Sad, Heartbreaking, Poor Horses

Ok, my heart is just breaking :( I receive so many emails for horses needing homes :( And what hurts even more is the reasons these horses need homes and the almost certain futures I know many of them will face. Here are two I received recently that break me. I took out names of horses and parts of the emails....but you'll get the drift.

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First Email:

I have a wonderful horse named --- whom I rescued back in 2005 and have been working with as much as possible ever since. However, my husband and I are moving to [out of state] and there is just no way we can afford to take him with us. I have tried selling him but haven't had much luck since he is still a work in progress. When I rescued him, you couldn't even touch him. To keep him from going to a meat market I bought him for 800 an started working with him with a friend of this lady's that helped me for several months. Later I hired a trainer for him that worked on him daily starting with desensitization all the way to riding him. I have seen dramatic improvements in him but I will say that he must be worked with daily in order to stay ridable. He is now very calm horse and he absolutely LOVES kids, but he is still skiddish when it comes to anything involving a saddle or bridle. He is a VERY smart horse and knows that if he pushes his weight around he will often get his way, so he'll need a stubborn owner.

Anywho, I was hoping I could ... talk to you about giving --- to you. I have a feeling that if I leave him where he is he will end up at a meat facility the first month board isn't paid. We are moving in early February and would like him to be out of his current barn by the end of January if at all possible. I believe that to the right person he will make an amazing partner and it truly breaks my heart to leave him behind, but I really don't have any other options

This email pulls so badly at my heart strings because this horse reminds me so much of my Apollo. And this owner is right; this horse NEEDS to find the RIGHT person otherwise, if it is lucky enough to end up with someone instead of on a trailer destined to be meat, if it isn't the right person, it will continue to find itself in these sad, sad situations. ;( And what also kills me is, the way I read this, it sounds to me that when they have to move, they move. And the horse stays behind. And the owner knows full well what will most likely happen to this horse. This owner has had this horse for 5 years!!!! How can you just walk away; turn your back. I am sure they don't want to and I am sure they probably wouldn't chose this if they could, but still??? How can you just walk away like you never knew this horse, let alone for 5 years? How can you just ABANDON IT???? To me, it is the same as moving and leaving your dog or cat locked up in your old, abandoned house!?

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Second Email:

I am in a very tough situation in needing to find a new home for my horse. She had a bad accident in her stall almost 4 weeks ago. She got cast at some point at night and kicked through the wall. Her legs had some major trauma to them and the right hind leg is still trying to recover since an infection has set in. I have had major vet bills and from all of this I am unable to afford to keep her and don't have the help, time, or experience to deal with the condition of her leg. She needs her leg to have special care with antibitiocs, dressing, and wrapping for a couple of months. Let me know if your facility would be able to help with her rehab or know of someone that can help, since I am no longer able to support her.

This email kills me. Someone took on the responsibility of owning a horse, and then when the horse got hurt and racked up medical bills, the owner bails. Most people DON'T have the time or experience (or money) to care for medical issues, but you LEARN. You MAKE the time. This horse has given it's all, I am sure, to this person, and now, when this horse needs it's owner most, the owner deserts it. HEARTBREAKING. And if I had to bet, once the owner washes their hands of this horse, somewhere down the line, maybe soon, maybe later, this owner will get another horse. And if the horse comes up lame, can't be ridden, or has any other issue, they will do the same thing - pawn it off on someone else.