TREES collecting feed coupons

As many know, rescues in VA have been increasingly overwhelmed by calls from pepole needing to find new homes for horses.....most due to financial/economic reasons.

Right now, with facilities crowded, the best we can do is help them advertise the horses seeking new families. Most recently through http://forums.delphiforums.com/VAhorsesneed/start )

Meanwhile, we know there are coupons for different types of horse feed floating around out there. We're sending out what coupons we have while owners wait for homes to come along, hoping they won't need to cut back on feed while they wait.

If you have any extras.........any type, any brand........please consider sending them to TREES, PO Box 2260, Spotsylvania, VA 22553, or to someone else who can either use them themselves or pass them along to someone in real need.

TREES - Volunteers needed Sept 27

Need volunteers early early early Saturday morning, Sept 27. (No horse experience needed for this one!) Traveller's Rest has a table at the Mine Run VFD Yard Sale. Sale STARTS at 7AM, meaning we need early birds to help set up before hand. Vols to staff sale table also welcome. Sale goes until 1PM. (Mine Run is on the Orange/Spotsylvania county line) Hey! If you're there that early, you get to do the early bird shopping at other people's tables too! If you can't come early, perhaps you could come over toward the end of the sale and help us pack up the leftovers.

Email Traveller's Rest or call 540-972-0936

For more information on volunteer for Traveller's Rest at any time, please visit our Volunteer Information page.

Find Homes for Virginia's Horses

Virginia Horses Needing Homes

Virginia's horse welfare facilities, for many months, have been receiving increasing numbers of calls from Virginians who need to find new homes for their horses, sometimes on short notice. Some people are losing their farms, some have lost jobs or are facing transfer out of state, some are boarding horses at barns in danger of closing. With farmland disappearing at alarming rates in some areas of the state, finding new homes for large animals is not always easy.

Many of the horse looking for homes and sound, healthy and well-trained. Please take advantage of this forum to list horses in need of new homes. Spread the word to friends and family that might be looking for horses.

Virginia Horses Needing Homes

While homeless horses are a nationwide problem, if you are "shopping" for a new horse, "shop" locally first. Let's show that Virginia really is for horse lovers.

Note: The managers of Virginia Horses Needing Homes cannot guarantee the accuracy of information in messages posted by members or guests. By posting on VHNH or responding to posts, you assume any and all risks associated with placing or accepting a horse via the Internet.

Virginia Horses Needing Homes

We will always remember

Pentagon Memorial Dedication

September 11, 2008

"We will forever remember our loved ones, friends and colleaques"

--intro to locator stone

horse

Have you Goosed your Geezer Today?

As the hours of daylight decrease and colder weather approaches, our horses are beginning to replace their sleek summer coats with thick winter woolies. Many elder horses tend to grow thicker winter coats than they did in younger days. This is especially true of horses with Cushings Disease or PPID.

Thick coats can hide changes in physical condition. It is not uncommon for elders with marginal dental challenges to lose weight over the winter when tender pasture grass is replaced by chewy hay. Subtle changes in weight may not be immediately obvious under winter wear.

Begin now to note how your horse's body feels when you groom, scratch or hug him. Take note of the flesh, not only over the ribs, but also along the topline, over the hip bones and rump and across the shoulders. As the winter coat develops, feel under the hair for any changes in weight. Running your hand over the surface of a thick coat may not give an accurate assessment of condition.

Oracle ("Ori") shows how a Cushings coat can hide weight loss. Visually, there is no indication that Ori is underweight.

Under that coat*, however:

(*Please note, Ori was not clipped just for this demonstration. Hers was an abnormally long "cushings coat" causing her to sweat profusely, even in February. It was matted, unhealthy and putting her at risk for skin infection.)

So, goose your geezer, feel your fogey, scratch your senior. Get under that winter coat and monitor weight by feel rather than by sight. If needed, increase feed a little, use a blanket on cold nights to conserve calories, or find a more appropriate winter substitute for pasture. Its easier to prevent weight loss in winter than to put weight back on in winter. Goose early, goose often. Don't risk an unpleasant surprise when spring shedding begins.

New Management - horse hockey!

This is Rufus, Traveller's Rest's new Supervisor of Horse Manure Management.

Rufus does such a good job as director of Pest Control, he decided he was ready to take on more responsibility. More info on Manure Management

Virginia - 25 y.o. Thoroughbred mare needs home

Stafford, VA. A 25 year old Thoroughbred mare is in search of a new home. Her owner, one of a growing number of horse owners in this position, is faced with this terrible decision to due a combination of finances and the ever increasing acres of farmland disappearing under housing "developments."

This former foxhunter is sound for flat work, but her owner does not feel she should do any more jumping, having some arthritis, as we all do at her age. She does better with a confident rider than with a nervous beginner, but will do okay as a lesson horse on lead- or longe-line. UTD on vaccinations. Barefoot now, but may need shoes if in regular work. Looking for new home by the end of September. Serious inquiries, contact Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary for owner's info.