Is rescue a four letter word?

I am still amazed when people are surprised I adopted my newest horse.  There are so many horses out there that adooption can be a great way to find a great horse, so here is my story of Broadway.

I love Thoroughbreds, I especially love off-the-track Thoroughbreds. I have owned three and helped in the retraining of many others.  Most have not really been "rescues" per se but have come from trainers on the track who needed good homes.  In February of this year I had to put down my beloved first horse, Scarlett.  In 2002 she was bit by a rattlesnake and it started a long battle with chronic lymphangitis.  After 8 years of countless drugs and every supplement I could find that might help (thankfully I worked at Vetlink :) ) She was not able to put weight on that leg anymore and my vet and I decided it was time to let her go.  On a beautiful Febrary morning with a blanket of snow I let my friend go.  I was the best and worst decision I have ever made.  I know she is pain free and one day I will get to ride her again.

  My Scarlett

 Back on topic, sorry I started this blog about rescues and turned it into one about euthansia, so back to the rescues.

I read a daily blog at http://www.fuglyblog.com/ while I might not always agree with Cathy she has a lot of good information and is a good read.  Fugly blog has banner ads from rescues and that is where I found Broadway.  Broadway is an 11 year old off-the-track Thoroughbred from New York.  She through the rescue network made it to Shiloh Horse Rescue near Las Vegas NV. (http://www.shilohhorserescue.com/ if you want to check them out)  Broadway was cute, little (15.1 like I like them) and ready to go.  I spent long hours watching all the videos Shiloh had posted, I look at all the photos and then I gave them a call.  Something about this little Thoroughbred was calling me.  After talking with Jill, the owner of Shiloh, I decided she was the one for me.  My husband and I planned our trip to Las Vegas and went and picked her up.  She rides nice, she is very sweet and is now in love with my other off-the-track Thoroughbred, Peanut (I promise I will do an introduction post soon) who happens to be her cousin.

My point of this whole story is there are fabulous horses sitting in rescues, waiting for homes that just might be your next best friend.  Please if you arfe looking for a new horse check out the many local and national rescue available.  I cannot say enough good things about Jill and her staff at Shiloh Horse Rescue but I realize Las Vegas is not the easiest trip and something closer may fit your needs better.

I promise to get better pictures of miss Broadway when she is not covered in mud, love the moisture hate the effect! Here is her page from the website if you want to check her out! http://shilohhorserescue.rescuegroups.org/animals/detail?AnimalID=393013

Here is a picture from the rescue, where it is sunny and dry! 

Happy riding and we will see you soon at Vetlink!

They shoot horses with broken legs right?

We all remember the old westerns when the horse with the broken leg is ceremoniously euthanised.  I admitt having a horse with a fracture is one of my worst fears. Last month though I found out my big Trekehener mare, London has a fractured pastern.  Interjecting here, I will do an introduction of all my animals but I wanted to start with this post as it is fresh in my head.

London was off, not quite lame but definatly not sound.  Everyone who saw her thought something was going on in her hind end but we all had no idea what.  In early February I has witnessed her fall in her pen and I admitt it nagged in the back of my mind that maybe she had hurt it then, but it was April now and I didn't think that small incident made a difference, she got up immediatly and was fine, or so I thought.  Dr Dunbar at Littleton Equine Medical Center came out to see London and told me to come into the clinic for x-rays.  So on April 20th I took her into the clinic, where after a lot of flexing and examination by Dr Story the x-rays told the truth, a hairline fracture on the right rear pastern.  A fracture, really she wasn't that lame but the evidence was right there in black and white.  Treatment would be a large bandage and up to 6 months of stall rest that is if the fracture remained stable.  I took London home to set her up for the long stall time.  I put in toys and hay and tried to bed it deeply for comfort and then I waited.

The first two weeks were awful.  London wouldn't eat or drink. Su-per Lyte electroyltes ($9.95 for 5lbs at Vetlink) helped with the drinking and she is getting them daily to keep her drinking.  She stall walked, she wood chewed she whinneyed for her friends. It was depressing for both of us.  Then she started to settle in.  I brought Pony, my pony in to keep her company and the pony she had never looked twice at was now her new best friend.  We starting daily deep grooming and she really enjoyed that.  After those two weeks London settled right in.  she keeps her stall clean, started eating and drinking well and has accepted her fate, at least for now.

Today May 18th was her first month check up.  She loaded well and we headed back to the clinic for x-rays and a re check.  She was perfect.  The x-rays showed a little improvement, not great, but ok.  More time in the stall for London.  I actually think she enjoyed her time at the clinic.  She smiled for the interns and hammed it up for their camera, totally her MO.  Then she didn't want to leave as it took three of us to get her home.  Once home though she checked on Pony and then settled right back into her home.  Hopefully her whole healing process is this good. 

Keep checking back for updates and we will start in with product updates and products of the day along with news and articles about the horse industry.  Happy riding this summer whether it be that first A show or a long trail ride!

Please let me out of here!

Welcome to the Vetlink of Parker Blog!

Hi and welcome.  This blog is going to be used in conjection with our website; http://www.vetlinkofparker.com/. I will be posting products of the day here updates on my horses and shows and updates from the store.  We hope you enjoy all we have to blog about!