Healing Hearts, Hooves and Paws

30/08/2024

30/08/2024

Good read!

What's the difference between a chestnut and a sorrel? A paint and a pinto? And how do you breed for any of them? Use our guidelines to learn more about coat color and equine color genetics.

30/08/2024

❤️ Adoption Announcement ❤️

Lula is one lucky girl! She had been in training a couple months when a friend from her past, someone who leased her when she was right off the track , reached out to see if she could visit her. That turned into Lulu finding her home with her “old friend” Taryn! How awesome is that? Truly a meant-to-be if there ever was one.

Happy trails Lulu Lemon! You’re home! Thanks Taryn for keeping her in your mind and heart all these years. ❤️

29/08/2024

Meet Emmy from the hoarding case!

Emmy is making great progress in her foster home. 💕Today she learned to lead. She was also vaccinated and examined by the vet. She is estimated to be 3 1/2- 41/2 years old. Pregnancy status unknown but we will ultrasound in the future to confirm status one way or the other!

Halter on all morning with no fuss and no more dreadlock, poopy diarrhea tail! She did raise her leg a couple times to threaten to kick as I was working on her tail, but never actually kicked out. We still discussed that it was not appropriate to even threaten. That’s all it took and when I came back out for round two she stood with manners intact. Smart lil lady! Thanks to EQyss detangler for the much needed assistance!

https://eqyss.com/products/equine/specialty-products/survivor-detangler-equine/

28/08/2024

Meet Tiny Tim! This is one of the stallions from the hoarding case. He has been haltered, groomed, got his vac’s and will get xray’s of those legs next week. 🤞🏼and 🙏🏼 for this little man: we want to get him comfortable, gelded and hopefully live a relaxed life of love. 💕

If you are able to donate towards vetting for the hoarding case, we would be grateful.

PayPal is [email protected]

28/08/2024

28/08/2024

Ophelia after the storm tonight.

Still holding on tight to that baby! Ultrasound next week as the math as we were told it means she should’ve released that baby by now.

27/08/2024

Just a shout out to everyone helping us the last few days. It’s been crazy busy with so much going on - mini pick up from HAHS and hauling to foster homes: front pastures cleaned up and fence post repaired: barn cleaning estimate and scheduled: mini stallions on layover moved today: remaining Corgi/Dachsie litter spayed/neutered: barn help injured so friends helping out: hay delivery.

Thanks to Christine & Jimmy, Emily, Roz, Laurie and Katy for all your help today. Whew. 🤪 Jaime, Heather, Barb and Elli are taking care of our mini ponies so everyone please give them props as well! 💕

25/08/2024

This is done!

Desperately looking for a hauler from McHenry to Streator for tomorrow for the two mini stallions pictured below. We have twice thought we had this solved and neither worked out.

24/08/2024

The other three stallions settling in.

24/08/2024

Well…. that was a whole thing! Arrived at HAHS at 9:15 and helped load some of the hoarding case mini’s for another rescue and then started on our 7. It was a lot of wrangling so we didn’t get any pictures - it was an all hands on deck operation.

But we’ve got three stallions on their way to their foster homes. The two mares will travel separately bc the stallions are too rowdy with the girls and we think it’s a safer option.

Then we need to move the last two stallions to Streator tomorrow if anyone can help.

They are all adorable. One of our stallions has some issues with both front legs, hard to say if injury or deformity. He is being fostered by an equine vet so he’s in the right place!

Assuming both mares pregnant, one obviously so.

Here are pictures of the two mares (together) and the two stallions on layover in McHenry.

Vetting will be expensive as we have to geld five boys in addition to vaccinations and who knows what with regard to the mares/foals. Your donations will help offset those costs!

24/08/2024

Still in need of help to get two mini stallions from McHenry to Streator! Sunday!

24/08/2024

A year ago today we emancipated these dogs from hell in Harvard. Six more would come from Rosie’s belly. 16 initially but 22 total with the pups. One was at the ER that night but released the next day.

We are eternally grateful for everyone involved in the situation, the incredible foster homes and all the adopters. These dogs are living their best lives now. ❤️

Funny that today is the day we pick up the mini’s from the hoarding situation.

It never stops.

Adopters seeing this post - please post pics of your pups! 💕

23/08/2024

Help! Anyone willing to haul two mini stallions (from the hoarding case) to Streator from McHenry tomorrow afternoon or Sunday????

23/08/2024

8:40 pm update: p***s retracted! ❤️ little man seems more comfortable. 🤞🏼 it stays in its cave overnight!!!

Send healing vibes for Popeye. He saw the vet this morning as his p***s was not retracting late last night. He got some treatments and meds and the vet is hopeful it will retract tonight. If not, back to the vet tomorrow am.

Little guy is back to Midwest Veterinary Dental to get some teeth pulled and neuter next month!

23/08/2024

❤️ Adoption Announcement ❤️

Making it official! Lauren has adopted Wanda, now named Birdie. 💕

This mare is spectacular but everyone passed her by bc she has Cushings. We just saw her arrival post (owner surrender due to high numbers) from three years ago in our memories. Crazy how such a great mare sat so long.

But we always say if we wait patiently, the RIGHT home will come along. And Lauren is it! She saw her for all her amazing qualities - laid back attitude and fabulous skills. A sweet mare as well.

We are over the moon happy that Birdie found her people. Extra happy that she’s boarded with friends of the rescue and former adopters! Our network grows stronger! 💕

Happy trails, Birdie. You are one of the great ones!

21/08/2024

This is an important read. The little pony that was stricken was our Elsa, daughter to our Jazzy. Elsa got the care she needed to survive it and we are grateful her mama Denise was there for her.

21/08/2024

Mini hoarding situation update

Thanks everyone for reaching out and being willing to step up to help. We would like to try to talk with everyone that submits an app in the morning so we can all be on the same page before we provide a committed count to HAHS.

We know they’re heading down Thursday and plan to return Friday. Their vet is making the trip so they will be able to assess to a certain extent which is amazing. We are waiting to hear whether they will quarantine, release directly to us, vaccinate as they get on the trailer, etc. This is a massive effort they are coordinating with multiple groups and limited information to date so we consider it a fluid situation that we just need to trust in their efforts and judgement as it transpires. They’ve done this before so we let them lead and standby with help. ❤️

We will continue to communicate directly with fosters/adopters and update everyone as this unfolds. We will not commit to more than we can financially support and we will also fundraise to support all the vetting. So there’s a chance we have more fosters than horses but will hook up those willing with HAHS. It’s going to take all of us!

With everyone’s help, we can help some of the tough ones - stallions, seniors and special needs and THAT will help the overall effort SO much. Makes my heart sing! 💕

At this point, we have responded to everyone that messaged, called or texted. Apps have been sent out to all email addresses provided. We tried to keep up with comments as well. If we missed you, message the page with your email address. Thank you!

20/08/2024

Yes!!! 😂

20/08/2024

I’m sure many of you have heard about the hoarding situation with nearly 60 mini’s in Southern Illinois. It had been quiet and we got the impression rescues were stepping up to help. Apparently that’s not the case.

HAHS reached out to us yesterday to see if we could help. Can anyone foster one or two? There are many stallions and while we’re happy to make them geldings, we don’t have a way/space to separate currently. Mares in need as well. I don’t have more info at this time - we know they’re purportedly friendly and we assume all need vetting. Best if you have a way to separate for a few weeks.

PM us if you can help.

If you’re interested in adopting, reach out to HAHS as they will likely have the bulk of them.

11:45 am update: we did just find out we need a headcount by close of business tomorrow to make it at least the first run that HAHS is going to make to bring them north. So we’re gonna be working with everyone that has expressed interest fast and furious.

20/08/2024

Lulu(Indy) has been in training the last 90 days and today got to see an old friend who used to lease her years ago. She is a fabulous horse under saddle.

19/08/2024

Beautiful quiet day on the farm. All the rescues are chilling.

19/08/2024

Update: Still waiting!

Willow and Winter are 4 year old healthy Great Pyrenees sibs who are very bonded .
Their owner dropped them off at a friends never to return . In time the friends dropped them off to be euthanized at a local vet office . The vets office seeing 2 sweet friendly healthy girls called us .
These girls remind me of children . At times listening well at other times not so much . Loving on each other 95% of the time with an occasional 3 second spat then back to loving on each other !
But they are very sweet loving girls who find them selves with no family no fault of their own .
They walk well on lead and are house trained . They do well with Cats but they have proven in the past that they would do better as the only dogs in the home. They were not raised as LGDs so they will not be placed as such.
A fenced yard is required .
Interested in submitting an application or perhaps you have questions ? Please send an email to [email protected]
Carole and Crew
GPRW

18/08/2024

“Horses have the ability to think and plan ahead and are far more intelligent than scientists previously thought, according to a Nottingham Trent University study that analysed the animal’s responses to a reward-based game.

“The horses cannily adapted their approach to the game to get the most treats – while making the least effort.

“Previously, research has suggested that horses simply respond to stimuli in the moment, they don’t proactively look ahead, think ahead and plan their actions – whereas our study shows that they do have an awareness of the consequences and outcomes of their actions,” said the lead researcher, Louise Evans.”

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/aug/12/horses-can-plan-ahead-and-think-strategically-scientists-find

The actual research paper…

“Whoa, No-Go: Evidence consistent with model-based strategy use in horses during an inhibitory task”
Louise Evans et al.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159124001874?via%3Dihub

Read about Akhal-Teke Foundation programs here…
https://www.akhaltekefoundation.org/programs.html

Join our email list here…
https://www.akhaltekefoundation.org/email_list.html

18/08/2024

Ely’s favorite person came to visit him today!

He is such a puppy dog! We were getting an estimate for some perimeter clearing work and walking the fence line as we talked and Ely stayed right with us. Such a sweetie! ❤️ even our non-horsey clearing guy asked about him bc he enjoyed him so much. 💕

3 year old standardbred gelding ready to be started under saddle.

17/08/2024

Love this! It’s so pretty I don’t even want to let the goats back in! 🤣

We put limestone down Dec ‘22 when the barn was first placed. But we had to spread 13 tons by hand in the middle of December so it wasn’t as even as it should’ve been.

Today we added more to even out the original section of lot and added limestone to the expanded section of the lot(we expanded it early Spring this year). The skid made it easier but 18” around the perimeter and building had to be done by hand: my back is screaming! 😫

This is where the goats and sheep overnight as well as where they are penned if we can’t let them out to roam for some reason any given day.

Love knocking out these small projects! We also added limestone to the interior of a dry lot horse shelter that had been worn down and was holding water. ✔️

Next up with the remaining stone- put a limestone base under and eight feet around our fire pit to create a seating circle. ❤️

16/08/2024

❤️ Adoption Announcement ❤️

Shrimp went to his lovely new home today- two big brothers for company!

Shrimp is easy going and generally does well with any other laid back horse so we’re excited for his future in his new home!

Happy Trails little man - you won the lottery!!

14/08/2024

This is a really good article. As a rescuer for nearly forty years, I have been there to put down hundreds of animals, literally hundreds. I’ve always said better a week too early than a day too late.

Most of us have been guilty of holding on too long in the past as well: maybe being so close that the gradual nature of decline for some is harder to see.

Rescuers are built to “fix” animals: it’s our job, we often feel like we spend our whole lives fixing problems created by others. But we also have to constantly remind ourselves to look at the whole animal, the quality of life before, during and after treatment options that prolong life. I always wonder if it’s harder or clearer for rescuers who deal with it more frequently compared to those who lose a handful of pets over their lifetime. And my conclusion is always the same - it varies. Some things I think we see more clearly because we have a breadth of experience with odd diseases or injuries or conditions, and we can understand more quickly the options and what the path forward may or may not mean. We’ve been there before. On the other hand, I think we sometimes miss the nuances of the uphill battle we are fighting in our effort to fix the wrongs of the world and give an animal a chance at a peaceful life. Peaceful death is also fixing a wrong sometimes.

I look at my personal dogs through this lense every day - Casey(puppymill save)turns 15 in December: Puma and Molly(CACC unadoptable pits) are 13 this year: Reilly and Spanky (CACC snarky chi-mixes and an adoption return due to owner death) are 11. Grayson(LGD) is 10. Happy and healthy? For now. But it’s coming. Probably in a compressed period of time that will wreak havoc on my heart .

Good article. Good reminder.

We say end-of-life care is for the pet, but sometimes the treatment is for us.

13/08/2024

Olaf (was Eddie)got neutered today and mama Sophie (was Juno) comforted him ever so gently when he got home. So happy these two got adopted together! Keeping families together is a rarity in rescue.