OMG babies!!

Reports are coming in from Napoleon that this years' foals are in the same condition as the other horses we've seen come through the two prior auctions.



Mind you, the defendants have had NO control over the care or condition of these weanling horses; they've all been born since the Jackson County Animal Control seized the farm early this spring.

Now, who knows someone in the major media that isn't completely horse-ignorant and is not afraid to make the claim: JACKSON COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL NEGLECTS BABY HORSES

Who wants to guess at what these babies will sell for at a public livestock auction? I'll have figures tomorrow. They could have been permanently stunted by this apparent lack of basic care in their early months.

Are the caretakers really that horse-ignorant that they don't know the difference between a hay belly and an internal parasite infestation (wormy belly)?

When a horse is in ideal or moderate condition (a 4 or 5 on the scale), the fat layer is fairly evenly distributed. A skinny horse with worms will have a distended belly that appears fat, but no fat layer along the spine or hip, a tiny neck that gives the appearance of a big head, and often little or no muscle tone.

With their breeding, $10,000 champion stallions and $5,000+ proven mares for parents, these babies should have excellent muscle tone at their age, from running and playing with their pasturemates, shiny and sleek with a glossy winter coat coming in over a nice healthy amount of winter fat padding. IMHO they look as if half of their feed went straight into their intestinal worms and they were left with barely enough energy to walk.

Here are some healthy, happy 2007 foals to illustrate what a well maintained young horse should look like at this time of year:

beautiful BS APHA and Appendix AQHA fillies owned by CQ

See the difference? These fillies have clearly had exercise and quality care. They are in great shape to head into one of Michigan's harsh winters. Look at the muscle definition, the round but not bloated bellies, the healthy alert look. At five months old, they've gotten a great start in life, with optimal nutrition and exercise for their rapidly growing bodies.

What happened, JCAC?
This weanling has such a distended belly, it looks much like a pregnant broodmare!