By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph is home to one of the only registered horse hospices in the entire state of Missouri.
Sharon Bryant with the Albee Farm says the hospice is different from most horse rescues, which normally take in horses and rehabilitate them.
Bryant says at The Albee Farm they take in disabled and chronically ill horses looking for ways to treat various diseases
"We put them on clinical trials with some universities that we have a very good relationship with to help develop data and research on those diseases so that we can help not only the horses that are in our care but also horses around the world and around the country so that they will have the medicines they need should they develop these conditions later on in life," Bryant tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr.
The hospice offers several interactive clinics and workshops to also teach people about horses.
Bryant says the clinical trials conducted provide data for horses all across the country that develop these diseases.
Most of the diseases that we have clinical trials for, anything from osteoarthritis, which is very common to navicular disease, lymphoma, all kinds of things like that," Bryant explains. "So, even though the horses may not last very long, the research lasts forever, so the research is primarily what our mission is, is to get that research."
Bryant says the hospice is different from a horse rescue in that they don't go look for horses but rather they take in horses from people looking to get rid of them.
Bryant says on top of all the normal farm chores the clinical trials are a lot of work
"We have to take vitals usually four to six times a day, we have to administer the drug, it has to be gender specific, it has to be breed specific, it could have a different effect on an Arabian Mare under the age of five than a Thoroughbred Gelding over the age of 20, so they're very specific and we have to keep those records," Bryant says.
Bryant says they then upload and download all this data to keep track of the trial and how things are working.
The farm relies on area businesses and donations to continue running and treating these horses. You can learn more at theAlbeefarm.com.
A major fundraiser for the farm will be coming up on November 11th as they will host a father daughter dance at the Stoney Creek Inn. Tickets can be purchased online.