Newbie needs help

[johndeeregirlz]

HI there, I am looking for some help in finding a home for a 16yr old stb mare. Her name is Justified Unique and she is being retired from her breeding program. She is breeding sound and pasture sound but has a bit of arthritis in her front ankle. (not sure which one) Her current owner wants to send her to the auction (read meat man) but he has given me a month or two to try and find her a new home. I don't know where to start can you guys help me?
Oh I am not too sure where most of you are from but this horse is in Paisley Ontario.

Thanks in advance

[Morning Star Acres]

POst her details here and welcome to the board. Sarah and I can advertise her with her info and pictures.

Sarah is in ONtario and may know of someone looking...I am in NB and occasionally people look for horses as they are travelling or know someone travelling the area.....

POst all her info and pictures if you can under the relocation section and certainly pricate message sarah UHSC about her.

[mojo]

Have you contacted OSAS? Don't know if they would have room to take her in, but they might be able to point you to some other resources??

[Morning Star Acres]

OSAS is very strict and it does cost the owner lots of funds to enter the horse in the program. They have specifics and are very strict. But yes you can always try .

[jengersnap]

Oct 17, 2008 7:16:05 GMT -5 Morning Star Acres said:

OSAS is very strict and it does cost the owner lots of funds to enter the horse in the program. They have specifics and are very strict. But yes you can always try .

It does not cost the owner to donate a horse to the OSAS. Of course, a donation is welcome, and space in the program is heavily contended with a waiting list of horses. We do however focus on bringing into the program horses coming off the track and needing transition to a riding or driving career. For several reasons, Justified Unique would not make a good candidate for the program. If you contact the office, she may be able to be listed as a free companion on the website, but not as an OSAS program horse.

Thank you for trying to help this mare, JDGirlz. I've shed my tears and spend my time trying to find homes for companions, and it's hard. Give the mare an honest assessment; does she have a true chance at finding a good next career? A little arthritis isn't a deal breaker and being a broodmare doesn't mean she can't be broke to saddle or driven. Marie has ankles like baseballs and was never saddled until I got her post-baby career at 17. She's an awesome trail horse, and her arthritic ankles cleared up with an inexpensive suppliment.

Don't focus on what she's been; what can JU be? If the answer is nothing beyond making more babies or adorning a pasture, it may be best to just try to have her put to rest where she's spend her years raising babies. Normally I don't advocate such a thing for such a young horse, but it's basically doing now what will likely happen if she goes to auction. It's better to happen where someone cares for her, don't you think? In an economy where sound, productive horses can't be sold or given away, the best interests of the horse should be thoroughly considered. There's not many people like me who would take an old broodie and cherish them. I'm not saying don't give finding her a perfect placement a chance, but at least with my mare her owners will follow her placement with me for the rest of her life. If something happens and I can't care for her, they want her back. They even have her ownership still. You won't have that system behind JU's future because the owner won't care. If it was your horse, you could have more say. Hope this isn't coming across as harsh, but I know I'd rather see a horse PTS rather then loaded onto a meat truck.

[jengersnap]

Just read your update on EMG. Congrats on getting the owner to come down from $500 to free. Try www.cannington-horse-rescue.com/ Cannington Horse Rescue. I've met Maureen through my work with OSAS and she's of the phillosophy of "what's one more". She *may* be able to help or even take her. I wish this was May and not coming into winter. I'd take a retrain project of that age, put miles on her and find her a home, but I can't with my own horses coming home for winter. I'll ask around to anyone else I know as well.

Editing to add another horse rescue I've found. I don't know anything about them though.

www.whisperingheartshorserescue.com/

[Morning Star Acres]

I have delt in the past with OSAS and hence where I got my first STB gelding. The owners were requested to get a vet clearance - xrays for soundness - Horse UTD on vaccines and wormer and farrier and certificate sent to the association along with a Negative coggins. Then the owners had to pay trailering. At the time they figured it was too costly especially when we had to pay back then $500 for the horse. I was an approved home for fostering and adopting.

The owners of teh gelding at the time decided to give him to me and pull him from the program.

I know things have changed but they unfortunately do have regulations and they do have specifics for horse going through the program. Unlike Sarah and I we try to place each and everyone that is forwarded to us.

We have succesfully placed stallions - broddies as companions - broken down comapnion horses to horses ready for riding.

I surely hope that the mare is able to find a home.

[jengersnap]

Oct 17, 2008 17:53:03 GMT -5 Morning Star Acres said:

I have delt in the past with OSAS and hence where I got my first STB gelding. The owners were requested to get a vet clearance - xrays for soundness - Horse UTD on vaccines and wormer and farrier and certificate sent to the association along with a Negative coggins. Then the owners had to pay trailering. At the time they figured it was too costly especially when we had to pay back then $500 for the horse. I was an approved home for fostering and adopting.

Yes, things have changed and changed and changed (sigh). Which is why I want to make sure the right information is being passed out. I'm sorry the program wasn't what it is today but glad you got your boy. Isn't it all about getting horses into good homes? That's the reason I dedicate my countless unpaid hours to the completely voluntary position of coordinating volunteers. I am also a guardian, site inspector, horse evaluator, show volunteer, booth staffer, approved foster home and potential adopter, plus whatever other odd request that needs a warm body to fill. In the couple of years I've been involved with the org, I've seen it move from barely afloat and almost closing up to finally being backed partially by the standardbred industry itself. It wasn't always possible to throw open the doors and cover all costs and expect the org to succeed. It was and is an alternative for the responsible, compassionate owners and trainers. Having a little more money to make that choice easier was a huge victory. Those who secured funding and continue to do so are tireless and opportunists. And even so, $500 is a drop in the bucket given back for what is put into the horses while in the program. If you'd like to discuss the current program and what it encompasses, I'd be happy to take this off the board.

I surely hope that the mare is able to find a home.

Don't we all? Just because they don't go through one org I'm associated with doesn't mean I don't help all horses where and when I can.

[Morning Star Acres]

I totally agree that we all think of the horses...... This board here and my own of course along with both my program and Sarah's is based on that exactly. What ever throw aways the racetrack has we make every attempt to place them into homes and try our darn best .
OSAS is a huge organisation and get's its recognition and I only ask that this board is contrated on the smaller programs availble.....I am not statting not to talk OSAS but to respect the work us smaller relocation programs do to make an effort to place those the big organisations don't take in or place or possibly miss .....

respect much appreciated