New Horse

[Marsha Cassada]

My sister called me early this week with a rescue story. A little horse where she boards was not being taken care of. She was giving him hay and keeping his water full. The owner asked her if she knew someone who would want the horse so she called me. I went to see him yesterday, and ended up agreeing to purchase the horse. Picked him up today. He seems like a nice little guy, just a little wary from not being handled. The owner said he thought he was about 6. Billy is so excited to have a friend! Here is Rusty.

 

[LostandFound]

He's adorable!

 

[1roadtoad]

He is so cute! Lucky little horse!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I went out to chat with Rusty and give him his supper. He seemed to enjoy some good scratches. It made me notice that he is very thin, though his coat is misleading. His breastbone is sharp and pointed and I can feel his hips and backbone. I was shocked. He had a nice menu of alfalfa, hay, and timothy cubes. A piece of apple and a treat were not rejected either! In a day or two we will start going for walks. I hope he and Billy will be friends.

 

[chandab]

Congrats! Rusty is one lucky pony.

 

[HersheyMint]

My sister called me early this week with a rescue story. A little horse where she boards was not being taken care of. She was giving him hay and keeping his water full. The owner asked her if she knew someone who would want the horse so she called me. I went to see him yesterday, and ended up agreeing to purchase the horse. Picked him up today. He seems like a nice little guy, just a little wary from not being handled. The owner said he thought he was about 6. Billy is so excited to have a friend! Here is Rusty.

Congratulations Rusty is so cute. I'm so happy for you and Billy. You both have a new play buddy.

 

[Standards Equine]

Awe! Hooray for Billy and Rusty. Oh he's darling and definitely landed in a wonderful and caring home. I hope you have loads of adventures and fun with your new addition.

 

[MaryFlora]

Whatever everyone else said !

Congratulations to all of you! He is indeed darling and very fortunate.

Billy must be so thrilled with his early Christmas stocking stuffer!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Oh my. This evening I looked at his feet for the first time. I was told he had had farrier care. NOT. His feet are terrible. Called my guy to come specially to work on him. I've never had a horse with such terrible feet. I handled him a little more today and he is going to be quite a challenge, I can tell. But I tied him next to Billy and they did fine. We went for a very short walk and I can tell Billy is much more animated, having a buddy. I might try putting them together in the pasture tomorrow.
They are not much different in height, but Billy looks like a Percheron next to that skinny Rusty.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Turned them both out into the pasture together this morning. I believe this is the first time that Rusty had a place to gallop. He and Billy are having some fun gallops together! And maybe this is the first time Rusty has been able to graze. Happy horses!

 

[chandab]

Oh my. This evening I looked at his feet for the first time. I was told he had had farrier care. NOT. His feet are terrible. Called my guy to come specially to work on him. I've never had a horse with such terrible feet. I handled him a little more today and he is going to be quite a challenge, I can tell. But I tied him next to Billy and they did fine. We went for a very short walk and I can tell Billy is much more animated, having a buddy. I might try putting them together in the pasture tomorrow.
They are not much different in height, but Billy looks like a Percheron next to that skinny Rusty.

If you need to go that route, the Dormosedan Gel from the vet is a good choice for mild sedation to help fascillitate the trim without causing trauma. [Just be sure to follow the instructions, it usually does take a full 45 minutes for it to take full affect.]

 

[Cayuse]

Marsha got a Christmas present!!!
He's quite handsome. And lucky!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Marsha got a Christmas present!!!
He's quite handsome. And lucky!

And my non horsey husband likes him!

 

[Standards Equine]

Support from the spouse is sure helpful! Yes, it's absolutely an adventure figuring out the new guys, isn't it? No horse is ever "free", the maintenance they usually need to bring them back to good health and manners adds up to the same as buying something good and going. He's a lucky little dude! I hope he realizes what a wonderful home he's landed in.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Support from the spouse is sure helpful! Yes, it's absolutely an adventure figuring out the new guys, isn't it? No horse is ever "free", the maintenance they usually need to bring them back to good health and manners adds up to the same as buying something good and going. He's a lucky little dude! I hope he realizes what a wonderful home he's landed in.

Well, he wasn't free. The owners accepted $400. They thought he might be worth $1000. Did I say they were idiots?
He is already settling in. He and Billy seem very compatible. Farrier coming on Friday. I'm anxious to see what he can do with those terrible hooves.

 

[Standards Equine]

Well, he wasn't free. The owners accepted $400. They thought he might be worth $1000. Did I say they were idiots?
He is already settling in. He and Billy seem very compatible. Farrier coming on Friday. I'm anxious to see what he can do with those terrible hooves.

It is certainly interesting how people justify value in their animals. They were fortunate to get $400.
I once knew/worked with a gentleman who ended up with over 100 pinto-arab horses, most feral and untouched. But he would tell you they're worth thousands, even though he didn't know who was sired by what and very few had registration papers completed. So many ended up in deplorable state with wounds, injuries, malnourished, full of parasites... It was not a sad day when he finally decided to sell them all off and quit the horse business.

 

[chandab]

It is certainly interesting how people justify value in their animals. They were fortunate to get $400.
I once knew/worked with a gentleman who ended up with over 100 pinto-arab horses, most feral and untouched. But he would tell you they're worth thousands, even though he didn't know who was sired by what and very few had registration papers completed. So many ended up in deplorable state with wounds, injuries, malnourished, full of parasites... It was not a sad day when he finally decided to sell them all off and quit the horse business.

Back in the 90s when I was in college and black and white pintos were all the rage; I boarded my horses up the road from a guy that thought he'd get rich raising black and whites, he bought up anything and everything black and white with a uterus at the local sale yard and tried to raise black and white horses to sell. It was a massive train wreck, and I think he mostly sold to newbies that he could dupe into thinking he had something special. very sad, but similar type situation. [I think I graduated and moved before he failed as business; he failed the horses before he started.]

 

[Marsha Cassada]

So many pintos around now that it is hard to find a solid color horse any more. Or a bay. When I was looking for my first horse 27 years ago, I wanted a bay. Every horse seller thought I should have a pinto--so flashy! so unusual! I finally found Dapper Dan. The owner marked him down because he wasn't colorful. I have seen few bays for sale since, and never was able to own another one.

 

[Cayuse]

Bays are the best!