TREES and the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign

Traveller's Rest is now registered with the Combined Virginia Campaign!
"The Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) is the tool that facilitates State Employee giving."

If you are a Commonwealth Employee, please consider TREES as your CVC designate to help Forgotten Friends.
CVC Code 3876


Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary

July 4th Firework Safety For Horses

From 'A Horse and a half'
http://onthebit.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/july-4th-firework-safety-for-horses/

TREES does not particularly look forward to "the Fourth." Last year, neighbors on opposite sides of the sanctuary seemed to be having a competition to see who had purchased more illegal fireworks than the other. Batten down the hatches and pray for rain tonight.

Wade's new clothes

Wade, Wade, Wade.

What looks like one of TREES' strongest, healthiest geldings is actually one big ball of special needs.

To begin, Wade has Cushings. He had already been diagnosed as Cushingoid before arrival and was being treated with pergolide. He seemed to be free of observable symptoms, with the exception of excess sweating on moderately hot days.

Two summers ago, Wade had a short period of the itchies. Tail rubbing, belly rubbing, occasional hives. Episodes seemed to come and go quickly, so we didn't get overly concerned.

Last summer, it became apparent that Wade was developing serious allergies to something in his environment. He rubbed an enormous bald spot on his tailhead. The hair on his midline was replaced by weeping, itchy lesions. He lost most of the hair on his face, even though we never saw him rub his head.

Allergies in horses are often treated with steroids like dexamethasone or prednisone. Steroids and Cushings, however, are not a good mix. Wade was given hydroxyzine, an antihistamine, and Voila! Itching was gone, hair returned, life was good. Hydroxyzine, in horse-size doses, though, can get a little pricey.

As spring 2008 approached, it was obvious Wade was facing even more pronounced symptoms. By now, the vets were fairly sure Wade's sensitivity was to insect bites. As they dispensed antihistamines, they recommended finding fly spray concentrates and diluting to only 10% rather than 5% or less. Ach. Not something we really wanted to apply to a horse with so many imbalances already.

Thus began yet another round of experimentation and observation. Aha! Wade was coming in with hives in the morning, but by each evening the hives were pretty much gone. The culprit seemed to be nocturnal.

Coincidentally, Schneiders catalog came along......lo and behold, a Mosquito Mesh sheet for horses! Its perfect. Wade wears his at night. No hives, no tail rubbing, his facial hair is returning. Bingo! And he's been off hydroxyzine for several weeks now. Even better!

He's not wearing it in the photo above, but as an afterthought, we also purchased a neck protector since there were a few bites just in front of the sheet.

Wade wears his new clothes at night, and trades them during the day for a fly mask and boots.

Oddly enough, Wade's excess sweating seems to have decreased as well. Whether or not the two things are actually connected is in question, but we'll take it!

What types of horses do you have?

This morning, a reporter with the Caroline Progress asked what kinds of horses we have at the sanctuary. In thinking more about that question, we realized just what a variety of residents we've been priveledged to care for at Traveller's Rest.

In terms of breeds, we've hosted several Thoroughbreds (one a grandson of Secretariat,) a few Quarter Horses (to include Impressive and Poco Bueno descendants,) a Standardbred, two or three Arabians, a Friesian mare (Els B, the first mare to grace the cover of the Stud Book,) two Tennessee Walkers, a mule, two Shetland Pony crosses, a couple of draft crosses, and a plethora of wonderful grade horses (in other words, we don't know their breeding and don't care!)

We've cared for an eventer, a "big lick" Walker, a steeplechaser, several (former) brood mares, Western Pleasure mounts, dressage horses, a cow "pony," camp horses, trail horses, a harness racer, an endurance horse, a barrel racer, and some horses whose pasts are complete mysteries.

Some residents came to the sanctuary due to owners' financial, family, or health difficulties, some were abandoned at boarding stables, some "conveyed" with the property when farms were sold, and some were plainly neglected by owners who didn't care.

The conclusion seems to be that there is no "average" TREES resident. By the same token, no resident in more "special" than the others, regardless of pedigree or accomplishment. Retirement is the great equalizer in the world of equine elders. A Kentucky Derby winner is no more deserving of comfortable Golden Years than a camp horse who toted dozens (hundreds?) of squirming children up and down Blue Ridge trails.

Whatever their backgrounds, all of our residents are "golden" oldies. If you are in Virginia, whether you live here or are passing through, stop by and meet these wonderful old veterans. Forget the stereotype of "old nags." Our residents may surprise you.

Watch for...........

Traveller's Rest and CFC Farm & Home Center in the July 10th issue of the Caroline Progress!

VA - 27 yo TWH needs home

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

From our friends at White Bird Appaloosa Horse Rescue:

"All:I have received a call about a Tennessee Walking Horse in Gretna, VA who is losing his home due to a divorce. He is 27 yo and suffers from ringbone and had EPM. That's the bad news. The good news is that he isa friendly, good-looking ex-show horse who would look great in yourpasture. He is a 16.1 H mahogany bay who is well-mannered and pasture sound with just a little bute. If you ever wanted a "big lick" TWH butnever had the nerve to actually ride one, here's your boy!Unfortunately, he is losing his home in two weeks and risks being left with someone who is unlikely to even feed him, so he really needs a guardian angel to come get him. "

Interested? Please contact TREES for owner contact info.

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.

"No Latitude for Attitude"

After reading this article from the Connecticut Post, we had to pass on the link. A quote from the owner of Gray Friesian Farm sums up horse farm management perfectly. "Our emphasis on mutual respect and community means there's no latitude for attitude.....It's a healthy environment for both people and animals."

"No latitude for attitude." Love it! Applying that phrase to Traveller's Rest includes both humans and horses. Humans can leave ego, attitude, and preconceived notions at the gate and pick them up later on their way out. Caring for a herd of geriatrics requires teamwork, not competition.

Horses, too, can get over "attitude" here. While most are here because their working days are long past, the residents are still expected to maintain good ground manners. There is a tendency to allow special needs horses to get away with behaviors that would not be tolerated in other circumstances. Val, for example, broke a former owner's nose while "head butting." Not acceptable, no matter how "weak" he was at the time! Betty, in her former home, plowed over an elderly man trying to enter her pasture. Obviously not acceptable, chronic illness or no! While we like to see spark, spirit, and self-confidence in our Elders, "attitude" is not necessarily a good thing.

"No latitude for attitude." Leave it at the gate!