Port Dickson Follow up in Malacca

The owner of the Ranch in Malacca very kindly invited us over to his place so we went along with today. Its a small place situated right in the middle of a kampung which caught us a little by surprise. First we were driving along and suddenly it was oh look horses. There were 25 horses and ponies comprising mainly of arabs and Indonesian type ponies. There were also 6 foals all fathered by the same stallion. The two youngest were 1 week old and the other foals looked to be about 5/6 months old. The land size is only about an acre at best. Looked more like half. On it housed the stables for all the animals, feed room, tack room and groom quarters. There was no grazing or paddocks. The stables however were of an acceptable size that being 9 by 12 feet. The impression that we go from the owner was that he was very keen to learn more on horse care and wants to learn how to keep his horses in better condition. The overall condition of his horses were passable but they were just not fed enough food. Some of them were much too skinny and the mares had little to supplements or enough food. We suggested sending the mares and their babies to a spelling station but the owner said that UPM were going to allow them to graze and run at their place. Will be calling on Monday to verify this and also why UPM came in and blood tested his entire collection of horses. Wondering if there is something sinister but it could be as simple as if the mares and babies are going they need to be blood tested. Am not too sure. At the same time, was thinking that the vet should come in and implement a proper feeding program for the horses for the grooms to follow. I don't get the feeling that its willful neglect just lack of knowledge. The grooms were taking care of the horse but they fed them the kind of food that indigenous ponies survive on which is not enough for other horses. Also operationally as the owner lives in Klang a lot of things may not be done as well as they should e.g. feeding patterns. According to the owner, all the horses have their feet done one and month and are dewormed every three months. 3 of the horses that looked really bad apparently came from Johore and he is the process of rehabilitating them. The worrying thing to me in this situation is that the stallion foals are remaining in tact and he has already bred six foals. Present site is way too small and if more babies come where is he going to put them all and another thing can he afford them all? A thought is crossing my mind though as I write this - whether his pleading ignorance to proper care and his earnest manner to learn is just an act cuz his competition stallion is in good condition so he must know enough to keep that one in good order?? Or am I just too cynical?

Ranch A Given Two Weeks to Clean up

No hoof care. Standing on cement in own urine and droppings.

We wanted to purchase to save this shetland too.

and this but they wanted RM 15K for each

Skin was just hanging off him

The little flecks are not mud. They are actually sores



The left and middle was one that we wanted to buy to start immediate treatment but the owner wanted RM 10K for him

another one we wanted to purchase to save

Bag of bones field. Dropping were everywhere no sign of field maintenance

This fellow was weaving endlessly in the stable. I have having trouble uploadin the video of him but will keep trying

Proud flesh wound. Stable covered in shit and urine

On Monday 28 Jan. 2008, a vet and I flew across to Sabah to assess the situation in Sabah. The meeting with the DVS HQ and Sabah was a closed meeting so we were unable to attend however we were told on an unofficial basis (they are still to firm it up in a letter outlining their action plan and proposed time line) Ranch A has two weeks to turn the situation around if not the DVS are going to get a police order to seize the horses and ponies and close the place down if needs be. It is unfortunate but the situation in Malaysia is that the only authority with the power of seizure is the Dept. of Vet Services. SPCA unlike in the UK does not have the power of seizure and we can only generally encourage lobby and offer assistance. We would also like to lobby for licensing of owners / riding establishments but that is another issue that can be dealt with another time. On our visit to Ranch A on that same day, we noted as outstanding:

• None of the horses and ponies had any bedding. Those that were not wondering around freely and without control were standing in stables in their own urine and droppings on cement flooring. The Shetland ponies looked miserable and at least two we noted (of the five) had long hooves and very likely fungal infections and thrush as they could barely walk. One in particular had skin hanging off him and the grey one with the maggot wound which we received pictures of last week is presumed dead (though apparently the owner of Ranch A does have a farm somewhere where it is likely he could have taken the worse horses and ponies to. We have been unable to locate the farm.
• Many of the them were under fed as can be noted from the photos.
• The yard itself was in a bad condition with sacks and sacks of droppings. The dead chestnut horse in the earlier picture was left on the yard apparently for days before being removed and there was a horse tethered near it that was eating grass next to it.
• The horses and ponies are being fed cattle feed that is primarily made up of palm kernels. This is of course better than just grass but it is still not great due to the high urea content which will eventually affect the liver.
• There were only 2 staff to run the entire yard of 30 horses.

The DVS report is going to demand, amongst others,

• proper bedding for every stable,
• more staff,
• clean up of the yard and
• more feed for the horses.

We did try to purchase the worse 4/5 horses from the owners so that we could immediately treat them but were told that they wanted RM 8 - 15K per horse / pony which is ludicrous. This must have been a first. A group of people making enquries at a yard to purchase the worst horses!! We were hesitant to treat the horses and ponies then and there as should they and it was likely die we may be unwittingly be caught up in harm of private property law suit from the owners whom I haven't met but are rumoured to be vindictive. I hope the DVS stick to their word and after two weeks WILL act appropriately. We have spoken with the DVS and should they need assistance in two weeks time we are more than happy to help them in anyway possible. I am presuming time starts to run from the day I got the phone call and not when the official report is out!! That cld take forever!