The scrawny pinto running around the corral at Heart And Soul Animal Sanctuary would give almost anyone a start. Barely a shadow of a healthy horse, the mare's most distinctive features are her protruding ribs and stick-like hindquarters.

But the sight doesn't discourage Natalie Owings, whose Glorieta sanctuary is quickly becoming a horse haven. Owings says she simply sees a chance to save another being from certain death.

"I'm happy I can help," she said Sunday, while watching veterinarian Stuart McCall examine the sanctuary's most recent charge. "It's not discouraging. If there's an emaciated dog, or an emaciated cat or an emaciated horse, I can't say 'no.' I'm just going to make the room for them."

Dubbed Princess, the mare joins Prince, a horse left for dead last month in the forests between Pecos and Colonias. That horse, found by a woman on a hike with her grandchildren, is slowly gaining weight at the sanctuary. He's gained about 50 pounds and has quickly regained his vitality, pawing at the ground or racing from field to stall.

"He's still too thin," McCall said, "but he's got a whole new nature about him."

Princess came to the sanctuary Friday from a private party after being taken by the New Mexico Livestock Board. Owings recently told the board she'll harbor as many horses as she can. She could soon be getting more cases.

The economic downturn has left many without resources for their animal companions. Horses are especially vulnerable, and many people simply abandon the equines or don't provide them with sufficient food.

Animal Protection New Mexico, which runs an Emergency Hay Assistance Program through its Equine Fund, estimates there are only about 250 places for abandoned or neglected horses in the state. That's far too few to handle the number of horses in need of care, a number that is steadily increasing.

While details about the Princess' circumstances weren't available from the Livestock Board, which handles such complaints, Owings said the inspector told her the horse didn't have much more than weeds to eat. The owner reportedly told the board he was told the vegetation was sufficient for the horse's nourishment.

The owner did, however, willingly surrender the horse. Aside from smaller sanctuaries like Heart and Soul, the livestock board also turns to larger equine sanctuaries such as The Horse Shelter in Cerrillos for placement.

Princess, much like Prince, is about 300 pounds under an ideal weight of about 900 pounds, although she appears to have more stamina. Owings suspects it will take four to six months for Princess to regain most of that weight, at which time Owings will look for a permanent home for the horse.

It's surprising how quickly emaciated horses can regain weight, Owings and McCall said, thanks in large part to specially formulated senior equine feed. The mixture contains extra protein readily absorbed by older or less-healthy horses.

"I think we can find a very nice home for her," Owings said. "She doesn't trust us yet, but she will."

McCall, who works out of The Ark Veterinary clinic in Santa Fe, says he's heard plenty of stories of abandoned and neglected horses. But most of the horses he cares for in Santa Fe are well fed and maintained.

The horses mostly suffer from confinement issues, he said, such as lack of exercise, or digestive problems caused by a lack of variety of grains found on more verdant pastureland. He calls the Santa Fe horse crowd the "cream of the crop," but acknowledges a general equine crisis in the nation, which boils down to too many horses that simply cost too much to maintain.

While it's difficult to say how long Princess could have survived, McCall said she didn't have much reserve left. He suspects she had two weeks at the most, while Prince probably had about 36 hours left to live before he was rescued.

An examination of her teeth indicates she's probably more than 25 years old, he said, and has some dental problems, along with sand in her belly, a common problem. The lack of nutritious feed likely forced the horse to eat any grasses down to the soil. Owings will treat the condition with psyllium, a digestive formula.

While there's no excuse for a letting a horse starve, McCall said he tries to temper his outrage. It could be that the owner didn't realize the horse's nutritional needs had changed over the years, or that the owner couldn't bear to part with the horse despite a financial change.

A North Carolina native, McCall has always had an interest in equines. He remembers checking books out about horses in first grade, and constantly bugged his parents until they bought him a horse when he was 14. He studied at New Mexico State University, but went to North Carolina for veterinary school before returning to New Mexico for good.

A self-styled "horse nut," McCall said he became a veterinarian mostly so he could work with horses. He understands how horses can get in one's blood.

"Horses have a peculiar quality," he said. "People who've had horses all their life, they become a part of your identity, who you are and how you see yourself in the world. So the last thing people want to give up is the horse. It's unfortunate the horses have to pay the price."

1. MORE ABOUT HORSES
2. • For more information on Heart and Soul, visit the website at www.animal-sanctuary.org, or call 505-757-6817. For more information about the Emergency Hay Assistance program run by Animal Protection New Mexico's equine fund, visit equineprotectionfund.org. To report suspected neglect or abuse of animals, call the toll-free statewide hot line at 1-877-548-6263.