Describe your horse when you first got it.
This is update to original rescue story I submitted beginning of November 2009 -about Charle-my senior Belgian draft horse-age 22.
When I bought Charlie August 1st 2009 from the non profit kids program that I volunteered at last year-he was about 400-500 lbs underweight.
Describe your horse now.
Charlie is now at his proper weight for a 17 hand draft horse-about 1800 lbs. I have him n a diet recommended by a vet -for his age and health issues. He is on a diet of elk grove milling senior feed-complete feed, beet pulp, platinum performance equine and ortho cron as his supplements.
About my rescued horse
Charlie is my heart. We walk every day and do little trotting in round pn for his arthritis and for keeping him conditioned.
I ride him lightly about 3x a week. He is barn sour so doesn't want to leave the property-we are working on that.
He enjoys our walks the best as he gets to eat grass when we are done. He also really enjoys his brushing time-but doesn't care for having his hooves picked and clean too much-especially lifting his back feet
Charlie is very sensitive -he was neglected and abused before I bought him.
He loves it when I tell him good boy and sing you are my sunshine to him.
How I Did It:
Establishing with a vet, finding a good farrier that understands draft hooves, massage therapist for arthritis, proper diet for his specific health issues, establishing a worming and vaccination schedule, establishing a consistent exercise program, self education by reading about senior draft horse care, friends and families support-- AND MOST IMPORTANT TO CHARLIE AND I---
LOTS OF BONDING, CARING, LOVING TIME!!
Charlie continues to teach and remind me just how resilient and spiritual rescued horses are-their sheer will to live amazes me and inspires me to strive to being a better person.
Draft horses hold special place in my heart because they represent history in America -and of an America that we should work towards being.
Charlie has been a gift from God to me and has saved me as much as I have saved him.
He is my heart-my best friend-my Charlie horse.
Advice
- Always keep communication with your horses health team-vet-farrier-others.
- Keep self educating yourself-reading-studying-asking questions from your health team.
- Establish a consistent relationship with your horse-see him daily-check his health-take care of his needs-play with him-care about him-love him.
- Do not put your horse in a boarding facility-and then not visit him. I see to many times -owners that board their horses-and then not come out regularly. This is very sad to me.
- Never give up-help your horse be as healthy and cared for as he can be.
