 Brand New from Horse Council BC! A Free e-Book Download or Hard Copy of HCBC and Dr. Theresa Burns "Basic Horse Care". This book contains uncomplicated information about keeping your horse healthy! It is available to download for free from the link below OR you can get the actual hard copy booklet from your local feed or tack store. If you would like more info e-mail industry@hcbc.ca http://www.hcbc.ca/_customelements/uploadedResources/161337_HorseCare.pdf Add Comment Written By Tracy Gantz http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=19126 After completing the adoption process and bringing your new charge home, help him adjust to his new surroundings and lifestyle. Remember the first time you traveled away from home for more than a few days? No matter how exciting your new adventure was, homesickness likely hit at some point. It might have taken you a while to make friends and adjust to your surroundings. Any horse entering a new environment will go through a similar transitional period, which is magnified when that horse is an adopted animal. Maybe he suffered abuse, starvation, and neglect and needs a great deal of TLC. Perhaps he used to be a racehorse and now he not only is confronted with an unfamiliar environment but also has to learn a new job. No matter the circumstances, when you adopt a horse you face a different and greater set of challenges than you would if you had purchased a "made" horse. Instead of flinging a saddle on his back and going for a ride immediately, you will need to give your adoptee time to adjust to his new life and patiently teach him what he needs to know. Along the way, you might find yourself bonding with this horse in a way you haven't with any other animal. Cassie Sprenger of Lakeville, Minn., and Leigh Gray of Bradbury, Calif., each train and rehabilitate rescued horses for adoption. Sprenger and her husband run the Complete Equestrian Company, where Cassie trains horses and riders of all disciplines. Cassie was the grand champion of the 2010 Trainer's Challenge of the Unwanted Horse at the University of Minnesota, conducted by the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation (MHARF). The competition gives trainers an opportunity to show off their skills after putting about 90 days of training into a rescue horse. Then people can adopt these horses, knowing the animals have a base of early training on which to build. Gray manages Winner's Circle Ranch, a racehorse layup facility in Bradbury, Calif., owned by Don Shields, DVM. She also operates the Thoroughbred Rehab Center Inc., which finds new homes and careers for former racehorses in California. Gray has placed more than 250 ex-racehorses that have been retrained as eventers, show horses, and trail companions. Regardless the type of horse you adopt, before you bring your new charge home you'll want to know as much about him as possible. Most adoption facilities are happy to provide you with information and help you choose a horse that will be the best fit (as discussed in Part 1 of this series in the August issue). The longer the adoption facility has had a horse, the more barn manners he might have learned. For example, while a horse is under Gray's care, she teaches him to cross-tie, load and unload in the trailer, and stand quietly for bathing and clipping. When you ask the adoption facility about the horse's personality, be sure to also find out about any nutritional and health needs. Reputable facilities will not put a horse up for adoption that isn't well on the road to recovery from any health issues that arose from his previous situation. However, you might need to continue work that the facility began. DON'T GIVE UP IF THINGS GO WRONG Many horses put up for adoption come with baggage. They might have been starved or abused, or at the very least they likely had a different job than the one you have in mind for them. As someone who wants to give one of these horses a second chance, you've probably already done your homework. You've asked the adoption facility for as much information as it has, and you've chosen a horse you think meshes with your personality and whose quirks you can ¬manage. But what if things don't turn out the way you expect? Though some adoption facilities will take a horse back, don't be too quick to pull the plug. First be sure the problem doesn't stem from health issues. For example, if your horse is throwing his head, is he having trouble with his teeth? Does the saddle fit properly, or does it hurt his back? Is a hidden lameness causing what looks like bad behavior? Also be on the lookout for emotional issues. Leigh Gray of the Thoroughbred Rehab Center Inc., in California, recalled one horse she placed who lost weight in his new home. When she checked in on him, she discovered that he allowed a neighboring horse to eat his food. Moving him away from the bully solved the problem. Don't hesitate to review earlier lessons. A horse coming from an abusive situation, for example, might take longer to learn new things. "Try to find confidence-builders," says Gray. "Take little steps so that the horse can pretty much always succeed. You want to give the horse the chance to do the right thing." Also don't be afraid to ask for advice. Get a friend to give you a different perspective, or take a few lessons with your horse from a professional trainer. --Tracy Gantz Julia H. Wilson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, an MHARF board member, recommends closely assessing the condition of the horse's teeth and determining his prior deworming schedule. "If they haven't been in the rescue for very long," says Wilson, "I would pay extra attention to the things that are common in the neglected horse. Has he eaten poisonous plants or sand? Does he have a parasite problem?" Work with your veterinarian to pinpoint any potential problems. The rescue facility should inform you where the horse is in his feeding program, dental care, and deworming. If the facility is still working to put weight on the horse, (as with any horse's diet) you'll need to ensure any dietary changes that come with moving to your farm are gradual. For example, if you feed a different type of hay or grain than the adoption organization, switch the horse over slowly. He has probably been under more mental and physiological stress than a normal horse, and you need to keep that stress to a minimum to help maintain his gastrointestinal health. As with any new equine addition, you will initially want to keep your adoptee separate from other horses on the property. Not only is this good quarantine practice, but an adopted horse might also take longer to adjust to his new surroundings than another transplant would. Introduce him to prospective barn or pasturemates incrementally. Also ask the adoption facility about the condition of the horse's feet and any problems caretakers might have been addressing or managing. Few neglected horses have experienced regular hoof care or trimming, and their feet might be long and in poor condition. (Keep in mind that a neglected animal might have little experience with farrier handling, so determine his behavioral history with foot care and make picking up his hooves part of your initial groundwork and training.) Or, you might encounter horses that have been trimmed and shod regularly but might need some adjustments to achieve alignment. Former racehorses often have a long toe and short heel, for example. Work with your farrier to adjust the hooves gradually. Abrupt changes in how the hoof is trimmed or shod could lead to lameness. Give Your Horse Time It's important for you and your horse to get to know one another in a positive, low-stress environment. First lessons should emphasize the basics, such as proper handling and ground manners. Even if the adoption agency assures you that a horse has good groundwork, it's still a good idea to introduce him to his new life slowly by reinforcing the things he already knows. When Sprenger gets a rescue horse, for example, she spends the first few days simply letting him adjust to his new environment. While you might be eager to ride your new charge, if you spend some time getting to know him first, the later training and riding should come more easily. "For the first couple of weeks, it's all groundwork," says Sprenger. "We do a lot of grooming, stretching, massaging, leading, longeing, backing--a lot of respect work. We want the horse to be aware of where we are and aware of where they are." Along those lines, Gray recommends walking your horse around your facility, watching how he reacts to things and interacts with other horses. Taking the time to get to know the horse will help you discover his personality, comfort level, and perhaps what possible traumas he went through, she says. If a horse is going to shy at something, better to find that out when you're leading him on the ground rather than when you're in the saddle. This slow acclimation is especially important for horses coming out of an abusive ¬situation. "Many of these horses have a lack of trust with humans," says Sprenger. "Patience and love are the best things with them. They want to know that they're safe with you." As you would with any horse, establish a routine and stick to it (e.g., feeding the horse at the same times every day). This will also help him adjust to dietary changes and settle in to your barn dynamic. Monitor Emotions During this adjustment period Sprenger says adopters should evaluate a horse three ways--physically, mentally, and emotionally--noting that the emotional aspect can often prove the biggest obstacle. Sullivan, the 3-year-old Sprenger won the 2010 challenge with, had his own emotional problems. "He was physically and mentally old enough to handle everything that we were going to put him through," Sprenger says. "But ... about a month and a half into (training), he was abscessing like crazy and losing weight." Sprenger interpreted the abscesses and weight loss as physical responses to Sullivan's emotional stress from training. She backed off of the lessons immediately and gave Sullivan more time to adjust. Sprenger almost didn't enter him in the challenge because she didn't want to add more stress to his life. But her husband pointed out that the reason to put the training into these horses was to get them adopted into good homes, so Sprenger gave it another shot. "He was a little angel all day," says Sprenger of Sullivan's championship-worthy performance. As it turned out, Sullivan's new home wasn't new at all. Emily Carmichael, a 13-year-old who takes lessons from Sprenger, had fallen in love with Sullivan and convinced her father to adopt him. He's back at the Sprengers' training barn, enjoying a pampered lifestyle. Desensitizing Techniques Once your new horse is comfortable with you, your facility, and the other horses on the property, you can step up his lessons. Some trainers such as Sprenger practice desensitizing methods in an enclosed area such as a round pen to develop a horse's mental soundness. "I will often throw a rope up over their neck, their withers, the middle of their back, around their legs," she says. "I want to get them listening to me. You want to stand at a 45-degree angle off their shoulder while you're doing that in case they try to spook away from you or into you." Sprenger works both sides of the horse and watches him closely to see how he reacts. She might put a piece of plastic on the end of the rope or use a Hula-Hoop to help with this stage. She also teaches the horse to disengage his hindquarters (to move laterally by placing one hindleg in front of and across the other), turn on his haunches, and flex his neck. Saddling should be done gently and quietly, especially if you are dealing with a horse coming from an abusive situation. Sprenger starts with a Western saddle to give the rider more support. As you graduate to riding your horse, begin by teaching him the same lessons from the saddle that you taught him on the ground. Gray uses exercises such as shoulder ins, leg yields, and bending properly on circles to get the horse listening to her. Learn the science behind "natural horsemanship" in Smart Horse, which helps the owner and rider apply fundamental principles of learning and training to their daily lessons and interactions with their equine partners. In some cases training an adoptee can be more challenging than working with even an unbroken horse, since you aren't familiar with what this horse knows or doesn't know. He might seem to have advanced training yet is missing out on some of the basics. Former racehorses, for example, often don't have well-developed trots because their race training has been at the canter and the gallop. Your initial patience and moving at the horse's individual learning pace should pay off in the long run. Take-Home Message Establish a routine and give your adopted horse time to adjust to you and his new surroundings before starting training. Also address any health challenges such as dental care, parasites, or changes in diet. Spend time grooming, walking, and being around your horse to get a sense of his personality and any quirks. Graduate to ground lessons, followed by lessons under saddle, but be prepared to go back to the basics if necessary. The more time you take with your adopted horse, the better companion he should be.  Article copied from: http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=19126 Since we have fans from all over, I figured I would post this to make it easy as I answer this question a lot. It is really quite simple and we have had a couple of ours go to Washington and a few to Idaho. 1. You need to fill out an adoption form before we can consider you for adoption 2. In order for a horse to be allowed over the border, a coggins test and health certificate are required, which we can arrange to have our vet do here. 3. Then, to get your horse home, you need to find a hauler who will make the trip over the border for you. 4. Lastly, at the border, the vet will do a quick once over on the horse and check the paperwork and then you're home free. We are an all-breed rescue here, but we get in a lot of Thoroughbreds from the area. Many come from the track as well as from the auction/stockyard and even owner surrenders... Click here to read more. We are an all-breed rescue here, but we definitely specialize in the Standardbreds. They are our absolute favourite. Lots of people don't know their potential as riding partners or show horses... Click here to read more. I put this together since one of the main reasons people give up their horses to rescues or to the auction house is because they can no longer afford them. First to trying to rehome them, but if you can't or prefer not to, see if you can cut back on costs to keep your horse. It is a shame to see horses leaving perfectly loving homes simply for economic reasons. For those of you not in tough economic times, these still might be worth considering. 1. Shop Around For everything: Board, Feed, Bedding, Vets, Farriers. You would be surprised how much you can save by shopping around. Call, don’t drive, to your area feed stores, compare brands and price. Most feed brands are comparable. Blue Seal, Poulin, Nutrena, Purina. Some feed stores will deliver right to your home, saving you gas money. Some offer discounts if you order quantity. Some feed stores will give you a break on bagged shavings if you order in bulk. Also, when looking for medical supplies like cotton wrap or epsom salts, the grocery store or department stores tend to be less expensive than the tack store. Lastly, don't be afraid to take advantage of coupons or special offers! It might not seem like much, but every little bit counts. 2. Bring Back the Barter System Maybe you can give a few riding lessons in exchange for something. Clean out your tack room or tack trunks. Sell your used equipment. People are always looking to buy used horse equipment. Barter your manure composting in the backyard with someone who may have a trade you need. 3. Re-Think Your Boarding Arrangements Instead of paying the high price of board, horse owners can rent a barn and all take part in the horses' care. The feed and bedding is bought in larger quantities to keep the costs down and the cost split. Everyone takes turns cleaning, feeding and turning out. Weekly or monthly meetings are good to work out any issues. Put everything in writing and have everyone read and sign agreements. You can also considering changing the type of board you are paying for. If you’re paying for full board, consider pasture boarding or self-board, which is must cheaper. Or, if you are in an area with lots of horses, try shopping around for cheaper boarding facilities. Make sure not to scrimp on safety though just to cut costs! 4. Take Advantage of Pasture If you have access to pasture, turn your horse out to graze instead of feeding hay and grain. If you don’t have pasture ask or look around for a field that is not being used, rent it. Use portable electric fencing and solar charger. Make sure you can get water there some how. I bet you would find plenty of fields or pasture that are sitting idle that the owner may rent to you. If you're on pasture board or have access to pasture, switch your horses to pasture board and, if the weather is good and the bugs are not too bad, leave them outside. This makes the horse much happier than if it is kept in a stall and there are no stalls to clean, saving the cost of shavings/bedding, and no one has to pick out stalls every day. Remember that any change in feeding, ie: from hay to pasture, should be done slowly. It is always important to remember that grass in the Spring is packed full of nutrients and horses who aren't used to that may founder on it. Take the time to let your horse adjust and you will both be happier! 5. Grain and Feed Cut back on concentrates unless there is a very good reason to be feeding them. Most horses stay happy and healthy on good quality hay alone. I stress 'good quality'. You can also look into bulk purchases of grain, which can be cheaper than buying by the bag. If you have a way to store loose grain, check with your local farmers’ co-op or feed store and compare prices. You can also feed ‘generic’ feeds from your local feed mill rather than name brand. Compare prices, ingredients and quality. 6. Hay Buy hay in bulk. This, of course, requires the ability to store it. Most dealers won't say "If you buy 100 bales, it's less money." Like all things, the price can be negotiated -- it doesn't hurt to ask. In an area where hay is premium, they know that they can sell it to the next person, so they are typically very strict on their price. Some dealers let you get it out of their fields for less money. 7. Consider Part-Leasing A very good way to reduce costs is to part-lease your horse. Offer a half lease where the cost and use of the horse is shared. You would have to share your horse but the good part is so are the costs. You each pay half the board, shoeing etc. Just make sure the person you agree to lease to is a knowledgeable and responsible horse person. Put it writing, read it and sign it. Make sure you talk about veterinary costs, what is going to happen if the horse gets hurt? 8. Blankets Horses don't need blankets. Blankets make humans feel better. However, if you clip your horse, then, yes, put a blanket on him when it gets cold. Also consider blanketing if you haul during cold weather. 9. Farrier Care If you shoe your horse ask your farrier to reset your horses' shoes instead of new ones every time he comes. Better yet, do some research and explore barefoot as an option for your horse. It is cheaper than shoes. Learn to trim your own horses’ feet. A rasp is inexpensive, and you get better at it the more you use it. Also, if you must shoe, consider putting shoes only in the front, where the horse bears 60% of its weight. Remember that every hoof is different and you should be sure to take the time to understand your horses feet. Watch your farrier a few times and educate yourself so that everyone comes out better in the end. 10. Be Vet Smart Get your horse’s teeth checked at least once a year and serious injuries need immediate attention. Otherwise, learn to check your horses’ heart rates, temperatures and capillary refill time to determine the extent of any injury. You don’t need a veterinarian for every scrape, scratch, limp, bruise or sniffle. Horses heal very well with little human intervention. This is a HARD thing for us humans to do, though. Two or three weekend emergency vet calls where the horse is not seriously injured and the vet charges are $500 or more will cure most horse owners of the desire to put the vet on speed dial. If you must go to the vet, take your horse to the vet. This will save the vet's trip fee. Another way to be vet smart is to get your horse neighbors and community together and share annual vaccines cost. Split the farm call and meet at one barn that is close to everyone. Resources: http://horses.about.com/od/basiccare/a/moneysavingtips.htm http://www.blackhorsefarmmaine.com/14.htm http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/crops_livestock/livestock/horses/basic+horse+ownership/daily+care+and+management/cutting+the+cost+of+horse+ownership+in+tough+financial+times.htm Whether you own a horse or simply admire them, there are many ways you can help them enjoy a safe and comfortable life. Here are 10 easy ways to do just that. *Original article by the New Brunswick SPCA (http://www.spca-nb.ca/english/article_how_you_can_help_horses.php) 1. Speak up for horses The best way to help horses is to support legislation that protects and preserves a high quality of life for both domestic and wild horses. As an informed and registered voter, you can use your vote to help ensure the interests of horses on issues such as environment and safety are heard. Make sure politicians and policy makers know horses are important. 2. Lead by Example Don't support or attend activities that include the suffering of animals for entertainment. 3. Speak with Your Money Some products actually are made from horses-and some, like the drug Premarin, are created through their suffering. Your spending dollar is a weapon-use it wisely! Premarin is a hormone-replacement drug prescribed to thousands of women every year. The "magic ingredient" in Premarin is the urine of pregnant mares. Mares used in the production of conjugated estrogens are at risk for abrasions, leg swelling, excessive boredom, stress, and an early death, due to the conditions under which they are kept. If your doctor thinks you should try Premarin, please first consult with him or her about other available treatments in order to make an informed, safe, effective and ethical choice. 4. Share-and Wear-Your Knowledge! Help spread the word! Not everyone is aware of what happens to racehorses after their days of competing are over, or where Premarin comes from. 5. Support Your Local Rescues Do some research into your local rescues and find one that you would like to support. Most rescues focus on rescuing abused, abandoned, neglected or unwanted horses from owners or from the auction yard. One of the best ways to help horses in your area is to support your local rescue efforts through fundraising & donations, education or even adopting. 6. Volunteer Helping horses doesn't have to mean manual labor in a barn, there are dozens of ways you can promote horse welfare. Maybe they need a graphic designer to whip up a new logo, a writer to help publish a newsletter, someone handy to make minor repairs, a photography enthusiast to take pictures for the group's web site, a good talker to staff an information table at an event.... You get the idea! 7. Report Cruelty If you witness an act of cruelty to a horse, don't keep it to yourself. A growing number of studies show abuse towards animals often transfers to human beings, including spouses and children. Instead, take good notes of the event, such as the time, location, type of abuse and any other witnesses, and contact your local animal cruelty inspector. 8. Be Cautious Around Horses Horses are a lot of fun, and deserve the same consideration as people when you are around them. They are naturally nervous creatures, and are edgier than usual when in a public place. Move quietly and slowly, speak kindly and give plenty of warning when you approach them so as not to startle them. Never pet or feed a horse without the owner's permission, for both your and the horse's safety. 9. Keep Your Companion Horse Safe and Healthy If you are lucky enough to own a horse, you already know the importance of maintaining his or her health through regular veterinary care. But did you know that horses are very social animals, and that their emotional well-being is a big factor in their overall health? Behaviorists recommend getting your horse a buddy-equines don't like to be on their own. A horse or another equid, such as a burro or a donkey, makes the very best "best friend," but we've known goats to work out well, too. Other ways to keep your horse safe and healthy:
Changes in your health, your horse's health or your financial situation are just a few of the reasons why you might need to find a new home for your horse one day. It's a good idea to research your options ahead of time. You also should think about providing for your horse with a pet trust and let your loved ones and family know what has been done to ensure a happy, healthy future for your horse. Please make sure if you want to come and meet one of the horses, you make an appointment with Amy or Julie. The rescue is situated on her private home property and for insurance reasons as well as the safety of both the visitors and the horses, we require an appointment for anyone to come out and meet the rescues. Even if you are a friend of the rescue, any and all visits need to be cleared with us first. The neighbors do keep an eye on the rescue and the horses and will phone Julie or the authorities on people who "drop-in" without a prior appointment. This may seem harsh, but the last thing we want is for someone to get injured on the property or anything of the like (horse or human). I know people want to come by and see the new horses and such, but regardless of whether you are a past adopter, curious potential home, friend of the rescue, etc, you need to make an appointment with Julie to come onto her property and visit. It is in the best interest of both the rescue and our horses. You can contact us via phone or e-mail. 604-466-9179 defiantmare@live.com Please keep in mind that Julie works 40-hours a week as well as running the rescue and I myself also work and go to school. We try and accommodate visitors as best we can, but please be patient with us. We will get back to you as soon as possible! Thank you! Here is a list of frequently asked questions about the rescue and the answers to them. Thought it would be a useful reference. As new questions come up, I will be sure to add them to the list. Are you a registered rescue organization? No. A few years ago, J&M Acres attempted to become a registered rescue organization in Canada. However, Julie drowned in paperwork and we have not bothered since. There are two main reasons for this.
Are you ever in need of fosters or volunteers? In terms of fosters, we do occasionally have foster situations that occur, but these are rare. As for volunteers, J&M Acres manages between myself and the rescue owner with the additional help of a few friends. As such, we are not actively looking for help. We do keep a list of interested people just in case we need an extra hand, so feel free to send your information to us. Our e-mail is defiantmare@live.com Where are you located? The rescue is in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Maple Ridge is about an hour east of Vancouver, BC. Where do most of your rescue horses come from? The horses that end up at J&M Acres come from local auctions or the stockyard, racetracks and from owners who can no longer properly care for their equine companion. What are your adoption fees? Our adoption fees range from 'by donation' up to $500.00 per horse depending on their age, condition and training. What is your adoption process? At J&M Acres Horse Rescue our adoption process involves a visit and introduction to the horse in question. If you are interested in adoption and have signed our adoption contract, then we allow the horse to go to their new home for a two-week trial period for all adopters. We feel this gives the horses some time to settle in and allows new owners to get to know them in their own environment. It also is a good way to determine if the new home is indeed a good match with the horse. If it doesn't work out after those two weeks, the owners are allowed to bring the horses back. We will adopt out to the first viable, suitable home that comes along. We cannot afford to hold horses for potential homes when a good home comes along. We are here for the horses and with so many needing our help, we do not have time to waste and we cannot say 'no' to a good family. This is why we do our two-week trial periods. http://www.jmacresrescue.com/how-to-adopt.html Do horses remain in your care until they are 100% healthy? Not necessarily. We often have horses that are still in need of TLC that go to new homes. We just recently had a very emaciated boy at the rescue that we looked after for a month and then his care was taken over by his new mom and he is doing great. If the home is appropriate and the person understands what the horse requires, we do not need to keep them here. Plus, if we can find a home who can care for them, we can free up much needed space for a new rescue. I know we get contacted a lot by people wondering on what the cost would be for hauling if they were to adopt a rescue horse and bring it home. To make it easier and to have a reference point, I have put together a list of trusted haulers we have used that you can contact if you are interested in getting a quote. If there are any haulers you guys have used that you think were excellent, please comment and let me know so I can add them to our list! 1. Crofton Horse Transport Crofton does transportation within Canada and throughout the United States. Click here to check out their transport schedule: http://www.croftonstables.net/transport_dates.html Canada: 877-246-4355 US: 250-246-8888 Cell: 250-710-4370 info@croftonstables.net 2. H4 Services Regularly serves BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan & Yukon. Click here for their transport schedule: http://www.h-4.ca/trips.html 778-858-7301 info@h-4.ca 3. G & H Horse Transport G&H is licensed to do hauling across the border and they also do local and short hauling. Their transport schedule can be viewed here: http://www.gandhhorsetransport.ca/page7.php Customer Service 778-995-1814 Glenn Dubois 604-619-0962 info@gandhhorsetransport.ca 4. Junction West Equine Transport Transport throughout Western Canada and Western USA. Check out their transport schedule here: http://www.hoovesnhounds.com/Transport-Dates.html 778-240-6649 junctionwest@gmx.com 5. Bronson Horse Haul Transport throughout Western Canada and Western USA. Check out their transport schedule here: http://www.bronsonhorsehaul.com/#!schedual 604 - 593 - 0144 / 778-389-6547 info@bronsonhorsehaul.com 6. Hooves 'N' Hounds Transport throughout Western Canada and Western USA. Check out their transport schedule here: http://www.hoovesnhounds.com/Transport-Dates.html 1-888-436-0662 hoovesnhounds@shaw.ca 7. Eastwind Stables Transport throughout Western Canada. Check out their transport schedule here: http://www.eastwindstables.com/schedule.html 250.372.7660 250.320.1257 eastwind_stables@telus.net |
