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Greetings,
Welcome to the August 2003 edition of the Eye of the Storm
Equine Rescue Horse Tales.
Okay, listen up!! We're running close to the deadline for
the purchase of our new farm and we need funding. Eye of the
Storm is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. All contributions
are 100% tax deductible (up to 50% of your total income -
you know the IRS, they have rules for rules).
No contribution is too small. We greatly appreciate your
help in making this dream come true for us and in the process
establishing the only permanent equine rescue / sanctuary
in Eastern Massachusetts. Our work continues from our current
location as we help place horses from e-mail as far away as
Utah and as close as Stow.
Right now the electronic work including e-mail, copying,
faxing, and book keeping is all done off site as our current
farm does not have an all weather building. The new farm not
only has an all weather building, but it also has facilities
for a permanent barn manager to be on site 24/7. This is so
important in any animal rescue operation. We are there when
our animals need us and we are there when you need us and
we need your help NOW. We're 49 days away from passing papers
and counting. Please drop your check, cash or money
order in the mail today.
You can also make an electronic donation through PayPal and
charge it to your credit card on our web
site. Please make your check payable to:
Eye of The Storm Equine Rescue, Inc.
65 White Pond Road
Stow, MA 01775
Thank You !!!
A Horse at the
House?
Well, not quite but it sure has been an experience for one
of our volunteers. After working with us for over three years
one of the volunteers decided to take Shadow home as his father
is getting on in years and both pony and parent need a little
extra TLC. Here are a few insights that might help you if
you're interested in getting into our foster program (or any
equine rescue's foster / adoption program and bringing a horse
to your home.
Preparation: Actually this was kind of fun.
We went to the town and had to appear before the local board
of health and explain our plan. They were very helpful and
thoughtful and gave us a permit for one pony. Next on to the
planning board to check on various setbacks and fence heights.
Again, the people at the Town Hall were great and had the
answers we were looking for. Our next stop was the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection. They have an expansive
web site.
If you type the word HORSE in the search box it returns 47
documents ranging from animal care to pasture and manure management
and even a great article on composting. We ordered our shed
and fence and made one mistake. I ordered cedar post and rail
fencing that was 5 feet high which left openings between the
rails Mr. Houdini could step through. Wayne at AVO Cedar Fencing
in Stoughton came to the rescue and installed 5 foot black
vinyl coated chain link fence on the inside of the post and
rail fence the very next day. Voila! Problem solved. We set
up a vet and a farrier for Shadow and made sure he had all
his shots and vaccinations before he left the rescue farm.
Also, we purchased extra liability insurance just in case...
The Big Day: I had tried to prepare everything
just right. It never works as planned, but we did the best
we could with what we had. God bless Dotty from Red Dot Transportation
Services who trailered Shadow home in the pouring rain. Her
expertise was invaluable. It was just about then that "new
baby" anxiety kicked in and I decided I would never leave
the house again. God must be listening because Nina gave me
one of her best lectures on being the owner - and not being
owned by the horse. Over the years we have grown to be close
friends and I have learned to love and give and care through
Nina's wisdom. Whenever I call, she's always there to help.
Two weeks: The first week was horrible.
I was sure I had made the worst mistake of my life. I was
cleaning the shed and turnout four to six times a day, worrying
about Shadow's diet and checking on him up to midnight.
Again Nina came to the rescue and told me that Shadow was
very capable of taking care of himself. She was right as usual.
I am still volunteering at the rescue farm but had to cut
back until things settle in a bit more.
When you live with an elderly parent and a pony, life is...unusual
to say the least. I am starting to relax and I can actually
see Shadow as I write this newsletter. He's pacing the fence.
Must be dinner time. My father gets a real kick out of watching
Shadow and for some reason Shadow has decided he loves my
Dad and whinnies to him every time he sees him.
Postscript: I had no idea that Shadow would
be such a hit in the neighborhood. People slow down when we
walk and wave. Everyone has a smile. One word of warning about
children. Never allow them on your property unattended. Even
though I had posted the required No Trespassing and Keep Out
signs, some parents think it's okay to bring their children
on my property without my permission and worse yet they bring
bags of carrots. I had stern words with the parents and the
problem seems to be solved for now.
You Decide: Was it worth it? It cost a small
fortune for fencing and the building, the back yard is now
mud, but Shadow is relaxing like I've never seen him relax
and he looks comfortable and is eating well. I have to tell
you, it is nice to know my horse is just out back. What I
miss most is seeing my friends at the farm and interacting
with Nina. Well, there goes my boy racing around...better
bring him some dinner.
Wet Weather
Thrush: We have had an unusual spell of
very wet weather. This can lead to hoof problems that we don't
normally encounter in a dry summer, such as thrush. Thrush
is a disease of the hoof that usually occurs within the frog
(the wedge-shaped structure on the bottom surface of the foot)
and the grooves next to and in the middle of the frog. Thrush
is most commonly seen in horses that are allowed to stand
in paddocks or stalls that are full of wet manure, or just
in horses which do not regularly have their feet cleaned.
However, this disease is also seen in horses that never stand
in manure. Basically, horses are at risk for developing thrush
in any condition where the bottom of the hoof is kept in a
damp environment.
How can you prevent thrush? It's simple. Keep your horse's
feet clean. Every time you groom your horse you should pick
out the feet. Don't forget to clean all around the frog. Don't
just remove the shavings or dirt trapped in the sole, clean
the whole foot. There are a number of commercial products
that are available to help dry the feet and rid the foot of
the infection such as Thrush Buster. We use a natural method
that we call "Sugardine." It's simply a mixture
of sugar and Betadine made into a gluey emulsion and kept
in a capped container. After cleaning the foot well, use the
brush end of a hoof pick to apply it liberally. Word of caution:
Never use the same hoof pick on different horses.
Canker: There is another disease of the
hoof which can be confused with thrush called canker. If you
don't get resolution of the thrush  infection
quickly, you should call your vet or farrier. Both of the
diseases primarily affect the frog area in the beginning.
The difference between thrush and canker is that with canker,
the tissue in and around the frog is not destroyed, grows
excessively. The cause of this disease is unknown. Left untreated,
the disease can become extensive, and it can distort the hoof
quite dramatically. These two diseases also are treated a
bit differently, so early distinction between the two is important.
When is doubt, call in your vet!
Update on Tim,
our Blind Appy
 You
could have knocked us all over with a feather when we saw
Tim being ridden in our round pen! It was his first time under
the saddle since we have been treating his blindness. What
a trooper. He walked, trotted and cantered around the ring
and momentarily broke into a beautiful dressage step. There
was no question Tim was seeing the rails and liking the exercise
as he moved gracefully under the careful care of one of our
volunteers. He is still on our uveitis
diet and doing great.
Volunteer
Opportunities
We are in the unusual position of looking for one or more
experienced horse persons to help us feed and close up at
night. We start about 4 PM and close the farm up by about
7 PM. The hours and days are flexible. As always we simply
ask that you commit yourself to a specific time and date so
that we can fill the hours we need to fill. And you get to
eat all the sweet feed you can... (Bianca need not apply).
Well that's about it for this issue. To all our friends and
loved ones and those who share our love for horses and the
well being of animals everywhere, to those special people
who have helped us in so many ways and especially to the volunteers
who are making this August tolerable - Jehovah, bless you
all!
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