“With a life-span less than half of a horse in the U.S., the majority of horses in Nicaragua live their entire lives without the care of a veterinarian, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive animal welfare initiatives.”
Veterinary Care Clinics for Working Horses
As of August 2024, we resumed our working horse clinics that began in 2018. In partnership with equine veterinarian, Dr. Lester Tapia, we provide large-scale veterinary clinics to working horses in underserved communities throughout Nicaragua. With a life-span less than half of a horse in the U.S., the majority of horses in Nicaragua live their entire lives without the care of a veterinarian, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive animal welfare initiatives. At our clinic in August, 84 horses received comprehensive veterinary care in one day, including hoof care, dental treatments, wound cleaning, vitamins, tetanus vaccines, and dewormers, at no cost to their owners.
Horses are a source of income throughout Nicaragua and so our clinics serve as a lifeline for horses and their families, providing essential veterinary care that would otherwise be out of reach. These animals, who have tirelessly supported their communities, now experience a significant improvement in their well-being. By dedicating resources to support their health, we uplift the horses and the families who rely on them to make ends meet. In our clinics, we not only provide immediate veterinary care, but also employ education as a catalyst for lasting transformation. Through education, we foster a more compassionate, sustainable bond between humans and horses, empowering owners with the skills to elevate the standard of care for their animals and create lasting transformation in their communities.
90% of the world's horses are working horses
Working Horse Program
Our Working Horse Program addresses the unique needs of horses in Nicaragua. For many of these working horses, our program serves as their sole access to crucial veterinary care. These horses, which have tirelessly contributed to their communities, receive compassionate and free veterinary care, marking a profound milestone in their well-being. We will not only improve their health, but also bridge a vital gap, ensuring they receive the care they deserve in a way that has never been available to them before.
History
When our founder, Liz, first visited Nicaragua in 2017, horses were not on her radar. This changed, however, after witnessing emaciated horses, barely clinging to life under the scorching 95-degree weather on the main highway of Managua, the capital city. This jarring experience left her deeply unsettled. The haunting images of these horses, frail and collapsing, became impossible to erase from her memory.
It wasn’t until she crossed paths with Dr. Lester Tapia of AproVet Nicaragua that Liz found an opportunity to make a difference. Inspired by Dr. Tapia’s dedication to horses, in November of 2018, she began a partnership with him, taking the initiative to address the urgent need for proper horse care: providing veterinary clinics for working horses, free-of-charge to owners. Since then, we have conducted 11 clinics, offering vital veterinary care to 1,293 horses.
Our clinics represent a lifeline for these animals, granting them access to essential veterinary care that, without us, would remain out-of-reach throughout their lifetime.
Current Environment
“With a life-span less than half of a horse in the U.S., the majority of horses in Nicaragua live their entire lives without the care of a veterinarian, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive animal welfare initiatives.”
90% of the world’s horses are working horses
Working horses sustain the livelihoods of Nicaraguan families. Unlike in the U.S., where horses commonly serve as companions, in Nicaragua, these remarkable animals bear the burden of hauling substantial loads of waste, construction and agricultural materials. They are often leased to unsupervised buyers for labor-intensive tasks and for general transportation.
Working horses in Nicaragua are in desperate need of veterinary care. Most of these horses work every day of the year, are exhausted, suffer deep wounds from incorrectly placed harnesses and carts, suffer from parasitic infections, problems with their hooves, malnutrition, and many other ailments. With a life-span less than half of a horse in the U.S., the majority of horses in Nicaragua live their entire lives without the care of a veterinarian, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive animal welfare initiatives.
According to Dr. Tapia, “The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that 90% of the world’s horses are working horses. While they are essential for human assistance, it is estimated that these working horses are cared for by only 1% of the world’s veterinarians.”
Globally, the working equine population, encompassing donkeys, horses, and mules, stands at approximately 100 million. Notably, 36 million of them reside in the 38 lowest-income countries, Nicaragua being a pertinent example. There are at least 300,000 working horses in Nicaragua (BID 2020). The negative distribution of resources has profound effects on their welfare.
Elisa Quiroz, Program Manager, has this to say about horses in her country:
“The reality of horses in Nicaragua is very sad; they have to walk long distances and have little access to good food or veterinary care. What is most alarming is that there are people who rent horses for days and, in these cases, they are in the worst conditions. If the owner does not take good care of their horse, then the renter does not care about the treatment and handles the horse even worse. Not all cases are like this, but these extreme cases are the most frustrating to witness. I hope the clinics provide relief for horses, and that the owners can become aware of the proper care for them.”
By dedicating resources to the well-being of working horses, we’re not only enhancing their quality of life, but we’re also extending a crucial lifeline to families, assisting them in making ends meet and, through education, fostering a more sustainable and compassionate connection between humans and horses.
Importance of Working Horse Clinics in Nicaragua
The gravity of the situation extends beyond the animals themselves, resonating deeply within the communities dependent on them. The health and vitality of these working horses directly translate to heightened productivity, elevated livelihoods, and an overall improved well-being for the families relying on these indispensable animals. Our clinics step into the breach of veterinary care, bridging a crucial gap to ensure these working horses receive the urgent care they rightfully deserve.
Our commitment, however, doesn’t stop at medical treatment alone. We recognize that true change requires more—education. In our clinics, we not only provide immediate veterinary care, but also employ education as a catalyst for lasting transformation. By educating communities, we empower horse owners with the skills and understanding to elevate the standard of care for their animals. This educational component acts not only as a short-term solution but also as a potent force for the enduring well-being of the entire community.
The health of working horses in Nicaragua is woven into the fabric of community prosperity. In addition to contributing to the welfare of individual horses, our clinics empower communities through education and veterinary care for their working horses.
Our Team
Both program managers have been with Global Strays for seven years and have a passion for animal welfare in Nicaragua. This program is overseen and monitored by our International Programs Director and Global Strays Founder/President, Liz Shafiroff. The veterinary care for our Working Horse Program is managed by AproVet. Our Program Manager helps facilitate these clinics in Nicaragua. Lead veterinarian for the clinics, CEO-Founder Dr. Lester Tapia, is one of the best equine veterinarians in Nicaragua and has extensive experience training veterinarians worldwide and locally. He and his highly trained team of veterinarians manage and attend to all the veterinary aspects of our clinics.
More on Dr. Tapia:
Dr. Tapia holds degrees in Agronomy Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, completed MS studies in Clinic and Animal health, and is currently pursuing his second master’s in Veterinary Public Health, showcasing his extensive international involvement and dedication to training veterinarians across Latin America, the USA, Canada, Europe, and Asia over the past 8 years. Dr. Tapia and his highly trained team ensure that every aspect of our clinics receives expert attention. Together, this passionate and skilled team works tirelessly to make a lasting impact on the well-being of working horses in Nicaragua.
Impact and Outcomes
Quantitatively, so far, our working horse clinics have helped 1,209 working horses and their owners. Working horse owner Francisco Reyes, who attended one of our clinics, had this to say:
“The clinic is great because it helps us a lot economically, in part. You know, poor folks, us cart drivers, lack the money to buy medication. This clinic benefits all of us cart drivers because it helps us with the animals, primarily with vitamins, dewormers, and in cleaning their hooves and teeth. This has helped us strengthen our animals. We really thank you, those that are here helping and doing their part to help us. So thank you, we give you many thanks.”
At these clinics, Dr. Tapia and his team educate horse owners to improve how they care for their horses. One example of this is the importance of correct harness placement. Dr. Tapia says, “Poor placement of harnesses, or their padding being too thin, causes lacerations on horses’ backs. I recommend protective harnesses, placing padding higher or lining the ropes with padding so that they do not have direct contact with the skin. This prevents those huge lacerations that are highly difficult to heal once they develop.”
Without veterinary attention, owners take matters into their own hands, often based on antiquated treatment myths, leading to unfathomable suffering. Through open discourse and education, Dr. Tapia and his team help dispel these harmful myths. As per Dr. Tapia, some of the more common myths include:
- Burning the horse’s entire body with a hot machete to treat tetanus
- Injecting lemon juice into the horse’s veins to cure tetanus
- Applying burnt black motor oil and muriatic acid to horse hooves to treat Vesicular Stomatitis
- Inserting a long hook into the horse’s nostril to cure onchocerciasis, a disease caused by a parasite
The educational component of our clinics is the key to lasting change in the communities we serve.
“We really thank you, those that are here helping and doing their part to help us.”
