Washington County, MD: Worst case of hoof neglect DEFHR has ever seen
On August 21, 2015, officials of the Humane Society of Washington County, Maryland, called DEFHR to assist with three horses suffering from emaciation and extreme hoof neglect. They had been locked in a stall for at least 15 years. Check out a video here.
This chestnut mare’s hooves were over 3 1/2 feet long, and her legs were so badly damaged by years of neglect that she had to be humanely euthanized at the site. Her name was “Piper.”
The other two stallions had their excess hooves removed before being safely transported to Days End Farm Horse Rescue. Within a couple days of arrival, the vet took x‑rays of “Quest’s” feet to help plan for his rehabilitation. Quest is often heard eagerly calling to future herd mates.
“Rio”had his first dental evaluation and trim.
Both horses are in critical condition and will require months – if not years – of rehabilitative care.
Your dollars will go a long way to helping Rio and Quest. PLEASE DONATE NOW!!
The Humane Society of Washington County officially filed 15 charges of animal cruelty against Robert Lloyd Baugher and Christine Wilson Baugher on August 27th, 2015. The charges for the three severely neglected horses consisted of four misdemeanor charges and one felony count of intentionally causing torture for each of the equines. Probable Cause was found on all charges by the District Court Commissioner, and a Criminal Summons was issued. A court date has been set for October 28.
UPDATE 10/17/15:
Quest and Rio (pictured below) completed another appointment with the vet and farrier. Despite Quest’s hooves being the most severely overgrown originally, they are coming along better than Rio’s at this point due to the severe lateral twisting that Rio’s hooves sustained. Both boys still have a round of deworming and a couple booster vaccinations to go in their rehabilitation. They are also getting meals multiple times each day to address their body conditions. Rio’s stifle continues to be a concern, but it is our hope that the joint will strengthen as his condition improves.
We would like to thank our vet, Dr. O’Halloran of Monocacy Equine Veterinary Associates (center), and our farrier, Kenny Romjue (right), for being such a dynamic duo with Quest and Rio so far. The boys are now almost at the halfway point of their rehab, so they still have a ways to go. Please continue to support their journey by sharing their story or donating toward their care.
These two manage to make us smile on a daily basis and they have very distinct personalities: Rio is a bit reserved and shy, and will take to hiding in his stall if there’s too much activity going on around him. Quest, on the other hand, is in constant motion, watching for opportunities to make an equine friend. He is the extrovert and can be heard all over the farm calling to the other horses.
Both boys love meal time. Rio is very vocal when he feels he should be fed and Quest was not okay with the fact the Rio was being fed more often than he was, so adjustments were made in his feed schedule to accommodate his demands. They are such characters!
For regular updates on Quest and Rio’s rehab, go to our Facebook page.
