Woof Whinny Whisper

Makia Needs a Heart of Her Own

As I was mucking and raking and adoring our herd this morning I was contemplating what I might blog about today.  I thought about telling you the story of what has been going on that has been diminishing my computer time; I thought about talking to you about failing suspensory ligaments and all that entails; in my mind I was formulating the story of Max and how he came to live with us but when I sat down to find photos I realized that the story of the day, the week, the month (and as many months as it takes,) should be Makia.

Makia has been on the blog before.  She is listed on Pet Finder and I have talked to as many people about her as I can. We did have a call on her last week.  They sounded so certain that they wanted her.  The callers never came back to see her.  How sad. 

Makia was brought to a boarding stable in horrible condition and pregnant.  Makia successfully gave birth to a beautiful blue eyed filly in spite of her own condition of starvation and neglect.  My dear friends watched over her and her baby.  Makia was a good mother but she was limited in her ability to care for her filly by the starvation she was forced to endure.  She just wasn't getting enough groceries to feed her baby.  Worse yet, the baby that was already deprived of life giving mare's milk was in a stall that did not allow her to reach water.  Three weeks after her birth, the filly weighed less than she did when she was born.  She was on the slow train of death by starvation and dehydration.  Makia was clearly distraught.  My friends were beside themselves and called me.

The problem was that I was full.  The other local horse rescue was full.  This situation was further complicated because Makia was not abandoned but owned by a heartless individual.  My friends showed me the mare and described the situation as I sat in the stall with Makia and her baby.  The stall had nearly a foot of manure in it.  Now, I don't cry very often... but that day I simply could not hold back the tears.  My friends were as touched as I about the situation and I asked them to find out what it would take to get the mare and filly.  I wasn't sure how we would do it, how we could afford it, where we could put her... and after much negotiations, many deliberations... my friends managed to free the mare and filly.  And they stepped up to rescue them both.  My heart had wings.

(Makia's neglected feet at the time Lindy took her in.)

The filly was adopted quickly but Makia.... well.... Makia is taking time.  Does Makia have less appeal because she is photosensitive?  It isn't her fault she was fed on straight alfalfa.  Alfalfa tends to be inexpensive hay so individuals that are watching pennies tend to feed it exclusively.  If you are a lover of spotted ponies you might know that straight alfalfa has can lead to photo-sensitivity in horses.  Limited alfalfa/clover mixes and providing plenty of shade (and sometimes a nice fly sheet) will help these horses tremendously.  Lots of horses have mild photo-sensitivity.

Makia is a sweet mare with a lead mare personality.  She needs clear direction and a leader.  The times that I have worked Makia she has been a very responsive horse once she understands what her handler wants.  This is not saying that Makia does not test humans because she very clearly does at this stage.  Why should she trust?  Every time I get the opportunity to work her I see in her the desire to connect.  I also see her reluctance.  She has been used up by the heartless and her trust has been badly damaged.  Still, I see the glimmer within.

Makia needs a heart of her own to settle into.  She needs someone to give her time and patience, to provide strong, compassionate leadership for her. She is a small (14.2 hand,) strong, stout tovero paint mare with one blue and one marbled blue eye that is quite beautiful.  Joe has worked with her and believes she has been ridden before.  She does come with 30 days of professional training and four lessons with our trainer. 

Let's find Makia a home.  It's time for humans to stop letting her down.  Don't you think?
I know we can do this.  I have faith.  I have hope.

Reclaimed Mustangs

In order to adopt a Mustang from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) you must meet certain adoption criteria.  After you receive your Mustang you are on probation of a sort for an entire year during which time the BLM will come and check on your Mustang.  If all goes well and you get through your first year and manage to be able to halter your Mustang and handle all four feet the BLM will sign off on your Mustang and it will be titled in your name. 

But sometimes... sometimes after those Mustangs are titled the horses fall into trouble.  The owner falls upon hard times, decide that a Mustang really isn't for them, they realize that training a wild horse is beyond the scope of their abilities and so those Mustangs are sold, abandoned and sometimes simply set free.  Such a sad fate for such beautiful, wonderful animals that are a part of the history of this country.  And that, if you remember, is how we came to have Little Bear and Lightfoot in our rescue: Sweet Freedom.   Once the horse actually becomes titled in an individual's name, the BLM has no authority over the animal and will not take the animal back into their program.  The National Wild Horse Association also operates under the same guidelines so these Mustangs fall between the cracks of bureaucracy.  How sad.  At least these two Mustangs as well as our own Chloe and Karma have become what I now call 'Reclaimed Mustangs'.  Mustangs that were adopted, put through the system and then left homeless again.  It is a growing problem.

To this end, Smrp and I have decided that if Little Bear and Lightfoot are to have the best chance at a permanent home placement that they need to have training completed on them prior to going to their new home.  And so the Huppie Syndicate will be offering both geldings for adoption with 30 days of training by Joe Weitekamp of Diamond W Ranch in Las Vegas.  Like one of the boys?  Once they are adopted, they will be sent to Joe's ranch for thirty days of training.  By the time Joe is finished with them they will have their ground manners, trailer well and be saddle trained.  There you go.  Smrp and I think it is their best shot.  Joe is on board.  Now then....  let's get these boys adopted!!!

Handsome Lightfoot - 14.2 hand, 2005 gelding from the Fox Lake Range in Northern Nevada as a yearling. Bright, sweet and very intelligent. His bite is less than perfect but will not affect his health or usability. 

 

Little Bear - Stout 14 hand 2002 gelding captured at Jakes Wash in Northern Nevada as a two year old.  Little Bear is a true cuddler and likes nothing better than simply spending time being close. This boy is solid. 

I'm anxious to see what Joe can do with them with thirty days of training. I'm looking forward to seeing them simply bloom with him. Aren't you?  Well then... what are you waiting for?  Start spreading the word!!!

I. Love. Little Bear.

And you would too if you met him. 

Meeting Joe W.

That's Joe Weitekamp and Little Bear.  When I look at this photo I see the attentiveness of a horse reluctant to connect, a lead that is slack, an open, gentle hand and an attentive human.  Joe is a Las Vegas based trainer that competed in the Western States Extreme Mustang Makeover and finished in the top ten with a beautiful little mare named Bella.  The Mustang Boys and I met Joe at the National Wild Horse Association's show down in Las Vegas.  Lucky us.

Joe came over to meet our 'reclaimed' Mustang geldings.  A great big thank you to Sherri for making sure we got introductions.  Polite and soft spoken, he sized up the geldings as we talked.  We talked about the Mustang and he told me what great potential he saw in them.  Those are not words I hear everyday.  Some people believe Mustangs to be worthless scrub horses with no real genetic value.  Some people love the idea of the Mustang but the romance quickly fades when the horse is actually in their hands.  There are lots of good intentions but those intentions sometimes wind up with both horses and owners in bad situations. Joe and I talked about the sensitivity of these horses, their willingness to learn and how to best reach them. His passion for what he does makes Joe a good man to know.

Although I had little trouble getting Light Foot and Little Bear into the trailer for transport to the show, Little Bear is so anxious about exiting the trailer that the longer he is contained the more stressful he becomes.  He actually ripped off the top of the bumper pad on the front wall and pulled out the foam.  It is just so much stress for him to be trailered. I know that the only solution to his anxiety is building confidence in backing up and in his handler.  I so wanted to attend the Clinic that Joe was giving in Sandy Valley but the trip was sixty miles for me one way.  I was uncertain if Little Bear could take the pressure of the drive.  When I called Joe and talked to him about it he asked me to make the shorter drive to his place the day before the clinic. 

And so Little Bear and I became students together. 

Our experience was amazing.  What I learned at Diamond W Ranch was to be inspired.  Although I do know many of the techniques that Joe used with Little Bear, it is amazing to see them applied by someone that has passion, connection, patience and experience.  Even though Little Bear was reluctant to allow leadership by Joe, eventually Joe was able to get his attention and his cooperation.  Soon enough, Little Bear was sending, walking over a bridge, backing and unbelievably, Joe was sending the gelding over a mattress.  I watched Joe allow the Mustang to try, to think about it, to look to him for direction and to encourage the horse.  He pawed at the mattress to let Joe know that he wasn't sure about it and Joe gave him time to think and breathe and to trust.  Big accomplishment for a little horse that had just met this man.  Soon enough, Little Bear was walking into a slant load with Joe and then into the straight load and backing out with confidence.  It was awesome.

Light Foot and I will be attending Joe's Clinic in December and so will Little Bear if I can find a handler for him.  Joe has inspired me to work on something special for these two geldings.  The BLM has no authority once a Mustang has been titled and therefore is not a resource for us, I believe that these 'Reclaimed Mustangs' can find a new beginning with just a little help.  It is my goal to help provide that.  With people like Joe Weitekamp in the Mustang's corner, I feel so much more hopeful.

 

 

And for those of you interested (and who isn't?) Joe will be picking up a Mustang in February 2010 for the next Mustang Challenge.  I'll be posting updates and likely bugging you to become a sponsor.  You knew that would happen, right?  I'll let you know my plans for the Mustangs and will update later tonight on Wildflower. Oh! And email me if you want information on Joe's Clinic or to contact him as a sponsor!

Where, Oh Where Has The Whisperess Been?

Where, oh where has she been?

First there were the Mustangs

 

Then an Arab needed her too,

 

1994 Arab mare, have her pedigree.  Sweet, sweet girl! Do her back feet look positioned weird?  Here are her feet:

 

 

 

a week after we got her she had a severe colic.  We thought we might lose her.  What an awful 24 hours!

and there were others to place,

(This Anglo-Arab has a new home!)

(This horse is still available!) 

So she's been busy and tired and that's where that she's been.

I promise to update and post more very soon!  I would like to post before and after photos of the Mustangs and our new Wildflower =)  Please take a look at the video of the gray Arabian. This boy is a very well bred horse that simply got 'lost' in a mountain of human neglect.  How a horse of THIS caliber wound up like this totally shocks me.  Let's all pass it around until we find him the right forever home.  He is NOT owned by The Huppie Syndicate.  We are simply spreading the word about him.