Pony with Long Nails
Ponies Need to Have Their Nails Trimmed
Horses and ponies need to have the hooves trimmed periodically. Most of the time, it is done every six to 10 weeks, but this depends on how fast the nails grow. Polly hadn’t had his nails trimmed in over 10 years. You can easily see that Polly’s hooves had curled in on themselves many times because of the mistreatment. Only the owner knew about the pony’s despair because he was hidden at the back of the property so that no one could find him.
Extreme Overgrowth
Cold-hearted to Slightly Warmer
Polly wasn’t the only animal that had been neglected.
Finally, the owner realized he could not take care of his animals and requested assistance from an animal welfare group called Animaux en Péril. The rescuers came to the pony’s aid, as well as a malnourished horse for safety. The rescuers onsite that day were overwhelmed at the sight of the pony. It broke their hearts because the poor animal could barely walk, let alone run and play like ponies should do. They had a big job ahead of them.
Sad Day at the Sanctuary
Rescuers Were Shocked
The horse and pony were quite emaciated, so the rescuers
were very stunned. Both animals were standing in large piles of manure, over two feet. Plus, they were incredibly skinny, and the local vet worried they could die. Both animals had a body condition of 1 with a five-point scale. Generally, an animal can’t get that low of a score and still be alive.
It’s called Cachexia, which means excessive leanness. When it comes to that
point, the animal’s body is eating itself to keep it alive.
No Horse Should Be That Skinny
Polly Gets a Trim
The Shetland pony arrived at the sanctuary weighing just 150
pounds, whereas average animals weight about 400-500 pounds. The rescuers knew that the pony required a trimming of his hooves, so they got to work. Though a caregiver immediately set to work on sawing off as
much of the excess hooves as possible, the fate of the Shetland pony was
unknown at that point. Since this little pony couldn’t walk well for over three months, permanent joint damage could still be possible.
Worry Still Hung over the Pony
Lice and Other Issues
Polly and Everest (the horse living at the same location)
had to be sheared so that the lice and filth could be removed. Then, both were shampooed, cleaned, and brushed. Their skin was damaged, so ointment was applied, as well. Once the animals were sheared of their hair and cleaned thoroughly, it was very clear that they hadn’t gotten the right care for many years. They had had to suffer from neglect and pain for way too long.
Rescuers Shearing/Cleaning Polly
An Entirely New Pony
Though no one could have imagined it, Polly looked like an
entirely new Shetland pony. Of course, that wasn’t the end. The pony and horse suffered hunger, pain, itching, and no fresh air for many years.
It’s easy to see that, after sawing off the excess hooves and trimming them correctly, the pony looks much better. Of course, it took some time before him and his buddy Everest were back to their perky happy selves.
Much Improved Hooves
The Pony and Horse Feel Better
In just about five days, Polly and Everest were feeling much
better. Their saviors cleaned them, gave them food and water, and wrapped them up in very large blankets so that they could experience comfort for the first time in who knows how long. You can easily see that Polly was pretty excited to be out and about. He could walk, he had a fun, new haircut, and he looked quite dapper in his blanket. The pony started making new friends and never had to go back to the original owner again.
Just Hanging Out
What Happened to the Owner?
Polly’s abuser is probably going to face significant fines
because he neglected his animals for so long. Some of that money is bound to go to the shelter who took in the pony and horse. He might also go to jail.
Though most people who have heard the story demand that
Polly’s owner be prosecuted, Polly seems to be unaware. He is quite happy now, but he does need corrective trimming. The farrier at the rescue shelter had to visit every month to reshape the hooves and make sure that the pony heals correctly.
Polly’s Finally Happy
Will Polly’s Nails Get That Long Again?
A pony or horse should never have such long nails. Those born in the wild have special ways of keeping them cut short, usually by stamping the hard ground. Polly, on the other hand, has to have his trimmed by a professional.
The good news is that Polly never has to fear that his nails are going to get that long again. The corrective action taken means that the pony now needs regular trimmings, just like humans. Slight shaping is also necessary.
Never so Long Again
Polly Is Now Quite Happy
With due time, the pony has healed quite significantly. He has a rounder belly and can be seen galloping through the rolling fields of the sanctuary. You can see him running about on his Facebook page. Today, Polly can be found living with another small pony with a baby. Lola and her mom spend a lot of time running through the pasture with Poly, rolling in the mud, and scratching each other’s backs.
Fun to Be Around
Polly’s Not the Only Pony to Have to Be Rescued
Roughly a decade ago, many homeowners in Spain liked to buy small ponies for pets. They were highly fashionable and were kept like dogs.
However, Spain had a big financial crisis that it hasn’t quite pulled out of
yet. Since these homeowners had no way to pay for care, it’s no wonder that a 15-year-old pony named Annie was sent to a rescue center about a year ago.
Annie with Excessively Long Nails
She Was Very Sick and Couldn’t Really Walk
With her hooves so long that they rolled over on themselves, poor Annie couldn’t walk very well. It caused her significant pain to stand, but she also couldn’t lie down easily. It was miserable for this little pony, and she was despondent. Some people might say that animals can’t express their pain or sadness, but one look at this picture shows how downtrodden this pony was. She was covered in parasites, and her owner used her for breeding other ponies.
She Looks so Sad
Her Owners Didn’t Want Her Anymore
Once her breeding years were over, Annie’s owners didn’t want her anymore. They stuck her in a dilapidated barn for many years. Finally, they couldn’t even afford a little food and water or the time to help her, so they put her out in the street. Annie was all but lost to the world, and would have succumbed to her injuries. However, the EHCRC stepped in, brought her to the shelter, and cared for her. The police had found her wandering and called the sanctuary.
A Very Malnourished Pony
She’s Not the Only One
Weeding, a staff member at the EHCRC, said that there are roughly 30 other ponies in a similar state. They aren’t useful to their owners anymore and are “thrown away” like rubbish, so they are brought to the shelter. This was yet another pony that had been neglected for many years. Its hooves were much too long, its hair shaggy, and its skin flea-bitten.
They Come in All Shapes and Sizes
What the Shelter Does
Usually, when the shelter gets involved, it is through the police. Owners either don’t understand what they’re doing or don’t care. Weeding and her team always offer assistance because it is the right thing to do. It’s clear from the picture that Annie was skeletal when she was brought into the shelter. It was very late on a Saturday night, and her feet needed to be trimmed badly.
Annie at the Shelter
How the Team Cleaned Her Up
The first step in the long process was to get Annie cleaned up so that the staff knew what they were up against. She had parasites that had matted the hair and irritated her skin. It took a long time and a lot of scrubbing, but the team was successful in getting Annie cleaned up. She looked like a new horse! However, they had to get her to eat.
The Dirt Wasn’t Easy to Remove
Annie Got Her First Real Meal in Who Knows How Long
Rescuers were quick to give the skeletal pony some tasty food. Many times, owners who mistreat their animals feed them white bread to save money. This doesn’t contain the minerals and nutrients that a pony needs. She seemed to like her food, which was selected based on her malnutrition and what minerals/vitamins she desperately needed. Of course, that wasn’t the only thing to consider.
Annie Taking Her First Meal
Annie’s Hooves Were Way Too Long
No one really knew how long it had been since Annie had had her hooves trimmed. In all likelihood, it had never been done before, and she was 15 years old! A farrier was called in to help trim Annie’s hooves. He had to be very careful, and it still upset her. Therefore, the staff had to give the pony a sedative so that she could relax and have her feet taken care of correctly.
She Couldn’t Walk Very Well
Was That All Annie Had to Do to Get Healthy
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the end of it for Annie. Because she had been mistreated for so long, she might have to have surgery so that her legs recover. They become distorted because she had to walk on the overgrown
hooves for so long. Though the farrier was able to clip the hooves and make them easier to walk on, that’s not the end. Annie could develop laminitis, which is a type of inflammation that affects the tissue.
A Close-up of Her Overgrown Hooves
This Little Pony Is so Much Happier
Right now, Annie isn’t worried about all the extra care she’ll need. She’s just happy to have people around her who care. They’ve already promised to do whatever it takes to make her feel better. Though this little pony isn’t entirely out of the woods yet, she’s quite content to enjoy herself. Annie likes to eat and is putting on weight, which is helping her heal quite nicely.
A Close-up of Her Overgrown Hooves
Can Annie Walk Better Now
It’s taken some time to get used to walking on her hooves, but she’s getting the hang of it. She’s still a little shaky, but it’s because of her underdeveloped legs. It will take time, but she’s a fighter! It is going to take a long time before she gets over what happened to her, but she is slowly improving every day with the help of caregivers who want to see her happy.
Annie Standing on Manicured Hooves for the First Time
These Miniature Horses Were Neglected for so Long That Their Hooves Were Curled
Two beautiful miniature horses were found in a 4×4 stall. They were standing in manure about three feet high. Their tails and manes were
matted with burrs, urine, and feces. Because of their living conditions, their hooves were significantly overgrown. Plus, their legs had been deformed, which suggested that they’d been living like this for many years. They had no hope.
Two Miniature Horses with Overgrown Hooves
What Was Wrong with These Poor Ponies with the Long Hooves
On a Sunday, four miniature horses in total were taken from an Indiana home by the Horse Shoe Equine Rescue facility. Tammy and Ron Barnett
are the owners and led the team into the place. When the rescue team arrived, the horses had no buckets or food bowls. However, the most shocking discovery was the horses’ deformities. The tendons were damaged because of the long nails.
One of the Mini Horses Being Rescued
They Couldn’t Have Run Away to Safety Even If They Wanted To
With such extreme deformities, these poor miniature horses couldn’t have gotten away from their captor if they’d wanted to do so. These horses had tendons that were stretched in a variety of directions because of those hooves. It was amazing that they could stand upright, though they had little choice because of the cramped stall they had to call home. It was a sad day, but the team vowed to make it right.
One of the Miniature Horses Saved from Its Indiana Home
It Wasn’t Just a Few Months of Neglect
Though abuse in any form (and ignoring an animal’s health needs is abuse) is bad, it wasn’t a short period of time for these majestic creatures. They probably grew up living like that, so they had no idea it was wrong. This would have significant consequences for the poor animals. Right now, they can’t walk very well and definitely can’t run. It’s a wonder how they were still able to stand on their feet!
Excessively Overgrown Nails
The Long Road to Recovery Was a Little Upsetting for Everyone
Since the horses’ tendons were overly stretched and out of proportion, these pitiable creatures had to learn how to walk again. But before that could happen, they needed to have their nails trimmed. A farrier is someone who shoes horses and trims their hooves. It’s an important job and one that Susan Ogier takes seriously. She was outraged that these horses had to live in such conditions for many years.
A Friendly Staff Member Petting One of the Scared Horses
A Proper Meal Was the Very First Step
Though these animals needed to be able to stand without pain, they were also very undernourished. Therefore, the rescue team chose to give them a yummy treat. They’d need their strength for what came next. It’s scary to think that someone could forget to feed an animal, yet these poor creatures were so hungry they gobbled up everything in their bowls.
A Miniature Horse with Long Nails Having a Bite to Eat
Once Food Was Provided, Something Had to Be Done about Those Hooves
Of course, food wasn’t the only thing these small horses needed. It broke the hearts of all the staff members to see them standing and knowing that they were in pain. The farrier, Susan, was called in to assess their needs and
get to work on trimming the hooves. It wasn’t an easy process, but she knew
just what to do.
A Miniature Horse with Excessively Long Hooves Before Having Them Trimmed
“Faith” Gets Her Hooves Clipped and Looks Great
Faith was the name given to one of the miniature horses. It made sense because they had to endure for so long to get the care and love they
so richly deserved. For the first time in many years, Faith had trimmed nails. They weren’t standing up straight from the foot, and she could walk
comfortably. However, she still had a lot of rehabilitation to complete, as did the other miniature horse.
Faith with Her Hooves Newly Trimmed
The Other Horse Also Gets Her Nails Trimmed up Nicely
Hope was the unofficial name given to the chestnut miniature horse that was also found in the Indiana home. She was looking quite stylish after her nails were trimmed. It’s not known for sure how long she had to walk on long nails, but they are finally gone, and she can stand again. However, Hope’s and Faith’s recovery wasn’t quite complete just yet.
“Hope” the Miniature Horse with Trimmed Hooves
How Are the Miniature Horses Doing Now
It took some time, but the horses are doing much better. They needed to re-learn how to walk and stand up straight. Of course, constant hoof care was also included to make sure that the hooves healed nicely. Though Bella wasn’t talked about here much, she was also part of the group that got rescued. She also had significant hoof problems and was malnourished. They are all learning to trust and walk again, now.
Bella Before She Had Gotten Cleaned Up
Find out If These Emaciated Horses with Long Hooves Got Rescued in Maryland
While Maryland, USA, might seem like a quiet place, there was something sinister going on that no one knew about. An otherwise beautiful horse had an extreme case of neglected hooves and was bone-thin. When found, this horse was standing in about four feet of manure. You could plainly see that the hooves were curled over three-feet long, which was immensely painful.
Painful Curling of the Hooves
Veterinarians Put in Their Two Cents
The vets that were asked to check out the horse believed that she suffered horrific mistreatment for at least 12 years. She didn’t get proper medical care or see a farrier in all that time. The Days End Farm Horse Rescue, located in Woodbine, took in the poor animal. The executive director, Erin Ochoa, was there and told this beauty that her life was about to change for the better.
An Overgrown Set of Hooves on a White Horse
This Magnificent Beauty Had to Be Sedated
In most cases, animal shelters prefer to take the animal away from the abuser fully alert. It’s easier to get them into the van and moved to the facility. However, that wasn’t possible for this white horse. Sadly, the horse had to be sedated so that a portion of her hooves could be removed. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have fit in the transportation that was there to take her to her new home.
Nails so Long the Horse Couldn’t Walk
There Was Also a Miniature Mare Named Piper
Her story is short and quite tragic. Upon arrival, the DEFHR could do nothing for her. She was so very ill that she had to be euthanized at
her home to prevent her from suffering unduly. Sadly, Piper had a variety of ruptured ligaments. They caused fetlock joint dislocation, which couldn’t be fixed. She would have been in severe pain for the rest of her life, so the organization chose to put her out of her misery.
Picture of a Miniature Mare for Comparison
How Was the Organization Tipped off about the Horses
This horrifying discovery was made because a good Samaritan called the Humane Society in Washington County. They spoke about pet pigeons at
the property that might have been abused. Though the call was about pet pigeons, the check didn’t end there. When the welfare inspection took place, every animal on the property must be checked. This is standard practice for any such review. That’s how the horses were found.
Another View of the Poor Animal
The Cut-off Hooves Weighed Way too Much
It’s shocking to think that any animal could have an extra 30 pounds just from their nails, but that’s exactly what this white beauty, later named Quest, had to deal with. You can see from the picture that this horse still had
excessively long nails, even after they had been trimmed onsite. No wonder she was also malnourished. She had to carry those things around day after day.
Shot of Quest after Her Nails Had Been Trimmed
How Did the Organization Save Quest
The first thing the rescue team had to do was get her fed and stable. Once that happened, they immediately found a farrier to trim her hooves. Of course, it took some time, but it was well worth it to watch Quest walk for the first time without pain. You can see that, during the second trimming, Quest’s hooves looked a lot better. She still needed some TLC, but she had put on weight and was looking much healthier and happier.
Quest Healthy and Happy
What Can People like You Do
It’s not easy to see these pictures of horrifying acts of injustice for animals. You want to do something, which is commendable and right. However, you may not know what that is or if you can help. There are many ways to help animals like the ones talked about here. You can reach out to your local animal rescue shelter to find out what you can do or donate to the organization.
A Side-by-side Photo of the Emaciation and Long Nails on Quest
