements. NONE of the horses seized had any of that. As I said before...I was there and I saw it. There is a good deal of photo/video documentation that haven't even been publicized yet. \r
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There is no excuse for being able to see all of the bones in an animal's body. If Peter Sparks really does believe he is ""saving"" these horses, then he needs psychiatric care because he fits the criteria for an animal hoarder. Shame on anyone who continues to defend this man's actions.
Cons: Let the evidence speak for itself!
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