Sask. SPCA worried about number of horse-related complaints

The Saskatchewan SPCA is concerned about a recent trend in the province involving horses.

In the last 11 months the SPCA has received 130 complaints involving 1,576 horses potentially in distress. Complaints included not having any water for the horses to drink because it was frozen and summer pastures being grazed down with no extra food being provided.

The situation is expected to get worse with the cost of food rising and a sharp drop in the price of horses. It is becoming more difficult for owners to care for their animals.

There have been many cases about the mistreatment of horses such as one that happened in November 2009 when the SPCA received a tip about horses not being fed properly. The SPCA arrived on scene to find eight severely thin horses on a bare pasture. All the water was frozen. The horses would not survive the winter unless the owners took better care of them. They agreed to do so and the case was officially closed in December.

The SPCA has tips on how to prevent this from happening. They suggest planning ahead by ordering bales of hay before you run out, provide shelter, make sure animals have unfrozen water, and wait to breed until horse prices stabilize.