Occasionally, Metro Animal Care Services in Louisville receives a horse that's been confiscated due to neglect or abuse. A horse was what I was hoping for when I paid them a visit today. I need some horse photos for articles I plan to write. Most people can't afford or don't have room for horses so it's an often neglected topic. However, horses have been over bred, neglected, and abandoned just as cats and dogs.

Just my luck that a horse would be waiting for me when I arrived, and I left my camera at home. After looking at every dog and cat in the shelter, and managing to get out without adopting one, I went outside to see the horse.

Two animal control workers were petting him when I walked up. The only thing I know about horses is that people ride them, and cowboys kissed them in old movies. That's about it. However, I know a healthy, well cared for horse when I see one. Not only was he well cared for, but he was friendly and tried to give me kisses as I petted him.

"How did he end up here," I asked the two workers.

"He was a stray," they replied.

"What? How does a horse become a stray?" I inquired.

"A man woke up a week ago today, found him in his yard and called us to come and get him," they replied as if nothing was unusual about this discovery.

Now, I've heard of stray dogs. Just look on any bulletin board in Louisville, and you'll find plenty of dogs that stray away from their owners, but a stray horse I've never heard of.

Nobody has come forward to claim him. You'd think that the owner of such an affectionate horse would call animal control first thing. I was told that a shelter worker is going to adopt him. Happy ending!

Okay, so what's up with this horse? The only thing I could think of was he's another casualty of the recession. The owner lost his house or just couldn't afford to feed him any more so he was abandoned in someone's yard with the hope he'd be well-taken care of. I know, it's irrational thinking, but it was the best I could come up with. Maybe you have a better explanation.

In the meantime, I'm going back to Metro Animal Care Services tomorrow and taking a picture of this fellow. I'll post it here as soon as I get home.

Here's the picture. I'm told he's a pony. Okay, so I really don't know anything about horses.