Maverick
Maverick was surrendered to H4H in February 2011 by his owner. She had bottle raised Maverick since he was a day old when his mother died due to complications of the birth. Orphaned foals can be a handful and Maverick was no exception to that rule.
Maverick is a growing 14.3 hand 3 year old solid bay branded standardbred gelding. He is sound and healthy with no vices. He is unraced and untrained. He has great ground manners. He will be easy to get started under saddle. Maverick will make someone an excellent partner when he is ready for his new home.
6/1/12 Maverick has started training with Deb Dubois, we are currently working with ground manners, lounging, and long lining.
7/17/12 Maverick somehow managed to cut his leg right above the hoof last night. After an emergency vet call and 10 stitches later he is on strict stall rest for the next two weeks. All training has been suspended until he is given the all clear by our vet.
8/19/12 Maverick's leg has been healing well and he has been allowed out in a small enclosed area. While out there he spooked and managed to partially sever a tendon in his front left leg. This has required not one but two vet visits as Maverick decided to rip out all of the stitches in his knee. He is on strict stall rest. More updates to come.
Maverick is a growing 14.3 hand 3 year old solid bay branded standardbred gelding. He is sound and healthy with no vices. He is unraced and untrained. He has great ground manners. He will be easy to get started under saddle. Maverick will make someone an excellent partner when he is ready for his new home.
6/1/12 Maverick has started training with Deb Dubois, we are currently working with ground manners, lounging, and long lining.
7/17/12 Maverick somehow managed to cut his leg right above the hoof last night. After an emergency vet call and 10 stitches later he is on strict stall rest for the next two weeks. All training has been suspended until he is given the all clear by our vet.
8/19/12 Maverick's leg has been healing well and he has been allowed out in a small enclosed area. While out there he spooked and managed to partially sever a tendon in his front left leg. This has required not one but two vet visits as Maverick decided to rip out all of the stitches in his knee. He is on strict stall rest. More updates to come.
Romeo
Romeo is a seven year old grade quarter horse purchased from Camelot in March of 2011. He came to us a skinny, sick, scared stallion who was labeled "DANGEROUS". Upon arriving on the farm he was immediatly gelded. It turns out this skinny stallion was an in your pocket kind of boy. True Heart Farm in Waterboro offered to foster him and off Romeo went. It was love at first sight and True Heart Farm soon adopted our boy and for the next year all was well. But as many of us know all to well life and circumstances change and on June 17, 2012 Romeo returned to us. No longer sick, no longer skinny but still very much unsure.
To meet Romeo today you will see a handsome gelding with a shiny chestnut coat. He has kind eyes that speak to you. He wants desperately to trust. After some assessment with a trainer we believe that Romeo will make an outstanding horse for someone. Our best guess is that as a stallion he was placed in a field with mares to breed and never really handled. Therefore he is unsure of his body and tends to be nervous when touched or handled.
With Romeo we are taking baby steps. To begin with we have made a pact with Romeo. He needs to trust that we will never ask him to do anything that will harm him and in turn we must live up to that promise. To date we are exposing him to polo wraps. Polo wraps are an amazing tool that are soft, durable, and inexpensive. We have rubbed him all over with a polo wrap, let it flutter around him, and we have placed one on his back and let it drape down his sides. Soon we hope to be able to wrap it completely around to simulate a girth. Again baby steps are required. We judge everything we do by Romeo's eyes.
8/26/12 Romeo is doing wonderful! We are currently working with him on letting us put the saddle on and off his back. He needs to know that it is okay to be uncomfortable with things and to not have to run away. To most the process would be tedious but to us everytime Romeo lets someone try something new without flinching or running away we are one step closer to understanding Romeo.
To meet Romeo today you will see a handsome gelding with a shiny chestnut coat. He has kind eyes that speak to you. He wants desperately to trust. After some assessment with a trainer we believe that Romeo will make an outstanding horse for someone. Our best guess is that as a stallion he was placed in a field with mares to breed and never really handled. Therefore he is unsure of his body and tends to be nervous when touched or handled.
With Romeo we are taking baby steps. To begin with we have made a pact with Romeo. He needs to trust that we will never ask him to do anything that will harm him and in turn we must live up to that promise. To date we are exposing him to polo wraps. Polo wraps are an amazing tool that are soft, durable, and inexpensive. We have rubbed him all over with a polo wrap, let it flutter around him, and we have placed one on his back and let it drape down his sides. Soon we hope to be able to wrap it completely around to simulate a girth. Again baby steps are required. We judge everything we do by Romeo's eyes.
8/26/12 Romeo is doing wonderful! We are currently working with him on letting us put the saddle on and off his back. He needs to know that it is okay to be uncomfortable with things and to not have to run away. To most the process would be tedious but to us everytime Romeo lets someone try something new without flinching or running away we are one step closer to understanding Romeo.
Zeke
Dziki aka "Zeke" is a seven year old OTTB. She has a most impressive pedigree and has raced all over the country. She was on the brink of euthanasia as her previous owner just did not know what to do and could no longer afford her. She was surrendered to a rescue out in the mid-west. However there was an issue with shipping and a plea was sent out to help this beautiful girl. And this is where Zeke's story begins with H4H. Upon arrival she was vetted and put up for adoption. Over the course of the winter she enjoyed life out with the herd.
As spring approached Zeke was sent out on two seperate trials and each time she was returned to the farm. H4H maintains if for any reason the horse needs to be returned our barn door is always open. In both cases Zeke was not a good fit. On her second trial it was discovered that her front right ankle is fused. She can not be jumped. She will never be a hunter jumper. She will however make someone a beautiful dressage prospect or trail horse. During her second trial Zeke dropped significant weight and since her return has been on a special weight gaining diet. Until her weight is back where we would like to see it she will not be put on a training schedule.
As spring approached Zeke was sent out on two seperate trials and each time she was returned to the farm. H4H maintains if for any reason the horse needs to be returned our barn door is always open. In both cases Zeke was not a good fit. On her second trial it was discovered that her front right ankle is fused. She can not be jumped. She will never be a hunter jumper. She will however make someone a beautiful dressage prospect or trail horse. During her second trial Zeke dropped significant weight and since her return has been on a special weight gaining diet. Until her weight is back where we would like to see it she will not be put on a training schedule.
