Two emaciated horses with their ribs showing through their coats were transferred to Live and Let Live Farm in Chichester on Monday from a home near Hollis where they were living in “sewer-like” conditions, said farm director Teresa Paradis.
Paradis said that a mare named April, and a stallion named Bakka – both probably about 20 years old – were being kept in two separate stalls in a barn behind a couple’s home. She said the barn had not been properly cleaned for a long time and the horses were badly malnourished.
“They were in a very wet, really bad area. The ground was just damp all around them. No one was cleaning the waste,” Paradis said. “I knew they weren’t going to make it that much longer if the decision wasn’t made to get them out of there.”
April and Bakka are extremely thin, dehydrated and have lice and “rain rot,” or scabs in their body caused by fungus, Paradis said.
Paradis said recovery will be a long process for the horses – at least six months to a year.
Bakka suffers from Cryptorchidism, a condition where one of his testicles failed to descend normally. He will likely require surgery, which costs $3,000 to $5,000, Paradis said.
Paradis said she was told no criminal charges will be pressed against the owners, who handed over the animals voluntarily after seeking advice from a veterinarian.
“It’s one of the cases where things got out of hand and they got scared,” Paradis said. “It shows that it’s better just to reach out and ask for help, before it’s too late.”
For more information about Live and Let Live, including how to visit or donate, go to liveandletlivefarm.org.