Finally an Update from LFHR!

We've been so busy here at LFHR that we haven't kept up with our blog at all! There are too many things that have gone on since the last post for us to list them all!

In June of 2013 16 donkeys came all the way from Navarro County, Texas. Due to the droughts that have plagued Texas the past couple summers, people have been turning their donkeys loose on the roads. The Sheriff's office has been collecting these abandoned donkeys and called Maria asking for aid. 16 donkeys made the trip, 9 of which were ungelded Jacks. They all received vaccines when they arrived and the studs were gelded on July 8th.

In addition to the Texas donkeys, 13 donkeys came from New Mexico through the Donkey Rescue Resource Network. On the same day, two donkeys and four miniature horses arrived from Mississippi where they had been part of an impound by HSUS in an animal hoarding case with over 200 animals (71 miniature horses). One of the miniatures has already found a home. The other 3 are showing signs of pregnancy.

In September 2013, 7 donkeys were picked up in Maryland with severely neglected hooves and extreme cases of obesity. These donkeys are currently being rehabilitated.

LFHR has a new trainer working with the horses. Anna Jacob of Avanti Horsemanship has joined the team. Anna previously competed in a Mustang Makeover and placed 10th overall with the mustang she gentled, Zephyr.

Our volunteer program is expanding! We are accepting volunteers over the age of 16 who have horse experience to help us around the barn.

Our 4th annual fall open house is just around the corner. The Open House is from 11am-4pm on Sunday October 20th. Find out more at www.lfhrmaryland.org/OpenHouse2013.html

We're going to make an effort to start updating this blog so check in and see what else is happening at Lost and Found!

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Arabian Training Begins!

Tony Eyler has been hard at work with our little Arabians. All 5 stud colts have had a roundpen lesson. Cricket, Echo, and Skip (as we call them) have had their feet trimmed. It has been a lengthy process with both Tony and the horses working very, very hard!

Cricket learns about haltering.

Cricket learning to hold his foot up.

Echo learns about haltering.

Echo picking up his foot.

Echo getting trimmed (finally!)

Skip picking up his foot!

Rome- not sure what to think of Tony!

These photos make it look like all of this work was easy! But it certainly was not! Anyone who witnessed it can tell you these guys were really, really tough! They're still learning to lead, accept haltering, and stand for handling. Tony has put hours into this work, and it has only just begun! These guys are still a long way off from being safe to handle.

Godot (not pictured- the camera died) put up a real fight. He tried so hard to kick Tony while Tony was working with him that he ended up cow-kicking himself in the elbow and needing stitches. He can certainly reach! Our veterinarian, Javier Donatelli came out to stitch him up, and despite tranquilizing him several times, Godot still fought and kicked Javier. We ended up having to lay him down flat in a stall to get the stitches done. He is recovering well and standing in a stall very quietly. He eats his medicine without hesitation and loves to make silly faces at any horse next to him in the barn.

Return of Canterbury Horses Denied

On May 25th, the judge for the hearing in Queen Anne's County denied the return of the Canterbury Arabians. Criminal charges have not been filed against Marcia Parkinson as of this point in time.

Our little ones are getting friendlier by the day. With the assistance of Tony Eyler of Equine Solutions we hope to further their progress beyond just friendly to handle-able. We're hoping to start working with him in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned to hear about their progress!

We are still looking for donations! They can be mailed to:
Lost and Found Horse Rescue
Att: Arabians
15800 Darnestown Road
Germantown, MD 20874

Some Photos of Kalila

Kalila is the 19 year old mare from Queen Anne's with a bad leg.

The leg keeps her from being able to go above a walk. She stays in a dirt paddock by herself and gets plenty of hay to munch on.

Arabian Update

On April 30th, Days End Farm Horse Rescue brought 9 Polish Arabians from Queen Anne's County to our facility. These horses included 5 stud colts, 3 fillies, and one older mare with a bad leg.

On May 4th, our veterinarian came out to do vet checks and age the 9 horses.
The older mare appears to be 19 years old and probably suffered an injury to her knee which made her leg crooked. Her fecal sample came back positive for parasite infestation. She received her vaccinations and a coggins. Her vitals were all in the normal range. Her feet were very long and in need of serious trimming, especially her right fore. On May 6th, our farrier came out and worked on her feet. We had to go very slowly, give her lots of breaks, and put each leg on a stand which allowed her to keep weight on it due to her bad leg, which she is unable to bend, and struggles to hold herself up when picking up her other feet. She did a wonderful job. On May 11th she had her teeth done. She had a very sharp hook in the back right. She has now completed her 5 days of Panacur. She loves people, but dislikes other horses. She is turned out in a small paddock due to her inability to do anything other than walk. We are calling her Kalila which is Arabic for sweetheart.

The 5 colts range in age from 1-2 years. It was a serious struggle to work with them, and despite our efforts to keep things as pleasant for them as possible, they were not happy campers. It was obvious none had been touched. When they arrived they were extremely flighty, impossible to approach, and didn't want to get anywhere near people. They all need their teeth done and their feet trimmed, but this will have to wait until they can be handled safely. Their fecal samples came back positive for parasites. Although their weight did not appear terrible, their stomachs are more bloated by parasites as their ribs are very visible. They received vaccinations and coggins.

The 3 fillies range in age from 1-1 and a half years. The fillies were also very difficult to work with (our vet would probably call that a serious understatement). The same was done with the fillies as the colts. Vaccinations and coggins. Fecal samples showed parasites.

Although the feet on the youngsters are not extremely long, they have obviously not been done, and have simply been worn down. Their hooves are uneven, cracked, chipped in places, and the outside wall is starting to peel off at the toes of many.

The stud colts have become quite friendly, although 3 of them are still unwilling to let you touch them, they will approach you in the field and take a treat. We have started them on a deworming program, which is unfortunately, quite a bit more difficult to do than Kalila.

These horses are still in the custody of Queen Anne's County Animal Control. Until the court case has been settled we are very limited as to what we can do with them, but we are taking excellent care of them, and that is the most important part!

Welcome!

Welcome to our new blog! We will try to post updates as often as possible as to how our horses are doing and what's going on at LFHR. Currently, LFHR is home to 9 of the Arabians rescued from Queen Anne's County. We also have 19 other horses in our care, many of which are looking for new homes! They can be viewed on our website at http://www.lfhr.org/. We also have 21 donkeys available for adoption.