Rescuing a horse is a noble cause, and it seems that there is always a horse in desperate need of a good home. But before you agree to rescue a horse, it is important to consider whether you are really ready to take on a rescue. Below are just a few of the resources that you will want to have before you consider taking on a rescue horse.

Adequate Barn…

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Last night was farrier night.  my sister and I come out to the barn after work.  Sometimes, the farrier gets there before us because he does another horse at our stables.  When he finishes, he starts Cruise and Ranger.  He waits for me to do Cole so I could help with holding him.

 

When I got there, my sister was talking to him and there were no horses in the crossties.  I was surprised and wondered what was going on.  My sister said that they started Cole, and he was so bad…

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Well, it's summer and, well, Maggie was a bit over due (a week, mind) for the farrier.  I've never seen (heard!) her forge like that.  So, rather than tap tap tap tap tap our way even around the berry field, someone got a few days off. 

 

Which leads us to Maggie the long of frame.  Lesson last night, and, much to the chagrin of Miss Magnolia, it's time to shorten her up.  Oh sure, she'll go fairly forward in a longer frame.  The comment was sure, she's on the bit and nice, but…

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Now I know it's not fashionable to have shoes on your horse, better for the hoof, blah blah. I've always kept front shoes on the big Mags, she toes in and works all through the winter. We briefly (it was a couple days before I could get them back on), had shoes off of her last winter. We aren't really going to try that again.



Maggie has great feet. Good solid wall, round, nice concavity, big ol healthy frogs. She's also 17hh of hard working dressage horse. My trainer suggested we try… Continue

So, we had the vet out to take a look at my little guy and make sure he was good to wean. And, since the farrier wanted some x-rays on his mom, we got them taken, no biggie...

Definite biggie. Her coffin bone has rotated more. She's barely lame. I think we're going to have to put her down, and it's just an appalling idea. She's 6 1/2. You think you get them through the worst of it and it will be okay. And now, we're back where we were 2 years ago. And then you think what if we…

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Suddenly you horse is feeling a little off. What now?

He is just not quite kicking up his heels like he used to?

So, what do we do? Perhaps change his feed.

I know you. I bet you have already started asking all the our horsie friends what to do. You would certainly ask the farrier. Your trainer perhaps? The feed store lady?

Have you decided yet to add a supplement to his feed. Which one? Did that help?

Still not acting up to his highest potential? Are you…

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i have just bought a fell mare who has never been shod and is reluctant to pick her feet up.After 2 weeks with me I have managed to lift both back feet and the near fore, but no way will she pick the near fore up.I have tried reward with the other feet which worked and now she will pick these up without reward, but still the near fore remains planted.If I lean my weight against her she leans even harder against me and lifts her off fore as if to tell me there is a problem with the near but not… Continue

Please Pick Your Feet Up

Handling advice to make the farrier experience much more…

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This is a very new adventure for me…….blogging. I never was much good at keeping a diary or even a weather journal. But maybe when there is a horse involved, I might do better. We’ll see how this goes.

I should start by introducing myself. You can call me Wendy but I’m also known around the barn as “CR” which stands for cockroach and that’s a long story. I might share it some day. I’ve been an avid horse person for 45+ years. Am I dating myself? I have Appaloosa horses……..whoa, wait a… Continue

I've blogged about Ride Bare already, but now its almost here! In less than 3 weeks time, Sarah Braithwaite and I are setting off on our biggest riding challenge yet, riding from North Wales to Exmoor, a distance of over 200 miles, and we will be riding for at least 2 weeks, camping or staying at farms along the way.



A couple of weekends ago, Sarah went off to try out the second leg of our ride, and I've put the video of that day up here… Continue

Lately I haven't been blogging much.

Had a period where we just tried to figure out how to practice the most effective way for our clinic next Saturday.



Well, to be honest, I am not sure if we will be ready to go there. You see, last Tuesday she had her hooves fixed, and had a huge bacterial infection in them. The barefoot trimmer had to dig a little to make it better, but unfortunately she was sore under her legs the day after. And she still is.…



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