CHASITY is a Large Standard, 15 year old spotted jennet that we bought in 2020 to be a companion for our Large Standard gelding donkey, Wrangler, after he lost his mule friend in March of 2020. She came to us with lots of challenging health issues, but we are no strangers to that with our past rescues. When we have a case like this, we like to share our approach and the solutions we discover while consulting with our professional team of experts. We hope these LTR website diaries can help you to find solutions to the problems that you might face with your own Longears!
CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Riding the Hourglass Pattern: 9-29-20
After extensive work in the Round Pen getting Chasity and Wrangler light in the bridle, we are finally ready to graduate to the Hourglass Pattern in the open arena. They enjoy working together, so I just take them both together and tie one outside the working area while I work with the other. We only do these lessons weekly, but they seem to practice good posture on their own during turnout in between lessons. Their play and rest patterns are changing and their posture ...
Chasity’s Challenges: Chasity’s Week Two Bath: 4-10-20
It was the end of March when Chasity first arrived and the weather was much too cold to even think about giving her a bath, even with our indoor facility. Even though the equines come in to us with Health Certificates and a Coggins Test, we are still very careful about keeping them in quarantine for 30 days and bathing them for hygiene purposes. Chasity would be no exception. Finally on April 10, it was warm enough to bath her ...
Chasity’s Challenges: Learning to Come to Be Haltered: 4-14-20
4-14-20 We determined that Chasity had cataracts in both eyes, worse in the right eye than in the left. This made her hesitant to come to me at the stall door to be haltered. She wanted to come to me, but she just wasn’t sure. I insist that ALL my equines come to the stall door or gate to be haltered, so I knew I would have to train her and win her trust to get her to do it like all the ...
CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Riding in the Open Arena: 10-6-20
Chasity and Wrangler enjoy working with each other nearby and seem to learn things a lot quicker with a lot less resistance. It also affords me the ability to work more animals in less time. It’s a win-win situation. It doesn’t mean they won’t work by themselves. They will do that as well when they get to work with and without each other. This consistent routine with minimal variety greatly reduces anxiety and bad behaviors. The “Elbow Pull” is convenient for tying one ...
CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: After the Winter Break: 3-29-21
Due to the colder and more inclement weather here in Colorado, Chasity has been off her exercise program for about three months. It was time to get back to work! No matter how long it has been between lessons, when you have a specific routine, the equines seem to comply easily because they know what to expect, beginning with going to their regular work station to be groomed and tacked up. In order to keep upper respiratory disease at bay, ...
Chasity’s Challenges: Grooming Routine: 4-14-20
4-14-20 Grooming is an important activity in your equine’s life and it need not be a struggle if it is done regularly. Chasity was not real sure of us, or what to expect when she first arrived, but she is gaining confidence and calmness with each grooming session that precedes her workouts. Right off, she is rewarded for going to her designated work station. This familiarity sets the stage for the tasks to come. I begin with a wet towel to clean her ...
RED ALERT: Wild Horse Abuse By Fed’l Contractors Caught On Camera
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign: Almost two weeks ago, we released graphic footage, taken by our humane observer, that showed a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) contractor kicking and punching a collapsed wild horse during the Blue Wing Complex roundup. In response to this shocking and cruel abuse, we called on our herd of advocates and wild horse allies to sign a petition demanding that the BLM hold these contractors criminally responsible for violating the Wild and ...
CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Tacking Up Appropriately: 4-14-20
4-14-20 Selecting the right tack for your Longears is essential to success. I rigged a cob-sized English bridle for Chasity with a pony Eggbutt snaffle bit (4 ½-inch), an over-sized Warmblood brow band to accommodate her wider forehead and not pinch her ears, and normal nose band with an “O” ring installed underneath with a lead rope attached. The “Elbow Pull” is the correct length and is put in place over the crown piece of the bridle and wrapped with a halter fleece ...
CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Vet Checkup for Mastitis: 4-14-20
Chasity continues to improve, however, the drainage from her teats was not receding and began to look suspicious to me so I called our veterinarian out to take a look at her. It has been two weeks since she arrived and had it been the result of a weaned foal, she would have been drying up by now. When he arrived, I told Greg Farrand that I suspected an infection of some sort and then I went to get Chasity ...
CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Soaking the Infection: 4-15-20 & 4-20-20
Chasity did not enjoy the soaking of her teats with the hose, so I opted to change my approach to make her more comfortable. Her posture has improved considerably with her postural core strength exercises in the “Hourglass Pattern” and with negotiating some of the obstacles to add coordination. She is now coming to the stall door to be haltered. She’s a very quick learner! The infection is still draining and that is good. Each soaking, I groom her and ...
CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Chasity’s Spring Walk: 4-21-20
It was a gorgeous spring day and I was so pleased when Chasity came right to the door to meet me again as she had been doing consistently after only two lessons in her initial training. As I cleaned her nostrils and smelled the clean spring air, I thought it might be nice to forego the indoor arena lessons and go out and enjoy this lovely spring weather. Sometimes just doing things a little differently with the same basic lessons ...
CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Chasity Finds Flexibility: 4-28-20
4-28-20 Chasity does not have the most optimum conformation anyway, but when she first arrived, she was really stuck in a bad posture. She moved with a hollow back and her legs did not reach underneath her body when she walked. Her body did not allow for a flexible spine with ideal movement through her joints and I would presume that internal organ function was also compromised. Her body was very stiff and flexion of any kind was difficult for her. The bacterial infection ...
Chasity’s Challenges: Real Time Update: 5-5-20
5-5-20: My Grandmother taught me that Good Posture, Good Manners and Good Hygiene don’t cost anything but very little time and effort, and the results are nothing less than miraculous! Practicing these simple elements of living can, however, save you a lot of money in veterinary and maintenance costs associated with you and your equines! Preventive measures can deter accidents and good hygiene practices deter poor health. Chasity came to us with a plethora of problems. I have documented and ...
