Horse Recovery
Some horses are so traumatized they made need special care
Abuse & Neglect
Horse recovery for abused and neglected horses and other equines can be a long process. It will take a gentle hand and getting them healthy again before we really know what other treatment, or gentling, they will need. First, we will try and find out the abuse and/or neglect the animal endured and for how long.
Coming off a track
Racehorses are often highly strung and anxious when they come off the track. To give them a second career takes time and patience. It takes an experienced horseman to ride and retrain them, some make great show jumpers or pleasure horses. Standardbreds (harness racing) never had a rider, so training is needed unless you want a buggy horse, then it needs to slow down.
Built up to flat shod
Retiring a Walking Horse means the transition from built-up shoes to flat shod doesn't happen overnight. When these horses are no longer showing, they make great trail horses because of their smooth gait. Also good candidates for Equine Therapy Centers as they have been handled all their lives.
Losing a mate or owner
Equines get attached to each other and their owners. When they lose either, they may become depressed, or show signs of grief and anxiety. At this time in their life, they need kindness, affection, and the trust that someone is there to be with them.
Rehabilitating Horses
for some horses, this takes a professional trainer
For a starved equine, feed small meals 6-8 times a day checking them often to make sure they do not colic. A vet will know the right feed, hay, or grass needed and the right amounts to feed them. A dental exam will be done to make sure they can eat.
A coggins test is first as they will be quarantined until the results come back. Then the vet will check the equine's physical vitals and check for diseases and/or injuries. Our horse vet is very thorough.
Healthy hooves are essential for a healthy equine. If there is an issue that is not visible, a radiograph may be needed to detect internal damage. Of course the equine must have enough weight to be able to stand for the farrier, the vet and farrier will determine this.
Between our facility, the vet, the farrier and a trained horseman, we can determine the equine's mental state. However, after a rescue is back to a healthy state, they can become rowdy and sometimes agressive for being treated so badly in the past.
Deworming has to be done as long as the vet knows what each animal can handle depending on their condition. According to different regions, 5 vaccines may be needed: Tetanus, West Nile Virus, Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis and Rabies.
Horse recovery begins with people who understand the steps and care needed to rehabilitate these magnificent animals. Proper nutrition, vet care, hoof care, and gentling can give them a chance for a productive and healthy life for many years.