Introducing Our Newest Herd Member: Flame!

We added a new horse to our Hanaeleh herd this week: Welcome Flame!

Flame is an 18 year-old registered Paint horse. Flame has been on our waiting list for several months, and we were finally able to accommodate him at the ranch.

Flame’s owner had owned him since he was a baby, but unfortunately was no longer able to care for him. Flame had some issues with his hocks, and even though the previous owner had done extensive x-rays, they were unable to determine why Flame was so uncomfortable. She didn’t want to put him down, but didn’t have a lot of options.

Flame Comes to Hanaeleh

We were luckily able to allow Flame to come to Hanaeleh- when he stepped off the trailer, it was obvious he was very uncertain and he was stiff from the trailer ride. We walked him up to the ranch and let him walk around the round pen to work off the trailer ride, and gave him some pain meds to help him feel better. He settled in well, and is a very quiet, sweet boy. Andromeda was very jealous that Flame might steal her best friend, Venus, and kept telling Flame to back off (he was just standing there, doing absolutely nothing), and instead of responding, he just looked at her like she lost her mind and she finally stopped being ridiculous (although she continues to periodically remind him that Venus is HER friend).

Flame is a little thin and under-muscled, and we put him on a similar diet to what he had previously, but he seemed to be leaving a lot of the hay in his feeder, so we switched him to pellets and he was able to eat those. We also started him on some grain with joint supplements and a daily Equioxx pill, which is an NSAID that can be given long-term, unlike bute or banamine. Several of Hanaeleh’s horses are older and many are also on Equioxx, because it helps them feel more comfortable and allow them to move out more soundly. Most people over 40 years old understand the need of having ibuprofen to get through the day comfortably- the same is true for the horses!

Vet and Farrier Care

We had the vet out on Tuesday to do a lameness exam and to have Flame’s teeth floated. The float was serendipitous as the vet discovered that Flame had a cracked tooth which was probably why he was having issues chewing the hay, so that tooth was removed, and he started eating much better afterwards. The vet suggested in addition to the daily Equioxx pill that he be started on Adequan, which helps to not only reduce inflammation, it can actually help to build up the fluid between the joints and rebuild cartilage tissue. Unfortunately it is about $370/month, so we will see how well the Adequan works for this month, and then reassess to see how well he responds.

This past week it rained quite a bit so we weren’t able to turn Flame out again until Saturday, but we saw a big improvement when we turned him out in the round pen on Saturday, when he started moving out and trotting a little! His overall demeanor also seemed much brighter that when he first arrived as well. On Sunday, the farrier was out and found that Flame had two abscesses that had burst in both of his right hooves, which could also have been a reason he was not feeling very well- our wonderful farrier, Antonio Lopez, cut those out and trimmed his feet back. We were then able to turn Flame out in the arena- he was hesitant at first, but after a few minutes, he was so happy to run around! It was like he just discovered that he could run around without being in pain!

Flame still has to build up some muscle, and we are hopeful that he will be able to be serviceably sound again and even possibly able to be ridden. The good news is that he is improving and for now he’s much more comfortable.

Taking in a new horse is always a significant commitment. You can make a meaningful difference by sponsoring Flame for as little as $10 per month. Join us in supporting Flame—Start your sponsorship today here!