Ferrell Hollow Farm

Francis's Day at the Vet Clinic

Today we finally got a diagnosis for Francis's hind leg lameness.  But before I tell you about that, let's start at the beginning of his story :)

Exactly 7 weeks ago Francis arrived at my Senior Retirement farm from NY, having been retired as a NYC carriage horse to Pets Alive, a no kill animal sancutary who I adopted him from.  I knew he had issues with a hind foot that abscessed, but that's about all I knew of any issues with him.  He was lame in the right hind leg when he arrived and had been given bute for his long journey down here to keep him more comfortable.  As the days went by unmedicated, I could see that he was most uncomfortable and began scratching my head as to why.

So my vet, Dr. Nathaniel Wright from Tennessee Equine Hospital, came out for a look.  What he found at this time was thrush, seedy toe and white line issues with the right hind foot.  So clean it up, wrap it and give him some anti-inflammatory and see how it goes.  A week later with no improvement I have the vet come out again, this time prepared with his x-ray machine.  He took x-rays of all four feet.  What he saw was some chronic laminitis and dropping of the coffin bones, but no fractures or rotation. 

I then order and put him in Soft Ride therapeutic boots on the front feet.  He is more comfortable in them, however it does not improve anything in the hind feet & legs.  So I have Dr. Wright out once more for nerve blocks to try and pinpoint where the issue is exactly.  He blocks both hind feet from the pastern down to the feet and no there's no improvement which tells us the issue is higher up the leg.

So today instead of having the vet make another farm call, I trailered him over to their nice new state of the art facility.  The actual logistics of trailering this horse anywhere made me a bit nervous.  When he gets upset, he can be really hard to handle.  As my vet put it--he's a bulldog!  Meaning he will drag and push you around in a nanosecond if he gets upset and doesn't want to do something you are asking of him.  Francis is VERY attached to Mary and I knew she had to come along for the ride today.  I had already planned on lightly sedating both of them (safety first!) but they were so calm and quiet this morning, I did not have to :)  They did however get calming herbs, oils and Bach's Rescue Remedy--and don't think I didn't use it on myself too!  So the load up went fairly well and we were off to an early start.  Thank you Rachel and Amanda for helping today!

When we led the horses into the facility, I could actually see Francis smile as he stepped onto the cushy pavers that line their entire facility floors!  Their clinic is newly remodeled and just beautiful.   Mary got put in a stall while Francis was held by an assistant, a small statured girl--poor thing, while the vet worked.  I had decided that I was going to be an observer and let a paid staff member handle him in case he got hard to handle.  After all, wasn't I paying for that service??

After attempting to use a hoof tester on his hind feet unsuccessfully (I told Dr. Wright that he must just want to make Francis mad as whenever he tries to hoof test him, it never ends well).  He just can't support the weight of the other foot and once actually kicked him.  I thought he would have learned by now :)  My horse is getting a reputation for being a big brute!

We had already determined that the right hind tendon was much larger than the left one and he palpated it and had some other vets look at it and feel it as well.  It was now time for the sedation to keep him calm and still. Then he took ultrasound imaging of both hind legs starting with the left one explaining what we were looking at the entire process.  The left hind tendons appeared normal.  It was time for a little bit more sedation as he was very alert.  When the right hind tendons were ultrasound there was a remarkable difference--what we saw was an old tear/lesion/injury or whatever it may have been at the time, with lots and lots of scar tissue-huge amounts.  The Deep Digital Flexor Tendon (DDFT) was the one affected.  I can only speculate that at the time he sustained this tear or injury, it was not treated and he then was retired from carriage work.  So now he is left with a contracted tendon that is most probably painful as he steps that leg down and walks on his toes because the tendon just won't stretch enough to allow him to place it normally.  We can only guess that what is going on there is causing his left hind leg to move in a stringhalt/hitchy like action.

While we were at the clinic, the vet wanted to take x-rays of his hocks, thinking that he had bad arthritis, but he was astounded to find none!  He could not believe how clean they were.

There's really no treatment for him, all I can do is have my barefoot trimmer continue to work on his feet and have my Ttouch/Energy Worker do what she can for him.  I will look into the possibility of using therapeutic boots on his hind feet.

Oh and guess what came in today's mail?  The vet bill for the 3 times Dr. Wright was here--ugh--can't wait to receive the one for today!

Do I have any regrets about adopting such a special needs older horse?  Absolutely None!  He has a forever home here no matter what his issues are.

 

Mary and Francis after they got home.  Francis was looking for a good spot to roll and he found one!
 

Saturday Morning Mayhem

I was hoping that today would run smoothly allowing me to get some rest in between the usual horse feedings.  However today has already proven to be one of those days where you never know what's in store for you.

For some reason I chose to head out the door a bit earlier than usual before it became day light.  As I headed over to the first group I did not find them hanging out in their run in shed.  So I turned on the lights and began calling for them.  I figured they were in their normal resting spot under some trees.  I couldn't see clearly as it was still a bit dark.  I began to walk the field and become uneasy when I could not find them.  Then I saw the lower gate adjacent to the next field laying flat on the ground smashed in one place.  Then I look up to see that the 2 dark horse figures that I presumed were Haley and Tess were actually Eagle and Maggie.  Willie, the little houdini, had struck again!  I knew for a fact that it was his doings getting the gate off it's hinges, unbolting the chain and letting he and his pasture-mates go for a romp in Haley and Tess's field!  I mumbled a few choice words under my breath and went about the task of moving the 3 of them back where they belong and rigging the gate back up until my husband came over to re-attach it permanently, which he promptly did.

Eagle and Maggie compliantly went to their run in shed and acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.  Willie, however, was all bent out of shape that I dared take him away from his new found freedom and spent the next hour running, pacing the fence and screaming.  No one called back though or seemed to care.  He's finally settled down but is still hanging out at that gate I presume plotting the next escape!

When I go to feed Haley I see that he has fallen as he has 2 new cuts on the outside of his right hind leg, fresh and red.  I say a few more choice words silently as I am guessing in all the commotion, he got off balance and fell and cut himself.

Previously I had to take the grounding rod out that attached to the top wire between Haley/Tess and Tee/Toube's field because Haley had been hurting himself on it, so the top electric fence wire is not hot.  Toube has taken it upon herself to push on that top wire.  Well she broke it in one spot.  It was repaired yesterday and again she leaned on it and broke it last night.

Then I noticed a large tree had been uprooted and had fallen over from Tee/Toube's field into another unused field and part of the tree was leaning on the roof of the run in shed in the empty field.  Not to mention that the fence was attached to that tree and had split in one place.

That has been the first 3 hours of my Saturday morning.  So instead of getting any much needed rest today, I will be patching, repairing and trying to stay at least one step ahead of things around here!

Inspiration behind Ferrell Hollow Farm

My Inspiration for Ferrell Hollow Farm In 1982, when I was 13 years old, my father bought me a three-year-old Thoroughbred mare named Turnip. She was green broke and trained to be a Hunter/Jumper. Her show name was “Turn To Me” and she was long legged and thin – just like me. She was an extremely talented yet high strung yet mare and it wasn’t two months after owning her that one of her bucks tossed me off her back and I suffered a hairline fracture in my left arm. So while my arm was in a sling, my mom stepped up to the plate and became Turnip’s “groom”. She did everything for her except ride her. We left that adventure to my trainer. Turnip and I shared many years of competing in local and “A” circuit Hunter shows throughout North Carolina. We also dabbled in Dressage and Combined Training. My father had a Pace Arrow motor home that he would drive to the shows so we’d have a place to stay. I’ll never forget one show in particular … we had gotten all settled in for the evening and Turnip was in her stall resting. My dad decided to take a stroll around the show grounds and stopped by her stall to pet her. Well, apparently, Turnip wanted nothing of the sort and reached out and bit him in the stomach – hard. As you might imagine, he had few choice words to say about her at the time. I suppose he was entitled, after all he was paying for his middle child’s hobby and this was the thanks he got (from the horse, that is, not me). Eventually he forgave Turnip, although he always made sure there was a respectable distance between them! Daddy made me leave Turnip at home while I went away for my first year of college. He actually wanted to sell “that hay burner” and, despite vehement protests from me, began looking for a buyer (half heartedly, I’ll admit). Thankfully, one never materialized. My sophomore year of college I got to take her with me and put her back in training. We even participated in several local shows in Eastern NC. All the while, Daddy still wanted to sell her, but fortunately that never happened! When I decided to move to Tennessee in 1991, the barn owner where I stabled Turnip approached me about leasing her for year to breed for a foal, so I agreed. After the filly was born and weaned, they trailered Turnip to Tennessee to be with me. At this time, Turnip and I decided to focus on Dressage and participated in some local dressage schooling shows. When she was 16, I decided to breed her to a Selle-Francais because I wanted a younger Dressage prospect to work with. After the colt was weaned, I resumed Turnip’s Dressage training; however, shortly thereafter she began to show signs of lameness. Through veterinarian testing, it was determined that she had Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) in her hocks as well as beginnings of bone spurs in the same area. I was given the choice to inject her hocks to keep her sound or retire her from competition. I chose the latter. It was then that I decided to pursue one of my life-long dreams of owning my own farm so I could have my horses with me. I began searching for property and it took less than a year before I stumbled across what is now Ferrell Hollow Farm. That was April of 1996. Cindy, Turnip and her colt had found their home at last! Needless to say, the farm has evolved quite a bit since then. It was – and still is – such a beautiful setting, with gently rolling hills, that I would on occasion take Turnip out for a hack in the pastures. A couple of years later, however – by the time she was 19 – I decided not to ride her anymore and retire her. For the next 10 years, Turnip had many ups and downs with her health. Caring for her presented numerous challenges, yet she was always, always an inspiration – and she taught me more than I could ever imagine. Turnip passed away in November of 2008 at age 29. I will miss her every day for the rest of my life, but because of her (and thanks to her), I have devoted myself and Ferrell Hollow Farm to making sure older and special needs horses live out their remaining days in a comfortable, peaceful setting with the best care possible.

Haley & Francis

Haley and Francis--my two big boys!  They weigh about the same, but are different breeds and statures.  Haley is a dark bay 17.1 hand Selle Francais (French Warmblood) and Francis is a black 15.3 + hand Percheron/Fresian (Draft cross) with both weighing between 1,300 and 1,400 pounds. 

Take me seriously if I say that either of them are having issues involving their feet because that's a lot of weight to be working around!

Haley is the result of my breeding my TB mare to a Selle Francais many years ago.  He is big, gorgeous and sweet and we have a special bond.  It became apparent early in his life that something was not quite right with him.  After many vet vists and trips to the equine clinic, he was confirmed as a Wobbler at age 2.  He has lived his life with me on my retirement farm taking it easy and being spoiled.  Almost 11 months ago he was striken with a horrible case of EPM.  If not enough to live with one neurological disorder, now he is living with two.  I have not yet met anyone that has a horse with both of these disorders.  One is enough to deal with. 

He has continued to amaze and astound all of us with his willingness to go on and be present and be taken care of.  He has good times and bad times and some in between. 

For almost 2 weeks now he has been going thru a bad time.  Two days ago he had a seizure.  He was in his run in shed and I had just given him lunch with hugs and kisses and walked back to the house.  Within 10 minutes he was down and seizing.  I ran back out and he was able to get up and move about, tongue hanging out the left side of his mouth and disoriented.  If you've ever had the unfortunate experience of witnessing such an event, you can understand it when I say I am afraid to let him out of my site.  I just try to listen to what he needs and continue to love him unconditionally.

  Haley    Francis
 
Francis has been here for 3 weeks now.  He has a multitude of issues to deal with.  Being a carriage horse for many, many years has contributed to the feet and leg problems he has now.  He was lame on his right hind when he arrived.  After being taken off of the bute, more noticeable lameness and strange movements and stances made me realize that he might not just have one issue, but many.

My barefoot trimmer had not met him yet, but I was emailing her photos and describing the issues.  I knew he needed a good trim, but until then was trying to address the thrush in all four feet.  As the days went by and he only became worse, I called my vet out.  At his first inspection, he thought the thrush, seedy toe and white line issues in the right hind foot might be his main problem and he may be trying to abscess.

A few days later when the poor guy was not improving, I started giving him bute just to see if he would respond to the anti-inflammatory drug.  I had decided to give him a 3 day trial of a low dose of bute,  then I would switch him to Naproxen as it has much less risk of gastric upset.  Of course I always give these medications with a good probiotic.

I called my vet back out as I wanted to have his feet x-rayed.  Fortunately the x-rays did not show any fractures or bone rotation, but showed signs that Francis was dealing with chronic laminitis, which is inflammation in the feet.  We also know that he has ringbone and sidebone in the hind pasterns and arthritis in the fetlocks.  Most recently I believe he may have a contracted tendon or ligament in the right hind leg as well which prevents him from placing weight evenly on his foot.

So what are the treatment options?  Well for now he is in a large paddock with his friend Mary 24/7 with access to a large run in shelter and pea gravel paths in the tree groves.  He is fed a diet of low sugar/starch forage based products with herbs and supplements as I see the need for.  His appetite is very good and he is fed three times a day.

I now have soaking boots large enough to fit his feet and therapeutic boots for turn out will be here soon.  I must continue to clean & spray or clean & soak his feet to eliminate the thrush.  The Soft-Ride boots are considered therapy or rehab boots and will be used on his hind feet for support and comfort.  Pain medication will hopefully be decreased and even eliminated, but pending any progress with the boots.

I am constantly observing the horses, listening to what they are telling me and hopefully will be able to pull what is needed from the knowledge, experience and support systems I have and find what is right for each of them.

September Update

We have had a very wet September here in Middle Tennessee-last I heard we had at least 11 inches of rain for the month!  The past four days have been dry and the fall temperatures have set in.  And it's time to mow all the pastures, hopefully for the last time this season.

Earlier in the month before the rains came, we were wise to work on some drainage issues, installing some french drains in a couple of needed areas.  Once the flood waters gushed in, we were able to see them at work-just in time!

September brought the addition of Francis and Mary--draft cross retired carriage horses from NY.  They settled right in as if they knew they were home.  Mary has taken a liking to me-I tell people, she has eyes for only me :)  She's a doll to work around--very well mannered and sweet, and she LOVES to eat!

Francis definitely has a personality about him much like my Haley--many similarities.  He has some significant issues with his feet that are unfolding and we are trying to figure out exactly what is going on.  He is happy here and also loves to eat :)

I decided to have my hay racks fabricated in such a way that the horses couldn't yank the flakes out the side--hay racks are useful but poorly designed in my opinion.

   Francis & Mary enjoying the new hay racks.

Also on the project list this month was putting in pea gravel around water troughs and spouts for ease of walking and also to be used as a soaking area for laminitis or ouchy feet if needed.

Eagle explores the pea gravel at one of his watering areas.

   Despite the rain and grass growth, Dawn has managed to lose a bit around the middle and looks fabulous!

Toube, Tee & goats Gertie & Josie with hay and treat ball.

Maggie was able to get past an acute episode with her ulcers with the help of an herbal blend and aloe vera.

Willie continues to do well with his transition to barefoot.

Tess (left) has been started on an herbal blend for Cushings.  She is already growing in her winter coat.  Haley (middle) continues to amaze and astound us with his strong will to live and ability to compensate.

Eagle was started on a joint supplement and we continue to battle his thrush.  He is difficult to work on only because of his arthritis, otherwise he is a gem!

Haley having an energy session.

Francis has adopted a "navicular" stance taking pressure off of his heels.

Mary is very tolerant & patient with her grooming.

Treat Toys

A woman who I did a nutritional consultation for recently ordered some Nose It horse balls for her 4 horses.  She sent me a video of the horses rolling them around and having fun discovering the treats (hay pellets) as they fell out.  I looked at the website and was impressed.  However reluctant to spend $25 per treat ball, I decided I could make something similar myself.

There are two mares here that become bored easily and they share their pasture with my two goats, who are inquisitive and nosey by nature.  I thought they would become the perfect candidates to try out my version of a treat ball.

I had these 6 sided plastic containers on hand and used a 1.25 inch drill bit to drill two holes on opposite sides of the container for the hay cubes.

I used a 1/2 inch drill bit for the holes in the treat ball that Willie and Maggie are pushing around.  I put three holes in the plastic container and put hay pellets inside.

At less than $5 a piece, I figure I could replace them 5 times if they get destroyed versus the cost of one Nose It ball.  The horses and goats seem to enjoy pushing the balls around and it keeps them occupied.  Just one way to offer a low sugar/starch treat idea to your horse.

Francis and Mary

Francis and Mary have arrived!  These two beauties were sent to Pets Alive in Middletown, NY after they were retired from their careers as NYC carriage horses.  They are some of the lucky few that are actually transitioned from a hard life working on the streets to rescue or retirement.

I want to thank Kerry Clair, director of Pets Alive for allowing me to adopt these wonderful creatures and care for them the rest of their days on my senior retirement farm.  I also want to thank Tommy Clair, Kerry's husband, who took 3 days of his time to haul them from NY to TN.  And to all the staff and volunteers at Pets Alive who took care of them until they found their forever home.

It was dark last night when they arrived, so no grand photos until today.  However the weather has been most uncooperative and it has been pouring rain since I awoke this morning.  So far there was one break in the weather so we could snap some photos.

Records on these horses are pretty much non-existant before 2007 and their exact age and breeding are not clear.  However our best guess is that both horses are around 25 or so and Francis is a Fresian/Percheron cross and Mary is a Standardbred/Draft cross.

                                             

Mary has a left capped hock from an injury two years ago and Francis is lame on his right hind foot.  I am told he is prone to abscessing so further investgating and time will tell that story.

This morning they met Dawn. They were very curious about each other.  It was really uneventful.  A little sniffing thru the fence by all parties and that was it!  The three of them could tell some stories I am sure as they all had a life of hard work.  Dawn was on a hack line in NC for most of her career before being retired.  All three have white spots on them from years of tack and harness use.

  Francis, Cindy and Mary

I feel so grateful that they are here and look forward to taking care of them :)

Run In Shelter Addition

The first run in shelter my husband and I built was several years ago and it is a two bay 12 X 24 shed.  At the time I did not feel a need to add a storage room on it since the main barn was a short distance away.  However since pushing a wheelbarrow full of hay and supplies in the dead of winter, only to realize that I've forgotten something, and having the horses scrambling to see who can snatch hay from the cart first, is really not much fun, I decided it was time to add on.

Most of you know I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of two new horses.  They are wonderful retired NYC carriage horses and they left on their 2 day journey this morning.  This shed will be theirs.  So it was time to upgrade before they arrived.  My husband, two of our farm helpers and myself have been planning and working for a couple of weeks now.  A water and electric line were dug and put in from the main barn.  Electrical outlets and lights were installed.  The horses here are spoiled and electricity is a must for fans in the warm weather and heated water tubs in the winter!

Then the storage room was built and stained.  The gutter was moved over and water tubs on either side will catch rain water.  And there is that little luxury of a city water spigot so I will never have to haul water into that field again! The supply room will house hay, feed and all supplies for Mary and Francis.  The shelter is situated in a 2 acre field that is cross fenced with another 2 acre field.  They will have access to both fields and will be able to see the other horses in adjacent fields.

Feed tubs, fans, hay bags, scratching posts and a fly net screen have all been hung.  I think we are ready!

  

                                                    

Labor Day

I suppose Labor Day means different things to different people, but to us it's just another day of laboring around the farm :)

A short update on what's going on with the horses at Ferrell Hollow Farm.

Here's Dawn this morning eating her morning snack before being put out on pasture with a grazing muzzle.  She actually took her head out of the tub of orchard hay to enjoy the grooming!  When the pampering was over, her head took a dive back in.

She would like for me to let everyone know that my camera angle was off a bit, as she does NOT have a saggy back or a big belly, that her figure is just perfect!

Tess has been having problems with her knees for about a month or so now--mainly the left one.  She is going thru some arthritic changes and whenever she decides to go down for a roll or nap, which is not as frequent as it used to be, her knees pay the price and puff up :(  So every morning she gets to wear an ice boot and is on herbal anti-inflammatories and a joint supplement.

Haley has had ouchie feet lately.  Probably some low grade laminitis--again--poor boy.  He is one strong guy with an amazing ability to compensate.  He likes to get in his stall in the shed and rest against the panel on the right side to take a load off.

Tess & Haley at breakfast this morning.

Tee and Toube have raging hormones--they have been out of control for a long time.  They are both getting ready to be started on Smart Calm pellets by Smart Pak as they don't like the granulated magnesium.  However I am pleased to say the concoction I make each morning Tee loves--I add chamomile to the magnesium in a bit of chopped hay and hay pellets and she licks the bowl clean!

Tee and Toube enjoying their morning hay.

Willie is doing very well with his transition to barefoot.  He had shoes when he arrived many years ago and his owner and farrier were reluctant to pull them, thinking he would have a really hard time barefoot.  I decided it was time to have them pulled off and he has been doing great without them!

Eagle is so stiff that I can only pick up his left front foot to clean it and check for thrush.  When trying to pick up the right front, he leans towards me and locks his knee--no way he says.  This morning we had a break thru!  I got both fronts up to clean and treat for thrush.  It was no easy task mind you, but I was persistant and he gave in.  Horray!  The back feet I have to wait until he rests a foot and get down on my hands and knees and clean and spray.  Whatever it takes to get the job done!

Maggie has had a flareup of her ulcers the past few days.  Normally she is a hearty eater but now wants to pick at the meals and eat extremely slow and is grazing less.  I have her on an herbal blend for ulcers that I make and am also giving her aloe, and it is working, as she feels better today.

Willie, Eagle and Maggie grazing.

Hoof Trimming Day

Today was farrier day here at Ferrell Hollow Farm.  Seven of the horses got their feet trimmed.  It had been about 7 1/2 weeks since the last trim, and with the wet summer, there had been quite a bit of hoof growth.

Here's the run down on who got what:

Tee had lost a front shoe, which I never found in the field, so she got new shoes on the front feet today.  She is a TB with feet that have a tendency to split and crack and the shoes have helped to aleviate that problem.  She can be a bit fussy, but today was very well behaved--to all of our delight :)

Toube is a little bitty, but mighty and spunky girl who has appropriately small feet for her large ponish size.  She is highly distractable when brought to the barn, fearing she may miss something going on out of her range of sight.  She was well mannered as she got her trim today.

Dawn is an older TWH with a build that resembles a Morgan.  She has contracted heels and has a tendency to get mild thrush in wet weather.  She is very well mannered as she spent about all of her working life on a hack line in NC, so standing for any procedure is no big deal for her.

Maggie is a little black QH who acts like a little old lady, but she's only 28!  She shuffles around moving in her one speed: Slow.  We all adore her and she has two boyfriends now.  She putters and stands behind the guys and they don't seem to mind.  She has navicular (heel pain) and has special shoes for that.  They are a lightweight aluminum with a slight wedge heel--very fashionable!

Willie is a QH who is quite the character for his 29 years!  He has had front shoes on since he came 5 years ago and his owner and I decided to let him be barefoot.  He has arthritis and really hates the nails being pounded in the shoes.  He stood very still for his trim and almost fell asleep.

  Farrier Day always interrupts Willie's nap schedule.

Eagle is the newest resident.  He has small feet for his big 16.2 sized body and his feet grow upwards.  He has navicular and was shod in a way that I felt was not best for him as I watch him gimp around in pain everyday.  He also has contracted heels and thrush. He got shiny new aluminum shoes today and as I watched him trot off thru the pasture after being turned out, I'd have to say his feet felt better.

  Eagle waits his turn in the main barn.

Tess is an older TB mare with Cushings who is Haley's pasture-mate.  In order not to stress either her or Haley, the farrier will go to their run in shed/barn and trim her.  She is also one that will stand still for anything that needs to be done to her.  She has developed arthritis in her left knee, however because she was retired early, is just now at age 26 showing signs of arthritis.

The next trim is scheduled for 7 weeks away for this bunch!