This has been a tough week for owners and horses. Our next Clearinghouse horse is a beautiful TB/Appy mare named “Almost Annie” who needs a home immediately.
Before proceeding to the owner’s description, I’d like to take a moment to remind everyone that the owners of these horses are trying to do the right thing for the equine friends, sometimes against tremendous odds They are the good guys and their horses are deserving of safe homes. So please, if you have any room in your barn and your heart, consider taking on one of these horses. Doing so will change the course of their lives. And couldn’t we all use all use a little good karma? A little paying it forward? Thank you for considering.
“I have hung onto this mare for much longer than I should have hoping things would turn around. They haven’t. Her soundness is questionable. As we discussed – she was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2009, and I believe this is what affected her soundness. She was treated, and I was told that it was no longer in he system. However the soundness issues continued, and I stopped riding her. Winter of 2008 was the last time she was ridden with any consistency. I have been boarding her, but am quickly running out of money, and the woman who keeps her has rheumatoid arthritis, and also is short on money, and I don’t want her to get stuck with this mare. A divorce and job loss have left me in a pretty precarious position financially, and I’m desperate to move this horse.
Her name is Almost Annie. Her mother rejected her as a foal. We were afraid we would have to orphan her and bottle feed her, but after a week of keeping them separated except for feeding, her mother finally relented and accepted her. Hence the name. She’s a 9 year old TB/App cross. If you google her name there is a pedigree posted on one of the breed sites. She was also featured in “Memorable Moments” in the January 2011 issue of the Virginia Horse Journal.
She has been well handled since birth, and does just about everything a sensible horse should do. A Western trainer started her, but all of her training since has been English. She was trail ridden extensively. Her training was geared toward foxhunting and eventing, but she loved ring work, and was schooled over hunter courses by a junior rider. She didn’t pull, she was learning her lead changes, and she maintained a lovely, consistent pace around the course. She’s a very pretty mover and very comfortable. Two top riders schooled her for both eventing and the show ring. She was very soft, and always ridden in a loose ring snaffle.
My barn was a very quiet 4 stall barn, and all the horses in this barn were born there and lived together. She always hung her head over the stall guard and was happy and sociable with the others when they walked past her stall and when they were groomed in front of her stall. However not so low-key in the busier boarding stable, and it was necessary to close her top door in the afternoon when there were a lot of horses coming and going. When she was in the far end stall where there wasn’t a lot of activity she was fine. She’s an alph mare. At my barn where there was plenty of pasture this was never a problem, but she’s now in a much smaller place and does assert herself. She stands nicely for the vet and will stand for the farrier provided she’s ridden before he gets there. (not hard just her usual riding). If she’s not ridden, then I will tranquilize he for him. She would probably be ok without it, but he’s been doing my horses for years. He’s older and picky about his horses, so I accommodate him. I keep shoes on her front feet, and have tried pulling them a couple of times, but always wind up putting them back on. She stands nicely to be clipped as long as you take your time. In fact it’s senseless to rush her for anything. Her attitude was always forward, and whether it was a ditch, trailer or spooky place as long as she had a second to check things out she was fine. Her mane is very thin and can’t be pulled, so I take tiny sections, twist them then cut. If done properly you can’t tell it was cut. She is prone to rain-rot if left out 24-7. Her routine is: Summer – in during the day out at night. Winter – out during the day and in at night. Bad weather – in. If the weather was really nice, then they stayed out all the time.
She’s a big powerful mare and will not tolerate an inexperienced rider. The the more tactful and softer you are with her (whether hands or legs) the better she is. There’s so much more about this mare, but this should do for now.
I love this mare, and it makes me sick that she can’t retire with me. She deserves much better than what she’s getting now.” Her owner (Nancy) can be reached at: 804-512-7265
White Bird Note: In speaking with the owner, she has clarified that it is likely that this horse is sound enough t ride, now. She just hasn’t been able to be properly evaluated.
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