Allen Parish sheriff’s deputies and a representative from the newly-formed equine rescue group Hayden’s Hoofbeat Haven visited a residence recently after a concerned citizen reported a horse was being neglected at 109 T. J. Strother Road in Oakdale.
Brittany Ware of Hayden’s Hoofbeat Haven went to the scene on March 17, and came upon a Tennessee Walker Horse, a sorrel gelding, that was severely neglected and emaciated. The horse belonged to Greg Strother. Ware noticed the sorrel gelding did not have any muscle mass and all its rib and hip bones were visible. Ware gave the horse a body score of zero out of nine points – based on the Henneke Body Condition Scoring System (https://www.habitatforhorses.org/the-henneke-body-condition-scoring-system/).
Strother maintained he was properly caring for and feeding the horse. However, when asked if the horse was under veterinary care, Strother admitted he had only conferred with a vet online. He could not explain why the horse was in such poor condition. Ware gave Strother certain guidelines to meet to improve the horse’s living conditions, and she promised to check on the horse the following day, March 18th.
During her second visit to the same property, Ware noticed the horse was lying down and unable to stand on its own. The horse had made a semi-circle in the dirt next to its hind legs, as it attempted to stand up. Ware noticed the horse was lying on the ground without a blanket and the temperature was below 50 degrees. While on the property, Ware noticed two other horses and a jenny donkey running down a side street. Strother admitted that those were his horses as well. When asked, Strother showed Ware and the deputy another horse that was housed in a stall back which brought the total to four horses and a donkey.
The horses and donkey were rounded up and Ware did a final assessment of the herd. All were in poor condition. Collectively, they were underweight, had poor coats, and overgrown, cracked hooves. Ware determined the conditions of the horses violated the state cruelty statutes and needed to be placed under protective custody. Allen Parish Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene, and they issued a citation to Strother for multiple counts of cruelty.
Ware and her team of volunteers were able to get the prone horse to stand up. They loaded up all the horses and transported them to her ranch, which was several miles away, on Highway 372 in Oakdale. Later that day, an equine veterinarian examined all the horses and determined that the Sorrel Walker could not be saved. In addition to being extremely underweight, the horse suffered from a torn ACL in his back hind leg, which made it difficult for him to stand or walk. The veterinarian determined it was best to humanely euthanize the horse to alleviate his suffering.
Due to his extremely poor condition, the veterinarian euthanized him on site. Deputies gave Strother a summons to appear in court, charging him with four misdemeanors and a felony.
Since being seized, workers have floated the horses’ and donkey’s teeth, vaccinated them, tested them for Coggins, and given them a booster shot to support their immune systems. A farrier will also tend to all their hooves, which are overgrown. All have put on substantial weight during the past five days.
“We are grateful to all the parties involved in giving these horses and this wonderful donkey a much-deserved second chance,” HSLA Executive Director Jeff Dorson said. “We are delighted that Ms. Ware has formed an equine rescue group to serve this area. Obviously, there is a great demand for these types of services, and she seems extremely capable and knowledgeable about proper equine care.”
“I appreciate everyone who has donated or just sent words of encouragement. I have been fighting to improve the living conditions of animals in my area for a very long time, and it is finally paying off. But I could not have done it without the love and support of everyone! My family and I, along with members of my rescue community, sincerely appreciate everyone’s support. Your financial support will give us all the resources we need to give these wonderful creatures a much-deserved second chance,” says Ware.
To support these rescue efforts, HSLA is raising funds that will pay for feed and continued care for the four rescued equines. Those wishing to donate may contribute on the group’s website at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/humanela or mail a check or money order to HSLA, P.O. Box 740321, New Orleans, LA 70174. In the check memo, please write “equine rescue.” All donations are tax-deductible. Gift cards can also be mailed to: 2764 Hwy 372, Oakdale, La. 71463 and items can also be ordered at Oakdale Tractor Supply, in person or online, and donated to Hayden’s rescue.
Established in 1988, the Humane Society of Louisiana is one of the largest humane organizations in the state and operates the Enoch J. Donaldson Animal Sanctuary in Mt. Hermon. For more information, please visit its website at www.humanela.org or call 1-888-6-HUMANE.
