Disclaimer: Please note that none of the information contained in these files is meant to be professional information. Consult your vet, attorney or other professional for their advice. To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: "Jennifer Williams" Subject: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 14:45:39 -0600 We are working on putting together a proposal to put together a facility for LSER. This plan is going to be a many year plan (maybe up to a 20 year plan) with us starting with land and basic requirements for the first year and putting additions and improvement in subsequent years. We are planning for a top notch rescue facility. I understand that once we get into this, we may change our mind or settle for less than our ideal, but that's ok. We have decided we're never going to get a facility or get what we want unless we put together a plan and ASK. My question to all of you - What do you think is important in a facility and in what order (ex: Good fencing first, good barn second, etc.)? What existing facilities do you have any how would you improve? What would be your ideal facility? What have you found that just DOES NOT work? What does work? Any advice you would give to someone who was looking into building a facility? Do you share your facility with other programs and if so, how does that work? When answering, I would like to know if you are affiliate (in any way) with a current rescue facility or are speaking from experience with a non-rescue facility (I can see some things that might be more important to a rescue facility than to a general horse operation). Thanks everyone. We have a LOT of work to just put into our plan, but I want to make sure it is well rounded and that we don't overlook important things. Jennifer Williams (www.vanbasti.com) President, Lone Star Equine Rescue - http://www.lser.org ========== (c) "Jennifer Williams" ====== Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 14:25:36 -0800 (PST) To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: Pat Calloway Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? There was a short discussion on this in 1998 that's in the archives at: http://www.equinerescue.info/facility.txt that may be useful additional reading. ========== (c) Pat Calloway ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: AmySavesJacks@aol.com Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 17:43:17 EST Having just moved from what I consider a substandard rescue operation (barbed wire fencing - loafing sheds only), to a great new facility... I definately can tell you some things that are working well for me. 1. Secure fencing and adequate shelter is imparative. Secure fencing does not mean that it must be board fenced. My horses did just fine in barbed wire fencing... but they had 18 acres ... and the fence was also the tree line, so there were obvious barriers they could not exceed, but there are many fencing options that are less inexpensive. Adequate shelter does not mean you need an elaborate barn either... however, I think that it is VERY important to either have a single stall or a quarantine area that has its own loafing shed for situations where a horse/horses need to be seperated whether it be for health or for safety reasons. We've just moved into a wonderful place with one 10 stall barn and one 6 stall bank barn. I've gotta say... although this is a wonderful facility.. its going to cost three times as much to operate our rescue for several reasons.. .now we have to buy shavings, square bales in addition to round bales, we have electricity to pay for and yadda yadda without boarding horses to defer the cost... so... if you dont have a rescue that is fully/partially funded it will cost you alot more than you expect. Amy Morrisson Sugarloaf Horse Rescue Clarksburg, MD ========== (c) AmySavesJacks@aol.com ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: "Cindy Simmons" Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 15:44:16 -0800 I'm pretty new to this list and have just been lurking. Considering rescuing horses one at a time on a private basis. After a discussion on a general horse care board I participate in, thought I'd had this and hope it's not to basic or forward of me to add here. Make sure you have a good fire escape plan for your facilities, whatever you decide to go with. Make sure any stalls open to the outside so you can get horses out quickly if you have to and don't end up with panic and chaos in aisles with a devastating end result. Cindy ========== (c) "Cindy Simmons" ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: "whoanellie" Subject: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 08:11:56 -0800 Zoning! Research your zoning! http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/10025524_PE_NEWS_nhelp07.html >What do you think is important in a facility and in what order (ex: Good >fencing first, good barn second, etc.)? What existing facilities do you have >any how would you improve? What would be your ideal facility? What have you >found that just DOES NOT work? What does work? Any advice you would give to >someone who was looking into building a facility? Do you share your facility >with other programs and if so, how does that work? Gail TIER Website: www.tierrescue.org TIER, 8920 Limonite Ave., 123, Riverside, CA 92509 Thank you for helping us to help the horses! ========== (c) "whoanellie" ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: Horseinc@aol.com Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 15:54:53 EST Fencing is important and the safety of it. I have wood and these horses are so hard on it. They are always breaking a board here or there. Luckily no horse has been hurt but the wood. I have replaced two thousand feet of boards with 4 rows of rubber fencing. It's the safest fencing I have ever used. They can kick it and it 'kicks' them back, they may get a rub burn from it but no splinters or deep wounds. I hope to replace all my fencing with rubber. I have had wire fencing and had a horse that paws and the wire got stuck between the hoof and his shoe. It was a difficult task to cut it and pull out the wire because he would stand still. He was panicking and could have pulled a tendon. I would have shelters in every pasture/paddock for too hot, cold or wet weather. A quarantined pasture is a good idea with a run in or sheltered area. Stalls 12 x 12 are good but a large stall for a mare and foal can be needed and it will come in handy for a horse that needs to be in for several months for a leg break, founder or other problems. I had a horse come in with a goat and the 12 x 12 suited them fine, they stayed together in it and even laid down with enough room. Remember the larger the stall, the more shavings you use and the more money you spend on the shavings. In my area a shavings truck holds about 28 cubic feet of shavings. It costs me $200. a load and I use between 4 and 5 loads a month. Good ventilation and fans, ceiling, exhaust, large floor fans. A stall with a beam to hold a sling is good to plan for. Also a way to hang an IV bottle. It's 2 1/2 gallons size so you need a pulley system. Have a cabinet for all your first aid and medical supplies especially drugs and needles. Lock it. A barn with a large center isle is never a bad idea. I have an 18 foot isle. If the weather is bad, I can still show people around. You can work on the horses if the wash racks are busy, you can cross tie in the isle. I have 26 stalls and two washracks. I would like at least 2 grooming stalls too. An enclosed washrack with heat is good for washing a horse in the cold of winter and he can dry and not freeze. I am very lucky to have a large covered ring attached to the barn so no need to worry about bad weather unless it a blizzard. I have fund raisers in it all the time. An office so you can meet people, give out information, a large area to do educational classes and at least 2 bathrooms. One with a shower for volunteers who come from work or before work. I have 50 acres and lease 60. I have 80 rescue horses here. Since I don't have enough stalls, the easy keepers are out and the hardest keepers or needier horses are in at night. I time share some stalls. I bring some in for a few hours for special feed and medicines or check wounds, ect. I would have a surgery room at the facility with all medical supplies so if I need a vet, he has what he needs. A dream! I need a sling, too. I have a make shift on but have a dream of a professional one. I would enclose my covered ring. More for myself then the horses. I do Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, EAP, and some Therapeutic Riding. It's nice to keep cooler in the summer when the volunteers are walking beside the child for an hour in a lesson. They get burned out if they are exhausted. Hope this helps add to your plans. I didn't start here though. I have a 3 stall barn and 5 acres, it just grew and grew. Cheryl Flanagan ========== (c) Horseinc@aol.com ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: "dlinkous@radix.net" Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 17:20:07 -0500 >with 4 rows of rubber fencing. It's the safest fencing >I have ever used. They can kick it and it 'kicks' >them back, they may get a rub burn from it but no >splinters or deep wounds. Could you tell us more about rubber fencing? Who makes it and which brand do you use? How is it put up... the same as board fencing, with posts and nails? Does it have to be stretched, and are there any special tools needed? What is the general cost (in your area I guess)? What does it look like, i.e., is it black, white, or what? Is it made from recycled tires, and if so, is there the possibility of metal in the rubber? Do your horses chew it? Thanks! Diana ========== (c) "dlinkous@radix.net" ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: dlinkous@radix.net Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 20:25:15 -0500 >Zoning! Research your zoning! > >http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/10025524_PE_NEWS_nhelp07.html Whoa Nelly! I hope you can find foster homes at least for as many as possible, and a larger place as soon as possible! I believe (could be wrong) that in Maryland there is a rule of thumb for number of horses on property... something like 2 acres for the first horse and one for each additional horse. Not sure how enforced it is. Here's another consideration (sounds like you do well on this, Gail) -- a manure disposal plan. Here in Maryland, if you have over a certain number of horses (and it ain't many), you have to file a formal plan with the state for handling this. We have a big problem with run off into the Cheasapeake Bay from all our streams, so it is very important. Diana ========== (c) dlinkous@radix.net ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: "Cris May" Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: What kind of facilities do you have? Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 21:15:23 -0500 > I believe (could be > wrong) that in Maryland there is a rule of thumb for number of horses on > property... something like 2 acres for the first horse and one for each > additional horse. Not sure how enforced it is. I think that rule (local law) changes by Maryland county. And I'm not sure how it is applied to boarding barns or other facilities housing large numbers of horses. Checking zoning is certainly important, and also any local development plans. Cris May Days End Farm Horse Rescue (MD) http://www.defhr.org ========== (c) "Cris May" ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: REMARCINC@aol.com Subject: EQ-ResQ: zoning Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 10:50:20 EST Pat - Most states have a right-to-farm statue that covers complaints from neighbors about farm noise, smells, flies etc- and many Planning Boards require a farm activities notice on subdivisions adjacent to farms. This is aimed at livestock, since horses are not livestock in most states it might be hard to get this to apply, but it's an option. Check your RSA- under agriculture. ========== (c) REMARCINC@aol.com ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: Horseinc@aol.com Subject: EQ-ResQ: rescue facilities Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 18:21:51 EST I thought about another important factor for a rescue facility. A 24 hour human resident. Not just for a sick horse but a night check of all the horses, gate check so no horse accidentally gets out. Trespassers will be discouraged with someone at the farm. Imagine living an hour away, a stranger enters the farm, opens the stalls, opens the gates, steals a horse....anything can happen when no one is around. For an ideal facility, an apartment for a watch person or helper. Cheryl Horse Rescue Relief and Retirement Fund, Inc. www.SaveTheHorses.org ========== (c) Horseinc@aol.com ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: Neclos Subject: EQ-ResQ: rescue facilities Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 17:12:27 -0500 > I thought about another important factor for a rescue facility. A 24 hour > human resident. I wanted to ask about this issue with regard to theft. Obviously having someone around 24 hours a day can help, but with a large facility and/or lots of land and horses wandering around a pasture, this could prove to be difficult to prevent. How prevalent is the theft of horses? I've seen reports posted here regarding stolen horses and it frightens me. Are they generally stolen via existing openings in fencing, i.e., gates, etc. that can protected via alarms? Or is someone creating their own opening in a closed fenced area? Can having other animals around help with an audible alert to unusual activity (dogs, chickens, etc.)? What can one look for in a potential facility (as I am looking now) or do with an existing facility to reduce the chance of theft? Is electrically charged fencing okay (cost effective and considered humane?) if there is another fence just inside the electrically charged fence to keep the horses out of contact from the exterior, electrically charged fence? Lisa Neclos Temple Hills, MD ========== (c) Neclos ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: dlinkous@radix.net Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: rescue facilities Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 18:32:33 -0500 >Are they generally stolen via existing openings in fencing, i.e., gates, >etc. that can protected via alarms? Or is someone creating their own >opening in a closed fenced area? Can having other animals around help >with an audible alert to unusual activity (dogs, chickens, etc.)? Horses can be stolen in broad daylight if there is no one around to see. They can be taken right out the front gate and loaded into a trailer, especially if they have halters on. They are also stolen from a back road if the property borders one, by thieves cutting the fence. Some horses are stolen "to order"... a dealer may tell a shady friend he has a buyer for a sorrel paint mare, no papers needed, and a state or two away, one disappears. Electric fence isn't going to stop a human -- the shock is mild, and besides, they will ground and cut it easily. Locked gates are helpful, but you want to be sure to have the key in a place all your trusted people know in case of emergency. And a spare set as well in another place on the farm. Having an outside light on at the barn helps keep thieves away. There are a lot of tack thieves around, and locking the tackroom door usually isn't enough, especially since they are rarely deadbolt locks. But a sensor light that comes on in that area when there is movement (if no horses are in that area) can help. A loud alarm on the tackroom door can also spook a thief into hie-tailing it outta there. Yes, barking dogs generally will deter theft, but in many rural areas, it's not wise to leave your dogs out at night lest they get stolen, or into mischief on someone else's farm... as sheep chasers or the like. If you have a dog or dogs that definitely stay within your farm's perimeters, that's good. Be forewarned though... even a thief trespassing on your land, if bit by your dog, can sue you for damages... it has happened and on occasion the thief has won his case!! One of the best deterrants is a brand. The brand should be easy to see, and some people brand on both sides so a horse cannot be walked off anywhere with the brand not being seen. The quarters, shoulder and neck are the most common places. Hot brands vs. freeze brands are the choice, with freeze branding being painless to the horse. If in winter the hair coat blurs or covers the brand, it's a good idea to clip just that area to make the ID obvious. You should check your state for brand laws. Freeze brands are generally used to identify a particular horse, so may not be covered by those laws, which are for the same brand applied to numerous horses. If possible, freeze brand your horse's neck on the side his mane does not naturally fall. One precaution to take is to have four good photos of each horse, one front, one hind, and one from each side, showing all markings and conformation peculiarities. Write down on an accompanying paper any scars or other physical oddities, as well as any emotional ones (won't stand in cross ties, very cinchy, whatever). If the horse has any special training, write that down too (roping horse, will paw the ground if you say "how old are you?", etc.). These all help enormously in recovery. I know there're lots more ideas out there. Diana ========== (c) dlinkous@radix.net ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: "Gayle Shemezis" Subject: EQ-ResQ: zoning Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 00:49:20 -0600 thanks for your input! Wisconsin does consider horses livestock. has good and bad point of that. i have also circulated a local petition, got an announcement on the local radio station, took the story to the local newspaper and best of all....getting advise from the WI Depart. of Ag. Consumer and Protection, State Humane Officer, Dr. Yvonne Belley. She has been great guiding me thru all the 'hoops'! In 1998 WI passed a great Bill requiring Humane Officers, with training, to handle animal control. FYI, Animal Control Officer is nothing more than a dog catcher! Humane Officer covers all needed to effectively protect animals and help people with complaints. If complaints aren't handled in a humane manner....people tend to take matters in their own hands..get out the shot gun, end of a shovel, poisons etc. As explained to me, some counties 'dropped the ball' back in 1998, and it's amazing that no one, up to now, looked into it! well, not so amazing, this ordeal has been the most frustrating mission I've ever taken on! the good 'ol boys don't like to provide a lot of information! i'm too cheap to hire a lawyer, so I've had to research all this stuff on my own! I'm doing all i can to recruit volunteers, but they tend to have a 'let's see what she can do first' attitude. well, look out Adams County, Miracle Acres is here to stay! ========== (c) "Gayle Shemezis" ====== To: equinerescue@imagicomm.com From: "Gayle Shemezis" Subject: EQ-ResQ: zoning Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002 08:05:38 -0600 here is WI, applying for a conditional use permit to permit having a 'kennel' and more than 6 animals is what would save this rescue center. the word 'kennel' applies to all animals, not just dogs. this is what i had to do in Adams County, to protect myself from being in violation of too many animal units. if you need more info contact me at MIRACLEACRES@MAQS.NET I'd be glad to help...sound like this place is doing a great job, and I hate to loose it. Gayle ========== (c) "Gayle Shemezis" ====== Disclaimer: Please note that none of the information contained in these files is meant to be professional information. Consult your vet, attorney or other professional for their advice.