LeahMurray
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- Joined
- Jun 29, 2004
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Hi, folks!
I'm desperately looking for some assistance for my minis if anyone has a bit of time: I need some advice and direction from folks a bit more expert than I am in the ways of the equine world.
Here's the scoop: I was blessed last year with the gift of three miniature horses who needed me just at a time when I needed them, and am now their proud and happy owner. What I know about them is this:
They are AMHA or AMHR registered, but I have no idea where their papers are now. They are Candyman, aged 21, Lucky Man, aged 19, and Moon Dancer, aged 7. Candyman and Lucky Man are just under 34", and Dancer is 36", so I suspect he is not really classed as a mini.
Candyman and Lucky Man both have a liver disorder of some kind, we suspect from either plant poisoning or from hereditary issues: they are also both suffering from non-regenerative anemia. No, it's not EIA -- we tested for everything. Lucky Man is managing ok -- Candyman suffers from regular loose stools as well though and I am managing their nutrition very carefully as a result.
Moon Dancer has a halter-busting habit (has broken four this year so far while out in pasture), but otherwise is in the pink, and seems likely to remain so for quite some time given enough loving and good basic care.
Candyman and Lucky Man are full brothers, and Moon Dancer is their half brother -- he had the same sire on a different dam. Both Candyman and Lucky Man have had laminitis at one time, and all three of them get "wave mouth" if their teeth are neglected: I have a regular equine dentist now who does a checkup and touchup once every six months.
I have committed to giving them a forever home, and so far, that has worked out very well regardless of the health issues that Candyman and Lucky Man are facing -- yes their vet bills are a bit higher than Dancer's, but my med costs are higher than my teenage god-daughter's are too.
I would like to find out anything I can about them -- especially if anyone has any idea about pedigrees or anything that will tell me what kinds of health things to watch for as my beloved boys get older - I want them to be healthy and happy and live a long time.
Can anyone give me any idea how or where to start? I don't know the names of their previous owners, just that they were an older couple from here in Ontario somewhere who retired to Florida three years ago when his eyes went bad and they had to let their farm go. And I have heard that all three horses were born in upstate New York.
Candyman and Lucky Man are both very comfortable in the show ring, and serve as "toddler class halter trainers" for the equestrian centre where they live, and both of them have been driven as well, in fact came with a very nice buggy and two complete sets of draft harness. I haven't driven them yet because of their earlier health issues -- I am working very slowly with them and only entered them in a halter class in one show in the spring, at which they did me proud, taking first and second place.
They are really wonderful little guys, and I'd like to give them every chance to have a long and happy life with me, so would very much like to find out more about them if I can.
Any suggestions will be welcome!! I enclose some not very great pics which utterly do not do them justice below! I have other pics as well, which I can post on demand if someone wants to see markings/conformation, etc.
Leah Murray
Candyman
Lucky Man
Moon Dancer
I'm desperately looking for some assistance for my minis if anyone has a bit of time: I need some advice and direction from folks a bit more expert than I am in the ways of the equine world.
Here's the scoop: I was blessed last year with the gift of three miniature horses who needed me just at a time when I needed them, and am now their proud and happy owner. What I know about them is this:
They are AMHA or AMHR registered, but I have no idea where their papers are now. They are Candyman, aged 21, Lucky Man, aged 19, and Moon Dancer, aged 7. Candyman and Lucky Man are just under 34", and Dancer is 36", so I suspect he is not really classed as a mini.
Candyman and Lucky Man both have a liver disorder of some kind, we suspect from either plant poisoning or from hereditary issues: they are also both suffering from non-regenerative anemia. No, it's not EIA -- we tested for everything. Lucky Man is managing ok -- Candyman suffers from regular loose stools as well though and I am managing their nutrition very carefully as a result.
Moon Dancer has a halter-busting habit (has broken four this year so far while out in pasture), but otherwise is in the pink, and seems likely to remain so for quite some time given enough loving and good basic care.
Candyman and Lucky Man are full brothers, and Moon Dancer is their half brother -- he had the same sire on a different dam. Both Candyman and Lucky Man have had laminitis at one time, and all three of them get "wave mouth" if their teeth are neglected: I have a regular equine dentist now who does a checkup and touchup once every six months.
I have committed to giving them a forever home, and so far, that has worked out very well regardless of the health issues that Candyman and Lucky Man are facing -- yes their vet bills are a bit higher than Dancer's, but my med costs are higher than my teenage god-daughter's are too.
I would like to find out anything I can about them -- especially if anyone has any idea about pedigrees or anything that will tell me what kinds of health things to watch for as my beloved boys get older - I want them to be healthy and happy and live a long time.
Can anyone give me any idea how or where to start? I don't know the names of their previous owners, just that they were an older couple from here in Ontario somewhere who retired to Florida three years ago when his eyes went bad and they had to let their farm go. And I have heard that all three horses were born in upstate New York.
Candyman and Lucky Man are both very comfortable in the show ring, and serve as "toddler class halter trainers" for the equestrian centre where they live, and both of them have been driven as well, in fact came with a very nice buggy and two complete sets of draft harness. I haven't driven them yet because of their earlier health issues -- I am working very slowly with them and only entered them in a halter class in one show in the spring, at which they did me proud, taking first and second place.
They are really wonderful little guys, and I'd like to give them every chance to have a long and happy life with me, so would very much like to find out more about them if I can.
Any suggestions will be welcome!! I enclose some not very great pics which utterly do not do them justice below! I have other pics as well, which I can post on demand if someone wants to see markings/conformation, etc.
Leah Murray
Candyman

Lucky Man

Moon Dancer
