Is this animal abuse?

[Card]

This is the only forum I thought might give sensible answers. I visited the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya a while ago and saw these horses in a paddock. The guide told me they look thin because they are very old but are fed 3x a day. They have other animals like sheep and goats which look healthy, but these look emaciated. A couple of other horses in the same paddock looked ok. What do you think? I can't see why a tourist orientated 'religious' site would put abused animals on show but then some zoos in Thailand do. Do old horses look emaciated when healthy? If abused who do I report it to in Pattaya?

Edited February 7, 2022 by Card

[John Bird]

I think it is indeed a form of animal abuse,  and I doubt the horses are fed well and nutritiously. That said, hardly anyone will care if you report it. Thailand is a hotbed for animal abuse. 

[farmerjo]

Look in better condition than a lot of cattle i see in my parts.

[djayz]

I agree with you 100%, but, we live in a country where human rights mean diddly squat and animals even less. We need to come to terms with the fact that our Western standards do not extend beyond Western borders.   

[bbko]

So how old are the horses?

[Card]

24 minutes ago, bbko said:

So how old are the horses?

No idea but it was not allowed to touch or feed them whereas with the other animals, visitors could touch and buy food to feed them.

Edited February 7, 2022 by Card

[bbko]

9 hours ago, Card said:

No idea but it was not allowed to touch or feed them whereas with the other animals, visitors could touch and buy food to feed them.

For all we know they could be really really old and the equivalent of a 90+ year old man,  trying to claim abuse without knowing all the facts is a mistake.  

[Card]

31 minutes ago, bbko said:

For all we know they could be really really old and the equivalent of a 90+ year old man,  trying to claim abuse without knowing all the facts is a mistake.  

There is no need to claim abuse, just ask if it is abuse or not. Do you know if very old horses look starved is my question.

[steven100]

It's not animal abuse so much as it is neglect.  They have feed, water and their hooves are not out grown wild. 

They possible lack good nutritious feed as pointed out earlier,  also they may need drenching against worms etc ...

also they may need drenching against liver fluke.  

They are not seriously mal-nourished by no means,  I'd say the owner is just feeding them enough to survive by the looks.

[tonray]

Very old horses (17 years +) often have an inability to process nutrients and look this way. It really depends on how old these horses are and whether they are being given just hay or a supplemental feed with extra grain.