Another Update on the Arabians

Another Update on the Arabian Horses

There are so many new developments with the rescued Arabians; I do not know where to start. I will bring you up to date on Studley first. We still have not found out his name for sure but the rescue organizer is looking into it for us. She thinks his name is Farouk and he is 5 or 6 years old. Once we get a confirmation on his name, we will stop calling him Studley.

The dentist was to the barn about a week ago and Studley had his teeth floated, during the examination it was discovered that he had two canines that had never erupted properly due to a ligament growing across them which they were unable to break through and which was causing irritation. The ligament was trimmed away, with the pressure removed and his canines exposed, he must be feeling better already.

Since the first farrier visit did not exactly go well, our farrier came out again this Monday. We have worked with him on picking up his feet for a few weeks, so he and my daughter were able to get him trimmed. He’s got two diagonal feet (right front/left hind) which are clubbed as of now, but with the proper trimming he may grow out of it. It may be because he was in an unlevel stall his whole life and had to compensate standing on the uneven surfaces for so long, and his feet grew accordingly. If that is not the case, we will know eventually.

Studley seems to have a problem being out by himself, and is prone to run the fence after a few minutes if his people leave the area. His mom is across the driveway where he can see her (although she ignores him), and Dusty and Mellon are in the paddock next to that. He isn’t alone, yet he can’t seem to settle down and just enjoy grazing. I would guess it is due to the fact that he has been stall-bound his whole life. I’m sure once he is integrated with the rest of the herd he will feel more secure and learn to appreciate being out in a big pasture.

Studley has a very sweet personality and loves hugs, kisses, and attention. He is very sensible and trusting. On the plus side, he now halters pretty well and leads like a pro. He’s had a few baths that were a little upsetting but as long as we take it slow, even if he doesn’t like a new procedure, he will think it over and generally accept it. Obviously, he is going to need a lot of training with kindness and consistency - and it’s going to take a while. I do like this little horse a lot - he’s just a trusting sweet little guy who needs a lot of love and interaction.

Until next time

Quote for Today

What the colt learns in youth he continues in old age.
- French Proverb

Below are some pictures of Studley. An update on the mare will follow shortly.

Arabian Horses Update

Arabian Horses Update

This past Thursday, our vet and his assistants arrived at the barn bright and early. The first thing on the agenda was the stallion’s castration. I have never seen this done up close and personal, and must report the operation was interesting and successful. The little stallion was anesthetized and laid down on fluffy shavings in his stall, a towel was put over his eyes and the area to be worked on was numbed. The procedure did not take long, and he came through with flying colors. As of today (Saturday), he’s in good spirits and just as sweet as ever. The vet says we can expect to see a change in his stallion behavior over the course of a month, and I am happy to report he has stopped screaming all the time. I’m sure the neighbors are pleased with this new development, too. Now the only time he has something important to say is when his food arrives. He still wants a lot of attention and hugs and scratches.

Here are some pictures from Thursday

&

Sunday's First Day Outside Pictures

Hey, who's the guy with the bag?


Why is everyone looking at me?

And why am I so tired?

If I remember correctly, this is grass !

The mare is doing fine too. Her legs and feet were x-rayed and it seems that she has a very slight rotation in her coffin bone on her right front, most likely due to the trauma of her feet being so neglected. Luckily, it’s not too dramatic and shouldn’t affect her recovery. She has a bowed tendon on her left front due, most likely, to the state of her overgrown feet adding additional stress to the tendon. My daughter will be using her knowledge of tendon injuries and physical therapy to help with the mare’s rehabilitation, starting with cold therapy and progressing to laser therapy. The good news is that her knees, ankles and pasterns all still have ample joint spaces and, other than needing a few more groceries, the mare is not in bad shape for her age. She had a blood panel taken to check for liver and kidney damage and various other health issues.

A Styrofoam pad was duct taped to the bottom of her worst foot to ease her discomfort when walking and provides support to the frog and rotated coffin bone, and it will make it more comfortable for her until her new boots arrive. Our vet recommended “Soft-Ride” boots to take the place of the Styrofoam during her recovery; they will help support her frog and give her damaged feet some relief.

So, we are making progress, although slowly. It’s necessary at this point to take it one-step at a time, but we’re in no hurry.

Pictures of the mare:

It's a little hot and buggy, but it's nice to be outside again !

Until next time

Quote for Today

If you only see the beauty of their markings and limbs then their true beauty is hidden from you.