Born in February 2000, G. W.’s Skippie was raced 17 times, earning over $123,000 for owner Glen Warren and trainer Andrew Leggio Jr. On September 26, 2004, he was injured in a race at Louisiana Downs. “Career” – at least on the track – over. Who Warren sold him to is unclear, but eventually he landed at Clear Creek Stud in 2005. And thus began Skippie’s second round of industry servitude, the breeding shed.
Clear Creek bred Skippie until 2016, whereupon they sold him to Randall and Jarett Wolfe. Flash forward to an article last month in the Thoroughbred Daily News. In relaying results from the “Ocala Breeders’ Breeze Show,” the TDN mentioned “the late Arkansas-based stallion G.W.’s Skippie” and quoted Randall Wolfe: “My son got G.W.’s Skippie from Clear Oak Stallions [sic] back in Fulsom [sic], Louisiana. G.W.’s Skippie hurt his knee in his last race and that finished him up. He is the only stallion we have had and, unfortunately, he passed about a week ago.” Wolfe added: “He was a very, very nice horse. He had a good mind and he put that into his babies too.”
To say that Skippie’s “passing” is among the worst we have presented on these pages would be an understatement. The “very, very nice horse” in the throes of death (warning: this video, which surfaced on social media, is extremely difficult to watch):
At death, Skippie was owned by Brittany Winans, who had acquired him directly from the Wolfes. Our Joy Aten was able to secure Randall Wolfe’s number from the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Horsemen’s Association (more on them in a moment). Joy spoke to Randall on July 14. He confirmed the handoff: “He was getting old so we gave him to this girl – she was going to breed him to a few of her mares.” Asked when, he replied, “two or three years ago.” Curiously, though, Skippie bred thrice in 2019 – and the Wolfes are the last recorded owners/breeders. So it appears the Wolfes had him through last year and probably “gave him” to Winans this spring.
In any event, the Wolfes were aware of at least some of the goings-on at Winans’. Wolfe told Joy: “[Skippie] got caught up in a fence and cut his leg up pretty bad.” Also: “He got into a pond and couldn’t get out by himself.”
When asked if he knew how emaciated Skippie was, how he could not even rise on his own, Wolfe said: “Some of these people don’t know how to feed TBs – you can’t just give them a handful of feed.” He then said he was told Skippie was in bad shape and was “put down” (“put down,” it turns out, by a shot to the head).
As for the Arkansas Horsemen’s Association, after first casting doubt that the horse in the video was Skippie (it is), they have decided to not press for Winans’ prosecution. A followup call (to ask the same) to Randall Wolfe has thus far gone unanswered.
Brittany Winans? I don’t imagine you’ll need much help from me conjuring adjectives. I’ll simply say this: What she did – torturing (or allowing the torturing of) another sentient being to death – is evil. Evil. In the final analysis, however, this is but another story of the racing-refuse pipeline: The Wolfes, instead of caring for Skippie for the remainder of his days after he had fattened their bank accounts, dumped him off to whomever; and dumping him off to whomever is no different than delivering him directly to the slaughterhouse gates. In other words, Mr. and Mr. Wolfe, Skippie’s withered insides are all over your greedy, little hands.
But as uncomfortable as this may be for some, there’s a larger truth at play here: We cannot protect horses (dogs, cats, etc.) from being tortured to death when anyone can acquire horses, and when there exists no serious deterrent to torturing them. Anyone can acquire horses because horses are things to acquire, and there is no serious deterrent because serious deterrents are reserved for violations of others’ rights. Horses are not “others”; they have no rights. Vicious circle defined.
What’s more, horses are chattel of the lowest order – manufactured, traded, used, and trashed purely on a human’s whim. There are no agencies regulating their titles, no safety nets monitoring their care. And if found abused, the victims of “animal cruelty” as defined by the law, there are no prosecutorial crusades initiated on their behalf or sentencing messages from the bench. There is no justice, not even a pretense to justice, because there is no will within society – not at the legislative level, not at the enforcement level, not at the judicial level, and most important, not at the public level – to (seriously) punish property owners for committing wrongs against their property. In the end, as long as we own them, there is nothing we can do to stop the cruelty, at least not in any meaningful way. Still, we can go a long way toward ending much of this horror (and make no mistake, there are thousands of Skippies out there) by ending the nation’s largest producer of equine products – horseracing.
Just when you think you’ve seen and heard it all..there are no printable words for this one.
Nope, will not watch.
Does anyone know who took this video? I would have had to put my phone down so I could try to comfort this poor horse or get him some help
Meredith – I asked the same question and could not get a straight answer…in fact, I believe it was the FIRST question I asked of many.
I can tell you that the individual at the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Horsemen’s Association (who I spoke with multiple times) stated they “sent someone out” to where Skippie was to confirm if the dying grey horse WAS or WAS NOT G.W.’s Skippie – she continued by telling me the horse was NOT Skippie because “the white feet on the [dying] horse didn’t match up with Skippie’s white feet” (which actually, they DID). I replied to that (attempt at identification) with; “Why not check his tattoo? Or call Wolfe and ask him to confirm Skippie’s whereabouts and that he is safe and being cared for?” Neither of those common-sense actions dawned on them.
Of course, in my next conversation with that individual, I informed her that WOLFE confirmed with me that the dying grey horse in the video (and photos) WAS Skippie.
Joy, bless you! I too was dumfounded that the people investigating the death didn’t F I R S T check for the lip tattoo! They’ll probably do away with his body pretty quickly so nothing can be done as a follow-up. What a damn, hateful shame!
My God. Patrick thank you for your unending devotion to ending horse racing same as the greyhounds. The greyhounds have an organization behind them. Do you? Have you considered connecting with them? If nothing else their experiences & advice may help you. Christine Dorchak is an attorney & you’ll like this: the greyhound industry actually paid her way thru law school & then upon graduation founded Grey2KUSA.
I share as many of your posts as I can on FaceBook & this one’s definitely going up. I personally rescue companion animals (created a little 501(c)3 to self fund & at least have a tax write off at year’s end) and am connected to a lot of rescuers & groups who hopefully further share your posts.
You have a stomach of steel & a will of iron. Godspeed in your mission to expose & end horse racing.
Thank you, LeeAnn. We – Horseracing Wrongs – are in fact a 501(c)(3) non-profit and have been working to end horseracing in multiple ways. And yes, we know, respect, and deeply admire Christine and Carey. Thank you for your commitment to companion animals.
Heartless, soulless monsters! The abuse inflicted upon this beautiful, poor soul all 20 years of his life is nothing short of criminal. Other than continue the fight to have horse racing banned forever, what can we do to have the horses’ qualification changed from “livestock” to one whereby animal cruelty rules and regulations apply? I am sure there are thousands, maybe tens of thousands like poor Skippie. I am ashamed of the human race.
**Another horrific story to read!!!! How do these people sleep at night ???? For the love of God, shut this evil horseracing sport down for good!! My love and prayers go with this beautiful horse with a gentle spirit. Rest in Peace ‘SKIPPIE’, I am so sorry for the evil wrongs these low lifes caused you. May the Wrath of God take care of all who did not take care of you, Amen!
This is completely a lesson in what happens when you “give away a horse”. If you do give one away, then unfortunately you have to check up on that horse frequently to make sure the person you gave it to is financially capable of taking care of it. I know of many stories about people who gave horses away and the horses had to be taken back or the original owner waits too long to check and the horse “was given” to somebody else or ended up in a killer pen. It costs alot of money to care for an older horse and veterinarians won’t euthanize just because the horse is old. This is a huge problem. Breeders have to be responsible for the horses they breed. And its not only thoroughbreds or standardbreds. It every breed.
Skippie wasn’t old – he was 20.
There are vets that WILL euthanize “old” horses.
And yes, MANY people neglect horses to death…starve horses to death…torture horses to death – ALL of them are despicable. But in THIS case of an unspeakable death, the horse was bred for AND used by a multi-billion dollar industry that claims to love their “athletes” like their own children. It’s time for that lie to be put to rest – and admit they only “love” them when there is money to be made from their use.
AMEN!!!!!
Thank you Joy. Yes, 20 is not old for a horse. That’s equivalent to 50 for a human and we don’t consider 50 old.
Just so many evil people in the world. Let him suffer for God’s only knows how long. May they endure worse in their life!!
OMG, such horrible people, they could not have a heart or a soul! Rest in Peace Mr. Skippy! He was so awesome and certainly didn’t deserve what happened to him, no horse deserves that treatment ever!
A society that accepts such abhorrent cruelty by “hiding” behind the law that classifies sentient beings as property is just as guilty.
The law has no conscience but it is a reflection of the values and morality of society…frightening!
P.S. I have no words to describe my sorrow for the helpless animal. And to have to confront the debt of human depravity involved is so depressing…
What a sad story. It happens too frequently when horses are given away without really checking out the new owner. This is why I just took out a $500k life insurance policy on my self. Should something happen to me, my horses will be cared for. I have racehorses and retired racehorses.
God bless you Carly! I’m sure God is grieved at the way humans have treated all of His creation! I just wish those responsible would get their just dues here on earth, too. They will stand before Him one day, but the vengeance that permeates my soul so frequently isn’t really satisfied with Devine Justice at times.
This is disturbing, grotesque and truly speaks to the evil nature of some humans. To treat any living creature like this, let alone a creature as majestic and gentle natured as a horse is reprehensible. Shame on you!
So very heartbreaking! Can’t really describe my feelings, seeing the pain and suffering these innocent animals endure at the hands of humans! For what, why…..money? This is true evil!
Undoubtedly this poor horse is one of thousands. Untold thousands who we will never know about. Thousands who are suffering at this very moment. Horses are one of the most used and abused animals on earth. Always have been. Always will be.
True, Val, that horses are probably the most abused animals on earth. But, of all the equine “activities,” it’s horse RACING that is singularly THE most systematic, life-wasting destroyer of young horse lives — with the possible exception of horse tripping, which is illegal here in the States, anyway, so not much of a comparison there.
When the end of this daily horror-show anti-sport in the U.S. inevitably comes, yes, of course, there will still be equine abuse. But we can end a major portion of this STATE-SANCTIONED SUFFERING that racing — and only racing — necessitates, simply by ENDING racing in the United States. Just as with circus animal “performances” and dog fighting, dog racing (and the aforementioned horse tripping) so-called sports, this whole, bloody “Sport of Kings” debacle will finally be shut down, too.
I don’t know where to start about how much wrong there is with how this horse was used, abused, neglected and left to die. It is sickening and it’s criminal animal neglect. There is something seriously wrong with not only the people who owned this horse but there is something seriously wrong with the people who could but refuse to prosecute animal cruelty. Why did someone take this video and do nothing to get the horse the help and proper care he needed??? What is wrong with people!!??!! The wound was not properly attended to and he was in a grass pasture starving to death. Where is the HSUS on this case??? It is NOT OKAY to say you protect animals, take in millions of dollars and do nothing about horrific cases of INHUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS which this horse is/was; an animal. This horse did NOT deserve to be exploited and carelessly dumped. Someone should be fined and imprisoned for this atrocious abuse and neglect of a horse. If a veterinarian was paid the fee, a veterinarian would have been able to treat this horse. It did not have to be like this!!!!!
Wanda..where was/is any kind of conscience,soul or human decency with the “humans” involved here??
I know… The people responsible for this should be charged, prosecuted, fined AND imprisoned!!! Regardless of what lame excuse anybody can say for doing this, I think some evil, twisted individuals dropped the ball on purpose and enjoyed the morbidity of watching a horse die in pain and agony. Whoever it was that took the video, I think, and called out the horse’s name when the horse is clearly dying is responsible as much as are the original owners for dumping him.
Wanda, you are RIGHT – MANY people are responsible for Skippie’s suffering and death.
Wanda, regarding the “green pasture” you see Skippie on, this might provide some insight – it’s from a Kristina Alexander and is about Skippie;
“This hors [sic] has given us a very emotional morning. After fight[ing] with him trying to get him up we gave up. We had to get the front loader and pick him up to get him outside. If he was going to die on us he was going to spend his last bit of time outside. We then left for a few hours. When we came back he was where we left him. After several attempts we were able to get him up. He is walking around a little. He is not out of the woods yet. Please pray. We are still fighting for his life.”
Two photos were included with this post – in one, the emaciated Skippie is laying down with a goat standing on his back.
So they left him for a few hours? What the heck. All of this is so disturbing and so disgusting. This poor, sweet horse. Skippie deserved so much better.
Thank you, Joy, for that information. It’s unbelievable that anybody could be that demented!!! Kristina Alexander (if that is her real name) absolutely deserves to be put in jail!!!!! Ignorance is no excuse for such INHUMANE TREATMENT of any animal!!!!!! So she/they left Skippie inside a barn to starve and be infected from the wire cut and then do more unbelievably stupid and cruel things to him and I just can’t believe it, how any moron like that could have any friends. I’m not buying her bull**** that they were fighting to keep him alive. She/they caused SKIPPIE to suffer unnecessarily and die a horrific and unnecessary death. With proper care, he could have lived to be thirty-something.
The cruelty involved is very, very disturbing. And just as disturbing is the misguided decision not to prosecute.
The comment From Kristina Alexander makes me ill. Using a front loader to get the horse, that was clearly in the last stage of starvation and close to death, outside and then leave him for several hours makes me question the mental health of the “we” involved.
The details of Skippie’s suffering are gut wrenching. It is incomprehensible that so many humans participated actively and passively in such grotesque torture with impunity. It makes me ashamed to be a member of the same species and a society that ignores such an outrage.
Thank you, Joy and Patrick, for your diligence in telling Skippie’s pathetic story. It is difficult to confront such depravity.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
Makes my stomach turn seeing what happened to that poor creature.
It takes a very special sort of person to care for a geriatric equine. This was not a job for an inexperience person. An older horse requires special feed and care and very good housing, especially in the winter months. No horse that has given so much to so many should end up like poor Skippie. SAD!
Unbelievable! Why aren’t these people banned from owning more horses, in fact, why are they getting away with what they have done. They are disgusting lowlifes!
I couldn’t bring myself to watch the video. The stills were horrific enough. I don’t understand why animal cruelty charges weren’t brought against this woman. Clearly, the horse was suffering terribly. I just sent an e-mail to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, including a link to this article. I’ve asked them to investigate why charges were not brought. Here’s an article regarding property laws: https://aldf.org/article/how-animals-are-treated-differently-from-other-types-of-property-under-the-law/
I hope there is a special place for people who abuse animals, and I don’t mean a nice place. Such a travesty. I feel broken hearted and sick at my stomach.
I just can not understand why this horse was not treated by a vet for its injuries and likely needed its teeth floated as well. How can you call yourself human and see something like this go on. Why are these horseman not in jail for abuse.
They are not “horsemen” in my book!!!
I am fucking speechless. ALL animals deserve better and these pos need to pay.
OMG, Iam lost for words, this is so sad. Skippie didn’t deserve this ending. He was starved and justice should be served. Whomever is responsible should be fined and maybe arrested for treating him so horrible. He suffered , he had a cruel ending.🙏💔💔😡
Heartbreaking 😂 beautiful horse tredd sd Ted so inhumanly . Owners should be shot! Really disturbing.
This type of neglect and abuse should put someone in jail.
Why bother leaving a comment, nobody cares or does anything about it .
I see many undercover investigations , heartless, idiot humans abusing the poor defenseless animals
In farms , labs , puppy mills and in homes. It’s so sad 😪
It just makes me sick how some humans will treat an animal! After everything this horse gave to “humans”……….this is how they repaid him!
I turned vegetarian because I loved horses and didn’t want their cousins, the cows, to be tortured and murdered just so I could eat a hamburger. I hope others who are supporting this petition consider going vegetarian or vegan, to help end the slaughter and mistreatment of millions of animals hourly. As a perk, my health/weight is great given my healthy diet.
I put a face on my food. Vegetarian 4 years
I don’t eat anything with a mom.
Six years for me, will not eat anything with a face! I sleep better every night knowing an animal did not die for my meal. Congrats to all veggies, God loves you and so do I !!
Kudos to u👍
humans are the meanest of ALL species!!!! all they care about is the $ every breathing liveing being , animal or human deservs love & care. these heartless people will some day answer to GOD!!! shame on them!!
Sooo agree
Bless his heart – he did not deserve a life of torture. How cruel.
This is a disgrace. The people responsible for the cruelty to this innocent animal should be charged with animal cruelty. There is no excuse for any animal to be so emaciated, being unable to walk, or to graze. This is CRUELTY!
Others must have seen, known, the condition of this horse and said nothing – they in my mind are just as guilty as those responsible for torturing a beautiful animal to death. A Veterinarian would have euthanized the horse to prevent him suffering any more. These people knew that but chose not to call the Veterinarian.
I will never understand why people cannot see that an animal is starving to death. I am just so horrified that someone could watch this, photograph this and nonchalantly state that they had to use a front loader to get him out into the pasture. Is there nothing that can be done in the jurisdiction where he died?
Shame on the people who didn’t have the sense to see this beautiful horse needed help.?Oh how I wish the human beings could be treated the same way the treated this wonderful animal. Shame on them. Only good thing is what goes around comes around and one day they will get the same horrible treatment- which they deserve.
Horrible abuse of an innocent horse that gave his all for you and this is his reward. The ones involved in the neglect of Skippy make me sick.
End horse racing. Horrible “sport.”
As much as I disagree with the wronging of these horses, I don’t you can say it is ‘evil’ because who gets to chose whats right or wrong, we cannot play the role of god as different people have different opinions, there is no given ‘right or wrong’ simply ‘socially acceptable, in which case the brutal abuse, misuse and killing of these poor horses should not be seen as socially acceptable.
I stand behind what I wrote, Sebastian. I did not call any particular person evil – simply the act (of torturing to death another sentient being).
Sebastian, there are rights and wrongs – moral absolutes. We don’t just THINK torturing a living creature is wrong, it IS wrong.
Thank you, Joy!!!!!! Well said!!!!!!! What was done to SKIPPIE was absolutely wrong!!!!!!!!
Sebastian, we are called upon every day to make choices and to differentiate between good and evil;. You can say that something or someone is evil in this country as there are laws against such cruelty. This is our culture and way of life and those that come here need to abide by the laws and cultural restrictions in place. When a human being does something bad, like starving an animal to death, somewhere at their core they know what they have done is wrong. If they do not, then there is something very wrong with that person.
How may I sign a petition? Once I have the petition, I’d like to forward it to others.
How can people be so cruel? Obviously, that poor horse was starving and nobody gave a damn. Any animal deserves better than how he was treated. They should ALL be responsible for his condition due to torture. He certainly should have seen a vet, not allowed to be in pain with his hooves and starvation. Hopefully every person he had contact with should rot in hell
Exactly right!
If this was possible, I’d be clamoring to join you. I’d have NO MERCY! Did anyone in that sadistic pipeline of humane failure have mercy on the horse? No. Do any of the humans involved deserve mercy? Absolutely NOT! I hope like you do–each and every one of them fall victim to a debilitating disease or life-changing injury and they all come to know intimately how it feels to be totally and completely abandoned to their suffering.
No words for this. Abuse of any animal should be a felony with severe sentencing.
I abhor animal exploitation. Veganism is not a diet.
Some humans are pure evil scum The bad part is that the rest of us are not able to stop this evil. For me that should go to jail the greedy bastards. Thick skinned without an ounce of compassion., I hope karma gets them .
This is a sad story that should never have happened. People need to be held responsible for animal cruelty, It must be made a crime and jail time should be issued, until these atrocities end.
These people should
Never ever own another animal. If only I had
Known I could made a
Difference. So sad!! I have people and their lack of love for animals.
What a shame that there are people out there who can watch (and cause) animal suffering and death. One would hope their conscious would bother them constantly. Stronger punishments are needed for these creeps.
I haven’t any words (printable at least) to express my outrage over this cruelty. This must be STOPPED.
Very sad
Discusting how people treat horses. A horrible game of racing can only be compared to any other kind of slavery that ever existed. Humans are the worst breed ever.