ViewFinder: Ivelolharele Retirement Sanctuary in Chilton keeps horses healthy

CAUTION: Don't be fooled by a beautiful website with gorgeous pictures because they don't always tell the whole story. Also, be very, very cautious about ever retiring your beloved horses. Get EVERYTHING in writing that was discussed or promised, and be sure to make regular visits to check up on the health of the horses if you do retire them. It is not always what it seems, and people have horror stories. If you really want to get a good recommendation about horse retirement, speak with the owners of Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation.

I know three people who retired their horses at this facility last year. All three people paid the fee to retire their horses and were promised visitation rights per contract. Before the first year was up, three of their horses, plus other retirement horses on the property, were in danger with serious nutritional problems resulting in bony protrusions and muscle loss, and were in need of farrier care. Fortunately, the original owners took immediate action when the owners of the facility did not heed the advice of the horse owners to seek veterinary attention for their beloved animals. Two of the horses were recovered and saved, but the owners refused to give up the other two horses (owned by the same person) because one of them was given to the daughter as her own, personal horse, not left as a retirement horse. The sheriff's department did not recognize a problem and did not uphold the contract, and the case is still pending. I hope those retirement horses are no longer suffering.