Carson
Chestnut QH Gelding
Foaled approximately 1983-5
Carson was a rental string horse at the Star Ranch in Corona. At some point, the owner of that property called it quits, not paying on the property and threatening to sell all 60 odd horses to slaughter. He pretty much stopped feeding them, and for a couple of years that effort has been accomplished by one of Eileen’s friends. Community efforts (including the other owner taking those horses he thought he could sell) found placement for most of these hardworking horses, but our two, an old crippled stallion, another elderly gelding returned by the other owner just as Carson and Durango were leaving, and a lame filly were left.
These people who make money using animals are the very WORST people in my opinion, using them, using them up, and discarding them like garbage. May they all burn in hell. The filly has found a solution and as of 4/2/15 Hi Caliber Horse Rescue will be taking the stallion and the other elderly gelding. Eileen also contacted some pig rescues for the pigs left there.
Carson was a Catalina horse! Talk about horses who’ve been there and done that! I can just imagine my horses on that ferry to Catalina! Yikes! And then he was a string horse at Star Ranch for at least 10 years. So he has miles and miles and miles on him.
And you can see it in his aching joints (I put Carson on pain meds as soon as he arrived, you could see his pain!). But he's used to a herd environment, and have all of the aplomb that comes with years of experience. His friend Durango is thinner, and Carson has shown a strong protective streak for him. I suspect he’s mostly toothless but attacks any kind of food with gusto.
Carson, per our vet, is missing several teeth, but the remainder are nice and flat. So he's able to be efficient with his feed. But between the missing teeth and his incisors, the vet agrees he's very elderly. He shows arthritis in his leg joints and his skin is flaky but good nutrition and maybe a bath will help. Laurie will see him tomorrow (4/5/15) and maybe I'll know more by then.
One other note is that Carson has crude brand marks on his left hip and shoulder. (I'll try to get pictures) Our farriers tell me that these are typical of Mexican brands - and that means Carson had a fairly hard life from the beginning. It may explain the reserve in his eye and manner - altho, he's pretty quickly picked up the cookie routine! :-D
Lisa Montgomery has stepped up for Carson too with a part sponsorship, but he will need more help just to make his feed bill. Can you consider a small monthly donation for his care? Carson is tough, but he needs someone to have his back - could that be YOU?
