Sound Equine Options

20/07/2024

Thank you to everyone that made it to our trail ride today. We had 70 horse and rider pairs and a bunch of wonderful volunteers. More horse photos this week, but for now, here are some smiling faces of SEO's extended tribe!

19/07/2024

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow! Reminder that first rider out is at 9:30 am and last rider out is at 11:30 am.

12/07/2024

Mustache Mauve is feeling so much better that her foster mom took her to a mini groundwork clinic today. She did great!

In the last 100 days Mauve has been working on healing her mind, liver & teeth. While all of those things take time, she is certainly looking and feeling better. Thank you to everyone that donated to help us keep moving her progress forward!

Don't you just want to touch those muzzle hairs though?

12/07/2024

Pre-register by Monday to get a free bonus poker hand!
https://bit.ly/4cyCjI8

Ride to Provide Poker Ride
July 20, 2024
Milo McIver State Park

1.5 to 2 hour trail ride
First rider out at 9:30 am • Last rider out at 11:30 am
Prizes awarded at 1:30 pm

Registration Fee: $25 • Includes 1 Poker Hand
Pre-register before July 15th and get a free bonus poker hand

Lunch: $5 - Served from 12-2 pm

Fun for the whole family!

10/07/2024

JULY BONUS DAY!

Today your donations will go towards the ongoing veterinary needs of horses under our care, including horses that need daily medications such as Tilly.

Click here to donate:
https://bit.ly/3WgqP6q

Tilly came to us as a 3-year-old untouched pregnant mare who had lived her entire life in a domestic herd. At some point in her life, she had significant trauma to a nerve in her upper head / neck area. The chronic damage made Tilly lose the ability to close her eyelid which in turn damaged her eyeball beyond repair.

While we were able to remove her eye and the discomfort it caused, the nerve continues to misfire causing her lower face to twitch if she is not medicated. Fortunately, 6 tablets twice a day of Gabapentin stops the twitching and its associated pain. For $40 a month, Tilly is a happy girl.

Your donations today can help 6 horses currently under our care who require daily medication to be comfortable and thrive.

10/07/2024

Funds that we receive today will be used to provide veterinary care for horses currently under our care like Mauve.

Mauve came to us malnourished in March of this year. She had a body condition score of 1.5. She has two medical issues that will take a while to mend, dental correction and a liver trying to heal.

Her intake exam revealed a tooth with a horribly long hook on her upper right side. It was caused by a corresponding missing lower tooth because there was nothing for her upper tooth to rub against and wear down. When this happens the tooth just keeps growing eventually “locks” in between her lower teeth when she tries to chew. It took years for the tooth to grow to this size, and the way she held her head while chewing made it very clear she had trouble. Mauve had her first dental a few months ago, but only so much tooth could be reduced before the friction caused too much heat that could damage the tooth's pulp. Her second dental needs to be done 4 to 6 months after the first. She is already eating better but we are anxious for the tooth to not be causing her any difficulty.

Mauve’s intake bloodwork also showed that her liver values were elevated. I wish we could say that we were surprised by this finding, true is that damaged livers are a semi common finding in horses we take in. Last month we had 4 horses on Platinum Liver Support at $189 for 30 days per horse. We have had incredible success getting liver values back into their normal rage after a few months of this supplement and of course, by removing the horse from the toxic w**d source. It makes sense that we see it more often, because when horses are hungry, they are much more likely to eat toxic w**ds such as Tansy. Hopefully, this will be a reminder to be diligent on removing it from your pastures and talking to your neighbors about doing the same.

In spite of Mauve’s challenges, she is acting and looking great! Your support today will help her, and other horses become healthy and find great new homes!

All donations are greatly appreciated and those in the $100 to $1000 range will stretch even further today with the help of Global Givings July Bonus Day. Help us make the most of it!

Click here to donate:
https://bit.ly/3WgqP6q

09/07/2024

TOMORROW IS A MATCHING FUNDS BONUS DAY!

Can you help us provide the horses with the care they so badly need?

Sound Equine Options Veterinary Care Fundraiser - $10,000 Goal

We have witnessed firsthand the incredible resilience and spirit of horses, and our team works tirelessly to ensure their well-being and recovery. However, what happens to each horse’s body over the course of their recovery is not always up to us and this month, we are seeking assistance to continue our life-saving efforts.

Without any new horses coming under our care, we already know we have $10,000 in veterinary care needed for our current herd. This month our goal is to raise those funds in order to ensure that we can continue to provide essential veterinary care to the horses preparing to find safe new homes.

To kick off our Sound Equine Options Veterinary Care Fundraiser Campaign, we are participating in TOMORROW'S GLOBAL GIVING BONUS DAY starting at 6 am Wednesday, July 10th. During this time we will be competing for a portion of the $100,000 in matching funds. The more you give, the more we get!

15 Hours to Fundraise

Wednesday, July 10th from 6 am to 9 pm

• $100,000 available in Matching Funds for participating projects!

• 20% match on donations from $100-$499 (while funds remain)

• 30% match on donations from $500-$749 (while funds remain)

• 40% match on donations from $750-$1,000 (while funds remain)

Donations up to $1,000 per unique donor per organization will be matched (while funds remain)

Here is a breakdown of what the $10,000 will fund:

20 horses need to be vaccinated - $1600
15 horses need dentals - $3600
3 horses need to be castrated - $1050
3 horses need daily medication to improve liver function for 2 months each - $1100
3 horses need daily anti-inflammatories to manage musculoskeletal conditions- $1200
2 horses need daily allergy medication - $ 1080
1 horse needs daily medication to help with facial nerve damage - $220
1 horse needs eye medication and anti-inflammatories for Uveitis - $150

Donations will be matched based on the order in which they are received while funds last so KEEP YOUR EYES OUT for our email announcing the start of Bonus Time!

By contributing to our cause, you will play a vital role in rescuing and rehabilitating horses in need, giving them a chance at a happy and healthy life!

02/07/2024

Happy Adoption Kathleen & Quest!

Not only is Kathleen Quests new mom, but she is a longtime, devoted supporter and volunteer of SEO. Her years of commitment running the tack sale has turned generous donations into financial means to support the horses. Everything she does is a labor of love and determination.

Kathleen has done everything from cleaning stalls at the SEO barn, fostering, board service, to at times single handedly organizing, cleaning, pricing, and packing donations that fill up a large garage. She has also helped recruit talent to help pull off many successful tack sale events.

Kathleen will tell you she just “plods along”, however while her steps may be quiet, her actions are mighty and fueled by making a difference for the horses that desperately need a second chance. Quest is a very lucky boy to join her family.

01/07/2024

Cyrus arrived on Friday!

He took a little while to load in the trailer, but no where near how long it took him to get OUT. Poor little man was brave, but unsure what we were asking of him. He allowed us to groom him this weekend along his back and upper sides, but he is still afraid of touch on his belly and legs.

His feet are downright cringe worthy. Propper hoof angles in young, growing horses is vital to maintain correct leg structure. You can see Cyrus’s feet have excessive toe growth and underrun heels. This hoof conformation puts increased tension on his tendons and if not corrected soon, could set him up with multiple issues including damage to the navicular bursa, navicular bone, inflammation of the coffin joint and quarter / heel cracks.

The work now begins on getting him used to people handling his legs and feet. He seems to have a good brain to work with, so we have high hopes that his first farrier appointment is just around the corner!

We will also be working on reducing his parasite load as well as getting some high-quality nutrition into Cyrus to set him up for a smooth and low stress castration.

A big thank you to all that donated to him give him a bright future! If you think you might possibly be interested in adoption of Cyrus in a few months. Send our adoption coordinator a message at [email protected], so we can keep you up to date with his progress!

28/06/2024

The highlight of our month was when19 year old Dance headed off to a wonderful foster to adopt home this week. Dance came to us almost 3.5 years ago as a stallion who was rarely let out of his 12 x 12 stall.

He has been with us as a gelding in the training barn for about 1 ½ years, where he quickly became one of the barn favorites. His big head, little ears, and kind personality is guaranteed to make you smile. Dance has also often been the most predictable riding horse we have had in the barn.

The issue that has made Dance hard to place has been some lingering separation anxiety. We are sure the lack of socialization prior to coming to SEO, is likely the cause. His anxiety shows itself when he is asked to stand quietly when tied and he can absolutely panic when hauled alone in a trailer. While Dance has continued to improve in these areas, we knew it would be in his best interest to go to a home that had some horsey friends, trails, and an area on site.

Keep your fingers crossed that his trial period goes well, and that like many others in our barn, they fall in love with the big guy. We appreciate the chance he has been given!

25/06/2024

Cyrus needs our help.

Cyrus is a semi-tame yearling (16 months old) that has belonged to a teenager for the last year. Unfortunately, the teenager’s mom was diagnosed with a terminal illness shortly after they brought him home, which made trips to the barn almost impossible. The mother has now passed, and family members are helping to rehome some of the animals.

On top of being semi-tame, Cyrus is still a stud c**t and has not had any farrier care. We have agreed to pick up and take ownership of this little guy on Friday. The immediate plan is to work with Cyrus daily until he can be both gelded and stand for a hoof trim. Of course, he will also need to be dewormed, vaccinated and have a veterinary exam.

On average it takes us about 6 months to bring a horse through the process of taming, gelding, and recovery, and to begin the search for a home. We estimate that it will cost us close to $2000 before we can responsibly place him.

Together we can give this little guy a bright future! To donate: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/J5ppC061dwri0SZMcT9AhQ

24/06/2024

Our smaller tack sale events have been so popular that we have added some additional dates throughout the summer. You can shop or drop off your tack donations during these times.

Don't forget to check out our $5 / Fill a Bag area while you are there!

20/06/2024

Foster homes are the foundation of our organization.

When it comes to the success of SEO, we cannot stress the importance of good foster homes enough. On average, 70% of our horses are in foster homes at any given time.

Foster homes allow us to increase the number of horses we can help by providing a space, daily care, and advocacy for the needs of each horse. They also often help us find wonderful new homes.

Are you ready to open your heart and your home to one of these companion horses?
Click on the photos to learn more about each horse.

Can you help us transform the life of one of our horses?

Email us at [email protected] to learn more about fostering or adoption!

12/06/2024

Register now for our July 20th Ride to Provide Poker Ride!

The ride will be held at the Milo McIver State Park, but because the State Park System no longer allows the exchange of money on park property, everyone must pre-register to participate. You may register up to the day of, but if you register prior to July 15th, you will receive an extra poker hand.

We look forward to seeing everyone!
https://soundequineoptions.ejoinme.org/2024TrailRideRegistration

A 501 c3 whose mission is to create positive, lasting change to ensure every horse is safe, healthy

11/06/2024

Sorry for the late notice, but our Tack Room WILL be maned tomorrow from 11 am to 3 pm. We will be receiving donations as well as selling used tack!

10/06/2024

It is official, Beau's foster mom Sheila has adopted him as her own! We are so happy for both of them.

Beau loves people and Sheila is the perfect mom to pour on the love. This also means that Beau and his little buddy Whiskey (who was adopted earlier by Sheila and her sister Angela) will get to stay together! Beau and Whiskey are two lucky boys!

07/06/2024

Meet Anvil & Paddy! Two new boys that could use your support.

As Melick continued to heal, it was time to go back to pick up his brother and nephew. Their owner’s health and circumstances have made handling the boys impossible, so she agreed to sign them over.

Anvil is Melick’s full brother. His dam is an Arabian Mare and his sire an Appaloosa. When Anvil was young, his testicles did not descend, and his owner could not afford a cryptorchid surgery. He was separated from the other horses but as he grew, so did his testosterone levels. At some point, Anvil got out of his housing and in with the mares in a large pasture. He has been there for the last few years. Anvil is now an 8-year-old, mostly untouched stallion. He is reactive to even very light pressure at this point, but we think once tamed he will be a very nice, smart, and athletic little horse. The plan is to work on taming Anvil and schedule a castration towards the middle of July.

Paddy is Anvil’s c**t. His dam is a Palomino Quarter Horse. He is 6 months old and also came to us untouched. He is currently with a trainer who is working on gentling him so that he too, can be castrated. While Paddy is in one of those awkward growth phases, we think he will mature into a well put together guy - his older full sister is quite the looker.

Overwhelmed horse caregivers are a very real situation in our community. Life can change so fast, and it is hard to give up horses you love. Many owners will refuse to let go until they run out of options, or will sell horses through high-risk auctions.

These are complex situations for rescues as well. With so many horses in need and limited resources, how do we decide when to step in? It's a tough line to walk, but the short answer is that we do what we can when we are able. We try to help the horses that need us most now and at the same time, to look ahead and prevent problems for horses down the road. In this case, removing stallions from the property will stop the horses from reproducing, and stop the problem from multiplying. We are crossing our fingers that if any of the three remaining mares are bred, that they will have fillies and not c**ts. Of course, we will continue to check back in and see how we can help.

Signing these boys over to SEO was a huge step toward improving their lives and hopefully also the life of their previous owner. But it’s not without cost. While neither of these horses are malnourished, they have a long way to go before they can live safely in our community. Between training and time, feed, farrier work, castrations, and veterinary care, we expect these boys to cost more than our average intake.

Can you sponsor Anvil and Paddy and others like them, as they prepare for a bright future?

To Join The Herd (Monthly Sponsor): https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/i8n9GDyGAjxdL_x7FWJjow

To make a one time donation:
https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/J5ppC061dwri0SZMcT9AhQ

04/06/2024

Sassy weighed 1027 lbs. on June 2nd . That is a 139 lbs. gain in 66 days.

Over the years we have noticed that when horses come in as skinny as Sassy did, that weight gain is slow during the first month. We can't remember if we read it somewhere or just came to the assumption that they must repair their internal organs first. Their bodies seem to heal from the inside out.

When refeeding a horse, it also takes 10 days to slowly work their bodies up to full feed. So it makes sense that change is a little slower during the first 30 days. Sassy weighed 932 lbs. at her one month check in on 4/27/2024. That means she gained 44 lbs in the first 30 days and 95 lbs during the next.

While she still needs to gain another 100 to 150 lbs on her large frame, we see a major diet change coming her way soon. For now, though, the Queen can enjoy her buffet!

Thank you Wild Turkey Farm for your Sassy care and her weigh in information!

03/06/2024

Update: Sassy weighed 1027 lbs on June 2nd, 2024! More information in a new post.

It has been really interesting to have a horse scale located at the foster home of one of more recent intakes. Weight tapes can only be so accurate when you are primarily measuring their skeleton.

Sassy, a 23-year-old Thoroughbred Mare came from a case in Lane County. She weighed 888 lbs at the end of March. Any guesses as to what she weighed on June 2nd?

We will edit the post Tuesday Morning with her weight.

31/05/2024

6-year-old QH Mare Tilly had her first ride last week!

Tilly came to us after no one picked her at a herd dispersal due to a damaged eye. Once under our care we soon discovered that she was in foal so eye surgery would have to wait. After about year of eye treatments and once the foal was weaned, Tilly had her left eye removed.

Tilly is still needs lots of training, but one eye has not slowed her down. She has a bit of red mare sass, but we like it!

If you would like to follow her training progress and schedule to see her after a few more months in training email us at [email protected].

30/05/2024

Baby Cheddar got a home for his 1st Birthday!

Foster parents Tina & Roy decided this growing boy needed to stay in the family. Over the last 7 months this once feral & scrawny c**t has been tamed and castrated. He has an amazingly laid-back personality, but we imagine all that growth takes a lot of energy. Cheddar's grandsire is likely a 16-hand ranch breed Quarter Horse, so we are excited to be able to continue to watch him develop.

Thank you, Tina & Roy for giving him a wonderful home!

28/05/2024

This Wednesday is last day until after summer to shop at the SEO Used Tack Sales Room. Come check it out!

23/05/2024

Oregon House Bill 4043, will go into effect on June 6th, 2024. This bill will help shore up loopholes in the law that many animal neglectors have used after being found guilty.

One important change this bill creates is that it will now be illegal for someone convicted of animal abuse or neglect to not only not own animals during their sentence but also not RESIDE with animals.

It has been so easy in the past for convicted neglectors to claim animals on their property are owned by friends or family. Take Ms. Ott’s case for example. We have been told that she claimed a horse was owned by her young daughter and not herself, that dogs were owned by her sister or that the two horses recently found on the property where she lived, were abandoned by a boarder. This new law will no doubt help protect many animals in the future.

Kudo’s to Jacob Kamins, Animal Cruelty Resource Prosecutor, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Justice Division, Oregon Department of Justice, for continuing to prosecute Ms. Ott through multiple plea violations and a recent new case involving dogs and cattle. Ms. Ott will finally be doing some serious jail time.

While Oregon has some great animal neglect laws compared to the rest of the country, they are still new in the scheme of legal testing, and we are continuing to find out what how they need to be improved. Thank you to all the legislators, individuals and organizations who continue to work to close the loopholes.

A woman who has been the center of repeated controversy among equestrians following her role in a notorious 2019 animal neglect case involving over 60 horses has been sentenced to three years in prison as part of a plea deal orchestrated by state prosecutors.

16/05/2024

People often ask us how to put weight on their horse. Many list off a bunch of grain and supplements but barely mention hay. When we ask what kind of hay or how much, it is often low quality or not enough.

The first thing we do to get a horse to gain weight, is feed them a quality hay. After the initial 10 days of refeeding, we increase the volume. If a horse has a harder time maintaining weight later on, we often add in more protein through alfalfa. This works 99 percent of the time.

Our horses all usually get a little bit of grain, but it is almost always high in forage, maybe fat, but not super high on sugar. We feed it a little bit of grain for calories, but primarily so there is something to encourage them to eat their vitamins and to develop the habit for when they need medications and eventually get old enough to have to eat grain due to dental issues.

Think hay first!

If you believe that horses need grain in their diet to meet their nutritional needs, you are not alone. However, horses should get most of their nutrients from a good quality forage source such as grass, hay, hay pellets, or a complete feed.

Horses generally eat between 1.5-2% of their body weight each day, so an average size 1,000 lbs horse should eat 15- 20 lbs of hay daily. To help fill any nutrient gaps such as essential vitamins or minerals, a ration balancer may be beneficial. Depending on breed, body condition, and exercise level, concentrates may be added in to provide additional energy but are often not needed.

When deciding on what to feed your horse, it is best to invest in high quality forages as the foundation of your feeding plan. You can even have your hay tested to see exactly what nutrients it is providing. Please consult with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist about your horse's diet before making any major changes, and remember that any changes should be made gradually over time to avoid GI upset.
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

14/05/2024

Beau - 17-year-old Andalusian Gelding

What a difference 6 weeks can make! Beau is doing very well at his foster home. So far, he has only needed a little guidance with polite leading but picked up what was wanted quickly. Steady Eddie is how he his foster describes him. A few more weeks of healing and then we can see what he knows!

13/05/2024

Handsome Danny is ready for a foster or adoptive home! (see video link below)

This 23-year-old Peruvian Paso Gelding has been hanging out with us at the training barn the last few months to sharpen up his foot trimming skills. He has now been a very good boy for his last 2 trims!

Danny loves affection and is very reasonable to teach. Basically, he is an adorable and pleasant guy.

Because he was a stallion for so many years, we are guessing he would do better being housed with geldings. He does well in the arena with mares all around him, but he still likes to occasionally talk to much to the ladies.

If you would be interested in fostering or adopting Danny, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Here is a little video by Equine Video Productions of Mr. Danny!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta_q1paqCMU

11/05/2024

Candy “Lou” has been adopted!

This now gorgeous almost three-year-old has grown and developed so much since coming to us from a law enforcement case in Battleground last October. She is an Arabian x Hanoverian Cross.

Recently, Lou court case finally concluded, and she legally became SEO’s. At about this time a marvelous referral sent Lou’s new mom Sarah our way. Lou, a beautiful and smart mover, is now in the home of an accomplished equestrian trainer and instructor. Sarah has cut back her equestrian work so that she now has time to enjoy training a horse of her own.

We are pretty sure this is a match made in heaven and look forward to watching them thrive together in the future. Thank you, Sarah!

10/05/2024

Our Tack Sales area will be open again next Wednesday! Lots of quality tack as well as bargain bin items available. Hope to see you there!