Immediately upon sticking his nose in his food bucket, or sometimes just seeing the food bucket arriving, Digger lifts his front leg…as though he is about to paw or dig….Every time!
Digger's Page
Meet “Digger” – he’s our newest resident here at Sky Ranch Sanctuary – a bay thoroughbred, probably in his mid-20’s.
Digger came to us emaciated, and with teeth that were in very bad shape. About a week after arriving at Sky Ranch (giving him some time to settle in first) Digger has had his teeth “floated”. He’s also getting as much senior feed and hay pellets as he can eat, along with a little hay.
The vet wormed him on the day he arrived and has prescribed psyllium as Digger has a lot of sand in his digestive tract. Other than that, he seems to be healthy and we think he will recover his weight with good care.
Digger is a real sweetheart; it was love at first sight for all of us at Sky Ranch. Please “Like” or “Share” this post to show your support for our newest family member, Digger.
Digger on December 20, 2015.
Digger: Thinking about Christmas or maybe the next helping of Senior feed? He loves it! (the Senior feed, not sure how he feels about holidays.)
Here’s a quick look at Digger when he arrived at Sky Ranch and a couple weeks later! What a difference a little care and nutrition can make! Digger is doing amazing and we’re sure he will only improve even more!
Update on Digger
Digger has been here two weeks and we already think he’s looking better. Returning him to his ideal weight and condition will take time, but we’re trying to do it the best way. His teeth have been done, and though his mouth is in much better shape, two teeth had to be pulled and some were already missing. His front teeth are very short, and it’s difficult for him to eat hay. (He sure loves to try!) He’s getting senior feed and alfalfa pellets with a flake of alfalfa, to work on as best he can. He can eat the looser, fluffier parts of the hay but leaves the rest.
We noticed some swelling on his lower legs and especially the left behind. The vet treated him with steroids, and he will be getting a quarter of a Previcox tablet daily for inflammation. We’re hosing down his legs daily, taking him for a walk to get things moving, and wrapping his legs until we see some improvement. Dig has some dermatitis on all four legs, and we’re using a special shampoo weekly for that. It’s hard to know what caused the swelling, but we are actively treating the symptoms.
Dig had his feet trimmed Friday and stood there quietly like a pro. He has been very cooperative and seems to know we’re trying to help. Though the emaciated condition of a rescue horse is the most obvious issue to be addressed, many other related problems can present themselves.
One of the greatest rewards of these efforts is seeing the horse’s personality come through as good health returns. When I first met Sheldon a few years ago, he just stood quietly and didn’t seem too interested in anything. Now he’s ready to go at a moment’s notice and greets us with enthusiasm when we come to the barn; and when we step into his stall, he welcomes a hug! He prances out into the pasture. We can’t wait to see Digger blossom.
Digger’s Arrival
Meet “Digger” – he’s our newest resident here at Sky Ranch Sanctuary – a bay thoroughbred, probably in his mid-20’s.
Imagine losing your long-time owner, and the helpless feeling of ending up in the hands of someone who didn’t know how to properly care for a senior horse. Digger came to us emaciated, and with teeth that were in very bad shape.
About a week after arriving at Sky Ranch (giving him some time to settle in first) Digger has had his teeth “floated”. He’s also getting as much senior feed and hay pellets as he can eat, along with a little hay.
The vet wormed him on the day he arrived and has prescribed psyllium as Digger has a lot of sand in his digestive tract. Other than that, he seems to be healthy and we think he will recover his weight with good care.
Digger is a real sweetheart; it was love at first sight for all of us at Sky Ranch. Please “Like” or “Share” this post to show your support for our newest family member, Digger.
If you’re feeling extra generous, you can even buy him some carrots.
Digger, our newest resident
This is Digger (“Dig”) our newest horse; a 20 something Thoroughbred gelding. He’s been here a week and had his teeth done yesterday. He needed pretty extensive dental work, including two extractions. Dig’s owner died and he fell through the cracks. We hope he’s as happy here as we are to have him at Sky Ranch. We will update his progress.