(a study of the effects of neglect)
| January, 1969 | Jack was born on a quarter horse ranch in
San Diego, California. He spent his first days frolicking beside his
mother. |
| March, 1969 | Jack's feet were trimmed for the first
time by the ranch farrier. The pointed foal foot was rounded at the toe
so that Jack would break over straight when he walked. |
| May, 1969 | Jack's foot was growing as the colt got
bigger. The foot was getting wider and rounder. His feet were trimmed
again as they would be every two months while Jack was at the ranch.
Jack was taught to lead and pick up his feet. |
| June, 1970 | Jack was moved to a box stall. He was
taught to ground drive on long lines, to trot and stop on command. |
| July, 1970 | Jack was returned to the box stall. He was
again driven with long lines, and ridden. Jack was taught to stop, turn
and move into different gaits. He was shod for the first time. |
| February, 1971 | Jack was two years old and had reached his
full height. His chestnut coat was smooth and glossy, the veins visible
beneath the skin that covered bulging muscles. Jack was gelded by the
ranch veterinarian. |
| March, 1971 | Jack was sold to Melissa and sent to a
trainer for Western Performance Training. While he was at the trainer's
he was shod regularly by the trainer's farrier. |
| September, 1971 | Jack came home to Melissa to be ridden
every day and entered into horse shows on weekends. He performed
willingly and well. His feet were symmetrical with good wall and sole,
nearly perfect. Jack was shod every two months. |
| June, 1975 | Melissa was married. Jack was sold to
Bonnie who took him to Los Angeles County. Bonnie wanted to ride in
horse shows but after entering several and performing poorly, she became
disinterested. |
| June, 1976 | Melissa was married. Jack was sold to
Bonnie who took him to Los Angeles County. Bonnie wanted to ride in
horse shows but after entering several and performing poorly, she became
disinterested. |
| December, 1977 | Jack's frogs were all but destroyed by
thrush. His front feet were elongated, the contraction more pronounced.
The wall was thicker at the toe from pressure caused by long feet.
The heels were underslung, the bulbs of the heels protruding
behind the foot. Inside the front feet the navicular bones have formed
small calcium spurs. |
| December, 1978 | The fetlock joints of the front feet were
swollen from mis-alignment in the joint. The navicular bone had begun to
de-calcify. The deep flexor tendons were inflamed and painful from
gliding over the roughened surfaces of the navicular bones. Jack walked with short, stiff, painful steps. |
| March, 1979 | Jack was sold at the El Monte Horse and
Mule auction and put in a pen with other poor looking old and sick
horses. Later he was trucked to Fresno, CA in a large stock van. |
| May, 1979 | 8:30 A.M. Jack's life is ended by a
stun-gun and knife. Hooks are inserted behind the superficial flexor
tendons behind his hocks and he is hoisted to the overhead conveyor
track. The dead horse is gutted and his skin is peeled off with a pneumatic air gun. The carcass is then cut in half with a chain saw. Author Unknown |