Sadie's Place: The PEI Equine Retirement Society

Good things come to those who wait...

2011-08-04T19:00:00.000-03:00

And I will apologize for making you wait so long--life got in the way! All the stall mucking, fencing and earning money only to watch the four-footers gobble it down sure does take up time! But, you will be glad you waited! 'Cause we have NEWS!!!!!

For those who haven't already heard, Devil, Yankee and Jake have all been adopted! Hooray! We still have Chance, Wyatt, Lily and Jane in foster. If you are in the market for a horse, maybe you want to swing on over and have a look....Lily and Jane are both lovely girls, great to work around and ready to go home with some lovely family. Chance has undergone a personality transplant and, from being a loveable grump, has been transformed into a loving, follow you around like a labrador kind of guy. He has plenty of energy, and he has a lovely trot and lope, not too fast, not too slow (perfect for those of us who are slowing down ourselves.). Wyatt's ankle is straightening out and he is ready to start learning how to be someone's buddy on the trails. So, please, check them out!

As always, we are constantly on the lookout for people with an extra stall or two and some space in their heart for a horse that needs a second chance. Could that be you?

And now for some pictures. This young lady is on our courtesy page until we have another stall open up. Her name is Missy, she is 6 years old and she retired from racing about a year ago because she was too slow.

What a lovely face! This lady has excellent barn manners and has already spent 3 months under saddle, so the hard work is already done.

You can see here how she is put together. Typical of off track Standardbreds, she will need some work to build up the top of her neck, but she's obviously got lots of room to breathe with those wide nostrils.

Side on, you can really see what a nice little mare she is. Imagine what she would look like after a few months practice collecting herself and building up the muscles in her hindquarters!

The owner really needs the stall and he is hoping we can help him find a good home for her, as he is very fond of her. Because she is a courtesy listing, if you are interested, just drop us a line and we will send you her owner's contact information, so you can go see her in person.

That's all for now! I'm hoping to score some pictures of the adopted babies in the near future and we'll have a post to show them all off! Until then, don't forget to hug your horses!

Coming up on two years and what a couple of years they were!

2011-01-07T06:43:00.000-04:00

Well, we are rapidly approaching our second anniversary this spring and a lot has happened in these years. We're picking up steam and, baby, we're just getting started!

First of all, I should mention what a generous bunch of people Islanders are. Not only did our Avon Christmas basket draw bring in over $600, but we had donations as well totalling another $700! Thanks to Marlene from Summerside, . This is a wonderful thing because, as we all know, the bills don't stop once you buy the horse, there's always something happening. These Christmas donations will allow us to either send two horses for a month of saddle training, or will keep the whole crew in hoof trims and wormer for the better part of the year, while leaving us with a little emergency fund.

We also had two Islanders step up to sponsor the board for horses that were in desperate need of a home. For those of you who worried, yes, Jake is fine and is being boarded in Clyde Rivert. His sponsor has offered to pay his board until the spring. Duke has half of his board sponsored until the spring, but we are looking for people to help with his board costs, so we don't have to dip into our precious emergency fund. Please consider a small donation to help Duke out, as he is a lovely boy and deserves all the good luck he can get.

Sara Fraser of CBC PEI did a 2 minute story on Sadie's Place. Featuring (drumroll please...) Janie and Admiral! You can see the video here. And doesn't Admiral look good under saddle? These horses are so smart, it really doesn't take long to teach them things.

I've been getting requests for an update on everyone, so here goes:

Chance had his teeth floated again today. Boy, does he love to see the vet coming! (NOT!) I swear, if his eyes got any bigger, they'd pop out of his head. But, he was a good boy and, while his teeth are definitely not the teeth of a teenager, he is eating hay. He has lost a bit of his summer flab, but has generously agreed that we can substitute grain for fresh grass, subject to his approval. He has a LOVELY winter coat this year, thick and soft, with long guard hairs, and the most lovely mahogany colour. So different from the dull yellow brown he wore all last year. I'm glad he updated his wardrobe. (I'll add in a picture of him in his new duds as soon as I remember to charge the camera!)

Lily is coming up on three years and is proving a very good girl. She still has a lot of pep and is a typical youngster, but looks like a very good prospect for a riding career. She was retired because she was too slow, but slow for a racehorse is probably plenty fast for the rest of us. She hasn't had any saddle training yet--possibly the spring. Her foster mom says she has a lovely, high movement in her front legs--dressage potential, perhaps?

Devil is still in the Moncton area and we have had a number of inquiries about him, but so far no one has submitted the necessary paperwork for us to start processing his application. He is working well under saddle and his foster mom loves him dearly.

Duke has moved into a sponsored stall in Brookfield. He is currently being worked with by several very enthusiastic ladies and is being a perfect gentleman, both in the ring and in the barn. He has already had some professional training and is ready for a loving home. Right now, his stall is NOT one of our foster stalls--his stall is being sponsored. We have a promise of half sponsorship for his stall until the spring, but he needs generous people to sponsor the other half of his board, until another adoption goes through and we can move him to a donated stall. Please consider sponsoring his stall--you can donate through Paypal, just click!

Wyatt is growing into a typically gangly teenager, all bum and legs, but we are sure the rest will catch up soon--it always does, doesn't it? He absolutely adores being the center of attention and will take any grooming, scratching, cooing or flirting you are willing to send his way. He leads and crossties and, after a few more visits from the farrier, his foot is getting much better! Oh, and he has had his "brain surgery", having certain important (to males, anyway!) portions of his anatomy removed. He is available for long term foster, as we would like to keep closer tabs on his foot until he has stopped growing.

Yankee is still in Nova Scotia, in the Antigonish area and working hard. He's a lovely guy to work with too. We have a picture coming of him wearing a set of reindeer antlers from Christmas--I'll get it up as soon as it arrives in my mailbox, lol!

Janie is currently in work, as well, but is showing some signs of having some back pain, so we are having that looked at. She is a well behaved mare, but is very smart and that is something that must be kept in mind as, the smarter the horse, the more likely they are to start questioning who REALLY should be the boss and then what do we end up with? Something that looks like a horse, but acts more like a cat. And, cute as she is, she is WAY to big to crawl into my lap and purr. Before we decided to have her back looked into, she was doing walk/trot and was excellent.

Jake is in a sponsored stall in Clyde River, where he is taking a bit of R&R time and learning how to be just a horse again, instead of an athelete. He has been racing all his life and needs some time to adjust, which is typical of horses when their racing career is over. In a couple of months, once he has completely relaxed, he will be reevaluated and sent for training, unless he is adopted before then. His sponsorship is also only until the spring--please help Jake out and sponsor a part of his monthly board.

Title is boarding in Clyde River (with Jake) while he waits for a foster home to open up. We are totally impressed with how quiet he is and he is going to make a stunning and enthusiastic partner for someone. He really is absolutely gorgeous and I am going to be so jealous when he gets adopted, because I want him myself, but I am too busy to look after him the way he deserves--he's way too nice to just be a pasture ornament.

Teela is waiting for a foster place to open as well, She was just too slow for the track and her owner can't afford to keep her if she isn't paying her way. She is a big girl, a lovely solid brown bay with a dishy face--very elegant!

And, last but certainly not least, there is little Golly, the weanling filly who suffered a minor injury which effectively ended her race career, but which is absolutely no bar to a long and happy career as someone's trail riding/pleasure class/driving buddy. She is adorable and has outstanding bloodlines--a high class lady all the way! She, too, is waiting for a foster home to open up.

Admiral was adopted in the fall and is very happy in his new home, as you can see in the CBC video above. Bandit, too, was adopted, and is living the life of Riley as a saddle horse. Both adoptive families are hugely pleased with their decisions to adopt a standardbred.

One sad moment in the year, though...after a lot of discussion with vets and among the board, it was decided that the kindest thing we could do for Apple was to have her put to sleep. Her knees were so arthritic that she was in constant pain, even with medication, to the point where she was losing weight just from dealing with it. So, this fall, after a summer spent on a lush pasture, we took her to the vet college and she was euthanised. Goodbye, Apple, you know we miss you.

The last thing on our plate is our Cookbook fundraiser. Our deadline to get the recipes in is Monday. I know, I should have had this out earlier, but I honestly only thought about putting it on here today. If you have a favourite recipe, one of those sure fire crowd pleasers, and are willing to share it, we would greatly appreciate it! Just email us with the recipe and we will include it in our cookbook, with your name as the person donating the recipe. I'll tell you, the horses are ALL excited about this--who would ever have guessed that Chance could cook? Though the fact that the horses are all donating desserts should tell you something about their food preferences. And that Duke, well, he's some sophisticated, from the look of that recipe...want to find out what they included in our book? Buy a copy when they come up for sale in February--just in time for Valentine's giving, though we will be continuing to offer them through the year!

And, of course, don't forget to hug your horses!

Silkie's Money, aka Jake

2010-09-21T17:11:00.000-03:00

Racing season is over and pastures are slowing down. Unfortunately, the financial reality of horseracing hits about this time, so I would like to talk to you about Jake.

Jake is an absolute sweetheart, but his owners do not have enough stalls in their barn to keep him, now that his racing career is over. The reality is, for every owner in this situation, that no matter how much you love the horse, if you have nowhere to put him, you have to let him go. I won't stay up on the soapbox very long, but we really do have an amazing overlooked resource here on the Island with the ex rachorses--they trailer, stand for the farrier, let themselves be caught, don't mind the vet, great ground manners--half your training is done for you!

Look at that face and tell me that he isn't a horse that is interested in EVERYTHING! Does he not look like he's just waiting for someone to announce the Adventure of the Day? At 10 years old, he still has many years left in him and has outgrown most of the young horse silliness that you see up until about this age (for those who haven`t had much to do with young horses, try thinking of little boys in the 6-9 year old age range...it's a pretty accurate comparison! :D)

Not only is he older and more sensible, but he`s HOT! I mean, smokin'! Look at that shoulder, the extension, the flow of the back into the hindquarters (why do I have a sudden urge to go watch Pirates of the Caribbean?) What a lovely competition horse he will make for someone. What an even lovelier friend and best bud he will make too.

If someone steps up and takes him home before October 15. Because that is the date of the next sale, when his owners will be forced to send him along, because they don't have the space to keep him. Sadie's Place is full at the moment, we have no stalls for him. Is there anyone out there who could open up a corner of their barn for this darling young fellow?

I have to go hug my ponies.

Hello, Goodbye and everything in between

2010-08-30T09:15:00.000-03:00

Well, it's been an eventful summer here at Sadie's Place. Now, summers are always a little crazy here on PEI, but this summer was really nuts. I, your faithful webmaster, was off junketing around Quebec for all of July, home for a wedding, then off to Nova Scotia for a week right after. Jana, our executive director, was inundated with camps, lessons and training (as well as numerous baby horses! Woohoo! LOOOOVVVE babies!) And our ever faithful, ever patient and (thankfully!) half a bubble off plumb foster families were busy playing musical horses. Why? Well, here's why!!!!

ADOPTIONS!!!!!! And new horses! Yay, team!

First off, Bandit has gone to his forever home in Emerald. Here's a picture of him with his new mom, Courtney. (His new dad is too camera shy. But, we'll get you one of these days, Scott!) If she looks familiar, it's probably because she's a part of Fiddler's Sons and has just put out her own cookbook! Go Courtney!

Doesn't he look happy?

Here he is doing his new job....

Grazing in the field...

And, darn it, he still looks like the equine version of Antonio Banderas!

I love happy endings. And he certainly looks happy. Scott says they are riding him a couple of times a week and he is going to the trainer in November to learn a bit more about being a saddle horse. He's apparently become even more cuddly since his adoption and can't wait to see his adoptive parents every day. Congratulations, Courtney and Scott, he's a very lucky horse and you are very lucky horse parents. We miss him here.

Our newest arrival is Admiral, a tall gray standardbred gelding whose owners decided to retired him after a mild bowed tendon, rather than risk his legs to another injury. He's just striking, a lovely dark gray, with that amazing personality we have come to associate with the Standarbred breed.

Here he is in the field at his foster home with, is that Tigger, Jesse? Regardless, you can see how well put together he is. Here are some more pictures of him under saddle with the lady (Verna) who is currently working with him.

Pretty relaxed about the whole thing, isn't he?

This is Verna. We are so happy to have her working with us! I'd like to just quote her last email, rather than trying to explain things myself, because I really couldn't describe him any better than she has.

Hey Jana, just an update on Admiral! I'm so excited....I put a saddle on him for the very first time today and he was a superstar! I hadn't planned to do it till later in the week! I gave him yesterday off cause I have lunged him for five days straight the last two with side reins and with not having done too much in awhile thought he may need a day off hehe!

So today I lunged him to warm him up (a little both ways), then hooked up the side reins (even had them shorter by one hole) lunged him for about 20Mins on each side and he was brilliant as usual! So I decided to try a saddle on him, he sure gave it a good looking at as I let him sniff it, took off the surcingle and side reins and put it on! I first walked him around with it on then I tried lunging him, he scooted at first but never threatened to buck at all! You could tell he was very aware of the saddle but very sesnsible about it and trotted along nicely......I only lunged him about 10 mins on both sides with the saddle and he did awesome.......so very proud of my man!

So I will lunge him with the saddle for a couple days then try putting some weight in the stirrups as soon as I feel he is ready........he trusts so readily and I do not want to lose that trust, so I like taking it one step at a time with him till he knows exactly what I want of him! He looks awesome under saddle, had to take pics after he was lunged of his first day with a saddle on!

I rest my case. Oh, and I only feel it fair to warn you, that it sounds just a little bit like Verna may be thinking of adopting him herself, so if you are interested in this gorgeous guy, you may need to move quick. I don't think he's going to last long at all.

What else is going on? Well, there has been interest in Devil and Yankee, but no definite offers yet, so if you would like to meet one of these boys, let us know and we'll set you up on a date. (The matchmaking mommas, that's us!) Chance has developed a layer of something that can only be called flab over his ribs and his grain has been pretty much eliminated until the cold weather rolls in. Wyatt had his feet done and the crooked one looks so much more promising than before. Apple has changed foster homes and is keeping another older mare company.

And that's it for today. Time to go out and move the fence, hang out some laundry and head into town for some back to school stuff. Enjoy the last days of summer and don't forget to hug your horses!

Chance in June

2010-07-12T22:18:00.000-03:00

It's been a little crazy here lately--I'll get to that in another blog. But, I thought people might like to get a peek at Chance, now that his winter coat has FINALLY shed out. Sheesh, that took a while!

Looks a bit better than before, doesn't he? Here's another picture:

And, for a closeup of that lovely bum he has now....

Still a little ways to go on his back, and, to be honest, he may never get it back. It's amazing he's built so much muscle back up the time between the middle of October and now.

He's a pretty cute guy. If you know someone who needs a companion horse, he's pretty much bottom of the pecking order. He adores apples, but really couldn't care less about carrots. Fresh grass is his absolute favourite. He gets along really well with our other little pony, who bosses him around, despite being only 2/3 his size.

Here's a video of him, in our little grass run that day:

Please consider taking on this old guy. I can't say yet if he is rideable--I'm away until the end of July, but will try to get in a few rides when I get back. He has been out walking along the road and he's, so far, been very quiet. In fact, he really seems to like that sort of thing.

Well, enjoy the summer riding weather, when it's not raining. Think of it as an extra rinse after you shampoo your horse to get the mud off. Right? Riiiigght...

And, don't forget to hug your horses!

All the news that's fit to blog!

2010-06-20T13:14:00.001-03:00

Wow, has it really been that long since I last blogged? I can't believe just how busy it has been. Horses in, horses out and lots of news, both good and bad.

First off, it looks like Bandit is going to have a new home. We just received his paperwork and all that is left is the site visit. This is just such good news, because he really has been overlooked by a lot of people. Here are some recent pictures of him at his current foster home.

Big hug.

Getting kid handled.

Snugglin'. (Or at least permitting himself to be snuggled. He really is much too dignified to suggest the idea.)

And, finally, a bit of peace to fill his belly, after a hard afternoon of being spoiled. Tough life, boys.

Tilly has moved again. He is officially in foster, but, if he works out, he may be adopted straight out, which would be nice for him. Here's a couple of pictures.

In their last email, his new foster family stated that he seemed very kind and gentle, and was especially patient with children and timid adults. This is a recurring theme with him--people are amazed at just how kind he is. He is not yet in adoption pending so, if you are interested in a kind, versatile horse, old enough to have grown out of the silliness you often see in young horses (and people!), please contact us. He's too sweet a guy to languish in foster--if I wasn't full up, I would be looking at him for my own personal mount, regardless of my short legs. I can stretch. I think. Anyone know of a good yoga class?

Now, on to the bad news. We've determined that Apple's knees are very arthritic, so she will never be suitable as a riding horse, only as a companion horse. However, she is BEAUTIFUL and if you have a single horse that needs a companion, she would be ideal. Bottom of the pecking order and just as cute as a button. See her most recent pictures here.

Cute, cute, cute

Doesn't it just make you want to say 'awwwww'?

The news about Wyatt's ankle keeps getting less optimistic and treatment options are getting both more expensive and less likely to help. We are right now trying to determine his quality of life and pain level, so we can figure out how much support he will need to have a decent quality of life. I don't have pictures of his ankle--I should get some someday, to give an idea what we are up against. It's a shame, because it could have been corrected right after he was born, but now the ankle has grown and damaged itself more. Only time will tell.

Admiral has arrived at his foster home (Apple's old digs) and we'll soon have a post on him. As well, we have an older pony on our courtesy page, if anyone is looking for a companion horse or a leadline pony, please check him out.

Devil, the tall, dark and handsome guy, is still looking for a home. Give him a donut and he's yours forever. Jane, too, is looking for someone to take her home. She's a pretty horse, already trained to saddle, just a bit rusty and used to getting her own way.

Updates soon on Chance, as well, who has slicked up lovely and shiny. Like most boys, though, he'd rather be dirty than clean. What is it with you guys and dirt?

Looking ahead to fall, we already know that we are going to be 3 foster homes short for the winter, as we are losing some of our fosters temporarily. If you have space and a bit of time, please consider fostering a needy horse. It really is a good feeling and you get to 'dip your toes in the water' a bit if you are considering getting into or getting back into horses. Our support network is great, and remember, Sadie's Place will pay for vet bills, farrier costs and worming directly, so it is somewhat less risky than outright buying yourself a horse.

Anyway, Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. You know you really need a horse, to save you mowing the lawn. Just think of all the extra hammock time you would have, if you had a horse to mow your lawn. And remember how the girls ooh and ahh over the cowboys in the movies. Just a suggestion. No pressure. Hint, hint.

Don't forget to hug your horses!

NAKED PONY PICTURES!

2010-03-27T18:09:00.001-03:00

Well, it's Chance's 5 month anniversary and we have NAKED PONY PICTURES! Just a quick review: here's what he looked like on October 14, 2009, the day after he was dropped off to us.

If you're looking for a skeletal anatomy lesson, these picture are a pretty decent educational tool.

Here's what a horse like this can look like, with some very simple treatment:

Big change, huh? And how simple was the treatment? This simple: we fed him food he could eat. Lots of it. You don't want to know what his feed bill was, but imagine all the food he would have eaten over the course of a year or two, and then imagine paying for it over the space of 5 months. Whew!

Still not full weight, but maybe a 3.5 on the scale? And pretty happy too. Mostly he just walks around, but he's been seen trotting, cantering and bucking, as well, so everything seems to be all right. His manure has never come completely back to normal, but we're hoping to see firmer poo once we ease him back down off the high carb feeds. At his highest, during the coldest part of the winter, he was eating 3 litres of beet pulp, soaked, 20 cups of 16% protein mare and foal and 3 cups of roasted soybeans a day. Plus, all the best grass hay he could tuck into himself. He's being weaned off the mare and foal and is now down to about 15 cups per day--still a lot of sugar, but getting there.

Haha, checking to see if the door to the feed room is open! Little monkey! It's like living with two cat burglers--everything has to be locked up like Fort Knox. Actually, I think Fort Knox could learn a thing or two from trying to keep ponies from breaking into the feed room. You don't even want to know how many times we've repaired/replaced the stall door, to keep Penny from stealing Chance's feed.

So, as he feels better, we get a better sense of his personality. One, he likes to be outside. In fact, given the choice, he would rather eat outside than in. He is nervous of getting caught and when you are holding him, he is very tense. You have to stay really calm with him. At the same time, he is very nonchalant about people working around him, cleaning the stall or whatever. We do give him handfuls of grain sometimes and I have found him very well mannered about that as well--he does dive at it rather like a stooping falcon, but I have never once felt the least bit of concern that I was going to get...ummm, nibbled?....where I am very careful around Penny, because she is not always that careful to make sure that what she is eating is food. Grain is definitely his favourite treat. He can be pushy and will rush right past you if you aren`t firm, but you can stop him with an arm in front of his chest. He doesn't care for being groomed, but will stand reasonably quietly for it. It's obvious that he is tense while you are doing it, so we try to groom while he is eating. His biggest trick is that, whatever you try to do with him, he will try to spin or run away from it, but gives in with fairly good grace once he knows that you mean business.

His back still hasn't filled in, but we are starting to look for a western saddle and a good heavy pad to put on him, so we can try him under saddle when he is ready. His legs are really good and he still has lots of energy, so, barring unforseen circumstances, he's probably got another 7-10 years of riding left in him.

Wonder what he'd do if we tried running a barrel pattern with him? *Giggle* We may create a monster...

Well, happy weekend and don't forget to hug your horses (if only to stay warm!)

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

2010-03-15T09:47:00.000-03:00

Wow, 2 months since our last entry. Part of that was midwinter blahs, part of that was just startups for a number of different things we hope to have going on this year. So, a quick update on everyone and everything, who's where and what they're doing.

First of all, the website. We've changed a few things around and renamed some others. The adoption page is now call Sadie's Horses. We've added a courtesy listings page, as well. Because we get more requests to find homes for horses than we have foster homes, we decided to add this page, so that people can see what horses are still waiting for foster. Horses can be obtained directly from the owner on this page--Sadie's Place makes no guarantees to either the horse owner or the purchaser/adopter as to the personality, fitness or suitability of the animal, or of the facility it will be living in after transfer of ownership. That being said, you also don't have to go through our inspection process, if you obtain your horse through that page. This is a good option for both the horse owner and the person wanting a horse--the horse owner knows that people looking at our website are already predisposed to a 'rescue' horse, the person wanting a horse may be able to obtain the horse for much less than our usual adoption fees.

As well, we are in the process of setting up a page where you can personally sponsor a horse that tugs on your heartstrings. Some of this money goes towards training, an emergency medical fund (the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare fund covers regular visits, but as we know from Chance, emergencies do happen), equipment, extra feed if the horse needs more than the usual and any rehabilitative farrier or veterinary work.

Now, on to the horses:
Tilly--still in Mayfield, hanging with Wyatt. Had another chat with his former owner, who says he stopped racing because of a bowed tendon and that his best time was 1:56. He's still absolutely adorable and, if I had room for another, you'd all be cryin' in yer corn flakes, 'cause he'd be MINE! For someone who wants an all around horse who will give his all to whatever you ask of him, he really is a good choice. I just can't say enough good things about him.

Wyatt--growing, playing, manipulating his foster mom and dad into feeding him carrots every time they go by. Hmmm, who's supposed to be training who? Wyatt is going to have his fetlock assessed by a vet soon, to see if corrective shoeing or some other treatment will help. We'll keep you updated on his prognosis.

Bandit--scheduled to go for saddle training on April 1. Since he's already had a saddle on, this should be old hat for him. He's really settled down and has gotten a lot more cuddly. Better snap him up, because he is going to make someone a right fine riding horse this summer. Here's a photo of him from the winter--isn't that adorable?

He loves to come up to the fence and just visit with you. And, I can tell you, from personal experience, I have grabbed his head and done the "Oh, what a cute little pookey poo!" thing to him, and he didn't even twitch. Probably thought I should get back on my meds, but was very tolerant of my bizarre behaviour.

Apple--still the diva, but is very good at training humans. We're trying to get her into a clinic in Nova Scotia to help with some of her socialization issues. She's discovered alfalfa cubes, which are rapidly becoming an obsession for her.

Yankee--BORED!!!!Someone come ride me!!!!! Please!!!!! I'm bored!!!! Yankee is still classy looking, even with his now rather ratty winter coat, but he really needs a job. He's too young and has too much life left in him to sit and get flabby in the field. If you are looking for a young prospect with a good attitude and lots of get up and go, you should come visit him.

Duncan--gone to his new home! Congratulations, Brian, Chantal and Anna! He's finished his month of saddle training and has upped stakes to his new digs. Here's a picture of him inside the arena at his new home. Way to go Duncan!

Isn't that a happy looking boy?

Chance--gaining weight, looking a lot better. The difference in him is really what inspired the name of this entry. We'll get his 5 month anniversary blog up a day or two. Gotta get the pedicurist out first and it's going to take more than a couple of days to deal with that dandruff...but, boy, what a personality, when he starts to relax! Unfortunately, he still thinks everyone is out to get him, but he is getting better. He reached out to sniff my had the other day, all his own, which I'm taking as a promising sign. Ultimately, it would be nice to have him come to be caught and to be able to relax when you are touching him. Work to do still...

That's it for today. Hope you are all enjoying your sunshiney week of March Break, here on the Island. And, hopefully you all remembered to eat some pie on Sunday, in honour of Pi day. (You know, 3rd month, 14th day, 3.14, circumference of circle? OK, who booed? That wasn't very nice at all. Me, I'll take any excuse to eat pie. Or cake. Or cheesecake. )

Don't forget to hug your horses!

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells...

2010-01-14T17:52:00.000-04:00

Tilly pulls a sleigh!

Isn't he just the cutest thing? Look at him, all happy and walking along in front of that sleigh. He is, hands down, the most versatile guy. Just happy to have a job and be doing something, and he'll try anything and do his best to please you. These pictures are so much more indicative of his friendly charm than the ones we had earlier.

I am convinced that, in this picture, he's saying, "Hop in, we'll go for a spin around the field! It'll be fun!" How wonderful, to have such a versatile horse around, and one with such a stellar personality. You can really see how elegant he is in this picture and how interested he is in people and what's going on around him. Whoever takes him home will be a very, very lucky person. He is coming back very soon from his 30 days of training and we hope to see him find the forever loving home that a horse of his caliber deserves.

Don't forget to hug your horses today!

Chance's two month anniversary!

2009-12-29T19:12:00.000-04:00

I love stormy nights, especially when I don't have to go to work the next day. Not that I don't have work to do, but it's pony work, which doesn't really feel like work.

First of all, Christmas came early for Chance. He received a new blanket from a lady named Sylvette. Here it is, still in the package.

He needed a blanket, because he was too thin to stand any cold. Here it is out of the package. It's a nice blanket, with lots of straps to keep it on.

Here he is, modelling it the first day we had it. (Please ignore the manure pile in the background. You know how it happens, when you start picking the 'piles' and suddenly find yourself picking everything? And for some reason I thought that was a good time to take the picture...)

Here he is, licking the floor, because nothing tastes better than supper dumped out of your dish and licked off the floor...I don't bed that end of the stall any more, hee hee.

He likes to go outside now, which is nice. Not only does he not leave as much 'mess' in the stall, but it's so much better for them to get outside, both healthwise and mental healthwise. Here he is relaxing in the sun.

He and Penny spend all the nice days following each other around outside.

In fact, he's decided that when it is nice out, he would prefer to eat 'al-fresco' and refuses to finish his meal unless you take it outside.

He seems very proud of himself now, doesn't he? He's still not too sure of people and we're making a point of catching him to take him to his feed, to see if that changes his opinion. He's still really quiet and easy to work around--I was tossing straw right under him and shaking it around and he didn't care at all. He's getting MSM in his feed now, after his colic, because his manure was still a little loose, but it is better now. We even got a little canter out of him the other day, when he suddenly realized that I had snuck out to the barn with his lunch without him noticing! Didn't take him long to arrive once he realized what time it was. So, all in all, despite our little colic adventure, things are going well for him. He's finally figured out how to eat hay with his 'new' teeth and the new hay bale is disappearing quickly. Can't wait to see him when the new grass comes in.

Well, stay warm, and don't forget to hug your horses! (You might need to hang onto them to stay warm tonight, with that wind!)

Happy Holidays and some Happy Holiday stories (and one sad one to remind us of why love is so important)

2009-12-25T16:37:00.000-04:00

First of all, Happy whichever holiday you are celebrating or will be celebrating. Having friends and neighbours who are, among other things, Ukranian, Ba'hai, Jewish and Buddhist (just to name a few), we would like to pass on the hope that everyone is in for a happy, fulfilling year, with lots of successes and contentment.

And, now, a little picture from Santa Chance and Mrs. (Penny) Claus:

He was such a good boy about this, although it was pretty obvious while we were putting it on him that he was totally embarrassed at being forced to wear the hat. Well, Chance, you should see what we do to the kids in our family!

So, I've promised some Happy Holiday stories, as well. First of all, the happiest story we have, is a continuation of the story of Andy, the young gelding with the shivers. The last we had heard, he was headed for the vet college, in theory to be used for research. His owner could no longer afford to keep him and was hoping to find a place in PEI to take him because of the cost of the ferry crossing.

In actual fact, unbeknownst to us, he was slated for euthanasia in late July. Luckily, someone (and I'm sorry, I don't know who it was) contacted EarthArc (click on their name to go to the site). Earth Arc is a retirement home for large animals in Nova Scotia. Early in December, they contacted Sadie's Place to let us know that Andy was now with them. We were terribly excited to hear that! Earth Arc housed him temporarily at Handiber Hills and found someone coming over for Old Home Week to transport him across and he's been living there ever since. Here is a picture I pulled from their website--they were going to send more, but they had a batch of miserable weather and got tied up in looking after their animals.

They have him on the same high fat, high antioxidant diet that we recommended when we were looking for fosters for him. Doesn`t he look happy? We are so glad he was able to find someone to take care of him. They tell me that on the new diet he is doing well and his symptoms have diminished somewhat. He is still not rideable, but is now able again to trot, jog and run in the field. Thank you Earth Arc!

While I don't have any pictures (yet!), I can tell you that Devil is very happy in his new home. He has a lovely barn, lots of good food and a lovely mare to keep company, which is just what would make any man happy. What else would he need?

Mr. B, or Duncan, as we have gotten into the habit of calling him, has arrived at Sadie's Place.

And, boy, is he excited! He's the funniest thing on 4 legs. After years of a stall at the racetrack, he's got an outside run, with free access to the barn. His roomate is Bandit and the two couldn't be more different. While Duncan is instantly curious about ANYTHING going on in the yard, Bandit rolls his eyes (figuratively speaking!) and, from the greater wisdom of his 3 extra years of life, seems to say, "What are you going on about now? Don't you know there's food over here waiting to be eaten?" Duncan is perpetually amused and amazed by everything. He is like a cross between that one person in the neighbourhood who sees everything that goes on and a 5 year old just before Christmas.

He's a mid-sized horse, with a lovely mane and tail and that beautiful dishy face. On his assessment visit, he walked out, lifted feet and was just very happy to do whatever we wished.

Look at that lovely mane! We think that, once the initial excitement of the new digs is over, he will settle down into a lovely little riding horse. He has a very nice trot and seems very smart, for someone who wants to take the time with him. At only 9 years young, he's still in good shape and has lots of years left in him.

But he's still hilarious when he follows you along the fence line, doing the horsey equivalent of, "Whatcha doin'? Can I come too? Can I see? Where ya going'? Can I help? Watcha got there?"

Ok, now for our sad story and how a sad story can still become a happy one. Dottie, another adoptee, was recently euthanized. She had developed an infection and accompanying lesions in her spine and, despite aggressive treatment (including the AVC), it was determined that her condition was not going to improve and the decision was made. However, in the midst of their grief, her adopters were still able to open their hearts to this little fellow:

Now dubbed 'Wyatt', this is a weanling standardbred colt, who was shipped with a livestock dealer. He was born with a crooked leg and was obviously not going to have a race career, so was not registered (although we are trying to track down his breeding, just because it's always fun to know where your horse comes from).

Dottie's adopters took him in to foster. Doesn't she look like a good mom? He is going to be so well looked after! Wyatt needs some time to grow and for us to see if his crooked leg will interfere with his ability to be a pleasure horse. Right now, it certainly isn't slowing him down, as he trots and gallops all around the pasture and tries to drive his extrememely patient roomate around the bend.

Yes, you're right, that is Yankee! And is he ever a fantastic babysitter! Like all young kids, he can be a bit hyper and pesty, but Yankee handles it all like a pro.

Except at supper, when he reminds the young fella that his is older and therefore more important :P . (Sounds like many of the conversations I have had with my little brother. It worked about as well with him too.)

Yep, mom saves the day. Story of our lives, isn't it, ladies?

Wyatt is not currently available for adoption, although if someone wants to sponsor him, I'm sure he would be grateful. At some point, we are going to have to do some x-rays and other procedures, to see what is going on in that leg--just the thought of it makes me say Ouch! But, Yankee is still available for adoption, and definitely has the makings of a very good saddle horse--he did very well during his training and really enjoys working under saddle. Someone really needs to take him home and polish him up for the show season.

Well, just want to wish every one, again, Happy Holidays, and hope you come back in the new year rested and rejuvenated. We'll be blogging Chance's 2 month anniversary in a few days. We have the pictures, but this entry was getting too long! Keep checking back and, while you're waiting, don't forget to hug your horses!

Not exactly how I planned to spend Friday night...

2009-12-19T09:24:00.000-04:00

Friday night is supposed to be all about relaxing, kicking back and planning for the weekend. The work week is over (for those of us not in the service industry) and we start filling up our batteries for the week ahead.

And then, you have ponies...

Came home from work, tied up the greedy fat pony so she couldn't eat Chance's 'tea', fed them both and headed into the house to make supper. An hour later, out to the barn I go, like usual, to untie Penny, only to find Chance lying down at the end of the stall and his grain hardly touched.

Now, don't get me wrong, we've been waiting for a colic from him and he keeps surprising us.
We were expecting it when we first got him and started him on soaked hay pellets. Nothing.
We expected it when he got his teeth done. Nothing.
When he was wormed. Nothing.
When we added new feeds. Nothing.
When the weather got cold. Nothing.
So when does he do it? Friday night, just before Christmas. Because, of course, we already have ALL our Christmas shopping done, right? Yeah, me neither.

In all, it was actually not a bad colic. No thrashing, no sweating, only lasted about 6 hours. With him it is a worry because he has no energy reserves to get him through something like this, but he pulled through fine. He's a funny old duck. He'd drop to the ground and start to roll and I'd yell, "Chancie, don't you dare!" and he'd jump to his feet and look guilty. He would walk himself around the stall and he nearly tripped himself trying not to step on me when I would walk him and we had to make a tight turn. He's such a good boy!

We did get the vet out to have a look at him--Thank you Barb from Kensington Vets! She gave him some Banamine and some painkiller and evaluated his condition for us. He was much more comfortable when she left and was even interested in some hay at that point.

Ponies. What do you do with them? Me, I'm going to go out and hug them again, then I'm going to go back to bed. Stay tuned for pictures of Chance in his new winter blanket (Thank you Sylvette T!--by the way, his blanket stayed on the Whole Time! Only one strap came undone on it's own!) and some happy holiday stories.

Some of my favourite books when I was a kid...

2009-12-13T19:49:00.000-04:00

Well, I had lots of them. Walter Farley, of course. I always wanted to find an Island Stallion of my own. Black Beauty, once I got over the sad parts. ANYTHING by Marguerite Henry--I still check my saddle carefully to make sure all the hair is lying down underneath it because of one of her books. But the one I want to talk about today is an old series, by a man named C.W. Anderson. He wrote a group of stories about a boy named Billy and his pony, Blaze.

(Taken from www.equitainment.com.au/factsheet.asp?ID=48)

Not only were the Billy and Blaze stories rollicking good adventures, but they also taught about proper horse care. I don't remember lots of details, but I do remember one about a forest fire. Mr. Anderson was not only an excellent writer and illustrator, but was also an accomplished judge in the hunter/jumper circuit, and his expertise showed in the books.

I thought I would throw that out there, in case you are scrounging for a present for your young equestrian which doesn't have the name video in it somewhere. They are still available at Chapters. I found them here.

Don't forget about our Gift of Kindness, as well.

Don't know what to get someone? Give them the gift of a gift and help support a horse in foster. Gifts can be donated to any of our horses still in foster, not just the ones on the poster.

So, you might be wondering what brought all this to mind, besides the whole Christmas frantic running around thing. Well, we had a young lady donated to Sadie's Place, who unfortunately didn't make it onto the poster. And, aptly enough, her name is Blaze.

Now, unlike the Blaze in the C.W. Anderson stories, this Blaze is a filly, but other than that, she reminds me a lot of that little guy. Coming in at 14 hh, she fits neatly into that large pony category, for those who like hunter classes. She's smart and easy to handle, very relaxed and likes people. How smart is she? It took her owner 3 days to take her from sitting in pasture to pulling the jogcart. And she never batted an eye at it the whole time. How calm is she? Well, when I saw her, it was the second day of two nasty, windy cold days. She had been inside, in a stall, for the entire time. And she stood in the crossties like she had all the time in the world. No fidgets (except for chewing on the crosstie a time or two), no swinging the head, no running back and forth as far as the ties would let her go. You would have thought she was 24, not rising 4. Whatever I wanted to do, she was happy to do that.

Hard to see in this picture, but she's still got a lovely pile of muscle on her, despite being off the track since August. Her owner raised her from a foal--still has her mother, in fact, and would have kept her if he had enough space and time. But, he has two jobs, a growing family, and no time to give to her. So, it is with great regret that he has asked Sadie's Place to find a home for her.

Now, I say she was retired from racing and, it would be logical to assume that she must have been injured. Well, she was. She has a small chip on her sesamoid bone, so small it took two x-rays and a lot of looking to see it. She is still racing sound, but her owner doesn't have the time and wants her to go to a good home, where he is sure whoever adopts her will fall as desperately in love with her as he and his family are. And I think he's right. She will make someone a snapping good show pony. She's very focused, watches her people all the time. When I asked her to move over or lift her feet, it was like an expensive car--instant response. She still has her long racing toes, but her next trim will fix that.

Here she is, being jogged by the owner's 3 year old son, with dad acting as the safety harness.

So, now that I've written all this, I'm wondering if I've been hoist with my own petard. You see, I'm rather vertically challenged and, while I can appreciate big, tall, handsome boys like Yankee, Tilly and Bandit, I have had to admit that I am past my years of hopping up on horses that are taller than me and bouncing if I fall off and hit the ground. A little filly like this, so smart and just my size, is a serious temptation, especially having had the chance to meet her. So, to be completely up front here, I think you had better move quick on her, because as soon as I come up with a reason for why we need a third horse in the barn that will work on my husband, she'll be gone and all mine! (insert insane giggling here)

Yep, she'd look mighty fine underneath MY Christmas tree...you know, if Santa brought her, my husband couldn't say no...hmmm, what to leave for Santa Christmas Eve?

Did I mention she comes with a blanket?

Have to go feed the ponies. Chance has developed a new, perplexing habit--he likes to dump the last of his feed out of his dish and lick it off the floor. Very strange, but boys are strange anyway. Penny likes it best when he decides to share and, I have to admit, they do look cute together, with their noses in his feed dish, although it rather defeats the purpose of giving him all that feed. Must have a talk with him about that...I wonder how he'd feel about a second girlfriend.

Don't forget to hug your horses!

We've met Antonio, now meet Marilyn!

2009-12-05T11:12:00.001-04:00

Marilyn Monroe, that is, in horse form!

24 years old, and still sexy!

Apple has been a backyard pet all her life and was very attached to her owner. Unfortunately, he developed a medical condition which meant that he could no longer look after her. So he called us, knowing we would do what was necessary to find her a loving home for the rest of her life. And she's still got a lot of life left in her!

Just look at that face!

Because she has spent most of her life just interacting with her owner, she is still not sure of other people. Being a smart girl, she's waiting for us to prove to her that we love her just as much as her owner did. Apple has just returned from 30 days professional training and assessment.

She is still very stressed from all the sudden changes in housing and expectations and misses her old owner. We are working very slowly to introduce her to other people and convince her that it is ok when people ask her to do things she is not accustomed to. Poor old girl! She looks to be a very sweet mare, once she gets over the changes, and we have high hopes for her.

Apple is going to spend a couple of months in foster, just relearning how to be more than a pasture pet and getting over losing her owner of 24 years. She's going to live with a very nice lady who has a stall and a paddock for her and Apple's entire job will be to be led from stall to paddock in the morning, paddock to stall in the evening, eat carrots and apples (her favourite!) and to just look gorgeous! Not bad work, if you can get it. Where can I apply for a job like that?

Apple could really use a sponsor or even some Christmas gifts to put toward her future needs. Please consider giving a Gift of Kindness to Apple, or one of our other horses, in someone's name this Christmas. The Gift of Kindness is our Christmas Giving campaign.

The cards are currently available at The Tack Store and Agro Coop in Charlottetown.

The inside of the card reads ' A gift of _______ has been donated in your name to Sadie's Place Equine Rescue for __________.

Chance's 2 month anniversary is coming up and Yankee just came back from training with a top-notch report card. I will be updating him soon! Devil is gone to a new home, but Bandit, Mr. B (so cute!) and Blaze are coming in to start their little vacation after retiring. Stay tuned for updates on all these guys! (and gals!)

Have to go hug the ponies, although when I look at the size of the manure pile I have to move today, I don't feel so huggy at all. Hope the good weather holds!

Thanks to all who voted in the Aviva contest!

2009-12-01T10:27:00.004-04:00

Well, we didn't make it through, but we did get a lot of votes considering how late we entered. Thank you everyone! Since you are already registered, you might consider voting for some of the semi finalists. There is at least one from PEI (Camp Triumph) and there is a Therapeutic Riding group on there as well, from Quebec. Both great choices!

Stay tuned for news about an early Christmas present for Sadie's Place, and Chance, from a wonderful group we met on a local forum, Atlantic Rider. You will not believe it!

Rush, rush, rush! We need you to vote!

2009-11-27T17:18:00.003-04:00

Sadie's Place just became aware of a fantastic contest. Aviva is an insurance company and they have decided to hold a contest to help support community groups in their efforts to improve their communities. It is a vote based contest, so we really need your help on this. Please pass along this information to anyone you know who might be willing to take the time to cast a vote for us. Imagine what we could do with $250,000! I'm seeing barns, fences, even a small indoor arena for training. And with that would come the ability to provide programs for local school and youth groups, helping troubled and disadvantaged youth.

Please follow this link to the Aviva contest page. You can vote once each day. The voting closes on Sunday, so it's going to take an enormous effort to get us into the semi-finals (when I start begging for votes all over again, lol! I have no shame...)

Please, please, PLEASE take the few minutes necessary and vote for us! Here is the video we posted with the proposal:

We finally have pictures of that little palomino mare. She is now posted on our Ready to Adopt page, although we have yet to set an adoption fee for her. We are meeting Sunday afternoon (anyone can attend!) and will probably set it there.

More Old Friends

2009-11-21T13:45:00.000-04:00

Remeber Chance, the skinny old pony with the bad teeth? Well, Chance has been with Sadie's Place for 5 weeks now, and a whole lot has changed!

Here he is on Halloween, the day he arrived at his new foster home.

He arrived just in time for lunch. His new roommate, Penny, joined him. The waitress was very attentive.

Chance is still eating. Penny, who is somewhat, ummm, fluffy(?), was noticed eyeing his lunch, wondering if she could woo him away from it long enough to grab a mouthful. Unfortunately for her, once his nose went into the bucket, we didn't see it again until the bucket was empty.

Seasonal dessert--apple au naturel.

Dropping the apple au naturel--his mouth was still a little sore. Penny is playing the part of a vulture here, waiting to swoop in and scoop up what Chance dropped. Luckily, the waitress was on the ball that day, and Chance got to finish his lunch uninterrupted.

Finally, a nice quiet graze on the last of the autumn grass. In these pictures, he hasn't changed much from what he looked like when he arrrived. The big difference is in his attitude. He's much more alert (particularly when there is the remotest possibility of food) and much more active as well.

Now, zoom ahead 3 weeks, to November 21. Chance has gained a bit of weight, his bum is rounder and his ribs and backbone are disappearing just slightly. The biggest difference here is that he has finally grown a real winter coat. He is having more success eating hay, but I think we'll have to have the vet out to look at him again, to see if there is anything else that can be done with his mouth.

You can see in this picture that the area between his spine and his hip has filled in a bit.

Still ribby, but look at that full belly (though that might have something to do with he and Penny figuring out how to get into the bin holding the hay stretch pellets. First morning ever that he didn't come and breath down my neck while I made his breakfast. I wonder why...)

Side on, not a lot of muscle coming back yet, but we'll probably see more next month.

Stick pony in need of a good grooming. Any volunteers?

And, here's the girlfriend, out having a last green snack with him, since they have already eaten everything with any pretense to being a green plant in the paddock. They're an odd looking couple, because it's pretty obvious that he's missed a lot of meals, and that she hasn't missed any, even ones that weren't meant for her! But still, they get along pretty well. Chance stays in the barn, as he doesn't have enough fat on his bones to stay warm in the cold weather, and Penny stands outside or just inside the door and visits. They encourage each other in naughty pony behaviour, but that's what ponies are all about anyway, right?

Well, need to go clean a stall and make sure my latest attempt at pony proofing the grain bins has been successful. I'm really hoping this worked, because my next option is an in the wall safe with a 6 inch steel door. (And Penny will have that open 10 minutes after I head into the house.) Have a great weekend and don't forget to hug your horse!

Old Friends

2009-11-15T20:33:00.000-04:00

Back in the spring, we had a lovely little mare, called Dusty Lane Dot, come to Sadie's Place, looking for a new home. At 14.3, she was a petite mare, with lovely eyes (and ears like a mule, but we don't talk too much about that around her--she gets upset). This is what she looked like when we first met her.

Still in racing form, very slender and wondering just what was going on. Here's another pciture, from a bit later, when she had started to put on a bit more weight. This is very normal for standardbreds who are racing. Like any athelete, they have very little body fat, unlike pleasure horses, who tend to carry a bit more flesh.

While a little shy at first, she very quickly warmed up to her new mom and dad, Ian and Jennifer Steeksma. While Ian was building her run in shed, she became very curious and began to follow him around as he worked. This eventually developed into a game of hide and seek around the shed. She's really very happy with her new home and very willing to please.

She went two weeks ago for saddle training and her mom and dad (and the trainer) are very excited about her progress. Her trainer describes her as 'a smart horse' and 'a kind mare'. She is walking, trotting and loping in the round pen, turning, bending and backing up. The really neat thing about Standarbreds is that they are, for the most part, people pleasers. It's bred right into them, to make their humans happy. And they will take on any challenge to do it.

Here she is under saddle, very relaxed looking. It seems so strange to see the freeze brand on her neck, but she's looking very good.

Here's Dottie with her new dad. Don't they look happy together? Ian says he will be going trail riding with her in another couple of weeks--he's very excited about it.

It takes so little to give these ex-racehorses a second chance at a productive, happy life--a bit of time and space, 4 weeks of training and a home where they know they are loved. So little effort, to save a life, and so much to receive in return.

Well, it's bedtime snack time around here, so I'm off to fatten up the Stick Pony and try to hide the grain from the Greedy Grumpy. Don't forget to hug your horse tonight!

Have you ever wondered...

2009-11-09T22:04:00.001-04:00

what Antonio Banderas would look like as a horse? (What do you mean, I'm the only one? Huh!) Well, I can answer that question for you right now, because I have the pictures!

See what I mean? This is Riverlea Bandit, a 12 year old standardbred who is just retiring from the track. Now, just take a good look at the above picture and the one just below:

Looking at this horse, you can really see the Morgan influence on the Standarbred breed. He's really got a lovely shaped head and a gorgeous curved neck. He does have the typical Standardbred conformation between his hips and his withers, which was celebrated for giving the foundation sire Messenger and Hambeltonian 10 their speed and impulsion. Get this hind end collected under you and you will really be going places!

Now, Bandit's mom and dad love him dearly (pretty obvious in the pictures, I think!) and they really want to find a good home for him. Bandit is a very strong horse and will test you to see if you are enough man (or woman) to handle him. That being said, he loves to work and, by gum, he's gonna win, too! No matter what! His mom and dad say he can be jogged by anyone (and they look like they are having lots of fun!)

He will need an experienced handler, who knows how to handle a strong horse, at least for the moment. We will reassess his personality after he has had a bit more time to relax from the track atmosphere. With his Type A, win at all costs personality, he should be a good candidate for retraining for saddle. Now, like any horse who has been on the track for that many years (he only stopped racing at the end of the summer--tough guy), his legs have taken a bit of beating on the track. We can tell you he is pasture sound and gets along well with other horses in a turn out situation, that he has been visited by one of our members, who stated that he seemed 'sweet', but we cannot guarantee what degree of rideabiity he will have. If you have the time to train him to saddle, you could have a nice pleasure horse to head out on the trails with, 2 or 3 times a week. Because of his legs, we are listing him as a 'pasture companion', and simply looking for a donation of any amount in exchange.

Well, it's getting late and, since I can't hug Antonio Banderas, I just have to run out and hug the Greedy Grumpy and the Stick Pony (aka Penny and Chance)

Have a great week, don't let the flu bug bite and don't forget to hug your horse!

Hello, Tilly!

2009-11-03T21:39:00.002-04:00

I only have one picture of Tilly to show you, but I'm hoping for more. Tilly is an approximately 8 year old standardbred who adores people and loves attention. We were told that he was simply dropped off at a barn near Charlottetown and no one knows his owner. We are attempting to trace him at the moment, but that can take time. In the meantime, this gentle boy needs a home--foster or permanent. He's another one of these tall, dark and handsome lads. He loves kids and the neighbourhood kids love him; they visit all the time.

Ok, so maybe not the best picture of all time, but when you look at the expression on his face, he reminds me very much of a horse in the riding stable when I went to college, many years ago. Kind and sweet, willing and eager to please. The barn owner where he is now says he is all those things and more. Tilly really needs a home, as the barn owner can only keep him another couple of weeks--she has a new boarder coming in at the end of November and he is in their stall at the moment. She has said that she can send his buckets and some grain to help support him until he has a permanent home.

Stories like this are sad, but hopefully Tilly's will have a happy ending. I'm going to go hug my two ponies now. Can somebody volunteer to be Tilly's hugger?

Update: I have another picture now, which is much more attractive. You can still see his kind expression. We are going to try to pick him up on Sunday and we'll have more information on him shortly after that.

Now, does that not look like a nose that needs kissing? Awww, you just want to hug him.

Just to hold you over...and make you laugh!

2009-10-24T08:41:00.003-03:00

I have to wait to get the pictures that were taken at the Gala Dinner last night, so it will probably be the end of the week before I can post the story of that night. And, what a night! It was a good time!

So, to keep people entertained while they wait, I thought I would post this dressage demonstration, with Brian O'Connor and his wonder horse, Sydney. Stick with it at least until 3:15, it just gets funnier.

Chance, the movie star

2009-10-17T21:26:00.003-03:00

Took Chance outside to have a snack today. He's much livelier than he was when he first arrived--he actually pulled on the leadshank today! Good for you Chance!

The vet was out to see him, and corrected my estimate of his body score. He believes Chance scores a 1 on the Henneke scale. He also believes that Chance is in his 20's, although it's hard to tell once they get past a certain age. Chance is going to have his teeth floated in a couple of weeks, to see if that fixes anything. (We can't do it any sooner, in case the stress causes his heart to give out). Until then, he's getting hay pellets soaked, mixed with a bit of grain and some mineral to correct the mineral imbalances that occur during starvation.

Regardless of age, he seems sharp and lively (considering...). His legs are clean and his feet are good. He goes for apples with the intensity of an Olympic volleyballer setting up to spike the ball. Watch this video of him out snacking on the last of the green grass this afternoon. Please ignore the noise--it was windy out and I'm just using the video option on the digital camera.

Not too shabby for a skinny old guy, eh?

OK, group hug for Chance! Go!

Meet Chance

2009-10-14T16:23:00.004-03:00

Well, I promised information on the new pony that arrived Tuesday. We've decided to call him Chance, because if chance ever played a role in a pony's life, it was in this one. Chance is also french for luck, which this pony has had a lot of, both good and bad.

A trailer arrived in the yard on Tuesday afternoon, dropping off this young gentleman...

As you can see, he's missed a few meals, and not just recently. We can't at the moment say too much about where he came from, but we can say that a concerned citizen saw him someplace, bought him, and dropped him off to us. Bless your heart! It's cases like this when you realise that we need tougher legislation around the standard of care issue. There needs to be more than food and water on the property, the animals also need access and need to be physcally capable of eating it!

He appears to be a Newfoundland pony, which breaks my heart, because if there's anything out there that's tougher than a Newfoundlander (whether human or equine) I have yet to see it. What it would take to bring a pony bred to thrive in Newfoundland to this condition boggles my mind. Horses are often rated for weight on the Henneke scale, which runs from 0 (dead of starvation) to 9 (going to die of morbid obesity). Chance ranks at about a 1.5.

This kind of thing really pushes my buttons, because with most ponies, the problem is keeping the weight OFF them. My welsh-shetland cross gained enough weight this summer on a half-acre paddock that we had to start letting her girth out (hmmm....seems we both suffer from the same problem....). The vast majority of ponies are like air ferns--all you have to do is wave the hay at them and they gain weight. So, what went wrong for poor Chance?

The vet is coming out to check him over today, we hope. We suspect his teeth may need to be floated (filed down to remove sharp points that make eating difficult and uncomfortable). He probably has worms, though he doesn't have the big worm belly, so he may not be too bad. We're hoping that he hasn't suffered too much damage to his heart and digestive system, which is how we lost Sadie in the end. He seems a nice boy, though he will swing his head away as you enter the stall. And, like most Newfoundland ponies, it will take more than this to get him down. He is the most determined little survivor.

Please keep Chance in your thoughts. If you would like to donate to support his rehabilitation, we are still sorting out the Paypal issue, but you can drop it off in any of our donation jars around PEI. We expect anything between 2-3 months to 10-12 months of rehab, depending on what medical issues crop up during his convalescence. And please consider buying a ticket to our dinner fundraiser on October 23. This is our major fundraiser and is our main source of revenue, for cases like Chance.

I think I need a hug. Where's my pony?

We were on Compass!

2009-10-13T21:12:00.004-03:00

Yay! If you missed the story, shown on October 12, you can visit this link.

And, just a heads up, stay tuned for information on a pony that was dropped off just today--you will not believe the pictures when you see them! I should be able to get out to take pictures on Saturday, by which time he will hopefully be a bit more stable and we will be able to take him out for a bit of a walk around.

Pet Expo and a tall, dark and handsome stranger...

2009-09-22T21:10:00.007-03:00

We went to the Pet Expo this weekend past. The Pet Expo was hosted by the PEI Humane Society and included all sorts of interesting things, from flyball, to pony vaulting, to mini horses. There were quite a few different booths: we saw alpacas, himalayan cats, a snake, turtles and lots of other animals. All through both days there were presentations on a number of different products that would be useful or interesting to pet owners.

And, wouldn't you know it, we ALL forgot our cameras! (I'm so ashamed...). But, we raised $326 this weekend and we introduced a new fundraiser--stuffed horses! You can see their pictures on the Can I Help page of our website. Not only that, we now have T-shirts, with the Sadie's Place logo on the front and the website address on the back. Hoping to have pictures to post soon and also hoping to find the time to straighten out the Paypal issue. The stuffed horses are $25 each and include registration in the Sadie's Rescue Registry. They are included with the memberships as part of the package as well. The t-shirts are $22 for youth and $24 for adults, if you are not a member of Sadie's Place. Member prices are $18 and $20 each. Each horse or t-shirt sold will keep a horse in foster care for a week. A family membership keeps a horse in foster care for 3, an individual membership is good for about 2 weeks. So, not only does a horse get a second chance, but you get something for yourself too!

I was out to play with the horses today and Yankee says he's having fun and has learned to trot in a circle on a lunge line, which is pretty weird, but he'll humour us as long as we keep up the wither scratches. They are da bomb! he says. (And where he picked up that phrase, I'll never know!) He's learning to bring his head down from the Standardbred racing placement to a headset that is more suited to pleasure riding. He's a really great guy and really needs some volunteers to come out and love on him--he's used to a lot of people giving him a lot of attention.

And, speaking of attention, there's a new guy in town that we think is going to get a lot of attention. Woodbe a Devil, or Devil, as he is called, is indeed a handsome devil. If you've checked out our adoption page, you'll have seen his picture on there. And, boy, he is all that! Long, long legs, a short back, a long neck and the cutest puppydog lost expression right now, as he tries to figure out what happened.Devil apparently chipped a sesamoid bone while racing and, while he has healed, he is no longer sound enough to race on the hard tracks. After a successful career, this 7 year old sweetie needs to find a new job to do.Gorgeous, isn't he? And just a sweetheart to work around, although he's still a little unsure and suspicious of his new surroundings--we don't look the least little bit like a racing barn! I think he would make a lovely low level dressage prospect for someone, with that neck and those legs.He'll remain in quarantine for another week or so, then we can start working with him and see how he goes on. If anyone wants to come out and love on a big black horse, here's your chance!

Hope everyone had a chance to get out and enjoy the sunshine. Fingers crossed for more! I'm not ready for winter yet! Oh, and before I forget, don't forget to hug your horse!

Old Home Week

2009-09-07T09:27:00.006-03:00

I'm very late with this update and for that I apologize. Sometimes, life just grabs you by the scruff of the neck and, somehow, I never seem to win those fights....strange!

Well, we went to Old Home Week, and it was a blast! For those who couldn't free up time in their schedule this year, keep next year open, because we had a ball! Thanks to Lucy Newson, who gave us an absolutely spectacular spot for our table, right in the main foyer! Not only that, but as exhibitors, we got in free!
Notice the book in the picture? That was one of two books we had on display that day. It's called 'Give a Horse a Second Chance'. The book is a tutorial on how to go about choosing and rescuing a horse or pony and what things you should watch out for. Kind of a coincidence, isn't it, that the name of the book is the almost the same as part of our motto? Eerie! You can order the book at Chapters, if you are intersted in it. They also have some other really good books. (Who's up for a post on the best horsey book you ever read?)

So, I said Lucy gave us a great spot, didn't I? Well, we were right across from the canteen (and, oh, wasn't that a constant act of willpower--they had cotton candy!)Here is Brandi at the booth, laughing at me and telling me I am not allowed to buy cotton candy.Here is a blurry picture of the view right across from our booth. We were so close we could watch the jumping classes and still keep an eye on the booth. We took turns manning the booth, so we could watch our friends competing.When we weren't at the booth, we went for strolls around the grounds. Childfind was there, doing fingerprints and those ID booklets of theirs--great idea! I keep one of my daughter just in case someone else decides she's just as cute as I think she is!Just around the corner from us was the entrance to all the booths. There was an incredible amount of stuff to do and see. There was even a balloon guy who could make Spiderman out of balloons! Now, you don't see that every day!
This is a picture of the Agricultural section, where all the displays showed different things that were going on in agriculture. One of the really interesting things I saw was someone who is packaging silage in small bags, for people who have horses with the heaves. Unfortunately, I didn't see a price anywhere, but if you have a horse or pony with the heaves, you might want to contact them to ask about the product. They are Island Meadows Forage Company and their email is info@islandmeadows.com.A rather blurry peek through some other booths at the agricultural section. It was hard to take pictures here--there were so many people!Just across from the agricultural section, there was a spot for the kids, where you could braid a (fake) horse's tail, 'drive' a racehorse, play computer games, plant beans and...MILK A COW!!!!In a little foyer off to the side, the 4-H crew had a bit of a petting zoo set up, with lots of information. 4-H is a great group to get involved in and it's not all animals and farming. And, of course, the food! Not only was there food everywhere (oh, boy, was it everywhere...), but there were a series of demonstrations by different local chefs, paired with local farmers and you got samples! Yum! For a small island, we really do have a lot of high end, top quality chefs per capita. We probably eat better than Ottawa or Toronto!And, last but not least, we did draw for that Kid's Dream package, with the stuffed horse and the T-shirt. The winner of the package was

Megan Kennedy of Summerside! Congratulations, Megan, and enjoy your horse and your t-shirt!

That's it for today. Stay tuned for posts on our upcoming gala fundraising dinner and other random posts by yours truly. And, until then, go hug a horse!

And the winner is...

2009-08-06T08:33:00.009-03:00

So, OK, I'm going to make you wait until the end of the post, because I have some great pictures from the Gingerwood Classic. Unfortunately, it was hard to get people out to volunteer at the table, so we didn't sell as many tickets as we felt we could have, simply because the table wasn't open the whole time, but we still managed a respectable amount. Thanks to Jennifer and Ian Steeksma, who manned the table on Tuesday afternoon, Darcy Brown, who held down the fort all day Wednesday and Brandi Tulloch, who turned her schedule completely upside down to cover the table for us on Sunday.

For those who have never been there, Gingerwood is a really neat place during these shows.

There are riding rings all over the place,

a canteen, a tent for exhibitors (where we got to watch a great talent show!)

and you are (get this!) chauffered
from your car down to the petting zoo and pony rides.Our tent was right across from the grass arena, so we had excellent seats to watch the jumping.

Greenhawk was set up just about 20 feet from our booth--huge, HUGE temptation. However, I resisted--I really don't believe that the pony needs twenty new halters in various colours and a set of brushes to go with each (although, if she had been there, I bet she would have talked me into at least one--smart little pony!)

Nice Nags was there too, and they obviously meant business, because they brought their top salesman with them (he's the big guy with the brown hair, in the right of the picture). Again, temptation, but I resisted (took more effort than was pretty...)

And, now, I want to introduce you to a new raffle we have going on. Yes, it is the Imaginary Horse Raffle. Just look at this young fellow (or filly)--is it just me, or do you see the DuMaurier Cup too? I know, a little pudgy now, but with a bit of work, a few miles jogging around the living room, wearing the Mountain T-shirt he's (she's) sporting on his (her) back, and he (or she) will be the Grand Prix prospect of your dreams! With a pedigree including The Black Stallion, Black Beauty, Spirit and My Little Pony Lilly Lightly, how can he (or she) be anything but spectacular?! Tickets are only $1 and can be purchased at Storybook Stables right now! Further ticket sales will be announced. Don't miss out on your chance to ride the horse of your dreams...

And, finally, the winner of our magnificant show package was...(drum roll)...

Nicole Kitchener of Cornwall, PEI! Congratulations Nicole and we hope to see your horses (and you) wearing their (your) new duds soon!

All right, it's a sunny day! Everyone, let's ride! Oh, and don't forget to hug your horse!

Looking for volunteers!

2009-07-19T18:41:00.002-03:00

We have a table booked to sell raffle tickets at the two Gingerwood shows at the end of July. But, we need people to man (or woman!) the table. I can tell you, it's a lot of fun, you meet all sorts of people and you generally get to sit down, which we all know doesn't always happen at a horse show. Just a couple of hours would be great and it sounds like a great family activity! Not only that, but we'll put you on the blog! You'll be famous!

We have time slots of:
Stanhope Equestrian Challenge
Monday July 27 10-12, 12-2
Tuesday July 28 10-12, 12-2
Wednesday July 29 10-12, 12-2

Gingerwood Charity Classic
Friday July 31 10-12, 12-2
Saturday August 1 10-12, 12-2 Draw at 2:00

Here's what they are saying about the shows at Gingerwood:

Gingerwood Charity Horse Shows

Get ready for a week of fun and entertainment! Atlantic Canada’s largest outdoor equestrian events, the Gingerwood Charity Horse Shows, are back for another exciting week this summer. The event kicks off on July 27th with the Stanhope Equestrian Challenge, running until July 29th , followed by the Gingerwood Charity Classic; July 31 to August 2.

Guaranteed to be a fun filled week for the whole family; with free pony rides each day, a petting zoo, a country canteen, Grand-Prix show-jumping, and so much more! Only $5 a car load, with all proceeds going to Oak Acres Children’s Camp.

Event Location: Gingerwood Farm, Stanhope Lane, Stanhope, PEI ( Follow Rt 25 to Rt. 6 - Watch for Signs)

You can check out their website at www.gingerwoodfarm.com.

Star Yankee

2009-07-11T12:58:00.006-03:00

I promised a blog on Yankee, when I had a bit more information on him. I have a couple more pictures and a bit more of his life history.

Yankee, or Yank, as he is sometimes called, lived his entire life in the same stable.

He raced a couple of times as a two year old, then was injured and was given a year off to heal. He came back as a three year old, raced again a couple of times, then was injured again. Another year's vacation...get the idea he's actually smarter than the rest of us? Hmmm, couple of days work, off for a year. Sounds good to me! It was during his return as a four year old that his breathing problem became apparent--while trotting a fast mile (less than 2 minutes to finish), his palate would flip up and interfere with his breathing. He is still good for any number of other jobs, but this issue willl always have to be kept in mind. He has a good work ethic and, while he goofs around and has fun when off duty, he knows when to get down to work, which sounds like a pretty cool personality to me.

He REALLY likes dogs. Really. Alot. His best friend is a big yellow lab named Pudge. They like to lick each other's faces. I dunno...guys. Just don't get them. But they're darn cute.

Yank's groom, Amanda, says she would like to keep him herself, but she has no room, so I expect she will be very jealous of whoever gets to take this darling guy home. We have already had some interest in him, but, if you are interested, please fill out the form on our 'Want to Adopt?' page and send it in. There are always adorable horses with personality plus looking for a loving home.

Enjoy the summer day, everyone! And don't forget to hug a horse today!

Another fun day at the horse (duck) show!

2009-07-06T09:58:00.005-03:00

Well, anyone who was at the Storybook Stables Horse Show this weekend knows where the duck reference came from--it RAINED!!! Not only was there thunder and lightning (and torrential downpours) on Friday night, but it started raining again as soon as we were ready for the outside classes. Everyone was soaked. We were all hiding under every available bit of shelter. But it was a lot of fun and, let's face it, this is PEI--if we didn't have the weather to complain about, what would we do?

Anyway, it was a fun time and we would like to say thank you to everyone that bought tickets for the raffle draw and the 50/50 draw. Look to see us at other venues around the island over the summer. Just a quick pic of our lovely ladies who volunteered to man (or woman!) the table and to harass, ummm, canvass (yeah, that's the word...) the crowd to drum up more ticket sales.

We have, from left to right, Bila, Jordann, Wylie and Bridget, who gave their Saturday morning sleep in to help the horses. Thank you, ladies and gentleman! You can also see on the table the prize for the raffle draw, draw day July 31st at Gingerwood. Starting from the bottom left, we have a burgundy suede-like saddle pad, summer riding gloves, a horse themed diary, a silver brooch shaped like a full cheek snaffle, a pair of socks which say 'Love riding, hate flying' (you know, the kind of flying that happens when you horse suddenly decides that there's a horse eating monster hidden behind that stump you've passed everyday for the past 6 months), the show cooler (beautiful forest green), a pink horse girl hat, horse treats, Show Sheen, and a really nice grooming box to keep your things in. There is a lovely little charm to go on your bridle, as well, though I can't seem to find it in the picture. Just a wonderful package of things and tickets are very reasonable: 1 for $2, 3 for $5. Remember, less than a month left to get your tickets!!

An update on Andy: after further consultation with the vet college, Andy's mom has decided that he would be better off if she donated him to the vet college. Not only will he receive the best of medical care, but he will have a very relaxed, lazy life where his main job will be to just look absolutely spectacular and hang out with a bunch of friends. Hmmm, where do you go to sign up for one of those jobs...?

Check out the website to see our newest potential adoptee: Yankee Star. I'll be blogging him later on this week, once I have all his information.

Well, I have to go squelch my way over to clean the barn. Have a great week and enjoy the sunshine!

Out one door, in another!

2009-07-02T17:31:00.000-03:00

I must say, we really don't do things by half measures, here at Sadie's Place. What do I mean, you ask? Elementary, my dear Watson.

Horses, horses, everywhere!

Dottie, our OTSB(off track standardbred) has found a new home with Ian and Jennifer Steeksma. Not only that, but Dottie's new mom and dad are so happy with her they are going to send her to school! Dottie is going to learn all about those riding horsey type things, like saddles, and giving to leg pressure, and bending! Dottie tells me she's quite looking forward to trying something new, because one can only take so much just standing around looking gorgeous before it all gets a little stale. So, please, join me in waving bye-bye to Dottie, as she heads off for new adventures.

Well, with Dottie leaving, you would think we would have all the time in the world to sit around and discuss the merits of brown vs. black tack on various colours of horses, but, fate had something (or rather, someone) else in store for us. Actually, several someones. However, I won't load you up with lots of names to remember yet, but I would like to tell you Andy's story, because it's really kind of sad.

Andy is a 4 year old Trakhener, just gearing up for what he was sure was going to be an Olympic career. He had a new mom, who he adored and was all set to go out and wow the ladies with his astonishing good looks. Then, one day, his bum felt kind of funny. His legs didn't work like they should. His left leg would flex way up high when he tried to step forward. He still tried to work, because he loved his mom and he didn't want to disappoint her, but he could tell she was worried. That made Andy very unhappy. One day, Andy's mom told him they were going a little trip, a vacation, to the land of Anne. "Does Anne have treats?" was Andy's first thought. His second thought was, "Does Anne have Gravol?" because he had to ride on a boat. Woohoo! Was that ever strange! Whatever was going on with Andy's legs, the boat had it too! Boy, was he ever excited when he got out of the trailer. Andy's mom left him at the Atlantic Veterinary College, where lots of nice people patted Andy and made him feel at home. They did some yucky things too, but Andy likes people so much, he forgave them right away. But then Andy's mom got the bad news--Andy had 'Shivers', which meant that his leg muscles didn't work right and he wasn't going to be able to have that Olympic career after all.

Andy is hoping someone has a soft spot for handsome, easy going, eager to please young geldings. He needs a temporary home for now, as his mom can't afford to keep him at the AVC. She already has one (older) horse that she can't do much with and, while she loves Andy and wants the best for him, he is never going to be able to do the things for her that she wants to do, so she is hoping that we can find a home for him where he can be appreciated for his stellar personality.

If you might be interested in Andy, he is a timid horse and dislikes thinking that someone is angry with him. In the herd, he is submissive. He isn't spooky--when startled, he freezes or walks sideways, but doesn't bolt, according to his mom. Andy should be kept on turnout as much as possible, as prolonged periods of standing make him stiff and his walk awkward. When lifting his feet, he may snap them up high, but will bring them down shortly after. There is some evidence that a high fat, low starch diet is of some help with these horses, combined with a regular exercise program. The most quoted option is alfalfa pellets with some sort of vegetable oil (20% of calories from fat), instead of a regular grain mix. He should not be used in areas where he would really need his hind end for impulsion (jumping, riding in hills, etc). This is a progressive illness, but slow, and can be even slower with proper management.

Andy needs a foster home soon, as his mom has to decide what she will do with him. If you have space, even just for the summer, please contact us. And, Andy is not the only four-legged friend needing our help. Even if you don't feel Andy is a good match for you to foster, there are others, that will be featured in coming weeks. Our email is sadie@sadiesplace.ca.

Visit us at our website, http://www.sadiesplace.ca/, to stay on top of everything that's going on. We now have a new page, the 'Bridle' Registry, for things that are in short supply.

Thank you for your support! Don't forget about the raffle for all the show gear. Tickets go on sale at the Storybook Stables show on July 4th, at Storybook Stables in Brookfield, right on the number 2 highway. Guaranteed to be lots of fun--come on down! I hear rumours of cookies...

And we all went clubbing...Pony Clubbing, that is!

2009-06-14T16:12:00.000-03:00

What a fantastic couple of days we've had! After days and days of rain, damp, mist and cold temperatures, I think we were all checking ourselves very carefully for signs of mold.

This was the weekend of the Charlottetown Pony Club Show, held at the Crapaud Agriplex. Lovely facility, lots of space and a fantastic barn to keep the horses in.

While we were all enjoying the sunshine and watching the classes, our lovely volunteers were busy selling tickets on a basket full of horse treats (and not the cheap kinds, either; the really good, nutritious ones! so the guilt factor is a little smaller as you build up that layer of winter insulation on your horse or pony...:) )

Don't look so happy, girls! You'll scare off the customers!

Actually, they were finding the sun a little bright, and the table a little boring, so off they went...

to encourage the crowd to buy some tickets. They were a very enthusiastic group and really helped us out.

Finally, the big moment came... the draw for the winner...

And here he is...Scott MacDonald! Now, don't eat them all at once, Scott, you'll get a tummy ache! And watch out for that shifty looking character on the right--she looks like she's thinking about mugging you!

Actually, it's his daughter, Jaime, who was riding in the show. Bet we know where those treats actually end up...

All in all, a great day, with about $100 raised to help provide help and homes for horses and ponies in need. Congratulations, PE Islanders! You're the best!

Upcoming events

2009-05-31T10:04:00.000-03:00

Just a quick update:

We're having a couple of draws, fundraising to support the horses already coming into Sadie's Place. The first one is going to be at the Charlottetown Pony Club Show at the Crapaud Exhibition Grounds on the 14th of June--a Horse Girl hat (and who doesn't want one of those?) and a bunch of horse treats (I'm buying a bunch of tickets, because I'm not allowed in the barn with out them. When did I stop being the boss around here anyway? Oh, yeah, when we got a PONY!) Tickets are cheap: $2 each or 3 for $5. Get 'em before I get them all! Thanks to Sunnybrook Farms Pet Supply in Summerside for the donation!

Second draw is a raffle, also donated by Sunnybrook (you guys are SO good to us!) Show cooler, saddle pad and a whole bunch of other show items, just in time for the "run rabbit run" season. Total value of $250, tickets still cheap at $2 each or 3 for $5. Draw will be held at the Storybook Stables show on July 4th.

We're hoping for a Father's Day draw too, but still sorting out prizes. If you have anything "Dad approved" (i.e. food or toys, *giggle, duck*) that you would like to donate, please let us know.

And, as always, still looking for loving homes and foster families. Now, go enjoy your weekend and hug a horse!

Yay for Paypal!

2009-05-17T19:11:00.000-03:00

We're up and running with Paypal, although a few kinks to get worked out yet. Planning to include a Sponsorship button for horses as they come into the rescue--right now, mostly for any permanent residents, but maybe later for horses in need of retraining, like Off Track Standardbreds.

Please take a few minutes to look at the website and let us know what you think. What would you like to see? What do you see that doesn't work for you?

We have, at the moment, three horses looking for homes, although I'm still waiting on information to post on the site. If you have a spot, even just temporary, give us a call!

Wanted: Horses looking for new jobs!

2009-05-16T22:06:00.000-03:00

Well, we're up and running. Not only are we looking for horses who are interested in changing careers, or even just moving to a new home, we are also looking for people interested in helping these animals change careers or living quarters. Stay tuned for more information, as more things come on line.