If all of the other horses on the premises appear to be of good weight, I would suspect that the one thin horse is ill or geriatric or both.

sought the advice of trusted caregivers and carefully established a timeline to extend my horse’s “good days” as long as possible while we said our goodbyes.

Throughout this difficult period, one constant worry sat in the back of my mind: Anyone who spotted my horse from the road but didn’t know us and our situation could easily have thought he was starving---I was at risk of being reported to the authorities for neglecting the horse I loved so much.

So, on top of everything else I was coping with---at a time when I was already at my worst---I might have had to deal with a humane investigator at my door. I had seen this sort of scenario when I worked as an extension agent for the University of Tennessee. My work included checking in on adopted BLM mustangs and answering questions from the public about possible animal neglect. Often, the queries involved thin animals someone had seen from a distance. My first response was to ask questions, not give answers.

Of course, when there’s a possibility that an animal is suffering it’s always best to err on the side of caution and notify the authorities. But it’s worthwhile to consider a few questions beforehand, if nothing else so that you can provide important background for those who might investigate the situation.