Semi-private, all inclusive full service boarding facility overlooking 88 acres of equine perfection.
A few finishing touches left before our outdoor herd finds themselves some sweet new digs to call home!!
This is just the beginning, I can’t wait to see how the indoor paddocks turn out!!
Thank you SMART Contracting and Ashgrove Holdings - GTA Clean Fill Sites for knocking this out of the park! way to get ‘er done!
Pool Hall but make it 🤠YeeHaw🤠
Sunday sillies 🤪
Jumping up on my soap box for this one
As of today, March 22nd, I have made the decision to re open my barn and get my horses back outside tomorrow.
I will leave the two positive cases isolated as our risk of transmission is minimal and continue to monitor them.
The frustration lies in the lack of support and communication all around. I understand updating sciences but the baseline hell I just went through to be told contradictory opinions on how to proceed, if at all, was nothing short of abusive.
To summarize on my decision:
Nasal shedding of S. equi bacteria usually begins 2-3 days after onset of fever and often persists for 2-3 weeks. The only horse to make contact with the infected horse during this window was the only other horse living in the paddock
I have barricaded the only section of fence (luckily a corner) with spare panels to maintain a quarantine at least 10 – 25 metres away from other horses.
I have Incubated and monitored the non contact for 10 days since the “fever”, and 8 days since the second positive. 17 days without any issues since the first “barely positive”. Just to be sure.
This first positive horse is going to continue its isolation in a facility better equipped to help. I am not set up for prolonged isolation.
I will continue to monitor my herd for the inclusive 21 days post initial positive.
I will disinfect the surfaces of this paddock to allow a safe start for our horses tomorrow and again once we leave for the next business moving in.
I have two barely positive horses with no symptoms, full isolation of them both, and caught the low grade “fever” before 24 hours went by.
I will continue with all applicable biosecurity after tending to the affected horses, as will their owners.
If you are not a “text book” case your prognosis is “ultimately up to you.”
This is why we have consistent cases in our area. The wellbeing not to mention the livelihood of others is left to your individual discretion. The stigma around strangles comes with a mile long rap sheet. So when cases like this arise, there are no answers.
More often than not the horse gets a finger over the mouth and handed off instead of isolated and treated. Why any one would let this walk out their front door to potentially take down the next farm is something I will never understand. So all we can do is tell our stories, and try to give the next farm a leg up.
Lucky for me, my routine allowed me to notice and get control of this quickly. Lucky for the rest of our horses the owners of the two affected horses stepped up and emptied their piggy banks to get this sorted out ASAP as best they could with the information they had. And for that I endlessly thank you both.
I have an incredible community of people behind and beside me who made this as easy as possible. We all have a horse shoe up our hind ends for this one for sure. But I know the next farm may not be so lucky. Transparency in these situations is the only key to success we have. Argue facts, not opinions.
My inbox is always open, my phone number is easily accessible. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all.
Advocate for your horses, advocate for your clients, advocate for you. This industry is difficult enough.
Thank you for reading,
Cheers, I know I need one,
Mackenzie
Update ( Thursday March 14)
We have tested positive for Strangles.
Please bear with me, this is a long post.
Our end goal was to move our business by April 1st. This move has been put on hold and all horses will be asked to remain on the property until further notice.
As of today (March 14th) we have full biosecurity in effect.
As of Tuesday (March 12th) we had a horse receive a PCR for Strangles in preparation for moving to their new barn.
The following day that horse presented with a lack of appetite, and a fever of 38.8. That morning I made the decision to delay turn out for the rest of our herd while I waited to hear back from the vet who preformed the test. I made the decision to immediately set that horse and its paddock mate in a voluntary quarantine. The horse’s fever was treated with banamine by me and had subsided within 14 hours. The horse continues to not present any further symptoms of at this time.
With the property set up of our facility ultimately all horses are faced with a possibility of having contracted this. All of our fences touch, all of our stalls touch, all of us use the same riding rings.
Since then I have checked temperatures in the herd, and monitored for any further symptoms. Currently I do not have any further issues with any horses to report.
Our plan of attack is as follows and will be updated tomorrow after I get the opportunity to consult the treating vet for more details but for now here is what tonight and tomorrow holds
-Horses will be restricted to their stalls or paddocks to keep transmission as contained as possible
-Absolutely no horses or humans in or out.
-The affected horse(s) will continue to be on isolation until further notice.
-Foot baths and disposable clothing will be used when tending to the affected horse(s)
-Temperatures will be taken twice daily on all horses, owners will hear from me directly should anything be of concern. And, will continue to be done two weeks after the last negative test.
-Virkon will be used to clean all supplies and will be present as the cleaning agent of the foot baths as well
-Test horses that have recovered from disease at least twice at one week intervals using throat swabs or nasal wash samples to confirm they are negative
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you for your cooperation
I will keep you all updated
Update (April 10)
Update
Of the two horses who lived together one left to continue isolation at their new farm. As for the horse still with me; it continues to remain completely isolated and we will have the final test results tomorrow. The remainder of the herd (touch wood) never displayed any symptoms during their quarantine period and were allowed to get back to normal!
Dolly is absolutely rocking her new dapples!! 😮💨😍
Congratulations to Colton Jackson of CJ Equine Training & Farrier Services and Reliable Horses Gallery on expanding their operation and gracefully taking over our facility! 🥳🥳Excited to see all of the wonderful things that come from their new adventure!
Portside has entered a voluntary quarantine as we share the driveway with HD. We are following the same protocols and give them all of our love and support (from a distance)💕
Jack the (mouse crunching) reindeer
33 years old and still giving me a “run” for my money
Over a decade in the industry and not one time have horses ceased to amaze me 🤔
She’s fine she’s just weird
Racheal and Vannety doing what they do best and assaulting their humans for (more) carrots 🦛🥰
I was at the university a few days ago working on a draft horse who came out of sedation just long enough to kick me through a stall door. So, I’m taking today off to both feel sorry for myself and to draft out my experiences as a moving target.
Horse Kicks 101
Even when you work on very well trained and gentle horses, getting kicked is somewhat of an occupational hazard as a farrier. Sometimes it’s out of fear or pain, sometimes it’s by mistake, and on occasion even good horses have bad days. Whatever the reason, the resulting world of hurt for us comparatively soft and squishy monkeys is the same. However, just how badly one is injured can depend a lot on the conviction and breed of the offending (or offended) critter.
The breed voted most likely to knock you across the aisle way in high school would be the American thoroughbred. Like most things in Europe, the European thoroughbreds seem to have a more level head about them. Much like myself, the American TB (especially the on-track race horse) is a rather high strung critter whose environment has made them prone to both panicked flight and personal injury. When they kick it’s powerful, wildly unpredictable, but accurate, and always followed by the snapping of the cross ties as they gallop to perceived safety screaming “I’m a racehorse! I am a racehorse!” as they disappear down the driveway.
Next on the list of crazies is the Arabian horse, especially the Egyptians. It’s my theory that their small dished heads compress their brains, making them prone to hallucinations. The larger the dish, the more likely they are to mistake a blowing leaf for a horse-eating dragon. When they kick it’s completely unpredictable, light, but deadly fast. The Arab will also gallop to safety, but that’s likely 50 or more miles away. Also, one should be aware that when the leaf monster presents itself the Arabian has the ability to to teleport its way to safety.
The American Quarter Horse is the labrador of the equine industry. They are cool tempered and unexcitable. Snakes, rogue cows, or even that mounted migrant worker commonly known as a cowboy shooting off their backs rarely gets them to raise more than an eyebrow. If you do managed to get kicked by one of these guys you (or someone they felt very strongly about) likely deserved it. Unlike Arabs or thoroughbreds, when they kick something they meant to do it. While they might not be as fast as their caffeinated cousins their blows come down with the accuracy and might of Thor’s hammer. They always accompany their mighty blows with a inquisitive yet judgmental expression to suggest “did you learn something today?”
Draft horses are best described as gentle giants. They are kind, forgiving and dumb as a box of rocks. If you are unlucky enough to be walloped by one of these tanks it’s likely because they forgot you were there. What the draft horse lacks in conviction they make up for in brute force. Accuracy and speed doesn’t really matter that much when dropping nuclear warheads.
Ponies… I am convinced the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will be charging in on the burning fury of pony hooves. It really doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do, ponies will kick simply because they can. They are a weapon of equal opportunity. What they lack in brute force they make up for in quantity. So much quantity…
Donkeys/mules are not horses, and they will be sure to remind you of that fact should you forget. They are even tempered, but unforgiving. It doesn’t take a very big donkey to carry a grudge. When they feel you are deserving of capital punishment they have no qualms about dishing out. They are the ninja snipers of the equine world. One shot, one kill is the donkey’s motto. If one of Hell’s own minions fires a shot at you and misses it was only a warning. When they strike their hooves rip the very fabric of time and space to arrive faster than the speed of light.
(Please understand that not every Arabian is crazy and not every draft horse is dumb. These are lighthearted stereotypes that come from my personal observations and experiences gathered over my 20 years standing behind the anvil. I know they will not be true of every horse. )
Carry on.
Fingers are not carrots
Fingers are not carrots
Fingers are not carrots
If only we could feel our fingers when these were taken 🥹
Stopped to appreciate the view🌻💝
“Are you gonna finish that?”
Sunny absolutely loving her massage time with Laura 🥰🥰
Let’s go party
*Offering one outdoor spot, preferably to a mare or a very polite gelding!
Outdoor board includes but is not limited to:
Access to Extra large shelter
Trio of new friends
Water trough scrubbed regularly, heated in the winter
Round bale provided year round, access to grass for the warmer months
Paddock scraped regularly
Breakfast & dinner grain
Salt is provided however any supplements to be supplied by owner
Basic and minor first aid care
Access to all amenities (heated people rooms, laundry, hot and cold water, indoor arena, outdoor arena, grass ring, hacking trails) on the property
Additional hay loft storage
Holding for vet, farrier, etc.
Boot and blanket changes included
Please pm for more details or to book a tour!
That is all coming out of his allowance 🤬🤬
Headwear era
Miss girl, please. The grain is supposed to go on the inside of your face 🤦🏻♀️
A very happy, yet very belated, 14th birthday to the big man himself.
I owe it all to you❤️
Itchy boys be itchin’
Wickey and V say have a “butt scratchin’ good” long weekend!
Spartan says the grass needed his fly mask more than he did - but I’m not sure I believe him 🤔
Middletown Road
Hamilton, ON
| Monday | 8am - 10pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 10pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 10pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 10pm |
| Friday | 8am - 10pm |
| Saturday | 8am - 10pm |
| Sunday | 8am - 10pm |
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Portside Equestrian posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
💕💕 pony sized snow angels to ring in the new year💕💕
33 years old and still giving me a “run” for my money #OnceARacehorseAlwaysARaceHorse
Never gets old
🦈 🦈
Mid day nap for all of his troubles 😴
“Look what I can do! Look! My neck still fits around my belly!”
Split turn out is going fab! Thank you Summer for keeping track of time in a completely unthreatening way!
Little scary boss mare making sure everyone gets back to pasture after dinner🫡🫡
By far the most underwhelming “out to pasture” I’ve ever seen in my life…
Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go change my pants #FunkyFresh
Victor shaking off the winter blues 💙
After 3 months off Finn was cleared for light work 🥳 Brayden was brave (crazy?) enough to take him for a spin on his 3rd ride back; safe to say both were perfect! Brayden Baskott #MoreLeg
Wicket’s post dinner mud wrestle with his own belly and a lovely DIY shower from princess Vannety herself 🥴 #FatAndHappy
Holistic Touch Equine Boarding & Rehabilitati
Campbellville Road
HD Equine Boarding & Rehabilitation
Middletown Road
