As suggested......
Meet Diamond. Show name "Diamond Eyes". In the process of searching for my next dressage horse I was surfing Craigs, and happened upon an ad titled "thoroughbred gelding $100" My curiosity was peaked and I called the number provided. Needless to say, after a lot of frustration, tears, worry, panic, and many a heavy sigh I chose to rescue and bring home the handsome man you see below. D has a long story I'm certain I will bore you all with, but I am in the process of making a blog about our journey. As Sa_briel mentioned, he had a brief track life (4yrs, never won) went to a guy in clear lake, CA and was a "dressage horse" for I have no idea how long until four years ago, when he was traded for a handmade sign valued at $300 because he started bucking this gentleman's granddaughter off. So he then spent 4 years being a pasture puff. Then he ended up in the hands of a lady who ultimately lost all her "horse money" in a dispute with family. The next individual is the person who posted him on craigslist. I can honestly say she had no inclination what she was getting herself into, let alone any idea how to manage horses. So....without further ado
Diamond 2 months ago: taped in at 942lbs with pancakes for feet, and his winter woolies still on in April. He also had rain rot so bad his back and legs were bald after 10 days of brief grooming sessions.
(note this is before I even brought him home)
Photos of one and 2 months later behind the cut
One week, 28lbs heavier
One month! 112lbs heavier.
2 months and 3 days later and I'll admit, I forgot to tape him this week. We're very nearly an appropriate weight but are still severly lacking in muscle tone, hence the sweat from lunging and slow conditioning. We've only began small trot sessions under saddle due to some complications we have encountered as a result of "training" performed while he was in between homes. If you can call shoving a 4" long shanked snaffle in a horse's mouth that has buccal ulcers, hooks like a vampire and a severe wave mouth, "training". Needless to say he's very wary of having his face grabbed and is severely lacking in confidence. Our progress marches forward though, and we're taking it very slow for his sake. I'll leave a post with a link to his blog when I get it up and going, progress will be tracked there instead of on the random post it notes littered about the desk ;)
Oh, and a head shot!
COOKIE!??!!
And just one more for that "look"
EDIT: I have started his blog, forgive the organization or lack there of, but I'm compiling as best I can here's a link:
dandkasp.blogspot.com/
In the future it may contain updates about Khasper, my arabian gelding as well, but for now its just organizing D's part in my life.
Diamond 2 months ago: taped in at 942lbs with pancakes for feet, and his winter woolies still on in April. He also had rain rot so bad his back and legs were bald after 10 days of brief grooming sessions.
(note this is before I even brought him home)
Photos of one and 2 months later behind the cut
One week, 28lbs heavier
One month! 112lbs heavier.
2 months and 3 days later and I'll admit, I forgot to tape him this week. We're very nearly an appropriate weight but are still severly lacking in muscle tone, hence the sweat from lunging and slow conditioning. We've only began small trot sessions under saddle due to some complications we have encountered as a result of "training" performed while he was in between homes. If you can call shoving a 4" long shanked snaffle in a horse's mouth that has buccal ulcers, hooks like a vampire and a severe wave mouth, "training". Needless to say he's very wary of having his face grabbed and is severely lacking in confidence. Our progress marches forward though, and we're taking it very slow for his sake. I'll leave a post with a link to his blog when I get it up and going, progress will be tracked there instead of on the random post it notes littered about the desk ;)
Oh, and a head shot!
COOKIE!??!!
And just one more for that "look"
EDIT: I have started his blog, forgive the organization or lack there of, but I'm compiling as best I can here's a link:
dandkasp.blogspot.com/
In the future it may contain updates about Khasper, my arabian gelding as well, but for now its just organizing D's part in my life.