Shipley- Seeking a companion home

Shipley is an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, who joins us for training from Gerda’s Equine Rescue in May 2025. Although Shipley was never raced, he is registered with the Jockey Club under the name Shipley Lake. There isn’t much else that we know about his past— but right now, we know that he needs hoof care, plenty of groceries, and lots of TLC before we begin any sort of training with him. We are looking forward to getting to know him in the coming months. Welcome to Hope, sweet boy. 

October 2025 update: We are so enjoying getting to know Shipley! He is also doing much better physically than when he arrived. He has gained back all of his weight, is building muscle, and is much more comfortable now that he has front shoes. Chronic hoof neglect has been one of Shipley’s biggest challenges, but close work with our vet and farrier has his feet on the right track.

We have been working with Shipley on his basic groundwork skills, helping him let go of some of the anxiety that he carries when he feels pressure, and helping him to determine what is pressure and what is a non-directive stimulus. Slow and steady will win the race with this guy! 

Spring 2026 update: In conjunction with Gerda’s Equine Rescue, we have made the decision to seek a companion only home for Shipley. Despite our best efforts, since his arrival in May 2025 he continues to struggle with soundness and we feel he will be happiest living out in a field with friends. Upon initial evaluation here by our vet and farrier, Shipley was found to have previous damage to his coffin bones in a condition known as Pedal Osteitis. Corrective shoeing can sometimes help in offering the support necessary for a low-impact riding career, but with Shipley this didn’t seem to be the case. After 11 months of corrective shoeing with no significant improvement, we have removed his front shoes and he made the transition easily. He currently wears front boots for comfort when on gravel or hard ground. 

Shipley is an incredibly sweet, kind soul who can get a bit anxious about where his buddies are. This has improved with practice, but his emotional insecurities are another reason we feel he will do best without the added pressures of being ridden. He is learning to look to his human handler for guidance in times of stress, and can be a lot of fun to play with in hand or at liberty. We could picture him thriving in a quiet home, with knowledgable handling and a herd dynamic that remains consistent. If you are interested in learning more about Shipley, please contact us.