If you believe that a Horse a your Stable or in your community its being abused, it is importance that you contact the appropriate authorities to report the situation. Horse abuse occurs in every corner of the world, and can present itself in many different forms. The faster you are able to identify horse abuse, the more lives you will save.
Know that horse abuse is a serious allegation. What one person considers abusive behavior may only be punishment to someone else, and the law is only capable of handling instances of severe abuse. According to the Humane Society (see Resources below), abuse is defined as "knowingly depriving an animal of food, water, shelter, socialization, or veterinary care or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating, or killing an animal." The occasional swat for bad behavior might be unethical, but not illegal.
Look for physical signs of horse abuse. These may include open sores, lacerations, swelling, welts, burns or broken bones. Animal abuse is usually considered a pattern of abusive behavior, and a horse that never seems to heal may be a victim.
Watch how the horse owner handles his animals. Does he use whips, chains or other instruments to hit the horse? Does he intentionally deprive the animal of food and water? These are all signs of horse abuse, and can prove deadly if allowed to continue.
Spend time with the horse. An abused animal will be distrustful of humans, quick to shy away from a gentle hand. Alternatively, the horse might be "mean" when approached by a human, kicking or biting to fend off the attack before it can start. This doesn't mean that the horse is "bad", but that he has learned from experience to expect violence.
Know that causing intentional injury to a horse is considered abuse. For example, an owner who kicks her horse in the stomach or whips the horse repeatedly is probably committing abuse. This is especially true if it happens frequently.
Ask if the horse has been seen by a veterinarian. Even if an injury is not caused intentionally, the failure to treat the injury is considered abuse.
Watch for signs of aggression when the owner rides the horse. Horse abuse is often inflicted when an owner is frustrated during a ride, and takes out his frustration physically. Dismounting to beat a horse, for example, would be considered abuse.
Horses need adequate shelter from the weather even if you live in a mild climate. Horse shelters must be built safe and sturdy to withstand the abuse it will take from the horses. A three-sided shelter is the most economical and easiest shelter to build. Learn how to build a horse shelter by following these steps.
1 Find a flat, level area to build the shelter. The area should be high and not prone to flooding or standing water. Water should run away from the shelter, not towards it.
2 Determine what direction the open side of the shelter should face. The north and west winds are the strongest in most areas, so the back of the shelter should face these directions.
3 Determine how tall you will need to make the shelter. It should be big enough that the tallest horse can walk in, throw his head up, and not hit the roof.
4 Know how many horses are sharing this shelter. One horse can use a 12 by 12 foot shelter, but a bigger shelter is need if more horses are in the pasture. Make the shelter no more than 12 to 14 feet deep. Add the additional space in width, not depth. If you have a pasture with many horses, consider building more than one shelter.
5 Dig four holes for the corner posts. Use strong, sturdy posts for the corners. Dig the holes at least four feet deep, adding cement in the bottom of the holes to secure the posts before refilling with dirt.
6 Use 2-by-4 lumber to build a frame on three sides of the shelter. A minimum consists of a board along the top, one along the bottom and one midway on the sides of the shelter. More boards should be used on the roof to hold roofing material.
7 Cover the roof with with plywood and shingles or tin. Tin is the most economical and easiest material to use.
8 Get thick plywood or use planks for the inside of the shelter. You can use tin or planks on the outside as long as the inside is covered from the floor to at least midway up the shed with thick plywood. Horses can kick through tin, severely injuring a leg. The plywood may split and planks can break, but it will prevent the leg from going through to the tin.
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