Thursday, September 20, 2007

Needs Home - MD - Tennessee Walker gelding

(This horse is being place by a private owner and is not a resident of, nor affiliated with, Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary.)
This listing comes via Freedom Hill Horse Rescue.
"We recieved a distress call about this senior horse and we dont have room to bring the poor guy in. His owner is trying to do the best for him that she can but she cannot afford his board anymore and the place that he is being boarded is not caring for him properly. They will only feed him once a day and the owner of the property will not open the barn up to the horses. They stand out in all the weather. Animal control has been called but the owner still seems to get by. His board is paid up to the end of the month. She sent me some winter pics of him and he was emasciated...his recent pics show him in better condition but still very thin.

Rebel
Rebel is a 30 year old gelding that was saved from an abusive situation. His savior has found she has toomany horses to care for and she needs to let dear Rebel go. He is a gentle guy that is kind to children. Hehas arthritis in his shoulder. Rebel needs a wonderful home to care for him in his Golden Years. If you thinkyou can give Rebel a home please contact Bunny at 443-994-8276. Located in Ellicot City MD. References will be checked.
His pics can be seen here.......
For more senior horses needing homes, click on the "needs home" tag following this post. This is a listing service only. Traveller's Rest can not guarantee the accuracy of information provided in "needs home" entries

Thinking about Holiday Shopping yet?

How can your everyday shopping benefit
the residents of Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary?

Who hasn't uttered the words, "I wish there was something I could do to help"? Now you can. Start shopping! At http://www.iGive.com/TREES, you can buy the items you've always wanted– like that DVD box set, expensive cologne, or the wall-mounted flat-panel TV you’ve had your eyes on - only without the guilt.

It’s FREE, no invisible costs or tricky obligations. Shop for everyday items at the over 650 stores at the Mall at iGive.com, like Barnes & Noble, Lands' End, Best Buy, and Neiman Marcus. Up to 26% or more of each purchase is donated to Traveller's Rest.
iGive.com
Change online shopping for good
Information is subject to change. Visit www.iGive.com for current details.
iGive.com Holdings, LLC

Needs Home - MN - Quarter Horse mare

(This horse is being place by a private owner and is not a resident of, nor affiliated with, Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary.)

Goldie
20+ year Quarter Horse mare. Sound and healthy, no special needs other than being grained twice a day (senior and sweet feet). Leads, trailers, very timid with people. We feel she's someone's old range broodmare and it will take a lot of time and patience to gain her trust. She's made many improvements here, but is still not a people loving mare. She would however make an excellent companion horse or lawn ornament. Were she a "kid safe pet" type horse I'm sure she would have found a home by now, but she's a bit of a wilder old lady. Still deserves a good home! No adoption fee but references requested. Located in central MN. (218) 746-4161, 1039jade@brainerd.net


For more senior horses needing homes, click on the "needs home" tag following this post. This is a listing service only. Traveller's Rest can not guarantee the accuracy of information provided in "needs home" entries.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Our Deepest Condolences

to White Bird Appaloosa Horse Rescue following the loss of a very special resident, an Elder mare named Heather.

Needs Home - MN - Quarter Horse Cross

(This horse is being place by a private owner and is not a resident of, nor affiliated with, Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary.)
Honest Abe is a mid-20's Quarter Cross (TB or Standardbred) that is in immediate need of a warm rehabilitation home. Abe is a kid friendly, well broke (Amish) horse with years of service under his belt. Abe has had his teeth floated, is current on wormer and hoof care, but will need a coggins and fall shots soon. (Shots and Coggins were up to date when moved to this facility.) Abe is about a 2.5 on the Henneke scale, locate near Rochester, MN, and is looking for an immediate care placement.


Please contact Mary Jones for more information. belleequestrian@yahoo.com Cell: 507-696-4792

To see more listings for senior horses in need of new homes, please click "needs home" tag following this post. This is a listing service only. Traveller's Rest cannot guarantee the accuracy of information contained in "Needs Home" entries.

He's Baa-aaack!

Regular visitors to Traveller's Rest may remember that one of our residents, 40-year-old Jeb, lost his appetite for many many weeks during the summer and was losing weight. Offering different feeds produced no results. Vet exams and blood tests revealed no obvious cause. We were at a loss as to what to do next. And then...............


Jeb began eating. He ate all that was offered to him three times a day. What changed? Nothing we can take credit for. The answer was..........


Emma! Jeb took one look at the newest arrival and decided he has a reason to hang around a while longer.

Its only been a few weeks since the two met, but its hard not to say

"...............and they lived happily ever after..........."




Thursday, September 13, 2007

Save those Proofs!


Do you feed Triple Crown, Reliance,or Legends products?

If so, you can support the residents of Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary simply by clipping the Proofs of Purchase from every bag of feed and sending them to TREES! A Proof of Purchase seal can be found near the bottom of the back of each feed bag. Look for:


Traveller’s Rest will receive 25 cents for each PoP from Legends and Triple Crown feeds. Each Reliance PoP is worth 10 cents. Proofs add up quickly when your barn uses several bags a week. Please clip, collect, and send your PoP’s to:

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary
PO Box 2260
Spotsylvania, VA 22553

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Thankful for Our Spouses

The following was written in August 1990 and quickly circulated through Fort Hood, home of the First Cavalry Division, just prior to Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

First Team


To all those wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, children and loved ones who currently have an American Soldier in harm's way:



Thankful............................
for our Spouses

August 12, 1990
As I listen to terrifying news of trouble in the Middle East,I cant' help but reflect on how it feels to be an "Army wife"..................

To be the wife of an American soldier
is to know intense fear and loneliness and worry
and to watch the news for signs
the the security of "home" with him will be lost.

But it also means intense pride and a sense of awe
that this gentle, loving man
contains huge amounts of raw courage
and strength
and discipline -
to know that the man I turn to in the middle of the night
for comfort, security, protection
by virture of his nature and calling
will extend that protection to the whole world
when called to do so.

Because he puts action behind his beliefs;
he goes out and protects the ability
of people in all other professions
to say what they want to say
in a land where there is no penalty attached to freedom.

He has taught me to revere the American flag
to cry through the National Anthem
to really believe in America.

So as he goes to stand up for - if necessary to fight for -
Freedom
and the country that he loves
I'll concentrate on loving him, supporting him,
praying for him, and believing in him

Because I am proud to be the wife of an American soldier!

Sharon Foster, wife of CPT Foster
2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division



(flag art courtesy of http://www.wilsoninfo.com/americanflags.html )

Monday, September 10, 2007

TREES at Dressage show Sept 14-16

Please stop by the Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary table and say "Hello" this weekend at the Virginia Dressage Association, Fredericksburg & Charlottesville Chapters' shows at Rose Mount on Courthouse Road (Rt 208) in Spotsylvania.


Friday, September 14, 2007
Twin Shows Dressage Sport Horse Breed Show at Rose Mount Farm
Information/Prize List for Breed Show
Schooling Show Friday, September 14th!

Saturday, September 15, 2007
VADAF Recognized Show at Rose Mount Farm
Information/Prize List for Saturday Show
Region 1 Entry Form

Sunday, September 16, 2007
VADA Charlottesville Chapter Recognized Show at Rose Mount Farm

Sunday, September 9, 2007

The Black Stallion?

Not exactly (for one thing, this young man is a gelding!) Meet one of Traveller's Rest's recent newcomers. Meet Rienzi, the horse whose welcome was a result of hard work by the Fredericksburg United Methodist Church's Vacation Bible School last month.


August 14, 2007

It is obvious that Rienzi needs to gain more than a few pounds. What is not obvious, at first glance, is his dental condition. Rienzi's "underbite," sometimes called "monkey mouth," is probably congenital. He's dealt with it his entire life. In recent years, however, it is likely that the abnormality was too much too handle on top of the uneven wear patterns so common in elder equine teeth. The way Rienzi's teeth wore literally made is impossible for him to move his jaws in a normal chewing pattern.




Since arrival, Rienzi has had a little dental work done, reducing the length of a few overly long teeth, especially those lower incisors (front teeth.) While his molars are so worn that he will never chew grass or hay normally again, he is once again able to eat comfortably. Rienzi is currently eating four meals of mush (soaked senior feed) each day. During the next week, we will add soaked grass/alfalfa cubes to his diet to see if that is a viable way to meet his roughage requirements.

In addition to his dental issues Rienzi has another, perhaps more serious, problem. Two veterinarians, on different occasions, diagnosed Rienzi with neurological deficits due to compression on the spinal cord in his neck, most likely a result of arthritic changes to his vertebrae. This condition is not correctible so we don't, at this time, know what the prognosis might be. The immediate plan of treatment is to put some weight on our little friend, try to build some muscle in his handquarters and see if that improves his balance. He will never again be a riding horse, but he will have a home here as long as he is comfortable and can be kept safe from injury.

We chose the name "Rienzi" in honor of the General Phillip Sheridan's great mount (renamed "Winchester" following his famous ride.) If there were ever an equine athletic standard to which a horse might aspire, the nineteenth century "Rienzi" set that standard. In Sheridan's words, Rienzi was "an animal of great intelligence and immense strength and endurance. He always held his head high, and by the quickness of his movements gave many persons the idea that he was exceedingly impetuous. This was not so, for I could at any time control him by a firm hand and a few words, and he was as cool and quiet under fire as one of my soldiers. I doubt if his superior as a horse for field service was ever ridden by any one."

by Thomas Buchanan Read (1822-1872)

Up from the South, at break of day,Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay,The affrighted air with a shudder bore,Like a herald in haste to the chieftain's door,The terrible grumble, and rumble, and roar,Telling the battle was on once more,And Sheridan twenty miles away.

And wider still those billows of warThundered along the horizon's bar;And louder yet into Winchester rolledThe roar of that red sea uncontrolled,Making the blood of the listener cold,As he thought of the stake in that fiery fray,With Sheridan twenty miles away.

But there is a road from Winchester town,A good, broad highway leading down:And there, through the flush of the morning light,A steed as black as the steeds of nightWas seen to pass, as with eagle flight;As if he knew the terrible need,He stretched away with his utmost speed.Hills rose and fell, but his heart was gay,With Sheridan fifteen miles away.

Still sprang from those swift hoofs, thundering south,The dust like smoke from the cannon's mouth,Or the trail of a comet, sweeping faster and faster,Foreboding to traitors the doom of disaster.The heart of the steed and the heart of the masterWere beating like prisoners assaulting their walls,Impatient to be where the battle-field calls;Every nerve of the charger was strained to full play,With Sheridan only ten miles away.

Under his spurning feet, the roadLike an arrowy Alpine river flowed,And the landscape sped away behindLike an ocean flying before the wind;And the steed, like a barque fed with furnace ire,Swept on, with his wild eye full of fire;But, lo! he is nearing his heart's desire;He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray,With Sheridan only five miles away.

The first that the general saw were the groupsOf stragglers, and then the retreating troops;What was to be done? what to do?--a glance told him both.Then striking his spurs with a terrible oath,He dashed down the line, 'mid a storm of huzzas,And the wave of retreat checked its course there, becauseThe sight of the master compelled it to pause.With foam and with dust the black charger was gray;By the flash of his eye, and his red nostril's play,He seemed to the whole great army to say:"I have brought you Sheridan all the wayFrom Winchester down to save the day.

"Hurrah! hurrah for Sheridan!Hurrah! hurrah for horse and man!And when their statues are placed on highUnder the dome of the Union sky,The American soldier's Temple of Fame,There, with the glorious general's name,Be it said, in letters both bold and bright:"Here is the steed that saved the dayBy carrying Sheridan into the fight,From Winchester--twenty miles away!"

What's this? Could it be..............????????

Perhaps one of the most exciting updates since the post of July 26 (and an explanation for that alien green substance in the post below) needs no caption:

(Yes, that's rain! We had a few weeks of nearly normal rainfall, but are in another dry spell now.)

The Cavalry Arrives!

After several weeks of an information drought, we have a plethora of updates to post in the next few days!

Since our last update, one of the most productive mornings in the short history of Traveller's Rest occurred on August 8th. The Cavalry arrived in Spotsylvania Courthouse once again!

We were expecting a new horse to arrive, and the Fredericksburg United Methodist Church's Vacation Bible School (fourth and fifth grade class) took over the job of preparing the accomodations.

Among other things, the kids painted paddock fences,




assembled a storage shed for grooming kits, cleanup tools and first aid supplies,




and prepared a stall for the incoming horse, complete with extra deep bedding to make the underweight newcomer more comfortable,



(all under the close scrutiny of Supervisor Sonny.)



Thank you, FUMC VBS! You accomplished, in one morning, what would normally take 2 or 3 days. You're welcome any time!