Nutmeg and Baby need a ‘forever home’

Photo: (From left) Dr. Anna Simms, Baby, Cathy Shaut, Nutmeg and Rigel Morgan

by Wanda Combs
Editor

They’re quite a pair. Nutmeg, a retired racing horse, and Baby, a young racking pony, share a friendship that reaches beyond their distinct personalities and ages.
The horses, both females, that have been under the care of the Floyd County Humane Society for about two years have definitely bonded, said their foster provider Rigel Morgan. Nutmeg, a thoroughbred, is estimated to be 27-30 years old. Baby is 8-9 years old.
When their owner had to move due to a separation, she had to get rid of all of her animals, explained Anna Simms, a veterinarian, who makes house calls and visits the horses at Morgan’s Willis farm. “She had goats, cats, and chickens. These guys were harder to get someone to take.”
Dr. Simms then talked to Morgan and other members of the Humane Society, who thought it was best to put them in foster care until “a forever home” could be found.”
Providing care for horses is a challenge for the local Humane Society, explained Cathy Shaut, who has been with the Society for nine years. “We have provisions for dogs and cats, but for livestock and horses, we don’t have the resources.” Shaut said she wished she could take the horses. “I think they are beautiful. I would take them in two seconds flat (if I had fenced land).”
Morgan is one of seven fosters now helping with care for the Humane Society. Five of those individuals provide care for dogs, and one gives care for cats. More help with fostering is always needed, Shaut remarked. “We’d love to have more fosters.” The Humane Society provides all of the food and veterinary services for its animals, and the fosters have no expense, only the care involved. The Society also receives donations, and has had hay donated for the horses.
The Floyd County Humane Society rescues from the county dog pound and volunteers there on Saturdays, from 8 until noon. Shaut said Society members help to clean and play with the dogs and try to get them adopted and into foster care. They work “in a very short time frame” due to pound regulations. Last year, the Humane Society rescued approximately 147 dogs, and there were 12 direct adoptions from the pound.
Now members are trying to find a home for Nutmeg and Baby. Morgan said the horses need to be together, and whoever adopts them should have a solid barn, or other shelter, out of the weather, and fenced land. Dr. Simms said the home needs to be loving and added, “Baby is an easy keeper. She is really low maintenance. Nutmeg, being older, is going to need TLC.” Baby has never had any training, Simms noted, and she would need “education” to be ridden.
At Morgan’s farm, the horses have also been enjoying the company of Zugar, a goat, and Morgan said the three get along well. Morgan also has three dogs of her own and one in foster care.
Her neighbors across the road have been helping with the horses, Morgan said. “They know horses and come over and brush them, and they gave me a hand when the farrier came last time.”
It is difficult to find homes for horses, Shaut said, “because of the economy and there are so many unwanted horses at this time.”
The Humane Society members want to find a good “forever” home for these horses. They would prefer if they are adopted together. “Horses like the companionship of other horses,” Morgan commented and added since Nutmeg is older, it would be nice if perspective owners also had other horses.
If you are interested in adopting Nutmeg and Baby, please let them know.
For more information on adopting the horses or volunteering to foster, please contact the Humane Society at 745-7207, visit floydhumanesociety.org, or send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).