Rescue dog meets Rescue horses

Today we went to Diss Hill Farm. It was Sunday so I knew Jessie would be off to church and it would only be Beckett and myself working around the horses. At first we went down into the first corral area and when I realized that Beckett was excited about seeing these new potential playmates I knew I couldn't keep him in with the horses. Not because there would be an issue, the horses were used to dogs because of Jessie's chocolate lab. It was because Beckett is on a lead and can't be set free. There was too much of a possibility that he'd get under them and tangle up in their legs. No sense in pressing my luck!

So we went outside the gate again as the horses reached up with us. As you can see, the introduction had Beckett all in a flutter. He bounced around behind me as the horses reached over the gate to see what he was all about. Eventually he just crept up to the gate and started the 'smell me and i'll smell you" game. LOL

It was comical to see him do his 'bounce' to try and get the horses to play too. It worked well with dogs but these big guys just didn't seem to know how to play! I managed to get some video too but I'll have to download and put on the jumpdrive tomorrow while I'm at work.

The horses are much more well adapted that this dog is and it's because they've had great care while at Jessie's. She loves them very dearly and spoils them with the care and rest they badly need. It's a great stop along the way for a rescue horse. After seeing these horses come in and the change that happens when they just get to hang together rather than have to work, it's obvious that they need to be detoxed when coming from a track atmosphere.

So in the end, we did a little barn work, we did a little horse play and as i was leaving Jessie arrived home and was kind enough to supply me with a few of her great muffins. LOL.. one of the benfits of showing up at the right time I guess.

New Year, New News

Diss Hill Farm

It's been a long winter of snow and cold and here it is March already. Tonight time changes and I'll take that as a time for change on a number of fronts. Yes it was tough to say goodbye to Apple last year but in hind sight she had a great last summer and didn't have to survive through too much pain before she left us.

Since then, I've met up with a great person who boards the Sadie's Horses at her place in Clyde River PEI. Jessie is some type of woman. She's got more 'spit and vinigar' than most people in their 20's. LOL. She and her husband are retired and run a B&B out of their home called Diss Hill Farm in PEI. Jessie herself is a great supporter of Sadie's Place and even boards 4 of the foster horses on her property. Because of her generous offering to board the horses, I too offer my support to help her when I can and in any way I can.

So, here is the list of fosters at Jessie's but please excuse the poor pictures but I'll work on getting much better ones in the hear future.

On the left you have Title Page and he is in the middle of getting his new forever home. He's a great calm horse with a wonderful sense of self-awareness.

He seems to know when to be his mom's horse and when to be the lead horse. Page, as he is commonly called, immediately endears himself to you with his warm approach and calm personality. He is well on his way to enjoying the rest of his life with his forever home this spring. I wish him nothing but the best of experiences after having earned his retirement life beyond the track.

Jake came to Diss Hill Farm in the fall at the same time time that I did and he was NOT a horse I thought would become something ready to go to a home anytime soon. He didn't know how to socialize with the other horses and so was the low horse of the pack and picked on by all of them. He just didn't have any experience of being within the herd. Page seemed to be the best thing that could happen to him. Page is bossy but at the same time he seems to be teaching Jake the basics of pecking order and social cues. Jake was the jumpiest thing and was so far beyond that I wouldn't put myself anywhere in his stall that I didn't have an escape! Today, he was up snuggling just like Bandet had when he was at our cottage this summer. I can't wait to see how he reacts to being on the lead and training with a saddle on later this spring.

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  And here we have Jane. Jane came into the barn a little later in the winter after being at Jana's place for a spell. She's a little standoffish but soon comes around if you have a treat or two in your pocket. Apparently Jane has been trained under saddle a bit and isn't too bad. I may be getting her on the cottage property and if possible before that I hope I can ride her if nothing else on a lunge line and perhaps Darrin helping. I'm not a seasoned rider by any means so it would very much be the blind leading the blind on this one. I feel more comfortable doing ground work but hope to add riding to my skill set.
  

This is Lily. I have saved Lily for last because she has a special ability to make you realize how warm and loving a horse can be. She has a fantastic curiosity and lacks a lot of the fear that many of the horses I have met exhibit. Sometimes she could use a little caution but for the most part, she should be a fantastic horse for someone. I really hope I get to do some groundwork with her too. She'll either be a pain in the butt to train or she'll be very trusting and allow me to do whatever she needs to do.

I don't have a picture of Jessie yet but will. She's great to be around when spending time at the farm. Her humour lightens the day and her devotion to the horses is out of complete love for the welfare of these animals. They show their appreciation by trusting her in many ways. Sadie, Jessie's chocolate lab is a constant charmer in and around the place. Just be careful that you don't step on her because she's always right there next to you looking for a kind hand and a warm heart.

I'll start collecting more information on each of these horses and posting it in here at a later date.