Thursday, May 3, 2018

Horse Rescuer with Good Intention

Navar’s training is coming along so well that I decided it was time to bring on another horse that needs special help.

Several days ago while browsing Kijiji, I found what I thought would be the perfect project. Whiskey was a lovely, 5 y.o. palomino gelding. In the ad it said he had trust and catching issues – perfect. Over the next few days, I learned she had purchased him and another horse from Bear Valley Rescue over 1½ years ago with the intention of training them to drive. However she also admitted, she had too many horses and life kept getting in her way. She also said he was perfectly healthy and sound and although he was nervous, he had never caused her harm and that he was prone to jump away from his handler than on top of them.

He was located at Duchess, AB - a two hour drive from our place. I asked as many questions as I could to ensure it was worth making the trip on such a beautiful day and with fuel prices soaring. I knew I could help Whiskey so Gord, Lena and I made the trip to go meet him. I was so certain I would be bringing him home that I even decided to rename him Memphis.

When we arrived, the owner had Whiskey in the round pen, haltered and ready to go. Upon closer inspection, I saw that his feet were terribly neglected and in fact she admitted he was not “foot” trained. Based on that, I asked her to move him around so I could detect any lameness issues. At the hurried trot and racing gallop, he seemed fine but when he walked, it was apparent there was something wrong.
Nevertheless, I worked at getting near him which was no easy feat. Just reaching out to stroke his neck caused him to suck wind and tense his entire body. She had told me that once caught, he could be handled. Not sure what her idea of “handled” is. Mine is a horse who is comfortable being touched from top to bottom and in every orifice.

Anyway, we agreed that I would take him and if he didn’t come up sound after proper hoof care, she would take him back, and would even come pick him up if need be. In anticipation of him being hard to load, I had the owner change out the halter to my stiffer Clinton Anderson 4 knot to give me better control. While I was back at the truck, filling out the bill of sale, I heard all hell break loose. The owner had tied the lead rope around his neck using a bowline knot and when she went to slip the halter over his nose, he ploughed her into the panels and bolted away, tearing the halter out of her hand. Now he was flying around the pen in shear panic with the halter dragging (chasing) after him and there was nothing we could do to help him. Every now and then the halter would tangle around his legs, causing him even more distress as he ploughed into the panels trying to kick off the foreign object wrapping around his legs. This went on for quite some time until thankfully, the bowline knot released. I stood in the middle of the pen throughout the entire ordeal because I didn’t trust walking into his path to escape the pen – he was running blind with fear.

Since it was already getting late and there was going to be very little chance of getting another halter on him, not to mention trying to load him, I made the very difficult decision to walk away.

There is no question this lady was in over her head with him, and I also learned she had a foal coming any day. It absolutely broke my heart to see a horse so mishandled (or neglected) with such good intention.

When we take on the responsibility of horse ownership, it is incumbent on us to create a good equine citizen even if that means getting help to do so. That is the only way to ensure the horse won’t end up in the slaughter pens. It made me so angry to see beautiful Whiskey in such emotional and physical distress – I didn’t sleep very well thinking about him last night.

I'm sorry I couldn't take you with us Whiskey - my heart goes out to you.
Tovie

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