LaPoint Ranch Rehabilitate The Lucky 13

The Lucky 13

 

On 7/30/2024, Kody and I were alerted to an ongoing animal abuse and neglect situation in northern Michigan. We are no strangers to assisting in cases like this with mustangs but what unfolded is the most horrific thing I have ever heard of. Viewer discretion advised as the images are hard to look at and honestly this story is not easy to hear.

 

Kody and I were informed of 14 equines, mostly mustangs, seized on a property with 25 dead horses onsite. Within the first 24hrs another went down and had to be euthanized. Now there are 26 dead and 13 surviving, barely….

 

12 equines scored a body score of 1, and 1 scored a body score of 2. If you are not familiar with this scoring system they are hide on bone. Not only are they starved but they have also been standing belly deep in mud and dead carcasses. So many of the survivors are suffering from extensive skin wounds from the moisture and filth they were living in.

 

In October of 2023, animal control was on sight at the property and everything was in acceptable condition. In May of 2024, one of the horses got loose and was running around the area for 2 weeks before capture. That was the first sign something was wrong.

 

These horses stood in tiny mud lots with no access to shelter, food or water for MONTHS! They were surrounded by their dead and dying herd mates. No horse should ever have to consider consuming their dead foal or dead herd mate to survive…..but that’s what mustangs do, they survive….

 

There was hay on the property but the owner chose to watch them die even though she had enough hay to continue to care for them properly.

 

There were untitled blm horses (yes blm is aware), titled blm horses (none were AIP), sale authority horses, forest service horses, mustangs she bought out of kill pens that foaled there and had to watch their babies die. Every single baby born there is dead except for one foal who was buried so deep in mud he could not even move around. Imagine waiting and hoping your mom walks by so you can nurse….

 

There are two horses on the property that were sold to this woman by a party that knew darn well she had too many horses and did not properly care for or train what she already had. They didn’t care, they just saw financial opportunity, so no, if you know the original owner of those horses they will not be returned if they are even alive, or survive, as they knew what they were doing, and no one should ever support a hoarder…

 

I am equally devastated for every horse there but there are some you all know and love as well.

 

Rockstar – South Steens sorrel documented band stallion (Alive)

Loki – South Steens black documented band stallion (RIP)

OQ44srM – Onaqui mare tag 7991 lilac roan (RIP)

Koiyah – Sand Wash Basin palomino mare (Alive)

2 other South Steens we are working on identifying

 

And many many more that have been lost or have not been processed yet to know who they are or where they’re from.

 

We help with these cases a lot but it is never on this big of a scale or horses all in this bad of shape. We did not agree to do this without being able to provide a soft landing. These horses have been through hell and they deserve all of the best care they can possibly get to ensure they are safe and taken care of for the rest of their lives. We cannot do that without support from others.

 

Our training program is essentially shut down now due to taking all of these horses in. We will not be able to take in any more clients for the foreseeable future.

 

We have created an amazon wish list and linked it below for all of the horses.

 

If you would like to donate by purchasing items directly from our feed store it is the Tractor Supply Company

In Charlotte MI. Please put the order under pickup by Cady or Kody LaPoint and let us know that you placed an order!

 

If you would like to donate to the ongoing cost of care for these horses, we have linked our gofundme, paypal, and venmo.

We are not a registered non profit as usually we help these cases out of our own pocket on a smaller scale without asking for help but we are people who love Mustangs, train Mustangs, and advocate constantly for them. These horses didn’t choose to end up in this situation, but we are making the decision to do everything we can to help them.

 

Please like and follow our page LaPoint/L4 Ranch on Facebook for updates on all the horses and information on how you can help!

 

If you would like to be added to the waitlist to adopt any of these survivors once they’re ready please message me your information so we can reach out when they are ready to find them the best forever homes!

 

Any excess funds above the cost of caring for these horses will go to training them to be successful in their forever homes once they are ready.

 

Mustangs survive, it’s who they are, and if they’re still willing to try, we will continue to fight for them.

https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/CLSV6E01MMVY