LUDLOW, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Two extremely neglected horses were rescued from a home in Ludlow earlier this month, suffering from what one MSPCA manager said was the worst case he'd ever seen.
Tia, an 11-year-old quarter horse, and Shakira, a 13-year-old Arab horse, were found on February 5 trapped in stalls which were overflowing with manure. It took MSPCA personnel nearly two hours to dig them out. They are are currently recovering at the MSPCA's Nevins Farm facility in Methuen.
It wasn't yet known how long the horses had been trapped. They suffered from overgrown teeth, and their hind legs were caked in manure. In addition, Tia was underweight, which the MSPCA said indicated she had been neglected for years.
The horses also had sores on their backs, a consequence of being pressed against the roof from having to stand on high piles of manure.
The biggest lingering issue related to the neglect, though, may be the horses' disfigured hooves. In the photos below,
"The hooves on these horses were so overgrown and disfigured that it will take years of farrier work for them to reshape—if that’s even possible," said Nevins Farm equine rescue training manager Roger Lauze.
The MSPCA said the overgrown hooves make it harder for them to walk and balance, resulting in additional bone and health issues. In Tia's case, the MSPCA said, the bone changes "could forever compromise her health."
"We’re going to do everything possible to help them live the rest of their lives without pain, but that will be determined by the degree to which we can reshape the hooves," Lauze said in the release.
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Meanwhile, the horses' owner, Nancy Golec, was charged with four counts of animal cruelty. She was arraigned in Palmer District Court on Monday.
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