A week in..and Sid is doing great!

Well, yesterday was a week that I have had Sid now. He continues to do great! I have him on Alfalfa grass hay. The morning he gets Orchard Grass pellets with 1/2 dose of "Cool Calories" on top. And now at night I have been giving him some sweet cob grain with the other 1/2 dose of Cool Calories on top. He has done great with this. I can't see much of a difference in his weight yet..but my neighbor seems to think he has picked some weight up since i have brought him home.

The missing patches of hair that was along his backbone is filling in great. I brush him out everytime I bring him to the yard..which is just about everyday. I think this has helped with the hair filling in.

Sid still is cautious of me "loving" on him. It is like he is not used to having someone show him much affection. He seems to really keep an eye on me as I go around his body to brush...it isn't like he is scared..just cautios. I have noticed that quicker movements make him nervous..but I was told that if he had been used as a roping horse, he could be not liking the fast moves, since he was so used to "getting" back quickly when he was roping a calf (or cow!). He does continue to show trust in me, which I will never break that! He is coming along really great! I am going to take more pictures and p0st soon!

PS: Next Wednesday is his vet check! I hope all is good with Sid!~

Sid's is here!

We went to Shawna's ranch yesterday and picked Sid up. WOW, he is a gorgeous boy! I came with my neighbor, Larry, who had a two-horse straightload trailer. The wind was blowing and making the doors "wiggle". At first Sid was a little skiddish about getting into the trailer, but with a little sweet talk and a cup of yummy treats, he hopped right in. What a good boy!
The ride home was about an hour and half long. We stopped twice to pull over and peek in at Sid. He seemed quite content and relaxed.
We got home. I opened up the doors to back Sid out and he wasn't too sure about backing out of the trailer..he tried to peer around to see if he could turn and come out. I talked him slowly and we waited patiently for him...he got the hang of it and stepped right out..what a trooper!

Sid did very well overnight. He wasn't too sure why he couldn't be with the other horses since he could see them from his side of the pasture. We "discussed" this and I am sure he knows that he has to get strong and feeling better before meeting his new "brothers".

Today I brought Sid up into the yard for some "luvin". I spent most of the day out brushing him and just "hanging out" with him. Late this afternoon, I decided to see how he did with the saddle. I saddled him using our light saddle and he didn't seem to mind at all. I hopped on him and we walked around the yard a few minutes. I decided to see how he did down the dirt road so we walked out and he really seemed happy to be riding again. He had perked up ears and a "spring" in his step...he was a dream to ride. He seems to have been really trained well. He knew all of his leg ques and worked off of leg pressure. What a good boy!
After we got back from our little "neighborhood" ride, I unsaddled him, brushed him out and we hung out in the lawn - eating the sweet little alfalfa buttons...he was in heaven.

There is something very special about this "old" boy...he has found his forever home! Thanks to all of the SOS Equine Rescue board members who made this possible for me to bring him home...I love him!

Getting Ready for Sid!

First off, I want to say Thank You to SOS Equine Rescue for allowing me the opportunity to bring Sid into my life. Without them and their big hearts, Sid would have been on a truck to Mexico.

Sid, a 20+ yr old Quarterhorse who had been used as a ranch horse. He has a brand on his rump...so when I get him home and all settled in, I will do some research as to where my "boy" originated from. I know that some people don't think that as a rescue it should be "found out", but I would like to know what has happened to Sid in his lifetime...and a brand is one way to track some of that information down.

Tomorrow is the big day to go to Kennewick, WA and pick him up at the feedlot (that is where i suppose he still is unless Shawna moved him to safer grounds). I will contact her as the morning wears on and locate as to where we will be picking him up at.

Here is a "before" and "after" picture of Sid when he arrived at the feedlot in Tri Cities. I will document Sid's appearance change as we go on...and also his attitude change. I am told that he isn't too sure when people try to show him attention...i am sure he was only
used to work and then put away without being shown any affection. Poor boy!