Merlin, the latest rescue - Pictures - Pictures - Horse Community, Horse Pictures, Horse Forum and Information

Posted : 8/15/2013 6:21:33 AM

Merlin is a QH or Quarter pony rescued from an uncertain fate at auction. He was previously rescued from a home where he was starving and ridden with spurs that have left white scars on his sides. His most recent owners are going through terminal cancer in the family and were going to take him to the auction so his original rescuer again stepped in and a friend of mine asked if we could take and rehome him. My neighbor's son is taking lessons on Spirit and needs a good, reliable mount. Supposedly, this gelding fills that bill but it is hard to tell right now because his front feet are so long, it is difficult to walk.... still has the shoes on. He got a bath the other day and tolerated it well and so far seems very sweet. Farrier is coming Friday morning to get started on getting his hooves back to normal. Here is when they first met:

This is after his bath with medicated shampoo as he looks moth-eaten on his jaws, neck and chest:

His horrible hooves....

Connie

Posted : 8/15/2013 10:38:40 AM

Such a nice head on this horse. Hope your farrier can do something with those feet. Someone certainly put the shoes on to stay. Before I bought Lena she had been out on some kind of lease and the people had front shoes on her. When I first saw her, her feet were growing around the shoes. I wouldn't commit to her until they had the shoes removed and the feet trimmed. She seems to have come out of it fine but her feet did not look as bad as this horse's feet do.

WONDERFUL smile on that young man's face. the horse appears to have been getting adequate groceries.

Hope he proves to be sound enough to be enjoyed. It is obvious he will be loved.

Durangogramma

Posted : 8/15/2013 2:53:14 PM

If he has no previous issues of soundness, he'll probably be all right once he's back down to correct hooves. I've seen worse than that (with shoes), and the horses turned out OK. He sure is cute and looks very sweet.

hunterseat

Posted : 8/16/2013 1:47:48 AM

Ditto, ditto. I like him! The young man seems to, too!

aleena

Posted : 9/11/2013 4:29:27 AM

lovely horse, i love horse riding

tripleluckyprince

Posted : 9/11/2013 6:09:33 AM

Beautiful color!
That poor boys feet [ ':('

]
Diablo had pretty bad feet when we first got him, they were soft and too long and he ended up where one hoof was growing lopsided? I don't remember the name for it but after a few corrective trims and some goop that I smeared on the outside of his hooves he was as good as new.
I hope this boy does good and that little boy gets a best horsie friend [ ':D'

]

danastark

Posted : 9/11/2013 11:07:06 PM

Sadly, the vet said he has a severely arthritic, calcified hock with a bowed suspensory....likely from trauma, either was ridden too hard when he was 2 or so and the growth plates hadn't closed or he was ridden too hard in deep footing. He is only a very light, flat-use horse or a pasture pet. He is only about 10 years old she said. We're trying to find a home for him with someone who either wants a pasture pet or just moseying down the road.....