Horse confined in her stall

Question
Where I ride, there's a mare kept in a dark large indoor stall that faces the aisle.  From what other boarders tell me, she doesn't get out much.  She pins her ears and looks very unhappy, of course -- I talk to her whenever I can.  And, there is NO BEDDING in the stall except for mats!!  The owner of the barn doesn't seem to care, and other riders say "If we turn out the horse & she hurts herself, we're liable."   I want to leave a compassionate but helpful note to the owners, since I feel very badly for this poor unhappy horse.  What  would you suggest I say in the note, to the owners?  I know I'm not "minding my own business," but someone has to be an advocate for this horse.

Answer
Hi and thanks for looking out for her.  A note may appear non-personal and could be confused, like what happens with emails often.

I would get the number or hang out when you know they come out and ask if they would mind if you would take the horse out for a walk once and a while, since you notice they are busy and can't get out very much.  You can tell them the has adopted you and appears to like you and seems like a likable horse.  You can sell this by saying it will give her exercise and you were told by some horse people that the more horses you handle the better you understand the horse and it improves your horsemanship.  That way you help them and they help you.

After doing that for a while maybe groom her and tie her with your horse, get them use to each other so they buddy up and then, come back and say your horse really likes my horse and would they mind if you turn her out with your horse.

Tell them they won't have to clean stall as much as a bonus, however if they abuse the horse by locking it up all the time, they probably don't clean the stall anyway.

Since this horse is abused and sees people as mean, she will be hard to handle, so if and when you take her out, establish your dominance quickly.  Move her butt, back her up and be stern right away.  She will have to respect and maybe fear you just a bit at first so she will not challenge you and maybe hurt you.  She will not understand that you are helping her at first.  As a horse she will only think, I am free and I have to take change so I will not be put back in that cell.  So her instinct will tell her to push you and dominate you.  She will not be doing this to be mean, she is just being a horse and all she knows is how to talk to a horse, in a herd she would do the same thing if a horse backed her in a corner and tormented her.

Hope this helps, good luck.  I get so pissed when I see horse suffer from people ignorance.

take care,

Rick