Colby is a nice hunter, eventing, or dressage prospect. He’s walk, trot, canter under saddle and has been introduced to trotting small poles and cross-rails. He shows outstanding sport potential for an advanced rider with the experience to bring a young horse along (or someone who can work with a good trainer). Adoption Fee: $750
Colby originally arrived at Helping Hearts Equine Rescue in emaciated condition on May 25, 2013.
He was adopted out to a wonderful woman in Sept., 2013. He came back to the rescue (Nov, 2015) due to time and resource constraints. Reason for Return: “After much deliberation on my part as well as my trainers we have decided that Colby and I just aren’t a great match for each other. While I love him to pieces and we’ve come along way it’s just we butt heads too much. He needs a more quiet and more consistent ride than I can give him right now. With the demands of work being so great right now. He is going great under saddle and even trotting small fences I just can’t give him the constant riding he needs.”
In June, I shared the story of Colby, a 4-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (click here to see intake photos and read about him) in the care of Helping Hearts Equine Rescue. My “summer of Thoroughbreds” has been so busy that I am just now finding time to share updated photos of Colby, taken on July 6.
Colby: May 25, 2013
What a difference a month makes!
Colby: July 6, 2013
Colby: May 25, 2013
Colby: July 6, 2013
As Colby get the nutrition he needs, he gains weight and muscle and his coat blooms. Gone are the long winter guard hairs, abscessed feet, and patchy coat. His rainrot and skin issues are under control with the help of medicated baths and daily grooming. He is fed supplements to help him maintain a healthy coat and hooves and support his young joints during his rehabilitation.
Colby: July 6, 2013
After Colby completed his quarantine, he was turned out with some equine friends. He is handled daily and receives training in hand, but his training under saddle will not begin until he is fully rehabilitated. In the meantime, he was quite happy to show off for me during a quick photo session.
Colby: July 6, 2013
Colby: July 6, 2013
He even showed off his potential when he cut across the arena and did an impromptu jump over the arena gate.
Colby: July 6, 2013
Colby looks great in July, but just wait until you see how he looks now. Stay tuned for more updates on this spirited youngster.
If you’re interested in donating to the rescue for Colby’s care, you can send a Paypal donation to hheartsequine@optonline.net, or visit the HHER website for other donation options. HHER is a 501(c)(3) charity, and horses like Colby are nursed back to health through the generosity of donations and the commitment of dedicated volunteers.
Please check back for new photos and updates about Colby, as well as other Thoroughbreds I meet this summer.
As a kid, I remember August being the month with all the heat and all the bugs, but for the past few years, July has generally been the more brutal month. This is not to say there are no bugs in August, because there are PLENTY, but we just finished a really spectacular streak of amazing, clear, dry, pleasant weather. Perfect for riding, and really doing anything outdoors. Ahhhh. I’m happy. And I was also treated to a streak of five really nice rides.
Wednesday, 8/7/13
This time of year, there is enough light to ride in the outdoor arena until a little after 8:30, maybe slightly later once our eyes are adjusted. Wizard and I rode for about 40 minutes, starting with a forward walk in each direction, and then just a short jog before I popped him into a canter as an experiment. The experiment was a success: we were able to do about 10 minutes of fairly smooth cantering- he threw a halfhearted kick or two, but settled right in and felt more balanced than usual. In a ring, 10 minutes is a long time! The work we’ve done at the canter on the trail has definitely helped our ringwork. He picked up both leads, and his transitions were smoother. I kept my position pretty light, almost in a half seat for much of the canter work. We rode along the rail, and also did 15 and 20m circles and a few “squares.”
After the canter work, he was pretty loose through the back, and felt really nice on the bit- more thoughtful chewing and less of the fiddling he sometimes does. I took a line of cross rails once, and a single cross rail once in the middle of our trot work. We practiced shoulder in, leg yields, and did some big-trot-little-trot work.
While we cooled out, I worked on shortening the reins after having them at free-walk length, since he sometimes bunches up when I do that. After a few times, his mouth was quiet and his walk was smooth.
Nice ride! I’m really happy with his recent progress. Only thing I’m not thrilled bout is that he stumbled a few times (maybe 3?). I’m not sure if it’s related to him not getting his Pentosan (there’s a shortage right now) or the fact that the arena was a little on the sandy side.
Monday, 8/5/13
The late Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale meant that I had a morning for riding before I went into work. Christie and I hit the trails for another adventure. After warming up at a walk for a little over a mile, we came to the long, straight field where we can move out a little. When we reached the field, someone was hand walking his horse. Wizard should have known all about that since we hand walked all winter, but he gave a big goofy spook when we went around the corner. Poor Brigid followed suit dutifully, and sort of scampered out of his way. The whole thing was over in a flash, and Wizard was back to himself.
We got to the half-mile straightaway and picked up a canter. Wizard felt GREAT. He was super light and bouncy and responsive. Partway down the straightaway, so we opened up into a hand gallop, which was FUUUNNNNN. Brigid forged her own path halfway down the straightaway and sort of shimmied into the underbrush, amongst peals of laughter from both of us. Once she got back on the path, we kept going. Wizard never felt out of control or anxious at all. He felt willing, bright, and FUN to ride.
After our cantering set, we walked the rest of the ride, around the edge of the Horse Park cross-country field, and up the road to the lake for a drink and a splash in the water. Then, we wandered our way back to the barn.
Fun, fun, fun.
Sunday, 8/4/13
After watching Kris and Sunny have an absolutely fantastic showing at the Helping Hearts Benefit Dressage Show (congratulations- you earned it!!!), I left feeling inspired. I also left the show wishing I had brought Wizard and ridden in it. I thought we weren’t ready, but the environment was less stressful than the Horse Park, and I think he could have handled it.
We rode in the outdoor arena with Christie and Brigid, and after a warmup with some really nice canter work, we popped over a few jumps. I finally got around to raising the poles two holes higher than our usual little tadpole jumps, and Wizard took them in style (see photo above). He actually hit one rail at the beginning, and that was the LAST one he came anywhere near with his careful feet and legs. I’m really proud of how he looks in the photo, and I think we can start moving forward a little with our work over fences.
After our arena work (about half an hour), we hit the trails for about an hour. We cantered up the main road by the “bowling pin” hill. We are just cantering fools these days, aren’t we? A far cry from even a few weeks ago. We meandered through some loops and had a nice ride.
Saturday, 8/3/13
Wizard and I went out for a solo trail ride. We trotted at the beginning and walked the final half- we were out for about an hour. He was a little looky at some silvery branches, but he held his ground like a trooper when we flushed two does- they took off across the field in hopes of attracting us away from their fawns. I could hear the fawns in the bushes, and we carefully rode around them. For the most part, Wizard is really sensible about things like deer.
Friday, 8/2/13
Kris and Sunny had their last pre-show lesson with Carole, and I hacked Wizard around the arena while they rode. Wizard was in a very mellow mood, and gave me a sweepy, low-headed trot. He was soft but steady on the bit, and responsive to my leg. If only he was always so loose and mellow. We popped through a little gymnastic line to show Carole what he looks like over fences. Wizard took me by surprise with just how soft, quiet, and round he took the line, and just about jumped me out of the tack. I was prepared for a quicker approach, but he loped up like a seasoned lesson horse. He had every opportunity to run out on the jumps, but he took them honestly, and was rewarded for his efforts.
I wish the month of May was 57 days long. There are not enough hours in the day to attend all the horse shows, races, and events that I want to see each year. On Memorial Day weekend, I visited Helping Hearts Equine Rescue in Perrineville, NJ and took some photos of the rescue’s newest intake, an off-the-track Thoroughbred named Colby.
With a quick glance, you might guess that Colby is older than he really is. Although he is turning 4 in mid-June, his thin frame and the long guard hairs in his coat give him the look of a horse many times his actual age. Under his patchy coat lies a case of rainrot. His left knee is swollen, and he’s recovering from a whopping hoof abscess.
As a newcomer to the rescue, Colby will spend 30 days in a quarantine stall and paddock. While he acclimates to the farm, his treatments and medical evaluations will begin. He will be evaluated by a veterinarian, dewormed, his rainrot will be treated, and he will be put into a specialized feeding program.
After quarantine ends, Colby will meet his fellow rescues, and spend time grazing, playing, and de-stressing in the farm’s large pastures. When he’s ready, his training evaluations will begin, and he will prepare to become an adoptable horse.
Colby’s body tells the story of a difficult winter, but the sparkle in his eye and his baby-faced expression tell the story of his bright future. In the capable hands of Lisa Post and the rest of the Helping Hearts team, Colby will receive the rehabilitation and training that he needs to start his new life.
If you’re interested in donating to the rescue for Colby’s care, you can send a Paypal donation to hheartsequine@optonline.net, or visit the HHER website for other donation options. HHER is a 501(c)(3) charity, and horses like Colby are nursed back to health through the generosity of donations and the commitment of dedicated volunteers.
Please check back for new photos and updates about Colby, as well as other Thoroughbreds I meet this summer.
No training sessions lately, so no blogs have been posted. I’m going to the barn 4-5 days a week and hand walking Wizard, but other than that, he had a break from any long line work. And he has not been ridden since October (STILL waiting for our saddle). I can’t complain about the weather- we have had some pretty good cold snaps, but no major snowstorms. Wizard is doing quite well in his new blanketing system- I use a Rambo with a hood as the shell and use the Horseware liner system underneath. The liners are machine washable and come in a variety of weights.
Saturday, 2/2/13
In the morning, I took Wizard on a hand walk with Kris and Sunny. We did a little more hill work than usual, walking up and down the steeper trail on the big hill in the “bowling pin” field. We were out for about 40 minutes. When we returned to the barn, I tacked up Wizard and did some long line work. I started out by walking him with the lines attached to the cavesson rings. He was already nice and loose from the trail walk, so we then trotted on a loose line until his tempo was even. Gradually, I asked for some shortenings and lengthenings at the trot. He exceeded my expectations, and was able to get himself into quite a small trot and then really stretch out into a big trot. At the end of the short session, I clipped the lines to his bit and let him canter just a few rotations in each direction. For having so much time off from ring work, his canter actually looked quite nice. It was fairly balanced and he was not tipping nearly as much as he does on a regular longe line. The session was just the perfect amount of work- Wizard got just a little sweaty, but did not go around for too many rotations. I’m still mindful of whatever was going on with his right front foot this fall/winter.
Sunday, 2/3/13
Before work, Wizard and I walked in the park with Christie and Brigid. We were out a little longer, maybe 45-50 minutes. There was a little bit of snow on the ground. Wizard has snow rim pads on his front feet, but nothing on his hind shoes, so they unfortunately balled up with snow. Fortunately, I carried a hoof pick and was able to keep him comfortable for the walk. We walked behind Brigid for the entire walk. This was excellent schooling for Wizard, who likes to be on the lead most of the time. He was pretty content being in the back. We walked up the hill, through a wooded path, down to the road, and back up through the back set of fields. After our walk, I did another session of long line schooling in the indoor arena. The session was similar to Saturday’s, but with a little more stretching and some more walk-trot transitions. I clipped the lines to the bit again for canter work, and asked for some stretchy trot work after the canter. He still fiddles with the bit, but I think his connection is getting smoother and smoother. I’m counting down the days til the saddle arrives, but in the meantime, we’re having fun.
I got in touch with my regular vet last week and we had a good chat about what she saw in the x-rays (see previous training blog). She also talked with my farrier about a shoeing plan.
First of all, and this may or may not be related, but his Lyme Disease levels are much lower now than they were when we tested and treated him a year ago.
Basically, she has seen way worse on many horses, and she is optimistic that corrective shoeing and work will help quite a bit. She saw some very minor arthritic changes in the right knee. In the right foot, she did not think there was coffin bone rotation, per se. She said there was a change in the angle, but she was looking more at the whole picture, including the broken-back angle of P2 and P1. I was glad to hear this, because my farrier agrees with this assessment. My vet saw some very minor sclerosis of the navicular bone. It sounded to me like whatever issue he has/had was affecting the whole foot and the angles. Shoeing, injury, etc. Wizard’s body compensated, and we are seeing the long-term results in the x-rays.
Since we were between shoeings, my farrier came out and put aluminum shoes on his fronts, set well back for heel support, and a size larger to support his whole foot (aluminum because the larger size would make regular steel shoes heavier). He put snow rim pads on him. And the day we put the new shoes on Wizard, I saw him land consistently flat on the footing for the first time. He always tends to be toe first. It wasn’t heel first, but I was pleased to see flat!
So the short-term training plan is to let him get used to the new shoes and gently work him until my saddle arrives. I’m trying not to do too much circling, but when we’re stuck indoors due to the weather, it’s tough to avoid it.
Wednesday, 12/26/12 We worked indoors in long lines, and upon suggestion, I tried a little flash noseband attachment thingy, as an experiment. Wizard is very chompy on the bit, and the suggestion to try the flash was not in order to crank his mouth shut, but instead to steady the bit. Some horses don’t like bit movement, and a flash can help to keep things steadier. Wizard was NOT amused. He stuck his nose out, and leapt around a little when he felt rein pressure. We kept the session short, mostly doing bending exercises at the walk and a little trot work.
I’ve been at the barn for a lot of grooming sessions and sometimes quick hand walks in the park, but these are the actual work sessions he has had recently:
Thursday, 12/27/12
Years ago, when Wizard was doing more of his spinning and occasional rearing routines on the longe, a friend suggested longeing him in two lines. It seemed too complicated for my clumsy self, so I never tried it. Now that we’ve done more long lining work, it seemed like something worth revisiting.
We worked indoors again (%&*$%&$ winter &%*^&*% rain), and it was mostly successful. The biggest issue I had was him sucking back off the bit and geting behind the driving aid (whip) from time to time. I’m going to try a longeing cavesson next time out. Other than that, the two-line method was pretty neat.
Friday, 12/28/12
Wizard was tacked up in a bridle, surcingle, and longeing cavesson for this session. We were indoors (again). I used two longe lines, with the clips attached to the rings on the cavesson instead of on the bit. It worked much better. He was feeling a little fresh from all the rain and not a lot of work, and threw some pretty wild kicks when the longe line got too tight around his hind end. At one point, it also got shimmed up under his tail for a minute, ending in another kicking spree until his tail loosened and he got back to normal. We also experimented with the outside line draped over his back. I like the two-line method quite a bit, because it is closer to riding, and I have more control of his shape. On a regular longe line, I have no outside “rein” so he can pop his shoulder whenever he wants.
Thursday, 1/3/13
OUTSIDE- finally! The rain cleared, and a strong wind blew for a few days, drying things up nicely. I was going to go for a walk in the Assunpink, but I forgot to renew my permit, so we stayed at the farm and worked in the outdoor arena. I swapped bits to a fat loose ring snaffle, trying to make it as mild as possible for our groundwork. Over the bridle, he wore his cavesson. We warmed up at the walk on long lines, with me walking behind and also working from his hip. Then, we did a little light trot work, all with the lines snapped to the cavesson. The cavesson is basically as mild as a halter, and Wizard started to play, breaking from a big trot circle to a loopy, bucky canter festival. I was able to slow him down, but the force of him against the lines was hard enough that I was running pretty quickly to keep up as he slowed down. Okay, I guess he can handle a bit now! So we went on to the bit. He did his curling routine again, backing off the bit. I asked for a few transitions, which helped a lot. After a little gentle work, he began to stretch into the bit at the trot. YESSSSS. My goal with the long line work is to patch up some of the holes in his training, especially getting him to accept contact and loosen his back more. Today, I saw him doing a little bit of that. Now if only that saddle would arrive…
Many horses eat the harmless, flavorless granules with no problem if they are sprinkled on a serving of grain. But sometimes, there are horses like Wizard, who object to the texture and decide that the pop rocks are poisonous.
For a while, I added a blob of molasses to his feed and dumped the pop rocks on the molasses blob, but then my friend Christie came up with a brilliant, less messy idea:
1) Buy a bucket of Stud Muffins, or similarly delicious, large, and SOFT horse treat.
2) You will need one muffin per sachet of granules. Put the first muffin in a small Dixie cup- the little bathroom ones work great.
3) For added softness, microwave the treat for a few seconds or add a few drops of water.
4) Make a hollow pocket in the muffin with your fingers, pressing the edges of the treat onto the walls of the cup. The deeper a pocket you can make, the better.
5) Pour one sachet of omeprazole granules into the hollowed-out treat.
6) Using the walls of the cup, mold the treat back into its original shape. This will conceal the omeprazole granules and make the treat look normal.
7) Remove the treat from the cup and feed to your horse. Yum!
The weather has been hot and sticky for a few days now, but it gets mercifully cool in the evenings. After work, I met up with Kris and Christie for a walk in the Assunpink. During tackup, Wizard practically snoozed on his tie ring. All was right with the world since we were riding with Sunny, his paddock buddy, and Brigid, one of his favorite horsey neighbors. He stood like a perfect gentleman while I got in the saddle, and we rode in the middle of the group for most of the ride: a mare sandwich. Wizard usually prefers to be at the front of the pack, but being between two of his favorite mares changed his mind.
We rode a reverse path from the ride we did the day before, starting on the road, riding past the hunt club, through a hay field, down some trails, around the “roundabout” field, across the cinder road, over the ridge with the “bowling pin” (it’s some sort of radio tower thingy), and down to the ranger’s station. We saw some rabbits and a person riding an ATV. All the horses were relaxed and enjoyed our little adventure. We were out for a little over an hour.
I measured Wizard with the weight tape and he is about 990 pounds. He has gained give or take 15 pounds in about two weeks. He’s officially out 24/7 on the big paddock as of May 29, so I think that will make a big difference.
On Wednesday, May 30, the vet will look at Wizard’s leg. He feels totally fine on our trail rides, but we’re just walking and we’re not turning sharply at all. When I ask him to trot at liberty in the indoor arena, he is just as lame as he was a few weeks ago. Cross your fingers for a good diagnosis.
Rock and Racehorses: Sarah K. Andrew 