Helping Hand for Horses | Video

Retha Colclasure | 2/1/2013

The death toll of horses from a Morton County rancher is now above 100. One of the horses taken from the man`s land near New Salem died overnight at the Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue. Earlier this week, 119 horses were seized after 96 horses were found dead on the property.

Three more were dead and 38 seized on land he owned in Burleigh County.

Yesterday, we told you how the Burleigh County rancher was taking care of those animals. Today, we take a look at how the worst of the worst are doing.

There isn`t much noise coming from these horses at the Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue. But the noise that is being made, is music to Alison Smith`s ears.

"Every horse now just needs some food and water," Smith said.

Twenty-five horses started their long journey to recovery at her ranch on Tuesday night. Two didn`t make it.

"I really did expect to lose a few. You always hope you`re not going to," Smith said.

One died during the night, but Smith says her last few hours were spent being loved and comforted.

"We had volunteers that sat with her for hours at a time in this frigid cold. They didn`t know who this horse was. They don`t know me. But they were willing to sit out here with their coffee and rub her and keep her head up."

She`s keeping a close eye on the rest, and worries about everything that could go wrong. "Every time I see a horse lay down, I try to get them up because I`m afraid they`re down. Every horse that has been laying down sunning has been able to get up."

Their immediate needs have been met with food and water. They need the warmer weather that thankfully is in the forecast.

Smith says the horses need to gain weight, but that probably won`t happen until spring. Even then, they`ll have a long road ahead of them.

"They all have ringworm. They all have scabs and cuts and scrapes and bruises."

They need to be further evaluated and tested, but Smith is holding off on anything that would put any stress on them. "My ferrier doesn`t know he`s trimming this many horses yet. But now he will."

They`re in better shape than they were. But at any point, things could become too much and any one of these could take a turn for the worse.

Smith says her biggest need is hay. Each full-size horse will eat about one round bale of hay a month. She expects to care for these horses for a long time to come, so she needs two dozen round bales every month.

If you would like to help, you can send money to:
Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue
PO Box 4125
Bismarck ND 58502

You can also make donations on their website at hhhmhr.org.

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