Barney had shut down from the heartache of losing his friends. In a few short years, he lost Titan, Jesse, and Fox. The loss of Titan hit Barney the hardest. By the time that he lost Fox, he had become solitary. He didn’t let anyone in until he meet Gabby.

Gabby arrived and immediately had an impact on Barney. Her calm demeanor put Barney at ease, as did her ability to communicate with a flick of her head instead of a strike or a bite. Barney quickly realized that Gabby had no intention of hurting him.

It didn’t take long for Barney and Gabby to go out on adventures together. Some days Gabby would lead to find a place to eat and other days Barney would to find a soft spot to nap. The two of them were inseparable.

Meal time was no different. They would eat their feed in the barn together and then retreat to the “patio” for their hay. Where ever one was, the other was right there. Days and weeks passed and their bond grew stronger.

As Gabby’s hoof began to get worse, Barney was by her side to comfort her. It didn’t matter if Gabby’s hoof was being treated or if she was resting. Often times Gabby would lay in the barn and Barney would stand over her while she slept. He would ever so gently lean down to touch her with his nose and make sure that she was okay.

On the day that we let Gabby go, we walked her outside the pasture that she shared with Barney. As Barney realized that she was not with him, he began to get upset. Gabby quietly called to him and Barney was able to find his way to her.

The beautiful pair spent the rest of the day together. Blissfully happy to be in each other’s company.

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Horse rescue, by its nature, has always centered around “The Horse”. “The Horse” needs rescuing, retraining, and rehoming. But isn’t a piece missing?

“The Horse” is rescued from a situation where “The Person” was neglectful.

“The Horse” is retrained for “The Person” to ride.

“The Horse” is rehomed to “The Person” to be the caretaker.

What horse rescue takes care of is “The Horse,” but fails to address “The Person’s” needs.

Blame Game

More and more people are approaching rescues looking for a “Dead Broke” horse. What they are actually looking for is a horse that a person at any skill level can ride. Unfortunately, some people fail to realize that horse ownership is a never-ending learning process between rider and horse. Even a “dead broke” horse can learn bad habits from a well-intentioned person.

“The Horse” is labeled as the problem and is returned, instead of “The Person’s” lack of knowledge being addressed.

The Solution

“The Horse” and the “The Person” need to receive the same level of education. Rescues have a duty to not only the “The Horse”, but also “The Person” to provide the tools to make him/her the best horseman that he/she can be.

Resources

To improve our horsemanship, we take part in the Forever Foundation and listen to podcasts from Stacy Westfall and Phil Haugen.

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For the last three and a half years, Barney has been the fabric of Roanchar Ranch Draft Horse Rescue. It was not his size that made an impression on people, but his presence and outlook on life.

Most people who visited the ranch never realized that Barney was blind until they were told. He confidently walked around the pasture and acknowledged anyone who came to his gate with a tilt of his head. He rarely walked over to greet anyone, but he didn’t need to to make an impact on people.

One time during our Healing Horses program, Barney was able to reach a child who was totally shut down. The child would not speak to anyone, except for his Mom, even though he knew the other children. He would not even participate in any of the activities. It was not until we took him over to meet Barney that everything changed.

As soon as the child heard Barney’s story and learned that Barney was blind, you could see his demeanor change. He started asking questions, like how did Barney make new friends and how did he trust people that he didn’t know? He leaned into the gate to get a better view because the child was visually impaired too.

The child returned for several more sessions where he fully participated in all the activities. Each time, though, he asked to be taken to see Barney. He wanted to know how Barney was doing and about the adventures that Barney had been on.

That was Barney’s gift. To teach people that any obstacle, be it physical or emotional, can be overcome by taking whatever life gives you and embracing it.

While Barney’s physical presence at the ranch will always be missed, we know that he lives on in the lessons that he taught us all.

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Gabriella, aka Gabby Girl, came into our care in November, and it took a blink of an eye for her to endear herself to everyone.  She regularly could be seen sharing her dinner with Charlie or Louie or hamming it up to the camera, https://youtu.be/ljo3dm8IL8s, on our weekly Facebook Lives.

Without a doubt, though, her best friend was Barney. As the seasons changed from Winter to Spring, you could regularly see the two of them going out on adventures together.  Sometimes Gabby would lead and other times it was Barney, but they were always together.

As Gabby’s hooves began to fail, their bond grew even stronger.  While Gabby laid down to rest, Barney would dutifully watch over her.  Always careful not to step on her, Barney would stand as close as he could so that he could lean down and check on her.  When she was ready to stand, he carefully would back away so that she would have enough room.

Gabby sought out Barney for comfort.  Many times during our evening checks, you would see Gabby resting her head in Barney’s side as they both napped.  Up until Gabby, Barney was always suspicious of other horses touching him and would move away.  Gabby had a way of gaining everyone’s trust and trusting everyone.

A regular part of Gabby’s hoof treatments was to apply a saline solution, wrap it, and put on a therapeutic boot.  This was all usually accomplished while Gabby was most vulnerable, laying down.  As a prey animal, horses will not allow you to approach them while they are down unless they feel completely safe and secure. 

Late last week it became apparent that we were no longer able to manage Gabby’s pain.  While she was still willing to go out on adventures with Barney, they were much shorter and it took an incredible amount of strength and energy for her to walk.  We decided that we would help her cross the rainbow bridge and end her suffering.

In Gabby’s short time with us, she left an indelible mark on all of our hearts.  She loved without hesitation and showed grace despite being let down by people over and over again.  She will be so incredibly missed.

History

For months, Louie has been having these episodes where his back legs would have spasms and he would tilt his head as if he had a headache. We knew that something was obviously wrong, but we’re struggling with a diagnosis. He had lameness tests and x-rays, but nothing was pointing to the cause. Finally, while he was on stall rest for the laceration on his side, we took a blood sample.

Diagnosis

The blood work came back positive for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). In common terms, he is suffering from spinal cord damage and/or brain inflammation caused by a single-celled organism called protozoa that infects a horse in the form of a parasite. There are two protozoa that cause EPM, Sarcocystis neurona and Neurospora hughesi. The latter is rarer and is what Louie has.

Treatment

There are three prescription drugs that are FDA approved for treatment:

• Marquis
• PROTAZIL
• ReBalance

We decided, after speaking with Dr. Lauren from Henderson Equine Clinic, to use Marquis. We will need to give the paste for 28 days. One of the drawbacks of the treatment is that it could potentially make his symptoms worse for the first three days. Knowing that we are going to continue with his Equioxx to help support him.

Outcome

While successful treatment can eliminate the parasite, we, unfortunately, do not know the damaging effects that the parasite has left on Louie’s nervous system. We are hopeful that we have caught it early enough, but are also aware that Louie could be affected again even after treatment.

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You think that you have your barn and pasture horse proofed to minimize injuries from happening. Then it happens. Your horse is injured. What do you do?

RECOGNIZING SIGNS OF DISTRESS

It is easy to know your horse is hurt when you see a cut, but there are other ailments that are not as obvious, but are just as critical, such as colic or illness. That is why it is important to know your horse’s normal temperature, pulse, and respiratory rate, as well as normal behavior patterns.

WHAT’S NORMAL

Normal ranges for adult horses are: 

• Pulse rate: 30 to 42 beats per minute.
• Respiratory rate: 12 to 20 breaths per minute.
• Rectal temperature: 99.5′ to 101.5′ F. If the horse’s temperature exceeds 102.5′ F., contact your veterinarian immediately. Temperatures of over 103′ F indicate a serious disorder.
• Capillary refill time (time it takes for color to return to gum tissue adjacent to teeth after pressing and releasing with your thumb): 2 seconds.

Each horse has an individual temperature, pulse and respiration rate. You should take several baseline measurements when your horse is healthy, rested, and relaxed. Write them down and keep them within easy reach so you have them to compare to in case of an emergency. Your first aid kit is a good place to keep them.

FIRST AID KIT

It is a good idea to have a first aid kit in your barn and trailer, in addition to a smaller version when you go out on a trail ride. Amazon sells kits, but here is a shortlist to get you started:

• *Cotton roll
• *Contact bandage
• *Cling wrap
• *Gauze pads, assorted sizes
• *Gauze wrap
• Adhesive wrap and adhesive tape
• Leg wraps
• Sharp scissors
• Hemostats
• Steel cup or container
• Rectal thermometer with string and clip attached
• Surgical scrub and antiseptic solution
• Latex gloves
• Flashlight and spare batteries
• Permanent marker pen
  * Material that should be sterile.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Any number of emergencies that can happen. In most situations, it is good to follow these guidelines:

1. Keep the horse as calm as possible. Your own calm behavior will help achieve this.
2. Move the animal to a safe area where it is unlikely to be injured should it go down.
3. Get someone to help you, and delegate responsibilities, such as calling the veterinarian, retrieving the first aid kit, holding the horse, etc.
4. Notify your veterinarian immediately. Be prepared to provide specific information about the horse’s condition, such as pulse, respiration, and temperature.
5. Listen closely and follow your veterinarian’s instructions.
6. Do not administer drugs, especially tranquilizers or sedatives, unless specifically instructed to do so by your veterinarian.

SUMMARY

Emergencies are stressful for you and your horse. Being prepared will help you and your horse stay calm. Act quickly by calling your veterinarian to minimize the extent of the injuries.

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Horses use body language to say everything from “Stay away” to “I love you” and everything in between. Anyone can learn “horse speak”. All you have to do is watch for the clues.

Ears

Easily one of the most expressive parts of the horse’s body is the ears. The ears are relatively easy to read.

If a horse’s ears are up and slightly forward, they’re active, interested, and possibly a bit excitable.

If their ears are relaxed and off to the side, they’re comfortable and possibly sleepy.

If a horse’s ears are pinned flat back to the head, the horse is scared or angry.

Head and Neck

Any time you want to know what a horse is thinking, pay attention to the head and neck.

If a horse’s head is lowered and hanging in front of their chest, they’re very relaxed and usually sleeping.

However, if a horse’s head is raised high in the air with their chin lifted, they’re alert and on the lookout for something in their environment.

A horse that is bobbing and weaving their head is usually agitated. It could be a clue that they are going to bite or be aggressive.

Forelegs

Horses usually stand with their legs evenly underneath them. If they aren’t, the horse is telling you something.

For example, if a horse’s front legs are spread wide apart, it could be a sign that the horse is nervous and is ready to bolt.

A horse that is pawing at the ground usually is getting impatient and wants to get moving.

If a horse is stomping, however, their getting irritated and could start striking out.

Hind Legs

The easiest way to know when a horse is relaxed is when one of their back legs is cocked and slightly off the ground.

However, if a horse only has weight on three legs and the fourth is not bearing any weight but is not cocked, be careful. The horse may be thinking about kicking.

Eyes

The most obvious warning sign to watch out for is if you can see the whites of the horse’s eyes. This means that the horse is upset, scared, or angry.

A horse that’s nervous and is considering bolting, will dart their eyes back and forth quickly.

If the horse’s eyelids are drooping and their eyes are half-closed, they’re extremely content. You see this a lot after they have eaten.

Tail

Most of the time a horse’s tail is still or lazily moving to keep flies off of them. However, if the horse is rapidly moving their tail from side to side, that is a sign that they’re angry and might kick.

If a horse is incredibly nervous or unsure about something in the environment, their tail will clamp tightly against their body.

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“Where did the name Roanchar Ranch come from?” is the number one question that we get at the rescue.

Roanchar is a combination of our founder’s two personal horses’ names; Roanie, a Strawberry Roan Tennessee Walking Horse, and Charlie, a Percheron/Tennessee Walking Horse cross. They are also the driving force behind the rescue.

Charlie and Roanie were the first horses that our founder owned. Roanie was a seasoned trail horse and Charlie was a 5 month-old colt who was a blank slate.

Owning a draft horse was a dream of our founder. She had fallen in love with Charlie’s mom Denea, a pure-breed black Percheron when she rode her on a trail ride while she was pregnant with Charlie. Denea was gentle, confident, and loving, all the traits that a gentle giant is known for.

A few weeks after riding Denea, our founder was on another trail ride with Denea’s owner, checking pastures for foals. In the middle of one of the pastures lay Charlie. He was no more than 12 hours old and a site to behold. He was glistening white and black and all legs. Our founder fell in love immediately

To prepare for Charlie’s arrival, our founder did research on how to care for a foal, and specifically a draft foal. It was then that she came upon the plight of unwanted draft horses.

Draft horses, who had worked their entire lives, were thrown away when they could no longer work. She knew that she wanted to make a difference in their lives and Roanchar Ranch Draft Horse Rescue was born.

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