After a peaceful month spent in quarantine at a nearby barn, Harlow the Thoroughbred and Teak the Quarter Horse have officially joined the herd at Horses With Hope. These boys were in rough shape when we picked them up at the New Holland auction in Pennsylvania, and the quarantine period gave them some much-needed mental and physical downtime. Fortunately, they spent almost all their time eating, and as a result they are gaining weight and are now bright-eyed and energetic.
Once they settled in at our farm, Harlow and Teak saw the farrier, the dentist, and the vet for a check-up and first round of spring shots. They were well-behaved throughout, and we were glad to learn that their feet, although quite long, appear to be overall in good shape. Our dentist noted that while Harlow had clearly had his teeth done before, this appeared to be the first time for Teak. Judging by the length of his teeth, the dentist put Teak’s age at 13, a bit younger then we had originally thought.
This week, we began the process of finding these boys some new turn-out buddies. After their 12-hour ride home from the auction and subsequent month long turn-out, they’ve understandably become quite attached to each other. However, as we begin groundwork and eventual training under saddle, it is important that Harlow and Teak be independent of each other and instead look to people for guidance and reassurance. They weren’t thrilled at first, but we have gradually separated the two boys and they are starting to make some new friends! Next week Harlow and Teak will begin with basic groundwork in the roundpen, and we will begin to learn much more about our new guys.
