Rehab Horses 2012-2013 (current)

Great Expectations Ranch

Horses currently in rehab - 2014

Cruiser Has A New Home! Cruiser: 19 year old grade bay gelding. Photos taken 9/28/2014.
Cruiser was donated to us, in order for us to get him "back on his feet" and find him a new home. He looks rougher than he did the day he got here because I used a good wormer on him and he lost his big, wormy belly. I have him on soaked feed, grain and alfalfa hay. We should be seeing some good results before long. He is said to have been an older 4H horse. He has an injured hip, his front legs look a little thick and all in all, he looks pretty tough. He does have a great appetite and is a very kind horse. We will update as we see improvements.

11/7/14: I will be putting up some current pics very soon, as Cruiser is coming along very well. We have also enlisted the aid of a horse massage therapist, in order to see what can be done to keep him comfortable for lighter use.

Updated: 11/28/14 - Cruiser has put on considerable weight and is a big, full-bodied horse. He's real nice to be around. I had the massage therapist out, but we ran out of time, doing the other 5 horses and she also wanted to "compare notes" with a few others in her field, after making her initial observation. She wants to be sure she's taking the right approach with him. He's one of those, that more than many, you'd really profit from knowing his "life story". Will be adding new pics and will post more when I know more.

Cruiser: He was incorporated into the pasture in Dec. He gets along well, being submissive and gets to eat hay 24/7. He is all filled out and now wearing a much deserved winter blanket.

Update: 4/1/15 - Don't know that this sweet guy will ever be totally sound for riding so are looking for a home for him as a companion horse, at no charge. References may be required to insure his safety.

Update: 4/14/15 - Cruiser found his forever home! He's with our good friends, Kelly & Joe and now has a small herd of 3 girls of his own. He no longer needs to live with the "meanies" and I couldn't be more happy for him!!!

Shiloh has a new home! SHILOH: Shiloh is an older pony mare. She came to us not long ago, having just "re-foundered" on pasture. Her owners are away from home due to work issues so we agreed to take her in. She is currently being kept on a "dry lot" and is very comfortable as our farrier is very well-versed when it comes to founder and how to trim those feet. She is a very sweet little mare and has been used to pony kids around and was even put in the traces, harnessed, at her previous home. She is looking for a long-term home, where she will be kept off pasture and fed a diet of hay and senior feed. Oats have also never been an issue, to date, when feeding foundered horses here. They just aren't allowed too much of any grain and nothing that would put "heat" into their feet.

11/7/14: We will be putting up more current pictures soon. Shiloh's feet are coming along nicely.

4/1/15: We are looking for a new home for Shiloh, as a companion horse. She will be free to a good home, references may be required to insure her safety and well being.

Shiloh: 1/5/15 - She's up to and maintaining well at an ideal weight. She's actually a "mini-horse" as opposed to an actual "mini", so she doesn't have the short legs and generally pudgy tummy of a mini. She still has days when her feet give her a bit of discomfort and those are the days that I put a bit of powdered bute in her senior feed with oats, mixture.

Rehab Horses - 2013

Trooper: Aged (20+ years) grey gelding. Photos above were taken 11/1/2013. We were contacted by an acquaintance who had taken on Trooper as part of a package deal. He'd been able to get weight on the other 2 horses (who were likely younger) but wasn't having luck with Trooper. We paid for him to be hauled here and immediately treated him for ulcers. We then started him on soaked alfalfa cubes & beet pulp, senior feed and alfalfa hay. He's been here about 2 weeks now and his appetite has picked up nicely. The photos above were taken about 10 days after he arrived. If anyone would like to donate to help with Trooper's rehabilitation, we would greatly appreciate any bags of senior feed, beet pulp or alfalfa cubes.

Rehab Horses - 2012

Greyson: Aged Appaloosa gelding. Greyson is a sweet older gelding who needs a lot of weight. These photos were taken 3/03/2013 and he looks a bit better in the photos than he does in person. He's been dewormed and had his feet trimmed, he has a good appetite and now it will just take some time for him to gain weight.

Update 5/1/2013: Greyson has been gaining weight slowly but steadily. He is now out on good pasture with some friends of ours to help him finish gaining weight. They will soon make a decision on whether they want to buy him.

Bill: Grade bay QH gelding. Bill is a sweet older gelding. He seems to be sound and healthy, just very malnourished. He has an excellent appetite and cleans up his hay and grain. Bill has now been here 2 weeks, the photos above that show his condition were taken 12/30/2012.

Update 5/29/2013: Bill has been gaining weight slowly and steadily. He still needs a little weight but is looking much better. Sadly, due to some arthritis, Bill will be companion sound only. He is now listed as "available" on the "rescue horses" page.

If: 21 year old grade QH gelding. "If" came to us from his former owner. He was being free-leased to keep another horse company, the other horse passed away and the lessee's no longer had a need to keep "If", so his former owner contacted us. He came to us a bit thin and appeared to be sore in his joints. On 12/04/2012 "If" was examined by our vet and found to have Lyme Disease. He was treated for Lymes and now appears to be much more comfortable. He's gained weight and is really a handsome gelding. "If" will now be looking for a new home. Current photos below.

Update: New photos of "If" taken 3/01/2013

If has a new home!

Sugar: Sweet old pony mare. Extremely thin. This little mare is gentle and kind, she was a childrens' riding pony for years. She needs a lot of weight and also needs her feet trimmed. She has some arthritis in her knees but gets along well. Photos taken 8/25/2012.

Update: Photos above of Sugar taken 11/19/2012. Sugar has been gaining weight slowly and steadily. She still has a little ways to go but is looking much better now. She is a little sweetheart and is now looking for a new home, she is listed on the "rescue horses" page.

Sugar has found a home

Daisy: Aged (20+ years) Belgian mare. Retired Amish horse. Well broke to drive. We were told this mare has done about every kind of farm/field work and was taken to the auction because her teammate passed away and she no longer could keep up with the younger horses. She'd belonged to the same owner since she was a 3 year old, she's been driven by beginners and handled by children. Very kind mare, easy to handle and work with. She needs some weight and is currently in quarantine, she should be ready for a new home soon. Photos taken 8/25/2012. Daisy has found a home.

Update 9/9/2012: Daisy is doing well and has already gained some weight in the last 2 weeks. She has been dewormed, her appetite is great, she should be ready for a new home fairly soon. Photo above taken today.

Molly Brown: Aged grade mare. We were told this mare is well broke to ride. She had some sort of injury to her face in the past, she has a dent near her left eye and her lip droops. She appears to be sound, is bright-eyed and has a great appetite, and has no problems eating and drinking. It shouldn't be long before we see her starting to gain weight here. Photos taken 8/25/2012.

Update 3/03/2013: New pics of Molly Brown taken 3/02/2013. Molly has gained the weight she needed and is now looking good. We will be evaluating her training level and she will soon be ready for a new home.

Molly has found a home

Strawberry: Aged (20+ years) grade red roan mare. Strawberry is a sweet older mare, we were told she is well broke to ride. She needs weight but appears to be sound and healthy otherwise. Strawberry has a good appetite and it shouldn't be long before we start to see some weight gain. Photos taken 8/25/2012.

Update 9/9/2012: Strawberry has started to put weight on and has gained a noticeable amount in the last 2 weeks. Photo above taken today.

Update 3/3/2013: Strawberry has gained the weight she needed and is looking wonderful.

Strawberry has found a home!

Commanche: Aged grade Paint gelding. Cute older gelding, well broke to ride and was trail ridden for many years. He has one arthritic knee and badly needs his feet trimmed. Currently in quarantine and needs a little weight. We plan to get his feet trimmed and start him on a flex-supplement for his knee, we'll see how he does but I'm guessing he'll be best suited as a companion horse, or possibly as a light riding/leadline horse for a child. Photos taken 8/25/2012. Commanche has found a home.

Update 11/16/12: Commanche has had his feet trimmed and gained weight, he is now ready to find a new home. He would be an excellent companion horse.

Hope: Photos taken 8/15/2012. Sweet little mare, supposed to be well broke to ride. Very thin. Hope does not appear to have any health or soundness issues, she's eating well and is on her way to gaining her weight back. Hope has found a home.

Update 9/9/2012: Hope continues to have an excellent appetite and a wonderful attitude. She has been dewormed and is slowly starting to gain noticeable weight. Photo above taken today.

Update 11/18/12: New photo of Hope taken today. She still needs a little weight but has gained nearly all of her weight back by now, is feeling great and is well broke to ride. Hope is now listed on the "rescue horses" page and is ready for a new home.

Ruby: Photos taken 8/15/2012. Nice older mare, very thin. Had a foal this year who was weaned/sold prior to us buying this mare. This mare has a Rocking B freezebrand on her left flank, we don't know yet if she's just been a broodmare or is also broke to ride. Excellent appetite, does not appear to have any health issues. Her hooves were in serious need of a trim, one front had a very underrun heel, (she's been trimmed and I'll be posting "before" and "after" photos of that hoof soon). Friendly mare and loves attention.

Update 9/9/2012: Ruby is doing great and has gained a significant amount of weight in the last 3 weeks. Photos above taken today.

Update 1/09/2013: Ruby has continued to slowly and steadily gain weight. The 3 photos above were taken 1/07/2013. Her hair looks a bit dusty and flat because she has been wearing a blanket this winter. Ruby still has a little ways to go but is looking much, much better now and she is now ready to find a new home. Her ad is now on our "rescue horses" page.

Sugarfoot: 2 year old Miniature (dwarf) gelding. Sugarfoot's previous owner contacted us for help in finding him a loving home. He is a "dwarf" Mini, and because of that has some physical disabilities. He has an underbite, turns out a bit with both front legs and has locking patellas (hind legs). We are currently working with our vet and doing a series of injections which may cause the scar tissue necessary for his patellas to move freely when he walks. He is a great little pony and will be looking for a loving home soon.

Nell: Aged (20+ years) grade bay mare. Nell came to us from a good friend whose mother picked up our friend's bidding number at the auction (when our friend was out having a cigarette), and bought this mare for $10. She was pretty proud of her buy, not being a horse owner, having no idea what she bought and having nowhere to keep the mare.

Our friend called us in a panic as she had no room at her home for Nell and had no idea where the mare could go. She donated some money to us so that we were able to deworm Nell and coggins test her. We then agreed to take over her care and find her a good home.

Nell is a sweet old campaigner with a blind eye and an arthritic knee. I'm sure she was well broke to ride in the past but at this point she is companion sound only. She is a kind mare who is looking for a loving retirement home. The photos above were taken 8/10/12, shortly after Nell came here. She needed some weight at the time but is now looking great, as you can see by the current photo below. Nell has found a home.

Update 9/10/12: Nell is looking good and is now ready to find a loving retirement home. Photo above taken 9/10/12.