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ARRIVED November 2010
ADOPTABILITY Available to Adopt
SPONSORED BY
  • Feed: needed
    • (was sponsored 12/10-01/11 thank you  Cris!)
  • Medical: needs a sponsor!
BREED/AGE 9-yo (2002 model) sorrel Belgian (no papers) mare, approx. 17hh, 1700 lbs.
no known registration papers
Cantering under saddle! don't miss the videos!

Fayhttp://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5985839&id=131885632421Fay  click the boxed photo to enlarge... NOW added FIRST RIDE and first canter videos! fay!

(LOTS more photos of Fay available on facebook!)Photo taken during first days at CWER, in Cheveyo's memorial roundpen.  Don't miss the videos!
Skills Report Card!
Overall Health: B Fay arrived needing basic farrier care, deworming and vaccinations.
She arrived at a good weight, but appears she may be low in key minerals which we will balance gradually with feed.
Fay had more than one scar or split in a hoof, likely from absesses or otherwise lack of hoof care.
Fay has a scar at the top of her left hind hoof, which has been diagnosed and managed by our vet. Apparently she had an injury at the coronet band which is where her body builds new hoof. As a result, hoof cells (think hang nail here) grow in small clusters at the top of the hoof. It is easily maintained with simple cortisone cream.
Ground manners: B+ On arrival, Fay was mildly timid. She leads well, but in a bit of a hurry. If her halter is off, she will gently avoid having it put on until you lay a rope around her neck. Then she stands respectfuly.
Update: Fay's manners are much improved. She leads easily and is calm and respectful.
spring 2011: Fay has really settled into the herd. She is confident and comfortable with people, and is handled by beginner volunteers for normal basic care.
Fay remains mildly aloof of people; you need to earn her trust to truly earn her affection. She is well mannered, although still mildly timid about hoof care; however, if you give her your undivided attention, you will find a VERY sweet mare lurking behind those beautiful eyes.
Basic Riding Skills: B We do not believe that Fay had any riding training prior to arriving at CWER. We believe she may have driven previously.
12/5/10 -- Don't miss her first ride video!
12/26/10 -- Now! Enjoy Fay's third ever ride, in 2 parts:
  1. First Ever Trot with a Rider, indoors; then
  2. First Ever Ride Outside, including walk / trot / CANTER! -- with no fences!

Spring 2011 -- Due to extremely tough weather conditions, Fay did not ride over the winter; however, in early May she began riding again as time allows. Fay enjoys riding outdoors, and rides easily all over our property without hesitation or concern about thick grass, water, ditches, gravel, crossing the road, etc. Fay has the equivalent of 30 days riding time.
Ideal Career:  Fay has shown a preference for outdoor riding, and is not a beginner's ride personality. She has some energy and some playfulness and likes to go at a solid trot and canter when asked. She isn't speedy or pulling at the reins to hurry, but if offered she will gladly go forward. Fay would enjoy trail riding, or competitive trail, mounted orienteering (scavenger hunt on horseback) and other similar creative riding tasks. Fay is gorgeous to watch with nice movement, and could also do very nicely in under saddle classes, particularly in English tack.

Fay rides easily when she has had several weeks without riding, without 'forgetting everything' as some horses seem to do. She would handle the role of 'weekend rider' with ease, for an intermediate rider.
Stall Manners: C We don't believe Fay has been stalled previously in her life.
Upon arrival, she was very nervous about going into a stall, and anxious to exit as soon as her meal was finished. Now that she realizes she won't be "stuck in there", she is calm and easy to manage, walking herself into her stalls easily, waiting for her feed, then walking out very politely, even for inexperienced volunteers! Fay enjoys being groomed in her stall, and visits happily over her stall door, but does not like to be left behind when her pasture mates leave. She is still ready to leave the minute she is done, and will rub on her door or otherwise let you know she is done and ready to go.
Fay, currently, would not do well living in a boarding facility that required her to be stalled for hours at a time. She would need some transition time to adjust.
Trailering Skills: B We are told Fay loaded like an old pro. She was calm on the trailer, but did not want to back down the long step, so she turned around in the trailer and eased off carefully.
Companionism/Pasture: A Fay was initially in a quarantine paddock with her 'sister' (we do not believe the mares were actually related). She was exceptionally patient with Bonnie, shared her hay and grain easily, and politely protective.  Sadly, Fay's life long friend had to be laid to rest after a significant stall rest period, so Fay no longer has her first friend.
Once Fay moved to the big pasture, she easily transitioned into the herd. She is middle of the pecking order, and she has connected well with our super-alpha mare, Tessa. She now frequently spends her time with the starvation case, Serge.
Routine Medical Care: B Fay did well for her initial care -- shots, deworming, check up.
She was mildly nervous with the needle but easily managed.
In January 2011, she received a dental check and did not need significant care at this time.


Overview: 

 Fay is a beautiful belgian mare with a nice build and gorgeous coloring. She can be a little hesitant with people, but much more gentled and respectful than many drafts we see. She is protective of Bonnie but not at all aggressive about it. Her owner died, and his family are working to find safe homes for his horses. In winter 2011, Fay's friend Bonnie had to be laid to rest, and Fay was given time to grieve. We have done approximately 30 days riding training work with Fay, and she is confident and energetic but not pushy or speedy under saddle.
Adoption Terms: Fay has progressed wonderfully quickly, and we are so pleased at her current status as of 12/26/2010! Fay is now riding confidently, including a first canter, even outdoors, even without fences (wide open field area). As of spring 2011, she continues to improve easily.

For an intermediate rider, we would recommend an additional full 30 days riding training prior to Fay leaving. That additional training, normally $500, would be provided for an additional $300 over her adoption fee. (She has already received  more than 30 days professional training as of May 2011, valued at $500.)

Fay's adoption fee as of 7/7/11 was $1,500; however, it has been discounted to $1,200 for an adopter who contracts for her by September 15, 2011 and has plans in place to take her home by 10/15/11.

Her adoption fee may be increased over time as she acquires more training and shows more skill in particular disciplines.

Please see our AdoptionQnA pages for details of how to adopt.

HISTORY: 

 Fay was donated to us in November 2010 in an urgent situation where the owner died.
November 2010
 Fay settled in quickly and without incident. She was too active to remain in the infirmary paddock with her friend, Bonnie (rest in peace, sweet girl), and was moved into the main herd as soon as her quarantine time was completed.
Fay wants to join the 'power team' with Tessa and Trinity, but hasn't earned that place in the group...yet.
December 2010
 FAY HAD HER FIRST RIDE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEt71Ovfq_U
Fay is a well mannered, gorgeous big mare who truly wants to please her humans in her life. The video is truly her first ride- - she completed all of the preride work easily:
  1. at liberty "lunging" in the large round pen;
  2. general "sacking out" with various items such as beach balls, blankets, etc.
  3. fitting a bridle and getting used to its feel while still working at liberty (it appears she's been bridled before, probably driven, but not ridden)
  4. fitting a surcingle (basically, a belt that fits where a saddle goes with side rings to guide rains)
  5. ground driving (using 30' long lines from bit to surcingle to the handler -- helping her learn to steer, go and stop on the guidance of the bit)
  6. saddle fitting and at liberty work while saddled
  7. mounting and dismounting and sacking out at the mounting steps

So this video clip is the first time she was asked to walk with a rider on her back.
  1. We began with the rider truly a passenger -- no reins, no stirrups, and a 'catch man' to pull her down and off if the horse panics.
  2. When that was uneventful, her rider picked up stirrups and reins, after letting go of the 'catch man', but Fay is still lead by her favorite handler.
  3. When she lead easily, then she was given a very long line and asked to steer and halt by her rider.
  4. When that too progressed smoothly, her handler unclipped the lead and FAY WAS RIDING SOLO!! all in her first 'rider aboard' session!
What a GREAT mare this is. She's going to really go places for a new family some day soon. Will YOU help us help Fay find that home???
December 26 2010
fay!		 Don't miss the TWO videos from today!
Fay had her third ever ride today:

FIRST...
  1. beginning with a different junior trainer in the saddle, doing walk work in the indoor arena without the 'safety blanket' of having a trainer on the ground for her. She did exceptionally well!
  2. Mike then entered the arena with Fay and helped her with her first trot, with Mike providing her the signals to ask her to trot as he would while round penning. This makes things clearer and simpler for the horse -- she is again getting instruction the same way she has through all of her training lessons.
  3. Mike then rode Fay briefly indoors, and had her trot without a handler on the ground. Fay did so well, he elected to take her outdoors.
SECOND:
  1. Once outdoors, Mike first rode Fay in the large grass hay field north of Cheveyo's barn. Fay had driven in long lines in this field several times, so it was familiar ground. ENJOY THE VIDEO, including her plowing through deep snow drifts as if she'd been riding for decades!
  2. Fay again did so well, he chose to ride her along the fenceline to the main pasture -- a very soft, easy footing area even when snowy. Fay had offered several times to canter, so we made sure the cameras were rolling the first time he let Fay canter! DONT MISS FAY's FIRST EVER CANTER UNDER SADDLE!!
January 2011 We had an adoptive contract for her; however, the family was not able to adopt Fay after all, and so she again became available.
May 2011 Fay has just started riding again, as we've had the time and the volunteers able to do so. She has done 2 significant outdoor rides with intermediate level riders and did very well in both cases. She easily rides through water, across ditches and gravel, etc. She stayed behind at a walk as her buddy cantered away when asked, and stopped easily from a fast trot on several occasions.

Sponsorship:  Fay needs medical sponsorship! 

  • FEED SPONSOR: SPONSORED through 1/31/11! THANKS Cris!. She needs to gain weight, and balance her mineral levels, and will soon be consuming approximately $50/month in Purina Enrich and supplements.

  • Transport to CWER:   Provided by Double K Ranch Horse Rescue, THANK YOU!

  • Basic intake vet care: $200

  • Dental care: $200 - delayed until 2011.

  • Farrier care: she will receive farrier care here at CWER by our own Mike Cross, unless something unusual is found and requires treatment. She will likely need specific vet intervention for the repeated hoof abscesses.

  • Worming: We will test her stools and treat as needed. Any base issues will be resolved immediately, then dewormed only as required by the fecal tests. May 2011 -- Fay has had stool tests done every 2 months, and has not required any deworming since the first treatment upon arrival.

Bloodlines:  (unknown)