Harry's & Kenny's Fan Club ( We've Been Adopted ! )

We're Home !

2009-05-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

I always believe things happen for a reason. That reason isn't always apparent at first., but becomes clear as time progresses. And so it was the case with our house. My husband and I had tried to sell our house about 3 years ago, before the market was turning. We had made all the usual upgrades to it, and priced it where the rest of the homes in our community were selling at. We got NO takers. We couldn't understand it at the time but decided there must be a reason for it. We didn't need to sell, but had wanted to downsize and look for a place with a bit of land. "Oh well" we figured. We'd try again another time.

My husband got it in his head that we should try looking for property again, in the midst of the worst housing market crisis EVER ! To our total astonishment we found a lovely home with 7 acres about 30 minutes north of where we were. We put an offer on the house after seeing it for an hour and didn't look back ! Two months later our new house is under construction ... at least the property is. There is a fully fenced two acre area just waiting for horses to run on and another 5 acres that needs to be fenced , and a barn built. We are in the process of doing both. Our old house is getting lot's of foot traffic, and lots of interest. It's just a matter of time before it sells.

The Boys arrived about 3 weeks ago to their FOREVER home ! We were both extremely excited about them coming. And all the work I had done in the past year to prepare for this moment paid off. When we were leaving the boarding facility they were at, neither Boy would load into the trailer for the owner, even though she had done a lot of handling of both Boys. When I asked her if I could try and without hesitation they both loaded in, perfectly calm, I knew they were now mine. They had finally come to see me as the Leader and trust that I would have only their best interest at heart. It was a very magical moment for me. One I had worked towards for a very long time.

The Boys seem quite content and calm here. They know I am always close by. They know they are loved and safe here. My husband spends evenings with the Boys and they know the sound of his truck when he comes home each night from work. They know they will be groomed each day. They know they will get treats too. They know they will be ridden and played with. I know they feel safe here because their shelter has the outline of their bodies in the wheat straw we laid down for them to sleep on. You can't ask for more than that.

I've said this before, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart. It is a privilege to watch over and take care of these two beautiful horses. I feel so blessed to have them and our other fur-kids in our lives.

Transitions And New Beginnings

2009-01-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

It's been since October that my husband and I adopted Harry and Kenny, and many things have taken place since that time. The biggest transition for our Boys has been moving them from the Rescue to a training facility in Dacula. By far, this one move has dominoed into many new beginnings for us all.

Harry has always been a hand full and everybody knows it. He's a high energy TB Alpha, so it goes without saying you need to be a Leader to gain his respect and trust. Kenny on the other hand is low man on the totem pole, always trying to please .... truly polar opposites, but also good buddies. It became clear to me that I needed extra help with Harry, so in December I reached out to a gentle horsemanship trainer named Ed Dabney (www.eddabney.com) . My hope was that together Harry and I would finally get to where I knew we both could be in our partnership, and, with what we learned together I wanted to pass along to Kenny so we could also become great partners.

In mid December Ed came to the Rescue to give lessons and when those were done he took the Boys back with him to Dacula. They've been there since. Because of a scheduling conflict Ed wouldn't be able to begin working with Harry until mid January, so in the meantime I continued our workouts in a square pen Ed had set up just for training. Harry is truly become a different horse. He is much calmer, less stubborn, and more trusting. Things like picking his feet and grooming him were impossible at the Rescue. I do both on a daily basis and Harry just relaxes while I take my time. I routinely rub him all over, his legs, his hindquarters, his back, neck, and chest, and on warm, sunny winter days, Harry will fall asleep on me. I'm starting to see his sweet side and it is the most amazing thing to witness.

Training began last week and Harry is coming right along. I work with Harry first, then with Kenny, then groom both and luv on each like never before. I tell them both how Big and Handsome each is and how much they are loved and cared for.

Today, a friend and I took the Boys for a nice walk in the woods and along a lake. They were in Heaven !

Harry & Kenny's Adoptions

2008-10-29T13:43:00.001-07:00

Hillary Rodham Clinton said it takes a Village to raise a child. I couldn't agree more.

Harry and Kenny have been at the Rescue since April 2008. Harry arrived first, followed a few weeks later by Kenny. Both are very big boys. And both started palling around together shortly thereafter. I think Kenny needs Harry more than the other way around, but that's how I got to know Kenny in the first place.

It's no secret at the Barn that I've been smitten with Harry since the day he walked off the trailer. Harry is the Alpha in the pasture and quite a hand full. Kenny is the largest horse in the pasture and also low man on the totem pole ... go figure. As far as horse handling goes, I'm as green as they come, but was willing to take on Harry because I thought he had potential to be a wonderful horse. I guess I saw the inner Harry, so to speak. Well, Harry and I had our go-rounds. Harry likes to challenge and I wasn't much of a leader and couldn't challenge back, hence, Harry nipped me. It was a nip that took me 2 months to get over. But eventually I did come back to Harry and started working with him. After a couple good days - bad days kinda thing a friend suggested I work with Kenny because he was the polar opposite of Harry. The thought was that if I worked with Kenny and got my confidence up, then Harry would be more manageable. Well, it worked.

Getting to know Kenny was the best thing I ever did. My husband and I had started to sponsor Kenny by feeding him better grain. He was getting thin and I was getting worried with winter coming on that he would lose more weight. I had to do SOMETHING. Thus began my real journey with The Boys.

About a month passed after we started feeding Kenny and I noticed a change in his coat. I saw he was gaining weight and just looked better. That's when my husband suggested we adopt both boys. "Are You Crazy!" I said, but we are known to adopt in two's. Something about separating kennel mates, or friends just doesn't sit right with us, and we're fortunate enough to be able to do it. So, we thought about it, cried about it, talked about it, walked away from it, talked about it some more, took some classes on horse ownership, and finally came to the decision that it was the right thing to do. Our concerns centered around our ability to handle and care for two horses when we're both so green. But in the end we let Cheryl know of our desires, and after much discussion we officially adopted both boys as of October 1st ! We couldn't be more thrilled.

Even though I hadn't had much time with Kenny I got to know him quickly. He is without a doubt the sweetest, most gentle and loving horse I have ever had the pleasure to know. We put him on Adequan to help with his joints and got him a chiropractic treatment. I'm told he came trotting into the barn this weekend ! Kenny is my Gift From God, My Joy. It is an honor and a pleasure to care for him in every way. Harry has me on my toes. We have come a very long way in the last couple of months. With the help of a Village ( the barn people ) Harry just recently is looking at me as a Leader. He still challenges me, but I challenge back, and most times I win! We still have a long way to go but he is a very different horse from just 2 months ago. I love Harry, always will. He is becoming the horse I always knew he could be and I am blessed to have him in my life. I cannot imagine Harry in someone else's care. He is a Joy and he is My Boy.

I could do none of this without the love and support of my husband, who encourages me everyday and is always interested in the gains Harry and I have made each time we work together. So many volunteers have helped me on so many levels. It truly does take a Village to raise a horse too. I am so grateful to all those that ask me everyday how My Boy's are, and tell me how different Harry or Kenny is. It's in those brief encounters with someone that I get encouragement to continue my work with Harry and Kenny.

The Influence of the Barn

2008-08-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

My friend asked me if I was OK the other day. I thought back to the previous couple of weeks and laughed. We all deal with the ups and downs of life ... a death of a loved one, a sibling in turmoil, a child making their own way. Life can be chaotic, so when my friend asked that question it didn't take long to think back to Harry and answer that I was indeed in a very peaceful place.

Strangles, the equine equivalent of strep throat, has been making the rounds through the barn. Most of the horses have had it by now and are starting to return to normal. It manifest itself first as a fever, their glands swell up, and they may have trouble swallowing or breathing. Beylami, the young Arabian, had a very tough case of strangles. She was quite sick one day and having problems breathing. The vet was called in and he syringed off some fluid from her glands to help her. Passion was another who was quite ill .... she is FINALLY starting to feel better again, thank goodness. Keta, who was the first, and the carrier, is now almost completely over it.

Well, I thought Harry had beat the odds and would not get sick but on Saturday afternoon one of the volunteers noticed he didn't eat his dinner. That is very unusual for Harry so they took his temp and it was 105.3, very high. Normal temps for a horse are between 100 and 101. Any temp at 103 or higher and you give butt and/or banimine, an anti-inflammatory to help. I came over Sunday morning to check on Harry and he was moping around his stall, picking at his food. Harry and I have had our go-rounds but I still love that horse and think he's just beautiful. So, I stood there and watched him. I just stood there and talked softly to Harry until he finally came over to me, and when he did he nuzzled his head against my chest. It was my moment and I was gonna take advantage of every minute Harry would give me. It was quiet in the barn, not much sound from anyone or anything and so I started stroking Harry's neck and back, then his chest and mane. He stayed quite and still for a very long time. I peeked at his legs and he was in a restful stance. I noticed his head starting to drop and his eyes starting to close while his mouth was very loose. Harry was peaceful and so was I. It was for me the most wonderful moment I've had with Harry in a very long time. He was finally letting me help him. I was in a very peaceful place too. That's the Influence of the Barn.

Harry is doing better, eating some and relaxing in the rinding ring with his buddy Kenny each day. It's cooler in the riding ring, a nice breeze blows through and the boys like it. It gives both a chance to exercise their lungs and move the gunk out. Both are recovering from strangles and doing better.

Harry's First Day

2008-07-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

I remember the day Harry showed up at the rescue. It was a cool April Sunday and it was fairly quite around the farm. It was so quiet in fact that hardly anyone noticed the new guy in the riding ring ! Harry is big, with soft eyes that call to you. He looked scared and sad, and a bit tired. He was under weight for his height but otherwise looked OK.

I was pretty much smitten the first time I saw Harry. I'm drawn to the big horses anyway, and maybe that's because I'm tall or maybe its because I've been around race tracks enough and use to large horse. Either way, Harry is my boy.

Harry is adjusting to Rescue life and getting use to other animals he's never been exposed to before. He's learning about farm sounds and life outside a race track, which can make for some interesting moments. Harry has become the dominate horse in his pasture and a bit of a bully. Hopefully time with calm him down a bit. And because Harry was not only raced but used as a jumper he has back and leg issues which hurt, so therapy is needed as well.

Harry and Kenny are both about the same size and both thoroughbreds. They share the same pasture with Luke, Otto and Smokey.

I've found with the animals that come to the rescue that time and love seem to heal most wounds. And if we're lucky, they return that love to us in kind.