Our two new beauties who arrived on August 28 need sponsors. Full sponsorship is available for an annual gift of $3,000 each. Full sponsorship covers feed, veterinary care and farrier care, all of which are critically important to this pair.
We would like to extend an invitation whomever sponsors them to choose a new name for the horse sponsored, indicating the new life they have found, thanks to your generous support.
E-mail us if you are interested in sponsoring either (or both!) of these two special horses.
Special Note: Sponsorships will apply towards our $35,000 Match!
The New Gelding
Animal Services records indicate the gelding is twenty-eight years old. His body condition is poor. Our goal is to add weight and help restore muscle loss along his topline. During our recent appointment with Dr. Harlan of East County Large Animal Practice (ECLAP) on August 30, the gelding’s dental care was our highest priority. Many of his teeth have worn down to the gums and several teeth are missing. This means he is no longer capable to effectively chewing ha. As a result, he is on an all-pellet diet. Fortunately, he enjoys his pelleted meals. In addition to his dental issues, we suspect some hind end lameness and will monitor him closely from comfort and mobility.
Unlike most of our mare-gelding duos, this boy is definitely the alpha. His presence clearly provides a calming affect for the mare. Even though he cannot chew hay well enough to benefit from it nutritionally, he still enjoys sharing a trough of hay with his girlfriend.
The New Mare
The mare is believed to be twenty years old. Our biggest concern with her is that she might be Cushinoid. She is still wearing her thick, long winter coat. There is thickening of her neck, giving her a “cresty” appearance. She also has several fatty patches. These characteristics are often signs of Cushing’s Disease, Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Syndrome. During our appointment with Dr. Harlan he drew blood to test for ACTH and insulin levels. We hope to have those results in the next week or so.
She might be a Paso Fino, a gaited breed of horses. Dr. Harlan believes she may be gaited, but he also saw indications of lameness. Lameness can be challenging to diagnose in gaited breeds so we do not have clear answers. Dr. Harlan took a series of baseline x-rays and her feet were trimmed by Ray Fleury, our farrier. It will take several trims over the next few months to restore shape and balance to her front feet. During this time, we will be evaluating her need for pain medication and joint injections.
In the meantime, she appears to be settling in well. She is slowly getting use to the pigs that live across the way. In spite of her strict weight-loss diet, she enjoys her meals greeting each meal with excited vocalizations. She is quite the chatter box.