Six wild mustangs rescued from a Nebraska ranch, where 60 horses died and hundreds others suffered life-threatening ailments, have arrived to Zuma’s Rescue Ranch in Littleton for rehabilitation.
When the horses arrived from the 3-Strikes Ranch near Alliance, Neb., on Tuesday, four of them were pregnant. Two have given birth since arriving — including one early Friday morning — and two more foals are due by June 15.
“Thinking many of them were not going to make it and to see them here alive and healthy and delivering healthy foals is unbelievable,” said Jodi Messenich, owner of Zuma’s Rescue Ranch.
Messenich said the rehabilitation period will take several months. All six horses arrived at the Littleton ranch with overgrown hooves, “massive” infestations of intestinal parasites. All were malnourished.
“Once a horse develops intestinal parasites it takes months to get that out of their system,” she said.
Once the horses are healthy, Messenich said, some will be saddle trained for a psychotherapy program at Zuma’s Rescue Ranch for children in foster care.
The owner of the Nebraska ranch, Jason Meduna, was arrested on animal cruelty charges on April 18, after reporting problems on the ranch to the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. Sixty horses were found dead on his property.
“A lot of people are wondering what does happen to someone who allows this to happen,” Messenich said. “Starvation and malnutrition is one of the worst ways for an animal to die because it’s extremely painful and slow.”
Anthony Bowe 303-954-1661 or abowe@denverpost.com
