Horse not sweating question?

tallyho8 · Aug 20, 2010

This is a question for experienced horse people. I have owned horses many years but never encountered this problem.

A person I know had their horse in a pasture. A passerby (nosy) noticed that the horse was not sweating and reported it to the Louisiana SPCA. The LSPCA went to a judge claiming animal abuse and got a court order to remove the horse. They confiscated the horse and told the owner that if they want it back they have to pay $25 a day for care and put up a $3000 bond to insure that they properly care for it.

The owner had this horse several years and rode it in Mardi Gras parades and the horse appeared healthy and they said that the horse never sweated heavily since they got it but that it appeared normal in all respects.

1. If the horse is not sweating enough, what causes this? Is it born like this and will live like this it's whole life? Is there any way to cure it?

2. What can the LSPCA do for the horse if it is not sweating enough, if anything, to justify it's removal?

3. Could this just be PETA people overtaking a branch of the SPCA and using it and false claims to benefit their goals of ending horse riding?

And lastly, they had just paid a veterinarian 2 days earlier to worm the horse and give it vaccinations and pull the required coggins test.

blueriver · Aug 20, 2010

tallyho8 said:
This is a question for experienced horse people. I have owned horses many years but never encountered this problem.

A person I know had their horse in a pasture. A passerby (nosy) noticed that the horse was not sweating and reported it to the Louisiana SPCA. The LSPCA went to a judge claiming animal abuse and got a court order to remove the horse. They confiscated the horse and told the owner that if they want it back they have to pay $25 a day for care and put up a $3000 bond to insure that they properly care for it.

The owner had this horse several years and rode it in Mardi Gras parades and the horse appeared healthy and they said that the horse never sweated heavily since they got it but that it appeared normal in all respects.

1. If the horse is not sweating enough, what causes this? Is it born like this and will live like this it's whole life? Is there any way to cure it?

2. What can the LSPCA do for the horse if it is not sweating enough, if anything, to justify it's removal?

3. Could this just be PETA people overtaking a branch of the SPCA and using it and false claims to benefit their goals of ending horse riding?

And lastly, they had just paid a veterinarian 2 days earlier to worm the horse and give it vaccinations and pull the required coggins test.

Well they better not come by here. I have some that won't break a sweat even on the hottest day. I have another that can break a sweat just thinking about it. Its really sad when someone can just make a call and BANG someone sticks their nose where it don't belong.

If it was me and the horse was healthy ... I would go to the vet who just doctored the horse and ask him for a health certificate to go along with the coggins ... then I would go and present that to them and advise them they have 24 hrs to return my horse that the Vet says is healthy ...

tallyho8 · Aug 20, 2010

Their only comment when contacted was "either put up the money to get your horse back or have your lawyer contact our lawyers".

She consulted with an attorney who told her to just buy another horse and she will come out much cheaper. That no veterinarians are going to risk their reputations by going against the LSPCA.

blueriver · Aug 20, 2010

tallyho8 said:
Their only comment when contacted was "either put up the money to get your horse back or have your lawyer contact our lawyers".

She consulted with an attorney who told her to just buy another horse and she will come out much cheaper. That no veterinarians are going to risk their reputations by going against the LSPCA.

Maybe I'm different ... first and if in fact all was well with the horse and the vet knew it (I know my vet would write me the HC in a heart beat) and I knew it. I would get my documents together and be on them like white on rice... I would go after it ... HOWEVER if the horse was poor or sick well thats a different deal.

riptides · Aug 20, 2010

Is it a hot blooded, warm blooded or a cold blooded horse?

RoyJackson · Aug 20, 2010

Get a posse together and a rope...we hang horse thieves around here...

tallyho8 · Aug 20, 2010

riptides said:
Is it a hot blooded, warm blooded or a cold blooded horse?

It's a quarter horse.

EarPlug · Aug 20, 2010

Call your nearest University Veterinary School and then Call every news station in the area. Headline - LSPCA STEALS HORSE FOR NOT SWEATING

Lloyd_E · Aug 21, 2010

Our horses don't sweat unless ridden. One is solid black and the other solid brown.
We have had temps in the high 80's low 90's and they have been in the pasture and do not sweat. We give them lots of water and they come and go into their stalls or go under the roof that is over their stall entrances when they please - to get out of the sun.

We always manually give them water in their buckets... if they are going through a lot or not drinking at all it is a sign to call the vet.

LSPCA although meaning well can create problems when a problem do not exist. I would not let this go... call media etc...

texasjohn · Aug 21, 2010

Gotta be more to the story than we've heard so far.....horse must have been in poor body condition...need photos, then I can tell if it was in distress.