Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary

Typical Morning Eldercare Chores

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 16:58:00 +0000

I don't know that there is such a thing as "normal" or "average" at an equine Sanctuary, but this outlines many of the common summer morning chores.

First, of course, is breakfast. Between 6:00 and 6:15, feed is measured into individual feed tubs according to each Elder's individual needs. Warm water is added to the feed which is allowed to soak to make a thick "mush." Breakfast is served at 7:00, with each horse eating in a separate stall, paddock or shed. Once breakfast is finished and the horses turned out, we:

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Wash dishes

Since the horses eat "mush" feed tubs get nasty fast and, in warm weather, start to smell bad if not rinsed after meals.

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Rinse Beau's place mat (a car floor mat he eats on to prevent him from eating dirt when he drops food, then picks it up -- if not rinsed after each meal, the mat is a huge fly party.)

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Remove manure and wet sawdust from stalls and sheds.

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Rebed stalls and sheds with clean sawdust

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Fly Spray

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Dampen shed floors to knock down dust

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Shower Clara (because, otherwise, she won't go away)

(which of course rinses off aforementioned fly spray and as a bonus attracts a horse fly.)

Clara's shower then leads to this -

and

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Okay - back to work.
Next...
Pick up manure in small paddocks and dry lots (the rest of the fields will be cleaned up this evening when the temperature starts to come down.)

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Dump collected manure and dirty bedding in manure spreader

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Finally, clean and refill water tanks and buckets

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Meanwhile, the residents are all doing this:

Mona

Lizzie

Beau

As it should be.
They served us, now we serve them.

Lindy Reminds Us to "Rethink"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 23:13:00 +0000

Re-evaluate. One of TREES’ cardinal rules. Nothing is written in stone. What worked last year may not be appropriate this year. What works this summer may not be necessary next spring.

When Lindy first arrived at Traveller’s Rest, her history included “an old shoulder injury.” No more detail than that – no clues telling us what type of injury, when the injury occurred or how it was treated or managed. We could tell by the asymmetry of her front feet that she carried more of her weight on one side, keeping as much load as possible off of the other but had no additional information.

At rest or while grazing, Lindy appeared to be pain free but when moving at any gait faster than a walk, she was noticeably uncomfortable. Most problematic was asking her to stand for hoof trimming. Even though she is an extremely kind and willing mare, it was impossible for her to balance her weight on her “bad” foreleg while the other was lifted for trimming.

We added Previcox (COX II inhibitor anti-inflammatory drug) to Lindy’s daily routine. At about the same time, reluctantly, we began using sedation on Lindy’s trim days. The first time we tried dormosedan gel (sedative/painkiller often used in “standing procedures” on horses,) using the dose listed on the label for horses her size, Lindy still struggled to stand on the affected leg. During the rest of the trim, however, she seemed so deeply sedated that she was almost sitting on Ernie, her farrier. For each subsequent trim, the dose was reduced. Even so, by the third trim using sedation, Lindy stood quietly, but was still leaning on Ernie for support.

Today, Lindy’s scheduled pedicure day, as I picked up the tube of dormosedan gel, I hesitated. Something told me to put the box back on the shelf. I did. When Ernie arrived, I let him know we were going to try trimming Lindy with no sedation this time.

Lindy - Arab mare in her late 20's

The little mare was perfect. No anxiety. No apparent discomfort. No fidgeting. Perfect. Maybe her shoulder just needed more time to heal. Maybe the healing was due to a change in pasture mates. None of the other mares with her do anything to cause anxiety or sudden defensive movements. Maybe it’s the Previcox keeping her comfortable. The next step, I think, will be to attempt to wean her from the drug and see what happens. Perhaps she no longer needs it.

Nothing is written in stone here. Sometimes changes are recommended by veterinarians. Some new ideas come to us by way of Facebook or Blog followers. Other adaptations, like today’s change, seem to come from the horses themselves. If we listen.

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Wow! And just now, as I type while the sun reemerges after hours of rain………Blondie, Emily and Nellie cantered a big circle around their pasture, feeling quite fine…… and then comes Lindy, trotting behind. Not far, not fast, but an even, relaxed trot. Awesome.

Redesigning a Sanctuary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:32:00 +0000

When Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary was founded, the goal was to provide sanctuary; a place of safety; a stress-free home where everything fits together as a smooth, harmonious whole. We tried to take into account everything that might affect the well-being of both horses and sanctuary, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Somewhere along the road our program took a slight detour, veering into a commonly seen model in which as many horses as possible are taken into a facility, filling every available pen, paddock, and stall. Housing too many horses at the sanctuary drove the stress-free and harmonious factors in the equation into the background. While TREES’ residents have never lacked food, shelter, veterinary, farrier or dental care, just meeting “the basics” is not enough to make our Sanctuary whole.

With that in mind, Traveller’s Rest is undergoing a metamorphosis; not so much a change in purpose as a rebirth – a return to our roots. We are making some changes in order to return to a more holistic path toward sanctuary; a path we hope will lead beyond “good enough” and set a standard of excellence.

First and foremost, that means moving away from the idea of accepting another horse any time there appears to be physical space for one more. “Space for one more” means far more than having a spare stall or a vacant paddock. We want our horses to live peacefully in harmony with their environment. Operating a farm under crowded conditions automatically creates conflict with that environment. Pastures become unhealthy, parasite and pest control becomes very difficult if not impossible, and the horses themselves become stressed, anxious, and irritable, all leading to a decrease in the horses’ physical well-being as well as damaging the land the horses call home. TREES hopes to develop Sanctuary as an all-encompassing concept rather than being seen merely as a horse farm that happens to house elder equine.

From this point forward, TREES will set a maximum herd size of 12-15 horses rather than the average of 18-20 we tried to maintain for the past several years. Not only will a smaller herd lead to a more balanced sanctuary environment, but it will also allow time for more educational efforts, something that suffered greatly in the last few years. Education will, of course, remain focused on equine elder care, but we will also begin to incorporate more “green” horsekeeping philosophy. Our standards will include integrative management techniques in which the sanctuary environment is every bit as important as the horses in it. Practically speaking, there is no way to separate the two facets of the sanctuary – what we do with the horses affects the farm environment and what we do with the farm environment affects the horses. The Sanctuary is a microcosm of the interconnected nature of all things; what affects one thing affects all things.

So, as TREES enters its second decade, we continue to grow by becoming smaller in one sense, while hopefully achieving more balance over all.

It’s exciting to imagine what that balance may bring.

Sanctuary or Retirement?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 15:06:00 +0000

During the last several months, Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary received increasingly frequent requests to take in horses that “need” a sanctuary setting due only to age, or minor unsoundness. These requests come from both private owners and horse welfarists who are having trouble finding permanent homes for such horses.

It seems like a good time, therefore, to re-run a short version of TREES acceptance policy. TREES almost always operates at maximum capacity. Maximum capacity is determined by a combination of financial status, farm size, and available manpower and may vary slightly depending on conditions. Further, because TREES takes in the horses most other places won’t accept – those of the elder set with one or more “special needs” - most often, the only way a space at the sanctuary becomes available is when euthanasia is judged, by caregivers and vets, to be the most humane option.

At that time, if the Sanctuary is able to take in another horse, priority is always given to those that are not receiving even basic care. In other words, the horses that are not receiving food or vet care necessary to maintain life, or those that are suffering pain due to untreated injury or ailment. These horses may be animals that have been abandoned, seized by Animal Control officials, or whose owners have encountered financial or physical hardships that make keeping a horse impossible. Intake functions as a sort of triage process to determine which horse is in the most immediate need.

If an owner or caregiver is ABLE to provide care for a horse, that horse is not deemed to be in immediate need. If a horse is in a well-run rescue barn, that horse is not deemed to be in immediate need. If a person “bailed” a horse and can care for him properly, but now wants to move him along just so he or she can “bail” another, that horse is not deemed to be in immediate need.

TREES is not a retirement farm. The Sanctuary was not built just to provide a leisure home for all horses of a certain age. It is intended as a place of safety for those (over a certain age) who may otherwise slip through the cracks. Please understand that these spaces are reserved for those horses who, literally, have no one else ABLE to care for them. If you’re ABLE….do it.

Thinking of Re-Gifting? Re-Gift for the Elders!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:45:00 +0000

Did you or someone in your family receive gifts over the holidays you’re not sure what to do with? Receive the same gift twice or got a sweater that’s just not your style? Turn that gift into funding for Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary's mission! Sell unwanted presents on eBay and donate 10% to 100% of the final sale price with eBay Giving Works to support our work.

Enjoy the Benefits!

Your listing will benefit from several unique program features that have been proven to attract more buyers and raise awareness of our cause such as the eBay Giving Works ribbon and enhanced searchability. Plus your listings will automatically qualify for the eBay Giving Works Fee Credit Benefit and you’ll receive a tax-receipt for your donation.

How to Use eBay Giving Works

1. Click “Customize your listing”

2. Look for the “eBay Giving Works” field (Click “Add or Remove Options” if you don’t see it) in the Sell Your Item form in the "Choose how you’d like to sell your item" area

3. Choose “Select a new nonprofit”

4. In the pop-up window that appears, type "Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary” in the “Nonprofit Name or Keyword” field
5. Select Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary and a percentage (10-100%) you wish to donate to TREES (please note: there is a $1 minimum donation if your item sells)

It’s as simple as that! If your item sells, TREES will receive the percentage you selected to donate. It’s giving back without giving your gift back.

Have questions? Please visit http://www.equineelders.org/ebay.htm to learn more.

HEAL Hosting Feed Drive for TREES Jan-Feb2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:23:00 +0000

(From http://www.facebook.com/notes/helping-every-animal-live-heal/heals-elderly-horse-feed-and-supply-drive/309692395741481 )

Helping Every Animal Live - (HEAL) has partnered with an equine (horse) sanctuary to provide much needed supplies and feed to the elderly horses in their care.

Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary uses approximately 1,050 pounds of senior feed, 100-150 lbs of alfalfa cubes, and 35 bales (avg 40lbs each) of hay WEEKLY! We would like to raise at least 3,000 pounds of feed and 300 pounds of alfalfa cubes for the horses in their care this year.The sanctuary currently has 23 elderly horses in which they provide care for. Because these horses are elderly they all have long term illnesses or special needs that must be managed daily. As such the veterinary, farrier, and dental costs incurred by the sanctuary are enormous.

You can help by donating items from the horses wish list below. Your donations will free up the sanctuary's funds to provide further veterinary care. Currently, one horse is in need of an eye surgery.

Please consider donating to help and elderly horse this winter.

Join us at one of the below events to pick up a wish list or drop off donations .A wish list of items needed is included below.

Collection drive runs through February 18, 2012

3 Ways to help:

1.Phone in your order of feed, alfalfa cubes, mineral, or salt blocks to Southern States located at 8718 West Broad Street in Richmond, VA 23294. You can call (804) 747-9315 during store hours and place your phone order for any of the below items. When you call let them know you are purchasing feed through the Helping Every Animal Live feed drive. Be sure to leave your name and address with the attendant if you would like your purchase to be tax deductible. We will mail you your letter for tax purposes. Please call in your order in support of the sanctuary today.

We would like to thank Southern States Manager, Ken Long and all of the staff for working with us to provide this phone in ordering service.

Items that can be ordered through the Phone in Ordering Service:

50 lbs Triple Crown Senior Feed - $18.99
Triple Crown Alfalfa Cubes - $16.00
Trace Mineral Block - $5.99
Salt Block - $6.99

You can call 804-747-9315 and place your order during the below store hours:
Sunday:9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday - Saturday :8:00 AM - 7:00 PM

2. Visit us during either the January or February Metro Richmond Pet Savers (MRPS) Events to drop off your donations, see photos and learn more about the elderly horses in the sanctuary or pick up a printed wish list. While at the event there will be numerous cats and dogs available for adoption from various local rescue groups. Event dates and locations are as follows:

■Saturday, January 14, 2012 at the Petsmart located at 1276 Car Mia Way Richmond, VA 23235. (Near Chesterfield Town Center) - 11am to 3pm

■Saturday, February 11, 2012 at the Petsmart located at 9870 Brook Rd Glen Allen, VA 23059. (Near Virginia Center Commons) - 11am - 3pm

3. Visit us at our final collection event location to learn more about HEAL, see photos and learn more about the elderly horses in the sanctuary and purchase any items you would like to donate directly at Southern States.

■Saturday, February 18, 2012 at Southern States located at 8718 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23294 - 8am - 7pm.

HEAL will be making delivery to the Sanctuary Sunday, February 19th.

Elderly Horse Wish List - Please consider donating an item to help and elderly horse this winter.

From Southern States:

Triple Crown Senior Horse Feed
Triple Crown Alfalfa Cubes
Legends Pelleted Rice Bran
Salt Blocks (White)
Trace Mineral Block (Red)
Pelleted Pine Bedding
Double Ended Snaps for Hanging Feed Tubs
50 or 100' water hoses
Cotton Lead Ropes
Nolvasan (or other Clorhexidine) Skin and Wound Cleanser

From PETSMART/PETCO:

Eco Bedding
Kaytee Soft Fiber Blend Bedding (NO GRANULE BEDDING)
Any Carefresh Brand Bedding
Bronco Equine Fly Spray
4" Flexible Bandaging Any Color (Vet Wrap)
Nolvasan (or other Clorhexidine) Skin and Wound Cleanser

From Walmart, ETC

Rubber Curry Brush
Pine Bedding
Desitin
Equate Diaper Rash Ointment
A&D Zinc Oxide Cream
Beatdine Soultion
Equate First Aid Antiseptic
10% Povidone Iodine
Neosporin Original Ointment
Equate Triple Anitbiotic Ointment
Any Size Johnson & Johnson Gauze Pads
Human Hairbrushes - Any variety
Hydrogen Peroxide
Epsom Salt
Grey Duct Tape
Nolvasan (or other Clorhexidine) Skin and Wound Cleanser

Please contact us with questions: info@helpingeveryanimallive.org or at 804. 614.HEAL (4325)

To learn more about us visit: www.helpingeveryanimallive.org
To learn more about the elderly equine sanctuary: http://www.equineelders.org/

//

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Lindy Needs Eye Surgery.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:27:00 +0000

Until now, TREES has never solicited donations for specific vet bills. Now however, with rising costs and more horses in need, we need to ask for your help.

Lindy, our little Davenport Arabian mare, who arrived underweight and in need of vet care in the fall of 2011, now needs surgery to remove one eye.

Arrival - November 1, 2011

What probably started as uveitis some time ago has progressed to glaucoma. While it is not yet terribly painful, this eye does cause some discomfort and should be removed before it begins to cause greater problems.

The veterinary surgeon gave us an estimate of $1170. Can you help us help Lindy sooner rather than later, by using button at the top of this post and "chipping in" to her surgery fund ?

Winter Feeding Arrangements

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:44:00 +0000

During the warm months, when there is plenty of grass, horses are able to determine their own feeding space. Some may graze close together, others may want a larger personal bubble to feel comfortable and secure.

Now that lower temperatures have arrived and the grass is dormant in most of the US, feeding arrangements may need to be adjusted to ensure each horse receives his full portions of feed and hay.

Separate everyone at meal times to allow slower eaters to finish and to make sure less confident horses are not pushed away from their feed.

At other times of the day, make sure every horse has relaxed access to hay. if you feed round bales, this may mean unrolling the bale to allow more timid horses space to forage.

And, as always, feel under those winter coats and blankets to monitor body condition and adjust feed as needed.

“I’d Rather Not”

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:33:00 +0000

Earlier this month, Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary was invited to present a talk on Equine Elder care at the Equine Extravaganza in Doswell, VA. The talk lasted about forty minutes and the floor was opened to questions. The room became silent. Either I had told the listeners everything they needed to know about keeping weight on senior horses, or I had baffled them into a state of confused speechlessness.

Finally, in the last row of chairs, a hand rose. What a relief. Unfortunately, the question did not concern the topic of geriatric horse health.

“Do you take donated horses?”

I repeated the question into the microphone. “Do we take donated horses?”

I thought: “I can answer this question two ways.” First, I can explain why we don’t consider TREES residents to be donations. Or, probably more to the point of this specific instance, I can explain how we decide which horses we accept into the sanctuary. I chose to start with the latter.

The decision process is really quite straightforward. First, and perhaps most importantly, the sanctuary must have the room and resources to take in a new horse without jeopardizing the care of the current herd. Since the farm continually operates at maximum capacity, we often have a waiting list of sorts. There are always more Elders in need than there are places for them to go for care. Because we can’t take them all, we have a basic triage system. Horses who will immediately suffer hunger, untreated illness or injuries, or other life-threatening issues if left where they are at the time, are given first priority. Underlying circumstances may include outright neglect, abandonment, or owners’ physical or financial hardships.

The bottom line is that, when we accept a horse surrendered directly to TREES by his owner, it is because the owner is no longer able to provide even basic care, usually through no fault of his own.

Following this explanation, the lady in the back row began to explain that she had recently rescued a horse at New Holland (a large auction barn in Pennsylvania) but that the horse turned out to be several years older than she believed at the time of purchase.

I repeated the basics of our acceptance policy – horses not receiving even basic care, i.e. food, basic veterinary care, etc – and followed up with “Are you able to provide basic care?”

“I’d rather not.”

Silence. Her “I’d rather not” hung in the room like a noose.

Thousands of people who desperately want to be able to provide basic care to their horses, literally, cannot. You can see it on local bulletin boards, classified sites and on internet forums. They’ve been laid off. They’ve taken lower paying or part time jobs to put food on the table but don’t have much left over for hay. Some are working two or three part time jobs, which almost makes ends meet, but doesn’t leave time for the actual labor involved in horse care. Other people are losing farms, losing homes, moving into smaller, more affordable accommodations that don’t include space for horses (and if they can’t afford a mortgage payment, they certainly can’t afford to pay boarding facilities to care for their horses.) Even so, I am regularly amazed at what some people are willing to sacrifice to buy a bag of feed or a bale of hay.

Now, at the Equine Extravaganza, I stood looking at a woman who apparently could afford to care for her “rescued” horse, but didn’t want to. I took a deep breath and, for the third time, explained that those horses whose owners cannot provide basic care take priority and that there are always – always – more waiting in the wings. It will be a long, long time before TREES will be able take in a horse whose owner is able to provide feed and vet care but would “rather not.”

Efficiency, Safety, & Growing Pains

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 17:42:00 +0000

TREES is growing! With all growth comes a few growing pains, learning what fits and what might need to be taken in or let out. As we try to implement new programs and our schedule becomes busier, it’s time to see how we can make daily chores more efficient, in terms of time, manpower and funds, allowing more resources to be devoted to new activities. We still want everyone’s time at TREES to be a low-stress, enjoyable experience, but we also want to get as much done as efficiently as possible as we reach for higher goals.

In that vein, here are a few reminders or changes to bear in mind. Some are meant to make more efficient use of our time, some are aimed at conserving resources and some are safety reminders (in no particular order.)

• When we have a lot of stalls and sheds to clean, or when we are shorthanded, don’t get caught up picking at every little crumb in one stall or shed. Better to have all the stalls and sheds clean rather than have one or two immaculately sanitized and the rest untouched.

• Place muck buckets, forks, carts, or other objects where they won’t restrict access to gates, doorways, alleys, or stalls.

• If you need to get a fork or cart from another barn, please put it/them back when you finish so the next volunteer doesn’t have to search the whole farm for what he needs.

• When cleaning stalls, think of a cat’s litter box. Not everything will be sitting right on top, readily visible. You will need to sift a little to find both manure and urine. Then, just as you would in the cat’s box, remove manure and wet bedding, but leave as much clean dry “litter” as possible. Don’t throw out a whole forkful of shavings to get rid of one road apple.

• We need to get back to picking up the fields and paddocks more often than once a week. Leaving it all for the Sunday crew is not fair to them, not an efficient use of everyone’s time, and seriously outside our parasite control protocol.

• Don’t dump full water tanks that may only have a few shreds of beet pulp or one quid floating on top. Dip out the floaters and as long as the water is clear, leave the rest until the horses drink more and reduce what will be lost if dumping is needed. The large tanks hold 100 gallons and we don’t want to pour that much drinkable water out on the ground.

• If horses are frisky, whether due to new arrivals, changes in weather, or a bug hiccupping in the next field, leave them alone or put the one you want to work with in a stall. DON’T bring more people into the setting to occupy the other horses while you work around one in that situation. Adding more bodies to the space only increases the risk that one of those bodies may be stepped on.

• Don’t rake dusty sheds or paddocks. Neither you nor the horses should be standing in a cloud of barn dust. Especially anyone, horse or human, with respiratory difficulties, like Ambrose and Jubal. IF you feel the area must be raked for some reason, please please thoroughly dampen it first.

•Let us know before you come to the farm if its not a previously scheduled work day. Always.

• If you are scheduled to volunteer and wake up that morning with sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you can’t rest type symptoms, just give us a call and let us know you’ll be staying home that day. (In other words, don’t risk spreading the love to the other volunteers.)

• Ask for help when you need help. Protect your back and other body parts rather than trying to prove your super human abilities. You can’t help heal the horses if you hurt yourself.

• Finally – let us hear your ideas for increasing efficiency, safety and widening the road to program development!

June 1-14, 2011: Buy natural products, support TREES' geezers!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:56:00 +0000

Ferrell Hollow Farm (FHF) is a dedicated retirement farm in TN for senior horses over the age of 20, most of who arrive with special needs. In keeping with our passion to help as many senior horses across the country as possible, we have selected a non-profit sanctuary also dedicated to caring for senior horses to help!

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary (TREES) is a non-profit rescue located in VA. They are not your typical non-profit horse rescue organization though. Many of the residents come to the sanctuary from backgrounds of neglect or abandonment, but TREES does not dwell on the past. Instead, they celebrate the personalities that emerge as their elders return to "just being horses" in a low stress environment. http://www.equineelders.org/index.htm “Honor the Wisdom”!

For a limited time, Ferrell Hollow Farm will donate a portion of its proceeds from sales on their website’s store page to TREES! Any web order placed from June 1st thru June 14th qualifies! Please visit

http://www.ferrellhollowfarm.net/Store.html to begin shopping!

Ferrell Hollow Farm’s Natural Horse Care line was developed out of a need for non-chemical products that actually worked. All formulas are developed and tested by Cindy Daigre on the senior horses at our retirement farm. Only pure grade essential oils and pesticide free herbs are used. FHF also has a natural body care product line for PEOPLE! As with all of our products, only cruelty-free ingredients are used (no animals are harmed)!

TREES has created a wish list of FHF items they would love to have. You can help them double up on the benefits of this program by not only receiving a monetary donation at the end of this fundraising period from your purchases, but consider ordering something just for them to use on their elder residents!

TREES' Wish List of Ferrell Hollow Farm Natural Products:
*Herbal Skin Gel
*Fly Spray
*Fly Balm
*Colloidal Silver Wound Spray
*Colloidal Silver Wound Gel
*Mosquito Spray

Please use this link to begin shopping!
http://www.ferrellhollowfarm.net/Store.html

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Ciao Bello, Parker.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:27:00 +0000

In the summer of 2010, TREES agreed to assume custody of a young paint horse in need of immediate veterinary care. Infection had caused swelling in most of Parker's face. Over the course of many months, Parker's foster mom and several vets, in consultation with a surgeon at NCSU, cleaned up infected tissue, removed fragments of diseased bone and tried to deal with an opening that led from Parker's mouth into his sinus.

Under their care, Parker seemed to improve somewhat, had a good appetite, played with herdmates and appeared to be happy, but the cavity in his face would not heal and the infection always seemed to lurk, waiting for an opportunity to make itself known again.

Following months of xrays, biopsies and cultures, it was decided to take Parker to NCSU, where a surgeon would attempt to give Parker a normal life. Sadly, his prognosis was that surgery would be "heroic" and gave the little paint only a 20% chance of a good quality of life.

And so, with a mouthful of sweet spring grass, with his foster mom close by, Parker left his earth in the gentlest manner possible. While we won't have specific results for several weeks, it was thought the tissues involved looked cancerous. Even if that proves to not be the case, the surgeon confirmed, during necropsy, that there was nothing else to be done. If there is an "up side" to this case, it is that Parker was able to be an organ donor, allowing other horses corneal transplants.

Our hearts go out to Meredith who cared for Parker for almost a year and stayed with him as he left for greener pastures. No one could have done a better job. We know he is missed already.

Ciao Bello, Parker.

Our Residents' Names

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:22:00 +0000

If you've been watching the rebroadcast of Ken Burns' Civil War on PBS this week, you may be figuring out where we get many of our horses' names. Here are a few hints regarding some past and current residents.

_________ Hampton
_________'s Heights
_________ Early
_________ Bedford _________ (one officer - 2 different TREES horses)
_________ Stuart
Pierre Gustave Toutant ________
_________hugh Lee
William Tecumseh _________
________ Chamberlain
________ was General Sheridan's horse at Winchester
________ Long was said to be General Lee's "other" favorite mount
________llorsville
________(y)sburg
Some Confederates wore uniforms of _________ color

52 Thoroughbreds - Fact or Drama?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 13:22:00 +0000

Over the past week or two, a message about 52 horses in Ohio needing homes "went viral" in the horse world. These horses were said to need homes within in few days or they would "go to slaughter."

Ummm. Not so much.

Here is a snippet from a post written by someone who actually took time to talk to the family:

{The horses' owner} was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure about 6 months ago and at that time, they began to find homes for all the horses, knowing he would not be here much longer. They have all been placed, but it was not a hurried or concerning situation, by any means. They all went to homes that were picked by the family.

At no time, were they EVER in danger of going to a slaughter house.

Now, this is not the first time something like this has happened. On the contrary, its a regular occurrence. I have no idea why people feel the need to add threats and emotional blackmail to the mix when they hear news of a group of horses needing new homes. Isn't the current number of horses needing places to go enough of a problem without adding melodrama to the issue?

Frankly, this type of reaction makes those working in "horse rescue" look like a bunch of fruitbats and impacts our credibility as a whole.

The habit of screaming "slaughter, slaughter!!" every time a horse is advertised as needing placement is a reason TREES does not publicize or forward this type of post unless we have personally talked to the owners .

Please -- when you get an email like this, or see a post on a forum, RESEARCH it, before you pass it on to 5000 of your closest friends. I feel fairly confident in saying the owner would rather get one call from you than a hundred calls from said closest friends. If you can't take the time to call, don't take the time to pass it on.

FREE SEMINAR - Geriatric Horse Jan 12

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 04:43:00 +0000

FREE SEMINAR

Medical Conditions Affecting the Aging Horse

Rappahannock Equine Veterinary Clinic - Locust Grove, VA-

Wednesday Jan 12, 2011, 6PM.

RSVP by Jan10, 540-854-7171, or revc@rappahannock-equine.com

Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.

Presented by Dr Marian Little, DVM of Boehringer Ingelheim.

Seriously Short Summary of Sherman's Saga

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 14:04:00 +0000

Sherman, age 30-ish, November 10, 2009

December 11, 2010

The Myth of Skinny Old Horses busted again.

Equine Elders holiday feed drive

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 02:00:00 +0000

Helping Every Animal Live (HEAL) is hosting a holiday feed drive for the residents of Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary (TREES.) Visit the HEAL FB page to see how you can participate. (Then be sure to "Like" and follow the HEAL page to keep up with future projects to help all animals in the area!)

From HEAL's info page:

"Helping Every Animal Live - (HEAL) is a newly forming non-profit. (501(c)(3) status is pending). Founded by an executive with experience in veterinary medicine as well as a former non-profit and governmental entity auditor, HEAL was formed to answer a much needed void in the community. We look forward to introducing our non-profit to the local community and aiding those animals in need.Mission:The mission of Helping Every Animal Live (HEAL) is twofold:

Give animals access to critical and quality veterinary care by providing financial aid and fundraising assistance to those in need.

Educate animal owners, caregivers, first responders, and veterinary professionals in order to improve the health and welfare of all animals through program resources.

Through fundraising efforts, community support, and innovative programs, HEAL will:

• Provide financial assistance for veterinary care to families who qualify for assistance

• Provide veterinary care to treat and rehabilitate sick or injured animals within local municipal animal control facilities in order to return them to a healthy and adoptable state

• Contribute veterinary assistance to animals in custody of local rescue groups, foster programs, animal sanctuaries, wildlife parks, farms, and zoos

• Track euthanasia rates within veterinary settings to reduce medically unnecessary deaths

• Maintain cancer resource center for animals in need of cancer treatments

• Conduct educational seminars to raise public awareness of key topics in veterinary medicine and other important issues as well as offer continuing education to veterinary professionals

• Offer first responder training in animal oxygen administration, CPR, first aid, and restraint and provide all local fire departments with pet oxygen masks and first aid supplies

• Offer CPR and first aid training to the general public

Provide support to research institutes specializing in emerging veterinary treatments and procedures

• Run a wildlife triage center

• Maintain a Senior Center for aging animals, including access to in-home hospice care

• Provide access to specialized products and services for animals with disabilities

• Sponsor various animal support groups

Through long-range planning, HEAL will:

• Provide a state of the art non-profit veterinary center for specialized and critical care for all species, including wildlife and exotic animals

• Partner with the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine to improve educational standards and requirements for successful completion of a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine

HEAL web site

Short virtual tour

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 17:06:00 +0000

Some video from the Bayside Portsmouth Harley Owners Group visit a few months ago

October Mornings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 03:26:00 +0000

Val - October 28, 2010

Mona - October 27, 2010

Super Sunday Volunteer Crew

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Wow! We’re developing quite a team on Sundays. The energy on Sundays is great as several people work together to whip the sanctuary into shape. We catch up on a little more cleanup each week.

Today, TREES volunteers:

Cleaned up ALL fields and paddocks (as in every single one)
Cleaned out all run-in sheds
Scrubbed and refilled water tanks
Scrubbed feed tubs
Took down fans and old fly strips
Replaced burned out light bulbs
Stripped and rebedded Butternut & Henry’s stalls
Bedded Kelley’s shed
Replaced several boards in older sections of fence
Cleaned up the scrap wood left after storage shed construction
Fluffed several geezers’ winter coats
Put away most of Saturday’s load of donated supplies

And all before 1PM.

Then we discussed several admin and fundraising ideas – keep ‘em comin’!

You guys are great. “Thank you” doesn’t seem like enough.

(Now to develop several more teams that work this well together -- both at the farm and "behind the scenes.")

Another Volunteer Orientation! Sept 27, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:13:00 +0000

WE'VE ADDED ANOTHER VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

Monday, September 27, 2010, at 10AM

Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary - Spotsylvania, VA

Looking for a way to help horses "hands-on?" More than just "petting horses," we'll offer an opportunity to play a role in maintaining a high standard of daily care at the sanctuary. Several people who couldn't make it to the orientation on Sept 18 are nonetheless interested in getting started as soon as they can. So, WE'VE ADDED ANOTHER ORIENTATION this Monday, September 27, 2010, at 10AM.

Interested in learning how you can help?

Email info@equineelders.org for directions.

To Alleviate Some Local Confusion:

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 01:17:00 +0000

Almost every time TREES sets up a display at a local event, we are asked "Oh, are you the place that {fill in the blank}?" or “Are you the place on {fill in the blank} Road?”. To alleviate some confusion, here are a few bits of TREES trivia:

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary specializes in the care of geriatric horses that have been abandoned or neglected or whose owners literally can no longer offer even basic care. TREES is not a retirement board facility.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary is in Spotsylvania.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary does not buy horses.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary does not “import” truckloads of horses from other parts of the county.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary only accepts as many horses as it can properly care for at the time.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary customizes a diet and care program for each horse based on its individual needs.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary feeds a high-quality, balanced feed appropriate for our residents’ needs and stage of life.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary feeds each horse separately.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary’s horses all have access to hay or pasture 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Except during meals, or in cases of a veterinarian's instruction, Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary’s horses are turned out 24/7, not kept in small pens.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary provides adequate shelter to every horse.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary documents date of arrival of every horse and condition upon arrival.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary checks on every horse a minimum of three times a day at breakfast, supper and bedtime, many times more often during the course of daily chores.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary keeps its residents on a 6-week farrier schedule, though some are trimmed more often if needed.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary consults with veterinarians regularly, often weekly, about everything from acute or chronic illnesses to allergies and alternatives to current management techniques.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary also consults with complementary practitioners on a frequent basis to augment but not replace “traditional” veterinary care.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary has each horse examined by a dentist at least annually, more often if problems arise.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary does not keep intact male horses on the property or allow residents to breed.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary’s volunteers are asked to follow policies and procedures intended to keep them AND the horses safe.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary does ask parents to remain at the farm with their children because we have neither trained daycare staff, nor a daycare insurance policy.

Traveller’s Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary continuously researches horse care options and tries to keep abreast of new developments in geriatric equine care. If we don’t know, we’ll tell you we don’t know then try our best to find an answer.

For more information, please visit TREES Facebook page or TREES web site.

What Its All About

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:31:00 +0000

This

is what its all about at TREES.

Maryanna, mid-20's

August 29, 2010

And.........

as a reminder:

This was Maryanna on May 6, 2010

Short 'N' Sweet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:55:00 +0000

On a fairly frequent basis, TREES is asked to take in a horse who is in good health, has an owner who "loves him," but can no longer perform well in competition. The email or call almost always includes the phrase "....and I can't afford to take care of a horse I can't ride/show...."

From that we infer that the owner could afford to take care of his or her horse if the horse was still able to meet some threshold of performance.

Here's the honest truth. TREES' current budget isn't big enough to help all those horses and their owners who truly need --repeat-- NEED help: those who have been abandoned or neglected; those whose owners have lost jobs or suffered illness or injury and literally can't afford the next load of hay or a veterinarian's services to treat a current illness or injury.

Those are the people and horses who have priority here. Those who are no longer able to pay horse-related expenses, not those who choose to not pay for horses they can no longer show.

Reiki Level I - Sept 25-26, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:08:00 +0000

Reiki Level I - Shoden

Saturday - Sunday, September 25-26, 2010

10:00am - 5PM

Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary

Begin your study of Traditional Japanese Reiki, as closely as is possible following Usui Mikao's philosophies as researched by the International House of Reiki. This class is taught by Reiki Teacher Janet Dobbs. who adds her own lessons about working wtih animals. For more information about this class or others, cont...act Janet at janet@animalparadisecommunication.com