Want a horse? Consider adopting from these guys: The Animali Farm

[Flaxbee]

http://www.theanimalifarm.com/Animali/

Or, donate if you don't have room for a horse

They found homes for many of the mares used in the PMU business for the drug Permarin; they also try to find homes for the foals.

Anyway, just FYI.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. DU Rec

[Flaxbee]

2. I need to win the lottery so I can make room for all the creatures I want to adopt

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. me too, girlfriend. me too!

[SamKnause]

4. Horses

I wish I could take everyone of those beautiful creatures.

They really enrich one's life.

Sadly I have the land (still paying for it; 12 acres) but cannot afford feed or veterinary care.

I lost my horse three and one half years ago.

She was a beautiful treasure.

[magical thyme]

7. I'm so sorry for your loss

I lost my old gelding on February 9, 2012 at around 2:30 pm. I rescued him from starvation and neglect 22+ years earlier.

When the time comes, consider an arabian. They are very low maintenance. They do best barefoot (I learned to do my own trimming ~12 years ago), get obese or crazy (or both) on hard feed. Mixed grass hay or good pasture with mineral block and maybe extra vitamin/mineral mix (soil in my region is selenium deficient) is enough to keep them in very good condition. They eat like a pony but ride like a horse.

They can do any discipline well; the best rival the specialists (there are lines known to stand up against quarter horse reiners and my filly's brother is winning in open dressage). I've even seen arabs advertised that pulled small logs. Plus they can go all day on trails or on the range, without undue exertion.

Get an old style, Bedouin type and, if worst really comes to worst, they can live in your tent with you.

[SamKnause]

9. Horses

Sorry for your loss as well.

Thanks for all the information.

My horse was a special needs horse.

She could never have access to grass.

She had to be fed timothy hay.

In the winter she had a small amount of feed.

She couldn't have clover hay or alfalfa hay.

I did not know this when I bought her.

She was in perfect health or so it appeared.

The first year I had her she was stabled with 12 other horses on 5 acres.

Her getting any grass was not an issue.

I bought 12 acres and fenced off 5.

Turned her lose during a 5 month drought.

When spring arrived the sad battle started.

The grass destroyed her hoofs and damaged her neck muscles.

I had to keep her in a small dirt corral.

I soaked her hoofs in warm water with Epsom Salt.

From that point on I had to have a veterinarian trim, grind, and shape her hoofs.

During bad spells she had to have numerous injections.

She would have long periods of good health with no pain, but the condition was permanent.

I had to have her put down after a 6 year losing battle.

I couldn't stand to go through another heart breaking one of her bad spells.

It broke my heart to see her in pain.

She was an exquisitely beautiful brown and white paint with two small back patches.

A tri-color.

Her name was Lucy.

P.S. I turned her lose the morning before she was put down so she could graze in her last hours.

[magical thyme]

11. that sounds like chronic laminitis...

Did she have Cushing's disease? That is the only thing I can think of that would combine hoof disease with topline muscle atrophy...

:hugs:

[SamKnause]

12. Lucy

No, she did not have Cushing's disease.

My vet explained that there was something in the grass (fescue), especially, but not limited to grass in the spring, that Lucy's system could not tolerate. Similar to being allergic to something and suffering from bad side effects.

The symptoms are similar to a horse that has foundered. Laminitis

My vet's specialty was horses and he was a vet at River Downs and Turfway Park.

Many race horses in Kentucky were put down for the same thing the year I found out Lucy couldn't have grass.

Scientist are working on a new type of grass to address this problem.

[magical thyme]

13. laminitis is the medical term for founder

More specifically, laminitis is inflammation of the laminae tissue which connects the coffin bone to the inside of the hoof wall. Laminitis leads to founder, which is the lay term for rotation of the coffin bone.

I knew fescue was an issue for pregnant mares, leading to abortion. I think it grows a fungus or something, which is toxic. I remember reading about it being a problem in Kentucky.

I'm sorry for your loss. I have a friend who lost a few horses to founder, in her case directly due to her over-graining them. Too many carbohydrates can lead to founder.

I also cared for a horse who had made the Olympic team, but then foundered with rotation all the way through both front soles. He was a lot of work to care for and we had to watch his diet and pasture constantly. He wasn't allowed in any pasture that had leaves fall into it, as wilted leaves grow fungus and mold that could cause a recurrence.

Lucy's suffering is over, though, and I believe she is in a pasture up to her knees in grass now, and can eat and run and jump all she wants.

[SamKnause]

15. Lucy 2

Thank you for your reply and knowledgeable input.

I wasn't sure if I explained it clearly enough.

Your are correct, Lucy's suffering is over.

I had a dream about her the night she was put down. (The only dream I can remember ever having about her)

She was running in the field, tail held high and a beautiful bare chested Native American Indian was riding her bareback.

That made this 59 year old female smile and feel somewhat comforted.

Have a great evening.

[ailsagirl]

5. Boycott Premarin!!

There's a disgusting and inhumane story behind the scenes 'they' don't want you to know about.
I don't have the stomach to repeat it but it's easily located if you google 'premarin.'

[Rhiannon12866]

6. I would so love a horse! But he'd have to live in the house... *sigh*

Thanks for posting and kicking for exposure!

[magical thyme]

8. Boycott Premarin is right. For those who don't care about the horses, it's linked to breast cancer

For those who do care, IIRC the mares spend 6 months or so of each year, confined and catheterized to collect their urine. A painful, miserable existence.

Oh, and the name Premarin comes from its origin: pregnant mare urine. You are ingesting a pregnant mare's hormones collected from her pee. Her foals are taken away from her way before normal weaning.

The babies that don't find homes (and most don't) end up in slaughter.

Premarin had fallen out of favor because it is linked to increased rates of breast cancer. I was very sorry to read that it's coming back in vogue. There are healthier and happier ways to avoid menopause symptoms. For example, eating some soy products daily gives your body the precursors that it needs to make the hormones you need to reduce or eliminate symptoms.

[RebelOne]

10. I have owned 3 horses in my lifetime,

and I would love to have another one, but no place to keep or board it, plus I do not have money anymore, so I cannot afford to donate.

[riderinthestorm]

14. Can't go by without a kick for a worthy thread!

But a word to the wise - whatever costs are associated with purchasing/adopting a horse are SMALL compared to the daily expense.

Be sure you know what you're getting into and have the funds to care for a horse.