New Mexico: abandoned, emaciated horse.

Heartbreaking, disturbing video screencaps ahead.

Hiker discovers starving horse [link]
KOB.com | Aug 13, 2008

Jacob Romero was hiking on a road from Los Lunas to the Manzano Mountains Tuesday when he came upon something that broke his heart: A horse so emaciated that each of its ribs could be counted. Romero stayed with the horse for a couple of hours giving it water and then tried to get it some assistance.

"We called the state police, we called a livestock inspector, we called the sheriff – nobody showed," said Romero. Eyewitness News 4 notified Animal Protection of New Mexico which, in turn, contacted the livestock board. A representative of the board is supposed to look at the horse Wednesday.

Brace yourselves... I've seen a lot of graphic photos in recent weeks, but I can't believe this mare can even blink, much less stand and walk.





Update on abandoned mare.

Emaciated horse rescued in Valencia Co. [link]
Valerie Castro, Joshua Panas | Aug 13, 2008

With help from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department's helicopter, a starving horse can now rest easy in the care of professionals. The emaciated horse was spotted late Tuesday wandering east of Valencia County High School. And when rescue teams were organized to pick up the animal Wednesday morning, it was nowhere to be found. After driving the dirt roads and asking if anyone had seen the horse, the animal was finally spotted, covered in flies.

April Riggs of the New Mexico Livestock Board says there's no telling where the mare came from, but she says chances are she belonged to somebody. "She's in bad shape, so I don't think she's been out here that long. I think she might have been dumped off or just let out of the backyard," Riggs said. The horse is currently being treated in Valencia County. Animal Protection of New Mexico is offering up to a $5,000 reward to anyone with information about where the animal came from or how it ended up in such bad shape.

I don't think I've ever seen a horse in worse condition—alive. Generally when horses at this stage are rescued, there is so much internal damage that euthanasia is the only kind thing to do.



What a horrendous fate—being turned loose to die. At least someone could have given her the gift of a bullet a long time ago... this is incredibly sad.

XP