Abby is doing well for being close to 18 years. Moans once in a while though. Vet said it was just her getting-up noises due to some arthritis in the hind legs. Abby also has some issues in the navicular area on her front, but they have pretty much gone away since she started wearing shoes with pads. Been a bit grumpy lately since I've been spending more time working with Kandee. Wish I had more time in the day to work both regularly. But she does get out pretty regularly for play and a good roll in the arena. She's gotten a bit of a round belly. Vet requested that her hay be cut down a bit. She still has a good time every day picking on the horses next to her, but is still so sweet with people. Had to laugh though when the vet was out a few months ago to see Abby who was a bit under the weather. She said that Abby sure was a melodramatic mare. That's my Abby!

Abby is such a sweetie. I have been babying her lately by rubbing her back and belly button ALOT. She sticks out her upper lip and wiggles it when I rub just the right spot. I also clip her bridal path and whiskers every 2 weeks because she enjoys that too. One time I accidentally rested the clippers on her teeth for a couple of seconds (until I heard the clattering sound). Abby didn't even flinch. I'm glad that she has such confidence to think that I must know what I'm doing. I still have people tell me that they can't believe that I got Abby from a feedlot because she is such a neat horse. Abby does have one fear that we will hopefully overcome some day... when we trail ride past a cow she acts like an elephant in one of those cartoons when they see a mouse. It takes a lot of encouragement & patience to get her past the cow. I originally thought that she liked cows because she used to stare at them when they were grazing on the hill. Now I know that she probably didn't know what they were & was just curious at a distance. That's OK though because she is such a cool horse. She's my big buddy and she usually sticks to me like glue.

She's doing very well. We have grown quite close. Which is actually a little funny as Abby won't leave my side for my son and daughter to ride
her unless I step out of the arena. Abby's favorite hobby is still rolling in the soft arena dirt. She also loves to have her forehead and ears scratched. Abby still gets light to medium exercise 5-6 days a week. We vary between round pen, arena and trail ride. As you can tell from a couple of her pictures, Abby still gets a boo boo here and there from tussling with her neighbors. Nonetheless, she really likes people. Did you know that she has a funny habit of sticking her tongue out and wiggling it when she is very happy?

Thanks so much again Gail for finding Abby and letting me bring her into my family. We love her very much!

Kim

Abby has been faithful to her 6x a week (Saturday-Thursday) light-medium exercise program and is building some nice muscle tone. Her favorite part of her program is when she gets to roll in the soft dirt in the arena.  She now has a water-resistant blanket for the rainy weather. I'm glad to say that she has become friends with the horse next to her & no longer has a collection of bites on her rump (I had told Abby that I was going to  change her name to Boo-Boo if she didn't stop with tusseling with her neighbor).

I still regularly check your horses in need web page and continue to be surprised at all the wonderful horses that are tossed away to the feedlots. I will continue to spread the good word about T.I.E.R. & hope to be able to meet you all in person one day.

I'm still riding Abby with only a halter, lead rope, no saddle & only at a walk and trot in the arena until I get my riding gear this weekend. She's doing just great. I haven't had any spills, but have learned that I need to give her very light leg cues if I don't want her to sit on her hind quarters to turn.

I just can't tell you how thrilled I am to own Abby. She is very affectionate and tries so hard to please me. I turn her loose everyday in the arena to run around, but Abby spends most of her time visiting with me.

She does love to stare at the cows on the hill and eventually when we're ready to trail ride I think that she'll enjoy the trails a lot.

Abby had a power float on Friday, 15 Sep 00. She was very patient & gentle for the vet (and vice-versa). The vet said that Abby is the first horse that she was able to float all 4 hooks in 1 visit.

I had a trainer ride Abby for 15 minutes. Trainer said that she was very receptive to all cues and a really nice horse, but could tell that she hasn't been ridden in a while. I am in the process of getting my riding gear. I did ride Abby bareback with a halter yesterday (only at a walk) in the arena. Gave Abby leg and verbal commands. All I can say is that this mare is really eager to please. She responded perfectly. I think she is a little nervous and not sure what to expect since she hasn't gotten to know me well yet.

I've named my mare Abby. I think she's a happy horse. On her 4th day at her new home I turned her loose in the arena for her daily exercise. I was very surprised when she showed-off by repeatedly running around the arena at full speed, sliding to a stop and turning on her hind quarters. When she was tired, she came back and stood next to me to let me know that she was done. Abby responds beautifully to verbal commands (walk, trot, whoa) when doing ground work. I think she'll be a dream when she's ready to ride. Farrier came out yesterday. He believes that Abby's slight soreness on front feet is due to gravel in the cracks of her front hoof walls. He trimmed her hoofs, slightly adjusted the angle on front left and put shoes on front only. Farrier thinks that Abby's soreness will disappear as soon as hoof wall inflammation subsides. Abby's cold has cleared-up. Vet coming back today to do power float. They will have to sedate her so I'll let Abby have a quiet day after vet leaves.