Oh what wonderful news. GREAT JOB!!!
Oh, I am so happy poor stallion #3 gets some TLC before being put down. I hated the thought that he would have to die in that miserable place. Personally I think blindness is just a nuisance, not a deal breaker. There are alot of heartwarming stories about blind horses with pature buddys who take care of them.
Just asking … if the blind stallion is otherwise healthy and ok with being blind, is there any chance he could live out his life in peace as well? I just hate to see him put down if he could truly have some happy times. I realize he would be harder to place, but just a thought …
PennyG
Penny, I think it would be quite possible for the blind stallion to life out his life — if the right home came along. The problem is, sighted stallions are hard enough to place. Nobody is beating down my door wanting an old, blind stallion with DSLD and no teeth…
The foster home is very experienced with studs and set up to give him a grand week of extreme spoiling…He will go with great love. Sometimes, that’s the best we can do.
BUT…if anyone is in Northern CA and is up for the task, let me know…we can talk. He sees light and shadow and he’s very kind and sensible. I think it could be done.
I wanted to update you all about the stallions. Thank you for the donations; they totaled about $675 and will completely cover their dentals.
Stallion 1 (My Hi Stakes, son of #2) is having his dental done today and will travel to his new home soon. His foster home reports him to be a “cupcake” and they handle him without a stud chain, turn him out in the indoor arena, and generally enjoy his presence a great deal. He loves attention! Thanks to COTH for providing his dental work, he desperately needs it!
Stallion 2 (Muscatin, father of #1) is well loved and settled into his lifetime home and getting great care, mash feed, and will have his dental once he has gained some weight and is stronger. He lives across from a llama and likes her company. His new owner is deeply appreciative of the assistance with his dental costs, which will likely be an ongoing effort due to such long-term neglect.
Stallion 3 (My SX Superior. He has advanced DSLD and minor vision issues) is out on a couple of acres of pasture at a local farm that has excellent stallion facilities. He is a sweet boy and well behaved. He’s getting tons of TLC every day and is enjoying every minute of it. Unfortunately, he’s uncomfortable behind due to the DSLD and dropped fetlocks. He will be euthanized at the end of the week surrounded by lots of love…
Stallion 4 (unidentified bay) has been a huge challenge for our very experienced foster barn. He’s the youngest at about 15 years old, and has no training or handling experience. He has been extremely difficult to manage (requires sedation to handle safely) and is quite aggressive toward people at times (striking, biting, attempted mounting). We had two expert stallion handlers/managers work with him last night and evaluate him and advise us. Human safety has to come first, and he will not be adoptable. We have made the decision to humanely euthanize him today. His foster mom is letting him eat his fill of grain and good eats this morning and he too will go out with love and compassion. I wish it would be different for this guy.
Thanks to everyone for your advice and support.
[QUOTE=Watermark Farm;6261020]
I wanted to update you all about the stallions. Thank you for the donations; they totaled about $675 and will completely cover their dentals.
Stallion 1 (My Hi Stakes, son of #2) is having his dental done today and will travel to his new home soon. His foster home reports him to be a “cupcake” and they handle him without a stud chain, turn him out in the indoor arena, and generally enjoy his presence a great deal. He loves attention! Thanks to COTH for providing his dental work, he desperately needs it!
Stallion 2 (Muscatin, father of #1) is well loved and settled into his lifetime home and getting great care, mash feed, and will have his dental once he has gained some weight and is stronger. He lives across from a llama and likes her company. His new owner is deeply appreciative of the assistance with his dental costs, which will likely be an ongoing effort due to such long-term neglect.
Stallion 3 (My SX Superior. He has advanced DSLD and minor vision issues) is out on a couple of acres of pasture at a local farm that has excellent stallion facilities. He is a sweet boy and well behaved. He’s getting tons of TLC every day and is enjoying every minute of it. Unfortunately, he’s uncomfortable behind due to the DSLD and dropped fetlocks. He will be euthanized at the end of the week surrounded by lots of love…
Stallion 4 (unidentified bay) has been a huge challenge for our very experienced foster barn. He’s the youngest at about 15 years old, and has no training or handling experience. He has been extremely difficult to manage (requires sedation to handle safely) and is quite aggressive toward people at times (striking, biting, attempted mounting). We had two expert stallion handlers/managers work with him last night and evaluate him and advise us. Human safety has to come first, and he will not be adoptable. We have made the decision to humanely euthanize him today. His foster mom is letting him eat his fill of grain and good eats this morning and he too will go out with love and compassion. I wish it would be different for this guy.
Thanks to everyone for your advice and support.[/QUOTE]
(((HUGS))) It’s never an easy decision to make, but given the information… I think it’s the right choice. They will be loved and go peacefully to a place where they will feel no more pain or fear.
Happy for the good news on two of these fine gentlemen, a tear or two for the others who will be given the last act of kindness. Your rescue group sounds wonderful and all your efforts on behalf of this entire herd of horses is much appreciated. <<<hugs>>> to all.
Watermark Farm, I want to commend you for the outstanding work you have done on behalf of these horses. The decisions you have made aren’t easy, but it sounds as though they are absolutely the right choice. There need to be more rescues like yours.
Watermark Farm - Great Job!!!
If you still need assistance with gelding funds you may want to apply for a gelding grant from OHAAT:
Watermark Farm, thank you SO much for taking on the job of getting these boys to a better place, whether still here or Over the Bridge.
Any word on what is going on with the mares?
[QUOTE=quietann;6261151]
Any word on what is going on with the mares?[/QUOTE]
Thank you for all the kind words. Making these end of life decisions is never easy.
All of the mares are still available. Their situation is a bit less urgent, as they have lots of pasture and the property lienholder is being fairly patient (at least at this point; that could change). We are actively looking for permanent homes and our goal is to have all of them placed within the next few months. I will accompany Animal Control sometime in the next week or two to tag each horse and better catalog the herd and try to assess age on each. Please keep spreading the word on these sweet horses.
[QUOTE=luvmytbs;6261112]
Watermark Farm - Great Job!!!
If you still need assistance with gelding funds you may want to apply for a gelding grant from OHAAT:
http://onehorseatatime.org/OHAAT/[/QUOTE]
I am not sure I would geld them at their ages. It won’t change anything behaviourly most likely… and I don’t know… an unnecessary surgery imo for almost 30 year old horses that aren’t in that great of shape.
[QUOTE=Watermark Farm;6261179]
Please keep spreading the word on these sweet horses.
Photos of Mares here[/QUOTE]
Awww, I really like Mare #11. I’m not usually a huge chesnut fan but she is adorable! Plus, she’s only 18- LOTS of life left for an Arab. Wish I had room. I’ll let you know if anything sells soon 
It sounds like you’ve done everything for them that could possibly be done. I commend you for the excellent effort.
Wish there was a “like” button for the supportive comments in this thread. Great job Watermark.
Watermark, you have been my hero since your first post on Argus’ blog. I am so impressed with what you are doing for these horses. Thank you. I wish I could send something in memory of Argus, but I just took my girl to the clinic this morning and it will cost me a bundle… (sinus infection/flushing, etc. for the next 5 days)…
Thank you and good luck to these horses.
Happy Ending for Stallion 1!
Great news! Stallion 1 has been placed in a wonderful, lifetime home. He is in the care of an experienced horsewoman who knows both stallions and seniors and who has the facility to give him a long-deserved life of 24/7 pasture in his very own stallion pasture, complete with Old Man Mash. I can’t think of a better possible outcome for this sweet gentleman.
At this time, I want to express my deepest thanks to Springlake1 for her offer to give Stallion 1 a soft place to land and a home for the summer. Placing rescue horses is tough; placing rescued stallions with no teeth is super tough. Springlake1’s offer of a backup home was a real gift to both the stallion and the volunteers who worked so hard to help these horses. Thank you Shelley!
At this time, we have no more stallions to place. Thank you COTH for your generous support of this endeavor.
Katie Moore
Well done Katie! Kudos to you and the good folks who stepped in to help the old guy!
