Friday, April 24, 2015

10 Poisonus Plants for Horses

I found this in my email from EQUUS magazine: 10 Poisonous Plants for Horses

With the pastures just starting to green up in our neck of the woods, I thought I would share the same information in case you didn't surf through the EQUUS magazine website (www.equusmagazine.com) No affiliation or promotion.

http://equusmagazine.com/article/poisonousplants_041105-8208?utm_source=EQUUSNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter

  1. Bracken Fern
  2. Hemlock
  3. Tansy Ragwort
  4. Johnsongrass/sudan Grass (also known as sorghum)
  5. Locoweed
  6. Oleander
  7. Red Maple Trees
  8. Water Hemlock
  9. Yellow Star Thistle/Russian Knapweed
  10. Yew

The article goes into much  more detail but I thought it a good idea to list the plants anyway. We've been blessed at the Sanctuary to avoid these poisonous plants (knock on wood). I hope your area doesn't have these plants either but if it does, this article does point out ways to irradiate the plants.

Good luck.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Horse Needs Retirement

In case you don't read the Borderlands Horse Sanctuary blog, here's the information and request.

**********************************************************************

I was asked last October if we had room for a mare. At the time, I had just accepted Junior into the Sanctuary so we couldn't bring the mare in. I asked if the owners if they were in a rush to rehome her. They said no and said they'd hang on to her through the winter and check with us again this spring. She's been on my waiting list ever since (and has been on my mind ever since as well).

Well, spring is here and we were asked if we could take her in.

She doesn't fit all of our criteria but she deserves a retirement. The current owners know of her past and know that she was used hard. She's now lame and only 13 years old. To almost anyone else, she's "useless and unwanted". She is unrideable because of the limp and most likely can't bare much additional weight (i.e., can't be a broodmare).

I'd seen pictures of this mare before the current owners got her. She's now had three homes in one year. ONE YEAR! Can you imagine? She deserves more. She's a beautiful mare and from the pictures and video I saw of her a year ago, she reminds me a lot of Queen and Babe. There's something about her that I can't put my finger on. I think it might be her temperament. Calm. She's the Mother Type. The Heart Horse. She's the one you go to, to cry your eyes out, to soak their mane with your tears. I'm not sure how many people have had horses like that. I've only had one and that was Queen. She knew when something was wrong and sought me out to provide comfort. I have a feeling this mare is the same way (although I dont' know because I've never actually met her in person).

But she deserves a home. Not just a place to live but a HOME...a FOREVER HOME.

Would anyone be willing to help sponsor her?

If you can't, can you help spread the word?

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Improving Your Pasture

This is really more for me and the Sanctuary but figured I'd share the information for anyone that is interested....

Five Ways to Improve  Your Horse Pasture
1. Improve your pasture's soil
2. Fix unproductive pasture areas: overseeding and renovating bare spots
3. Establish and maintain a sacrifice area
4. Manage your horse's grazing patterns
5. Control weeds

http://equimed.com/health-centers/healthy-barn/articles/5-ways-to-improve-your-horse-pasture