Ferrell Hollow Farm

Buddy & Slim arrive to Ferrell Hollow Farm!

At 9:30 this morning, Steve Merka, with www.haulinghorses.com pulled up with our precious cargo!  Slim was in the back, so we got him off first.  As I walked him in the driveway, Siegfried came over for a closer look.  I saw Buddy come off the trailer and his right hind leg was very stiff, sore and ouchy.  We put them in a stall with hay and water to let them stretch and settle in for a few minutes, so I could formulate my game plan of walking them up thru another pasture and other horses to where they will reside.

Cindy & Slim

Fortunately I had several folks here today with me--Rachel, my farm helper, Alan, my husband, his sister Stacy and Tommy, my fencing handyman!  I asked Rachel which one she wanted to lead and she choose Buddy, thinking he would be slow due to his hock.  So out I go with steady old Slim, turning behind me to see Buddy leaping and hopping, full of himself!  Ooops guess she chose the wrong horse to lead ;) 

Rachel and Buddy

Stacy almost managed to keep Willie from coming over to check out Slim--Maggie never bothered to get in on the action.  Thru the final gate to the home stretch!  Alan was on camera duty while Tommy maned the gates.  Quite a spectacle we were!

Cindy & Slim on the left and Rachel & Buddy on right

Once we got them into their new paddock, we hand walked them for a little while and then set them free!  Buddy had a lot of nervous energy to lose, while Slim just followed. 

Buddy & Slim

They both dropped for a good muddy roll and proceeded to check out their new surroundings.  They have a nice view of the pastures and other horses--probably stimulation overload for Buddy on the first day, but they will quickly settle in.

Buddy has a beautiful high stepping action and is in the lead!

Buddy has been retired at a young age due to osteoarthritis in the right hock, and Slim is older and had just slowed down enough to not work anymore.  Both have spent most of their lives with Fantasy Carriage Company in Michigan and were well taken care of. They are both very sweet boys.  Buddy has quite an outgoing personality, while Slim is more laid back.

Buddy & Slim

We look forward to getting to know them and serving them in their retirement!  Thank you to all who have been supportive of this opportunity to share our lives with these two magnificent creatures :)

Cindy Daigre is the founder of Ferrell Hollow Farm, a unique retirement farm for senior and special needs equines in Tennessee.  www.ferrellhollowfarm.net or cindy@ferrellhollowfarm.com

 

$180 is what is left to cover the transport cost for Buddy and Slim, the Percherons who are retiring from carriage life in Michigan and coming to Ferrell Hollow Farm on 12/28/11!! A link to the Chip In page is on our website at www.ferrellhollowfarm.net Thank you to all who have supported and shared!

Last Call for Holiday Gifts!

Today, Saturday December 17th, is the LAST DAY to place your orders for Ferrell Hollow Farm's natural body care products and gift baskets for them to ship in time for Christmas!  Still in stock are the Lavender products (Scrub and Cream) and the Peppermint Products (Scrub and Cream) and the Calendula Balm--however all are in limited quantities!  Gift Basket orders include a FREE gift!

Order yours here:

Cindy Daigre http://www.ferrellhollowfarm.net/Store.html

Ferrell Hollow Farm's all natural Vanilla Cream is now SOLD OUT! Peppermint and Lavender products are still available! http://www.ferrellhollowfarm.net/Store.html

Buddy & Slim get ready to retire to Ferrell Hollow Farm in TN!

http://ferrellhollowfarm.chipin.com/buddy-and-slim-the-percherons

The Chocolate Sugar Scrub and Basket from Ferrell Hollow Farm are SOLD OUT for the season! See our other available products at

http://www.ferrellhollowfarm.net/Store.html

Buddy & Slim the Percherons want to retire to FHF!

If you can find it in your heart and your budget, Buddy and Slim would like to retire to Ferrell Hollow Farm.  I have agreed to take them from their current owners, a carriage company in Michigan.  Buddy is 18.2 hands and breath-taking!  His driving days have been ended due to osteoarthritis in the hock :(  Slim is an older gentleman who has slowed down enough to be retired.  It will cost $1,870 to get them to Ferrell Hollow Farm's retirement facility.  There will be additional expenses of vet, dentist and trimmings after that.  Please help if you can, and please share!  Thank you!  Cindy Daigre Ferrell Hollow Farm www.ferrellhollowfarm.com

I have created a Chip In account for donations.

Herbs for Horses: Wintertime

Ferrell Hollow Farm has chosen four amazing herbs to blend together for its Winter Herbal Blend.  It can help your horse ease into the seasonal transition of winter as the temperatures began to fall, and the grass dies back.

Burdock helps relieve dry, scurfy skin conditions and recurrent sores by cleansing the liver and kidneys.

Meadowsweet has been hailed as the “herbal aspirin” due to its salicylic acid content, which has anti-inflammatory properties and is useful for joint and muscle pain. It also protects the digestive tract and reduces excess acid, making it an excellent choice for ulcers and diarrhea.

Parsley is considered a digestive tonic that reduces flatulence, supports the kidneys and removes toxins that cause joint pain.

Rosemary has a wonderful fragrance, stimulates circulation and also contains antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Winter Blend 2 pounds = 30 day supply $55.00

The Winter Herbal Blend can be purchased at http://www.ferrellhollowfarm.net/Store.html

Cindy Daigre, owner of Ferrell Hollow Farm’s Equine Senior Retirement Farm is continually inspired by the beauty of the gardens she lovingly cares for.   As with all of her products, only cruelty-free ingredients are used. Products are hand made in small batches to ensure quality and freshness.

Francis, the black Percheron!

Francis is my 28 year old black Percheron gelding who I completely adore!  I adopted him a little over 2 years ago from Pets Alive, a no-kill sanctuary in NY.  He worked the streets of NYC as a carriage horse for 12 years and was retired to the sanctuary, but still needed a forever home.  Well thank goodness we found each other, because he is one awesome horse!

Despite his struggles with an old right hind deep digital flexor tendon injury, major scar tissue, ringbone, sidebone, and chronic laminitis, he is what I call a SUPERSTAR!  He is tough and happy and doesn't complain.

I couldn't wait for his trimmer to see him this morning.  You see, 2 months ago he was in so much pain from these chronic issues, I just couldn't seem to bring him back to soundness, despite all of my bag of tricks.  His issues have created a cycle of having good days and bad days, but semingly fairly steady for the past 2 years.  But the Fall is harder on him.  He is pre-cushings and the corisol levels rising can wreak havoc on his metabolic system and he was laminitic despite all I had done for him.  Then I tried giving him a supplement comprised of herbs, anti-oxidants and amino acids.  After one week of a loading dose, Francis was a new man!  His stride improved, his front feet moved fluidly in front of him, AND he was weight bearing on all 4 feet!  Something he has not done in forever!  That right hind tendon keeps him on the tip toe a lot of the time.  So WOW-he is moving like the champion I know he is and bossing Mary around even more than usual and feeling a bit frisky :)

So at least for now we are all very happy with his current condition and improvement and thankful every single day I have with him!

Cindy Daigre is the founder and director of Ferrell Hollow Farm, an Equine Retirement facility in Middle Tennessee focusing on the unique concerns of Senior and Special Needs horses.

She is continually inspired by the beauty of the gardens she lovingly cares for and regularly creates unique herbal blends based on the plants surrounding her home. As with all of our products, only cruelty-free ingredients are used.

In addition, she provides Equine Nutritional Consultations, has developed a specialized line of Natural Horse & Body Care Products, Herbal Blends and Seed Mixes for Horses, and has written several articles for Natural Horse Magazine.  www.ferrellhollowfarm.com