Home Again!

Zeus came home to us last Friday.  He was very thin and he has been rubbing out his hair from allergies.  He looks like such a mess.  He is on grass hay 24/7 now and a supplement called MSM that is actually for joints but has been shown to help with allergies.  I will be getting him on yeast and a calcium supplement soon.  He has been wormed and will have his teeth floated soon as well as vaccinated.  He already looks better after a few days on consistent feed...not as ribby.  I spray his hot spots daily with some Apple Cider Vinegar/Tea Tree Oil/Oregano Oil mix to kill bacteria and fungus.  It seems to be helping as the areas are already growing some new peach fuzz.  Zeus did get caught in a fence and scrape up his head some.  It will be a long road to recovery but we are on our way!  One hoof has been trimmed.  He isn't very good about it so we will do one a day until all four are done.  Once they are trimmed right and functioning right they should help his circulation get back on track allowing his immunity to come back up along with more calories so he should be feeling much better within the next month.

Twinkie

A little over six years ago James and I bought a Rocky Mountain mare from a ranch in Clinton, UT.  She was nine years old, registered and in foal.  She was not in great shape by any means.  Her name was Cedar Hill Fancy Dream, we just called her Fancy.  She was a great mare and a rare breed.  I had always wanted a Rocky Mountain so I was so excited to see some for sale here in Utah.  She had just weaned a filly and was about 5 months pregnant.  She was thin and tired and needed some TLC.  We were excited to have her and excited about the future foal.  Fancy ended up being a wonderful mare.  She was gentle and sweet and fun to ride.  On June 1st, 2004 she foaled a chocolate/silver dapple stud colt.  He was a gorgeous little colt full of fire.  We pet named him Twinkie.  Twinkie ended up being quite a large colt and grew like a weed so we ended up calling him Zeus after a few weeks.  The name stuck and he was eventually registered under the name of Rio Fancy Zeus.  The Rocky Mountain horse breed is a fairly new breed.  They are a gaited horse with excellent dispositions and are best known for their chocolate coloring with flaxen or white mane and tail.  When Zeus was about 4 months old, we weaned him and sold Fancy.  It was a hard thing to do but circumstances made it necessary.  We intended to keep Zeus but ended up selling him as a yearling as well.  It was really hard to let them both go.  When I sold Zeus, he was a big, beautiful yearling with an amazing attitude and the most gorgeous mane and tail.  I sold him to a man who lived in St. George who promised me he would keep in touch but he never did.  I was so sad to not be able to know how he was.  I kept my eye out for him on the Utah online classifieds for five years and I also sent letters and called the owner but never had any response.  Then, about three weeks ago I happened to see him on KSL.  I was so excited.  He had been sold once again and was now for sale by the man who bought him from the man who bought him from me.  He was a sorry mess, thin and shaggy.  He was suffering from allergies and just not doing well.  James and I decided to buy him back.  I will be keeping a blog of his progress.  I hope to have him feeling better and looking better in six months or less.  So, if you are interested in his progress, check back.  Pictured is Zeus as a yearling before he was sold.