Crossed Sabers Stable
The Mountain State Horse School and Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc.
Crossed Sabers International Life School, Inc.
Mailing/Physical Address: Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road, West Union, WV 26456
Office Phone: 304-873-3532   Fax: 304-873-1867 (call before faxing)
Email for Second Wind Adoption Program: SecondWindAdopt@aol.com 
Visiting Hours: Daily 9 to 4 (eastern time) by appointment
Pick Up and Delivery of Horses:  9am to 8pm by appointment
Office Hours: 9 to 4 (eastern time) Monday through Friday
Driving Directions: Click here for directions to the Headquarters farm
Flying In: Fly into Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) and rent a car or call us to pick you up (its about 2.5 hours from the farm) or fly into Clarksburg Airport (CKB) or Parkersburg Airport (PKB) and we can pick you up, both CKB and PKB are less than an hour away.

NEWSLETTER

Cape Cod Cottage and week long Vacation for up to 8 people, auction and fund raiser, Bid NOW, bidding ends 5pm EST on St. Patricks Day!!... Be watching! Click on the SWAP Shopping picture below to get details on how to bid on this super week!

Luck of the Irish St. Patricks Day Adoption Special going on now, see the available page for details of the even better prices now, special ends March 17th at 5pm est, St. Patricks Day. Have the Lluck of the Irish and find the horse of your dreams here at SWAP

 

volunteers, interns needing college credit for independent studies, visit for a weekend, a week or a semester, get a badly needed break from your daily grind and help horses that need YOU!

Click the picture above to see the details about the St. Pats Day, Luck of the Irish Adoption Special, we're making it even easier to get the horse of your dreams!!

Saturday has become our regular volunteer day, we've had so many people wanting to help we had to set aside a day for all to come at the same time. YEA!!

 

Click the SWAP Shopping picture to see details about the Cape Cod Cottage auction and fund raiser going on right now!

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click here, sign up and shop at over 750 stores, every time you shop, SWAP gets a donation of up to 26% of your purchase. ISearch at IGive gives money every time you do a search.

Services to keep you and horse safe from fraud, fake horses, dishonesty with sellers and buyers. Safe Selling services include marketing, mediation, background checks on buyers/sellers, purchase/lease agreements, expert witness for contracts, leases and sales gone wrong, guidance for fixing sales and lease issues, research and PI services.

Safe Sharing is a program to allow horse owners to keep their horses by sharing costs with another person. Safe Sharing is available to all horse owners.

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 visitors by country counter blog counter
monthly counters started on February 13, 2010 for the website, because this is a free counter, it will not show our total numbers, only a portion of them, so its not an accurate depiction of all of our visitors, just gives an idea about all the people that visit our site. We do love our international visitors. Welcome!

Visitors By Country

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stay up with our President/Executive Director, all the directors, volunteers and riders (Crossed Sabers is on Facebook too). All the CSS/SWAP supporters are having a big time sharing stories, pictures, lots of good stuff about their horses.

The Wish List of Our Needs:

1. New or lightly used truck and 3 to 6 horse trailer, our equipment has seen its better days, we've been using both for nearly 14 years to pick up horses and move them to their new homes.

2. Farms in every state for low cost long term lease or donation to expand our program to develop more adoption locations and retirement farms for our now aging horses returned to us from adopters who could not retire our horses. Our highest priority locations initially are Northern Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Indiana, Maryland, Delaware.

3. New or lightly used 2 horse trailer to pick up horses when rescued and to deliver them to their new home

4. Tack and large horse items donated... like carts/buggies, racing bikes, jog carts, harnesses, saddles, horse trailers, blankets/rugs to use or sell on SWAP Shopping. Supplies to use around the barn or office.

5. A bulk feed bin that will hold anywhere from 6 tons to 9 tons of grain donated or at low cost or even a break on the cost of purchase and instillation.

6. Someone to sponsor our annual Harness Racing Driving School Scholarship, $500. annually. This gives some youngster the opportunity to go to the USTA Driving School and get qualified as a Harness Racing Driver.

7. Someone to sponsor our annual Intern of the Year Scholarship, $500. annually.

Someone to sponsor our annual Volunteer of the Year Educational Scholarship, $500. Both of these scholarships goes toward school costs or school supplies for the Intern and Volunteer.

8. A company with the ability to install a methane digester/cleaner for the horse farm and the ability to tie in to gas or electric companies and run the farm off the digester. Any other companies who can convert the farm to a more green operation, reduce our carbon footprint and reduce our overhead by use of wind, solar or methane.

9. A volunteer or low cost employee who can help us fix our database that lists all adopters, donors, supporters and horses/dogs/cats in the program.

10. We need about 25 to 50 fosters parents in every state to volunteer, especially in WV, VA, PA, OH, KY, NC, SC, TN, MD, DE, NJ, NY, these are used when owners in that area can not afford to transport the horse to SWAP HQ but need to be able to move the horse into a safe place.

11. People/farms to act as SWAP Mini Rescues, those who have the ability to take in a rescue, get it healthy, train it and then SWAP will help you place the horse into a home using our website and all supporting adoption documents.

12. Some sort of a cloth facility like Cover-all or Farm-Tek building to increase our abilities to be able to take more horses and have an indoor area to work and train horses in winter, donated, grant or partially donated. anywhere from 50 x 200 to 72 x 300.

13. Monthly Sponsors for our light use, elderly or retirement/sanctuary horses who's possibilities for adoption are very low, ie. Orphy, Jelly Bean, Dixie, Allie, Kochese, Darlin, etc.

14. Volunteers for Spring/Summer and Fall Seasons and Interns for Summer. We should be starting our regular Saturday Volunteer days in March, lets all hope the weather will be better. We already have 2 interns for summer now, looking for as many as 16 more for June, July and August... just remember there is not a lot of riding in August because the farm is overcome by horse flies then. So we work/train horses the most from March to July and then again from Mid September through Christmas as long as we have goot weather.

15. Sponsors and Tickets to take 10 to 20 less fortunate kids to WEG in Lexington, KY on an educational trip. Other educational trips are also options if you have something else in mind.

16. Volunteers to help during our Veterans Days at the Stable, these are exploratory days to evaluate if we can do a handicapped veterans riding and therapy program.

17. Volunteers to commit to doing one fund raiser for SWAP horses at your location during 2010, it can be a golf tournament, a bake sale, book sale, lemonade stand, car wash, setting up an information stand at a horse show. This is a great way to kids to get involved in helping horses.

18. Anyone interested in free high quality top soil (manure already composted) and manure for gardens, you can pick up for free by the truck load at our WV location (bring a loader). If you are a gardener and only need a small amount, pick up in a truck or we'll be selling it by the feed bag full at $3.00 a bag (in a bag that is usually used for 100 lbs of feed). This is beautiful clean top soil. This offer will only last so long because we will be leveling the manure pile this August when its dry enough to get a dozer in there.

19. Someone to do dozer work on the farm, level arena/round pen, do terracing on the hill sides to keep water out of the barns and level the top soil and manure pile to increase the level of that land in that bottom so we can put our methane digester in and indoor arena. Volunteer or at a reduced cost.

Reporting Neglect:

Please, if you see neglect (ribs and hip bones showing or no food available), its critical to call the sheriff of the county where the horse/animal is located. Have the address where the horse is located or directions to the farm, pictures and the owners name (if possible). If the sheriff does nothing email our cruelty case workers Tom and Ruby Fleming at tomfleming64@cebridge.net or email PETA's cruelty case workers Stephanie or Tori at sbell@peta.org, or ToriP@peta.org Remember horses can not speak for themselves so we must speak for them!! All reports are kept anonymous.

Getting Help for Your Horses/animals if you can not care for them:

If you can not feed your animals, whether they are horses or other animals, if you are adopters, call SWAP HQ immediately, if not, call your local horse rescue and plead for help, if they are full then call your animal control officer or sheriff to release ownership of your animals so they can get them help Before they are starved to death, do not wait until they are starved, its critical to get help early. Contact us if you do not know what to do. call 304-873-3532 or email secondwindadopt@aol.com. Many counties have pet pantries so you can get feed when times are tough. If things are getting tight with costs, go to a less expensive grain like a simple stock pellet supplemented with corn, according to Ohio State Corn is the leading horse feed in the US according to their research, many large equine schools and large farms feed these all natural feeds because of what they get for the price, a lot of negative stuff has been written about corn but no one can support it with actual proof and research. We feed a simple all stock pellet from southern states and we supplement with cracked corn for those who need more calories, here is the link:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/b
762/b762_7.htm

TOP TEN WAYS YOU CAN HELP PROTECT HORSES
(ASPCA and SWAP Suggestions)

1.  BE THEIR VOICE - your vote is your greatest weapon against injustice, so register and actively support horse protection and preservation legislation.

2.  LEAD BY EXAMPLE - Walk the talk.  Don't support or attend cruel horse activities such as Tennessee Walker events using "soring" techniques - painful techniques to make the horse walk a certain way, or events that use drugs to make horses achieve results.  High-diving horse acts are cruel, as are rodeo events that don't promote respect for animals and their health.

3.  BE AN INFORMED CONSUMER - products made from horses like Premarin (pregnant mare urine pills for estrogen replacement), are created through horses' suffering.  Your spending dollar is a weapon.

4.  SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE - inform people what happens to horses after their short careers are over (slaughter plant bound), or where Premarin comes from, talk to them about over breeding, the hazards of over using young horses or not training a horse.  Engage them in discussion.

5.  SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HORSE RESCUE OR SANCTUARY - these organizations make life better for horses.

6.  VOLUNTEER - your gift of time is valuable to horse groups and if you have special talents, so much the better.

7.  REPORT CRUELTY - if you witness abuse or neglect, report it to local animal control or your county sheriff.  Someone cruel to animals is cruel to humans, too.

8.  PROTECT THE AMERICAN WILD HORSE - mustangs have a special place in our history and you can support federal and local legislation by writing emails and letters to your government reps.

9.  KEEP YOUR HORSE SAFE AND HEALTHY - if you own a horse, maintain its health with regular hoof, medical and dental check-ups.  Make sure they are companioned as horses suffer living alone - even a goat makes a good companion. Feed what the horse needs, if you are seeing ribs and hip bones, the horse is not getting enough, if you can't afford to buy more feed, then give the horse to someone who can, just be sure to check the person out and make sure they are not selling the horse to slaughter or just going to turn out and sell the horse to anyone that has the money. .

10.  PLAN AHEAD FOR YOUR HORSE'S CARE - your health and finances change so what happens to your horse of you can't care for it anymore?  Research your options, including a pet trust.  Horses live into their mid 20s and early 30s now - that's a lifetime of commitment.

Crossed Sabers Stable:

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As many as 60 million visitors per year

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As many as 530,000 hits in one day

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Visitors from 113 different countries

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Website Visitors from every continent of the world

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Thousands of adoptions (of 67 different breeds) in homes today with SWAP

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Horses adopted in 46 states and Canada

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13 Year History

Preparing for a Cold Winter:

HAY: Get your hay now before the prices become outrageous, get enough for the winter (good planning is 2 bales for every 3 days for one horse or 10 bales per month per horse, so to make it until the middle of June (first cutting), you're looking at 90 bales per horse at the very least (from September to June). If you have good thick grass that has been mowed and fertilized then depending on where you live in the US you might just need 60 to 70 bales. For good grazing its recommended  that you have 3 to 5 acres of mowed, seeded, fertilized grass per horse. Remember Grass is dead in WV from Oct/Nov until about April and every state has some months where the grass does not give the horses their calories or nutrients it needs to sustain life (USDA has details of that for each state). They may be grazing in the winter but they are not getting anything from the grass to survive. I know most know that but I say it because we had an adopter last year in WV that thought if they were eating grass that was all they needed and she nearly killed 2 horses.

GRAIN: Remember on average horses need 1 lb of concentrated feed (grain) for every 100 lbs of body weight, so on average horses need about 10 lbs of grain a day, more when its very cold or if they are living outside in a run because much of their calories go to keeping them warm. Some  horses need more so its critical to watch to make sure their ribs and hip bones are staying meaty and covered. If you see ribs, the horse is too thin and needs more calories, not supplements but more calories.. Easy keepers may be round but it does not mean they are healthy, most easy keepers need a multi vitamin to stay healthy.

WATER: One of the most critical things needed in winter is clean fresh water all the time, anywhere from 5 to 20 gallons per day per horse and everyone knows what a pain that is when there is ice and snow on the ground but its critical to preventing colic. Get your electric heaters, defrosters now, heated buckets, what ever it takes to make sure they have good water in front of them all the time and at least 10 gallons (2 flat backed buckets at the very least). Here we keep 100 gallons troughs in the stalls since we have big stalls, its much easier than frozen buckets in winter, all we do is break the ice and remove it most days and put a heater in them on really cold days. We use a sump pump to empty water and scrub troughs each week which keeps water fresh and clean.

SHELTER: Domestic horses need shelter, they are not wild and can not survive outside without shelter or some kind of heavy waterproof rug to keep them warm during snow/ice and freezing temperatures but the best is a closed in shelter that is free from drafts (meaning its closed on all 4 sides with some sort of ventilation). Wild horses first of all don't live very long, living outside in the elements is very hard on them, secondly wild horses move in cold temperatures to keepselves warm and they often times move over thousands of acres to keep warm or to find cover or water. No domestic horse can not do that on 5, 20 or even 100 acres. Just because your horse has learned to survive in bad weather does not mean its good for them, they need shelter in bad weather.

CARE: Its important to make kids take care of their horses but they must have adult supervision on a daily basis to make sure horses are getting what they need. Trust me, I usually have 30 year olds working in our barn and I still have to be there daily to make sure things are done, that they have clean water, especially when its cold because our young helpers want to get out of the weather and then the horses are left at risk for colic. Every day check your child's work, do not leave your horses care to a child (completely).

The  Woman  I will  Be

I shall wear diamonds and a wide brimmed straw hat with ribbons and flowers on it
And I shall spend my social security on white wine and carrots
And sit in the alley of my barn and listen to my horses breathe.  
I will sneak out in the middle of a summer's night  And ride the dappled mare across the moonstruck meadow, if my old bones will allow. and when people come to call, I will smile and nod, As I walk them past the gardens to the barn And show, instead, the flowers growing there
In stalls fresh-lined with straw. I will shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair as if it were a jewel. And I will be an embarrassment of all who look down on me Who have not yet found the peace in being free To love a horse as a friend, a friend who waits at midnight hour
With muzzle and nicker and patient eyes For the Woman I will be when I am old.

The perfect analogies for why we have the life school tied into SWAP and animal welfare work:

"Everyone thought we took this broken down horse and saved him but really he saved us"

     Jockey Red Pollard from the movie Seabiscuit

I rescued a human today

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me.
I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.

Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor.
So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors.
So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

Baggage
by Evelyn Colbath

Now that I'm home, bathed, settled and fed,
All nicely tucked into my warm new bed,
I would like to open my baggage,
Lest I forget
There is so much to carry -
So much to forget.

Hmm, Yes, here it is, right on the top
Let's unpack Loneliness, Heartache and Loss,
And there by my halter hides Fear & Shame
As I look on these things I have tried so hard to leave-
I still have to unpack my baggage called Pain.

I loved them, the others, the ones who left me,
But I wasn't good enough - for they didn't want me.
Will you add to my baggage?
Will you help me unpack?
Or will you just look at my things
And take me right back?

Do you have the time to help me unpack?
To put away my baggage,
To never re-pack?
I pray that you do - I'm so tired you see,
But I do come with baggage -
Will you still want me?

A young boy was walking along the beach 
as high tide came in.  
With every crash of the waves
he noticed that dozens of seahorses were being cast onto the beach, 
where they lay gasping and squirming.  
Hurriedly, he ran to each seahorse he could find 
and gently tossed them back into the surf.  
A man watching all this approached the boy and said; 
"Son, what you are doing won't make a difference", 
to which the boy replied, 

"To that seahorse . . . it will".

Some folks said they missed my great goals list for 2010, so here it is back again

1. Spend an hour a day with your horses, not just feeding, training and turning out, but real quality time doing something that is enjoyable for the both of you. Grooming or hand walking is a great way to bond with your horse and good for both you and the horse.

2. Get your loved ones more involved in your horses. Divorce is the biggest reason we see horses coming back to us. Don't just share the work, share the fun too and find something they really enjoy doing with horses.

3. Learn a new discipline, go to a clinic, a horse show, or equine affaire. Come to one of our clinics or watch a training video. If you are an adopter you can check out books and video's from SWAP's Library for just shipping costs. Take a lesson at least once a month or Bring your adoption horse here and we will help you. The better you are, the more fun you will have.

4. Make a plan for your horse after you are gone or if you have a major injury, let your Will Executor know your plans. Make a plan for emergencies or financial bumps along the way for your horse. Have a plan if you or your horse gets injured, even for the tough times of year like winter (or summer down south and for a drought winter when hay prices skyrocket). Ask friends, family and neighbors to be part of your plan, most people that don't have horses or a farm love the idea of getting away and helping. And people can not resist someone when they are asking for help for the welfare of an innocent animal.

5. Get yourself healthy and in better shape to prevent injury, to live a long life and to more enjoy your horses. Eat 1-1-1 (one ounce of dark chocolate, one ounce of fresh walnuts, one glass of red wine daily) and 2-2-2 (2 servings of fresh vegis, 2 of fresh fruit and get 2 sources of fat free calcium). Drink 100 ounces of spring water a day, get a whole house water filter. Change over to Sea-salt. Take one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar every morning to keep your body alkaline (cancer and disease can not grow in an alkaline body). Eat more fish and chicken and less red meat. Get a good air cleaner and do daily deep breathing exercises, get outside in the fresh air and sunshine for at least 1/2 hour every day. Get away from high fat food, processed foods, fast food, can or boxed food, sugar or artificial sweeteners, soda and don't eat anything if you can't read all the ingredients and know exactly what is in it. Clean all vegis and fruits thoroughly, buy organic, buy ocean caught fish, not farm raised, buy fresh meat and raw milk, not packed or processed. Eat only natural carbs (potatoes, rice, oats) bake/broil or steam everything. Get 8 hours of sleep, reduce stress/risk (reduce commuting by car pooling, tight schedules, cell phone use in the car, watch or read the news only once a day or better yet once a week. Do one hour of walking, yoga or weight training every day and it will make you strong, lean, you'll look great and get wonderful complements from friends, coworkers and loved ones and the horse work will be easier and more enjoyable.

6. Stay clear of negative people and those very negative chat rooms and bulletin boards, they seem innocent but every time you go to them you lose a bit of your positive self, they are truly emotional vampires that will leave only a shell of a person. They are not based on the truth, they are based on harassment, complaining, whining and dishonesty. We all become tomorrow what we are around today, every person we come in contact with defines who we are tomorrow so be careful who you choose for friends, even the websites you go to as each of them affect who you are tomorrow. Do you want to be a bitter, miserable, complaining person or do you want to be happy, inspired and honorable, all that is affected by the decisions you make today. Stay away from Toxic people and Toxic websites/forums that are negative or that spend all their time talking bad about people and their horses. What you are around today and what you are doing today is what you will be tomorrow. Stop Complaining and be Thankful for what you have. If you become a target of harassment or anyone saying anything negative about you, if you are doing only good, positive things and not hurting anyone then ignore them, its all based on jealousy and a sick sort of wish to be like you. They have the problem, not you.

7. Read at least one book on training your horse and one on care each year, if for nothing else but just inspiration. SWAP has a great library of books/videos that adopters can check out for just the cost of mailing it. Click here to see our Library

8. Get carrots/apples every time you go to the store, your horses will love you for it and always come running when you call. Don't feed candy or anything sweeter. Carrots are sweet enough. Get rid of the sweet feeds and you'll get rid of the hot horse once and for all.

9. Realize that if you are having a problem with your horse, more likely than not, the problem is you. Learn more, practice more, ask in a different way, be patient, change their environment or daily schedule to better suit them. Taking better care of a horse always brings out the best in that horse.  Good feed/hay, time to rest in a quiet stall out of the elements, lots of fresh water, time to be with you and time to just be a horse, time with their buddies, farrier and vet care always done is a good start. The biggest part of this relationship puzzle is you, not the horse. If you are struggling, then you need to learn more and get better.

10. Ride at least once a week, regardless of weather. Use this time as your down time for healing, your therapy, your time to relieve stress and the pressures of daily life. Even if you don't ride, go sit and read a book in the pasture with the horses or sit in the barn and listen to them munch on dinner, away from the crowd and noise of your day. Enjoy the peace and quiet, enjoy hearing happy horses eating dinner or grass in the pasture.

11. Spend time leisurely grooming your horse once a week. Rubber curries are shine makers. You will have a beautiful horse and a very loyal friend who will do anything for you.

12. Come and spend a week at SWAP HQ, volunteering and focusing on helping a horse and giving will change your life plus it will be the best vacation you ever had. Help an animal in need, whether fostering, being one of our state reps that goes out to check on our horses in their homes or helps us approve adopters in their area. Find horses in need and help us find them homes. Buy a horse at a slaughter auction, get it fat and trained and we'll help you place it into a good home. Foster and volunteer for your local small animal adoption program. I promise, the good things you do will come back to you a hundred times over. Every person has a talent they can offer and if you help one horse or one dog or cat find a good home, you have changed their life forever. 

13. Know that every goal is obtainable and it starts with a single step. Take that first step today!! No matter what it is or how big, YOU CAN DO IT!! Every goal that is written down will come true (really!). Every famous person, every great or notable scientist, author, trainer/rider, parent or friend started out as just a thought, just a goal. Remember to take one step today to reach your goals.

14. Start every day with thinking about, what is the most important thing I can do today to change my life and make it better. Do that one thing and in 30 days your life will be totally different. Can you imagine what your life would be like if you did that for 60, 90 or even 365 days a year. The opportunities are endless.

15. Want to keep your horse sound for life? (That should be every horse owners number one goal) do a long slow warm up (cold muscle is easy to injure, a warm one is nearly impossible to injure). The very best cool down is hand walking your horse for 1 hour after every work out. Yes, get off the horse and walk with it. Its great exercise for you and a good time for you to bond. Stop riding your horse during cool downs and stop using a hot walker, do something good for you and the horse, hand walking. Its also the best rehab for over work and injuries, the only thing better is hydro therapy and swimming your horse. Allow soft tissue and hard tissue to become more conditioned before going into any training program... that means 3 months of at least 3 days a week for soft tissues and 10 months of work for bones to become strong enough to jump or do any strenuous training program. Don't start any upper level work, jumping or extensive training until the horse is fit and at least between age 4 and 6 and has been conditioned for at least 10 months (especially if the horse has never been jumped/worked or not been jumped or worked in the last year).

16. Appreciate what you have and be thankful. Instead of looking at what you don't have, look at what you do. Thank those people who have helped you and supported you. The more you give, the more that will come back to you. When you give something away or give something to someone/something in need, you make space in your life for something good to come to you. We are all very blessed, if we just take a moment to look around and enjoy those things.

17. Get used to using favorite mantra's and visualizations every day, simple ones that are easy to remember, like 'I can do this, I will do this', 'this isn't going to get the best of me' or even, 'I deserve the best' or 'the gift of love, caring, and support always comes back' and take two minutes every morning as you wake and at night as you go to sleep to visualize the life you want, the you you want to be,  Our thoughts become things, what you see is what you get, if you expect the best, the best will happen, change your self-talk from negative to positive and I promise your life will change for the better..

18. Each person is put on this earth for a reason, each of us has a mission. What is yours? Seek and you shall find, finding is a journey ... in the journey and the search you'll find your life purpose. If you died in your sleep tonight is there something you haven't done that you need to do or want to do? Someone you need to mend fences with, burnt bridges to fix? People you need to tell them how much you love them? Have you fulfilled your purpose in your life? Ask yourself, Why am I here? How can I make this better?  Who do I want to be? Who am I suppose to be? What reason was I put on this earth? What is my purpose?

19. Be an inspiration to your family, co workers and friends. We all fall on our face, we all make mistakes, we all get discouraged, most times we all get up and try again.... sometimes we need a nudge. Instead of being negative or doing negative things, be their inspiration. You do believe they can do it, so why not tell them. If their self talk is negative, then you be their positive self talk.... eventually they will start to say it and believe it too. Life is self fulfilling, failure feeds on itself or causes more failure, achieving does as well. So if you or your love ones are in a negative cycle, break the cycle by changing your thoughts, your self talk, achieve something small to get yourself and your family back into the cycle of achievement.

20. We all file a flight plan every single day for our life. Where is your flight going today? Just like a pilot flying, the winds, the gravitational pull will change your flight and take you off course, so you must make small corrections along the way to make sure you make your destination. Have you selected your destination? Have you picked the steps in your flight plan to get there? Every goal is really that easy, pick the goal and figure out how to get there. The easiest way to pick your flight path/plan is find someone who has done it before you, then do what they did. Its all baby steps you know. Just keep an eye on that destination and keep saying...."here is my destination, this is where I'm going, this is where I am now, this is how I'm going to get there.... I will arrive at this time on this day. You can do it..... its just like getting in your car to go to the store, its just deciding where you want to go and how to get there, then take that first step. You can do it!!  No matter how big or how outlandish you may think your dream to be... it is obtainable.

21. Laugh every day and try (as hard as it is sometimes) to find the positive and the humor in each situation (and have at least one bite of a truly decadent desert once a week). Life is just too short to not enjoy it thoroughly.

22. We learn the most and do our best work when we have fallen on our face, when we are struggling, when we are worried, scared or frustrated, when we are anguishing over something or troubled by it. It is then that you have true motivation, when you think clearer. The most brilliant ideas come to people when they feel lost, frustrated, or at the bottom, helpless or hopeless. Cherish these times because its when you can come up with your best ideas to your biggest problems and challenges. You see, there is a reason for the rainy days.

23. You can't make everyone happy, its useless to try and wasted energy to think you can. 50% of all people will not agree with you at any given time, don't worry about it and don't let it stop you. 50% becomes a lot of people when you are in the public eye. As long as you are not hurting anyone and you are doing the right thing, then go ahead and do it. If you are wondering what is the right thing to do, its usually the harder thing to do, the toughest path to take. The easy way out is rarely the right thing to do.  Instead of worrying over what someone thinks of you or says about you, do something amazing and outstanding to inspire them or at least have them sitting on the side lines being jealous, secretly saying, "wow, she has guts". One person with purpose becomes the majority, one way or another.

1. There are at least two people in this world That you would die for.
 
2. At least 15 people in this world Love you in some way.
  
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you Is because they want to Be just like you.
  
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, Even if they don't Like you.
  
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you Before they go to sleep.
 
6. You mean the world to someone.
  
7. You are special and unique.
 
8. Someone that you don't even know exists, loves you.
  
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, Something good comes from it.   

10. When you think the world has
Turned its back on you, take another look.
  
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

Always in hope and admiration, Celeita

YOUR BANK ACCOUNT  
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
'I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
'Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.
'Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank.
I am still depositing.' Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

 Our lives with horses...

Our lives with horses are rich with feeling.  You know  this if  you've ever.... choked back tears watching a new foal wobble to his feet for the First time ...or watched your good horse wobble to his feet after surgery.... or seen the ends of the reins float straight out as a reining  horse spins beneath them . . or chuckled to yourself as you watched a tiny tot on a patient pony trot through a barrel pattern at a saddle club payday ... or felt the building tremble as an eight-up hitch of feather-legged giants towed a hand-carved beer wagon into the arena ... or had your heart stop when you saw your horse lying motionless in the pasture on a sunny day and waited breathlessly for an ear to flick ... or cheered at the screen when 'The Man From Snowy River' slid Dennie down the mountainside, ..  or when Seabiscuit made his final surge to beat War Admiral ... or cruised along the highway and seen a horse in a pasture and wondered what he's like to ride or pictured him as a prospect ... or sucked in your breath as a horse and rider approached a six-foot wall ... or sworn a solemn oath to your horse that together you would triumph ... or flipped through the TV channels and stopped when you saw a  horse even when it was a commercial ... or laughed aloud when you rubbed your horse's face and he rubbed back ... or gotten chills hearing Dave Johnson's 'and DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!' (or 'Run for the Roses' circa 1980 ish?)
 ... or stood in awe at your horse in morning play as  he sprinted around the pasture, then stopped, head erect, and snorted defiance at the rest of the world
... or been thankful to see wild horses grazing casually at the foot of a hill ... or felt calmed by the sleekness of a silky
haircoat beneath your hand ... or felt your jaw drop as you watched a Lipazzan
perform a capriole ... or if you've ever seen someone in the grocery store wearing a certain kind of hat, or boots, or buckle, or have a certain cut and length to their jeans, and felt some remote kind of connection ... or felt warmed by a soft nicker greeting as you entered the barn ... or slid your hand under your horse's blanket to straighten it out, only to pause in the glowing feeling that you get when you touch the
warmth of his coat... or riding on a trail with your horse, thinking how that trail over there looks nice and almost without asking, your horse has sensed your slightest movement in the saddle and he's now taking you there. ... or pulled up to your barn where you board and only your horse greets you with a welcoming hello from the sound of your car or your voice.

HEROES AND HORSES

SOME NOTABLE HEROES AND THEIR HORSES ARE MENTIONED AND WE KNOW YOUR HORSE IS YOUR HERO AND VICE VERSA.

1.  Kanthaka - Buddha's horse, the one he used when he was still Siddhartha the prince, to escape from his father's palace and begin his journey toward enlightenment.  Kanthaka's hooves made no sounds as they fled together and he is often depicted being lifted on his four feet by benign spirits.

2.  Pegasus - the mythical winged horse parented by Neptune and Medusa and ridden by Bellerophon to rid the world of Chimera, the monster.  Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, was able to capture and train Pegasus when he allowed her to place her golden bit in his mouth.

3.  Phosphorus (Light Bearer) - the great Roman racehorse immortalized by the 4th century Roman poet Ausonius (at the emperor's request) in a beautiful eulogy:  Fly with haste to join the wing-footed horses of Elysium; may Pegasus gallop on your right and Arion as your left-wheeler, and let Castor find a fourth horse for the team.

4.  Babieca - famed white gelding of El Cid, Rodrigo Diaz of Bivar, the Spanish hero who united Christians and Muslims against a Moorish onslaught from Africa.  Babieca lived to be 30 years old and carried El Cid into all his battles.  Babieca means "crazy" as Rodrigo made a crazy choice since the colt was the runt of the herd.

5.  Bucephalus (Ox-head) - beloved horse of Alexander the Great who bore the Macedonian hero on his back from Greece to India.  Odds against a horse living past 20 in that era were great, but Bucephalus, in his 20s, endured until he fell in battle in India.

6.  Sleipnir - the eight-legged war horse of Odin, the Norse god,  was able to fly without wings and shape-shift.

7.  Balios and Xanthos - a grey and bay, both sired by Zephyros, the West Wind, who together pulled Achilles' chariot.

8.  Vivasat - a Hindu sun-god who often took the form of a stallion.

9.  Al Burak - Mohammed's horse, on whose back he ascended to heaven, was brought to him by the archangel Gabriel

10.  Chiron - the centaur who taught Achilles, Jason and the first physician, Ascelpius, all he knew.

11.  Rakhsh - blue-eyed and dappled red horse of the legendary Persian warrior, Rustam.  Rakhsh was highly intelligent and saved his sleeping master from a lion's attack, killing the predator.

There are many more famous mythical and real horses and we will be adding to our list. Can you help us add to this list?. thank you Harmony Horse Works.

The question is not: "do you support horse slaughter."

The question is: "do you support the cruel, terrifying transport for days without food and water in their journey to death?"

The question is: "do you support the torture and abuse of the killer chutes, even for crippled horses, pregnant mares, wild horses, protective mares with foals by their sides?"

The question is: “Do you support the horse slaughter factories that lie to their consumers about the many chemicals that taint the horse meat, and call it Organic?

The question is: do you support the breeder who breeds hundreds of horses just to pick out the good ones and cash in the rest to the killer buyer?

The question is: Do you support the person who uses the horse its whole life and when it gets to an old age sends it to slaughter as a thank you?

The question is: “do you support the slaughter workers who cheer a horse on that struggles extra hard for its life?

The question is: Do you support the killer buyer who not only buys up the strong, fat and healthy horses and leaves the meek weak and unhealthy for society, but also bids against the good homes and horse rescues?

The question is: “Can you see though the lies of the ones who stand to loose a buck with the end of horse slaughter?

The question is: Do you support ripping the last of our wild horses away from their families and peaceful lives to be slaughtered?

The question is: As a nation, can we allow this to continue and still call ourselves a civilized country?

The question is: "Can you look at the footage of innocent horses with their eyes gouged out, hooves ripped off, legs broken, beaten by the workers, faces smashed in from being on the transport trucks, horses stabbed in their spines, horses conscious for the entire killing process and do nothing?

That is the question, so what is YOUR answer?

Resolve to make the world a better place for animals (credit: PETA)

bulletIf you haven't already done so, have the companion animals who depend on you spayed or neutered. These simple procedures help protect your furry friends from many types of cancer and prevent thousands of animals from being born only to end up abandoned on the streets or dumped at severely crowded animal shelters.
bulletIf you live with a dog, pledge to walk him or her every day, even when it's cold outside and you'd rather hide under a blanket. If you share your home with cats, set aside some "kitty (or horsey) quality time" every day to play with, brush, and bond with them. It's sometimes too easy to overlook our feline friends, but they can get bored and lonely too.
bulletIf there is a lonely "backyard dog" in your neighborhood, try befriending his or her guardian. Start by politely talking to him or her about the dog's needs, such as companionship, daily portions of fresh food and water, and a weatherproof doghouse filled with straw. Many lucky dogs have had their lives changed because someone like you cared enough to intervene.
bulletIf you're shopping for yourself or buying holidays gifts for your loved ones, stay away from fur, wool, leather, and companies that make or sell products made from the skins of animals.

NOTE: Crossed Sabers can not fully guarantee the accuracy of every page on this website which is huge (38,000 files and over 300 pages). We do not have the personnel or time to keep it up to date and accurate for every situation as this Stable and all its programs have always been a dynamic entity, ever changing and improving itself to meet the needs of horses and horse people. We do try to make sure each page is up to date and accurate but the best thing to do If you have a question, is email or call us. Additionally Crossed Sabers can not guarantee anything that anyone says about us on line, we have no control over other people and their websites, forums or ads, all we can tell people is if you do not know the person, their name, address and their experience, age or history/background/education and location do not trust what they say. That is true for everything on the internet. Some things said about us have been grossly inaccurate and did not come from CSS, some come from past employees we fired for cause (for hurting horses or stealing from us), people that are pro-slaughter and hate our mission and what we do for horses enjoy trying to make us look bad, some are horse traders that we've helped put out of business and some are people we helped put in jail on neglect cases. Again, if you have questions about us, our services, our company structure, how we are licensed, how we pay taxes, how we do things or anything at all, please feel free to contact us, just don't assume that all you read on another website is accurate because 99% of it is not true, especially if you read it on a forum, blog or chat room and don't assume that it came from us, just call 304-873-3532 or email us at secondwindadopt@aol.com, or better yet, come and see our operation and you will see how we do things. I can guarantee it's 1000 times better than what the liars and frauds say who are jealous of our work. All programs and services listed on this website, including SWAP is a part of Crossed Sabers Stable which has been licensed in WV for the last 13 years. The Mountain State Horse School and Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc. and Crossed Sabers International Horse School, Inc. was incorporated on 4 Sep 08 to address the education needs and life challenges of people and horses.

Buyer and Seller Beware!! Update on the Robin Hollingsworth of Blacksburg, SC (she has several alias's and about 10 fake names) fraud case for those of you who have been asking. The SC prosecutor accepted a plea bargain from her and dropped the case if she paid the people she ripped off (the people she took money under false pretenses from when she sold them horses she did not own), she did that so she was let go but the 3 arrests will stay on her record and the record of what she did to all those people is still on the books and will stay there. If she is caught again I'm certain she will go to jail but people who are cheated by her must stand up and testify.. If more people that she ripped off would have not chickened out and backed out because of fear (Quote from them was we are scared of her, she is crazy) she would be in jail right now but beware, she is still loose and still taking free horses or companion horses that have things like ringbone and navicular and drugging them and then selling them as high level jumpers and competition horses on the internet. Her daughter works with her, Amanda or Mandy, she helps her rip people off. Beware, I'm getting calls almost every month where Robin has committed more crimes against people, taking horses, not paying for them, bouncing checks, buying vehicles and horse trailers and not paying for them. BEWARE OF THIS WOMAN!! If you want her history or to check a person's name against our black list (our do not adopt to, do not sell to, do not buy from, do not hire or even rent to list), then contact us.

BEWARE: Do not buy a horse from anyone you do not know, ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERNET, unless they have websites like ours, their names and addresses listed and they show they have a long long history on their website and do not buy unless you go to see the horse and have it vet checked and you have contact with the vet, not the seller or even trainer telling you what the vet said. DO NOT GIVE YOUR HORSE OR SELL YOUR HORSE WITHOUT A WRITTEN AGREEMENT AS TO WHAT IS TO HAPPEN WITH THE HORSE, RESELLING, USE/LIMITATIONS, FACILITIES NEEDED, ETC. It you sell or give away a horse with no agreement, they could go to slaughter the same day you release them or they could be sold and misrepresented, living a life of neglect, abuse, over use and miss use the rest of their lives. We hear stories all the time where a best friend or neighbor, the nice lady you gave the horse to sent the horse to slaughter or is neglecting it and there is not a thing the owner can do now because they no longer own the horse and they made no written agreements signed by both parties. If you need help doing written agreements, back ground checks on buyers and sellers, just contact us, that is part of our 'SAFE SELLING' SERVICES. Your horse's life depends on you being safe and thorough!

BEWARE: People are selling horses on the internet that don't even exist so beware, the horse industry is full is liars, cheaters, and thieves, even we have had to deal with them from potential adopters who were in jail applying to adopt, to employees and former trainers who totally ripped us off by stealing tack and tools, asking for huge advances and then leaving after they get them, people who don't even know us or had any experience with us slandering us on forums, harassing us and our supporters, interfering with company operations and even adopters who don't think twice about breaching their contract or forging their vets signature on applications & annual updates or even selling their adoption horse to programs like ours and even 501c3's public charities selling horses to slaughter auctions or being put in jail for neglect and animal cruelty. We are bringing each person that has wronged our horses to justice one at a time and winning all our cases but that does not protect the general public from these liars, thieves, con-artist and cheaters. Your horses life can easily be ruined forever, they could end up in a fate worse than death so buyer and seller beware, your horses life depends on you keeping them safe and you being thorough with doing things like getting references and making sure the people have stable employment, that they really own the farm they say they do, doing background checks to check for criminal records. The horse world is full of dishonesty which ruins it for honest people that really care and always try to do the right thing, such a shame. Just be very careful and get proof that your horse is going to a good home, get more than a feeling because we promise you about 50% of the time when it comes to horses, your feeling that its a 'nice' person or a 'good' person' is wrong. And even when you pick a good home, they can turn around and sell or give away to a bad home.

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches and negative people pull you down. People who like to cause trouble will shorten your life and make you just like them... miserable.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen.. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER
:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but  by the moments that take our breath away.

The Stable Ledger

"As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do." Andrew Carnegie

November Newsletter

christmas adoption
ONE DAY ONLY
DECEMBER 1, 2009 
50% off on all horse adoption fees when paying the fee up front vs. paying monthly payments
 
Our 2009 Christmas Adopt-A-Thon continues in hopes that all our horses will be in homes of their own this holiday, each and everyone of them deserve a family all their own to love and care for them.
 
Just call us tomorrow at 304-873-3532 to let us know you want to adopt, which horse and all you have to do is get the application, contract and fee to us by Friday December 4th. No horse will be considered adopted until all items are in and approved.
 
Don't miss out on this wonderful special which takes thousands off the adoption fees of our horses.
 
All horses are in this special except the ones adopted or pending adoption already
Saying Goodbye 
zorana
 
Dr. Zorana Ristic, DVM 
 
A terrible loss for SWAP and for all animals, friend, long timer adopter, foster mom, adviser, manager of all Michaels' transports, supporter and amazing horsewoman. She will be terribly missed by all.
 
SWAP will be placing many of Zorana and Michael's horses either through SWAP or Safe Selling, please help us help this family during a very tough time.
A Special thank you to all who have adopted, donated and volunteered. Many Many thanks to those who made our Golf Tournament such a big success and to all those that have come on weekends to help and to those who have worked so hard during Volunteer Weekends.  To all those golfers and even those who come to be with the horses, we thank you. We could not anything that we have done without you:
 
C. Culbreth, VA
P. Breakiron, OH
K. Turner, OH
D. Aradl, FL
L. Andrae, CA
A. McCreary, NY
S. Soeder, WV
Margaret in NC
P. Wiley, WV
Cara, Caitlin and Maryann in WV
D. Moore, WV
S. Sourer, WV
The Fleming family, WV
H. Heaster
Arnett family, OH
M. Schmitt
C. Zimmerman, NJ
K. Robinson, OH
F. Freme, VA
P. Tegarden, MD
D. Amiss, OH
S. Woodruff, OH
K. Kelly, OH
R. Richm, NY
P. Sutton, NY
J. Blaisdale, VA
the farriers and riders from Meredith Manor
Kovach Stables, DE
M Sasada, DE
D. Wayne King, DE
J. Winer and ASK W. Stables, DE
T. Dennis, DE
George Dennis Racing Stable, DE
DE STB Owners Assoc, DE
Harrington Raceway, DE
C. Poliseno, DE
B. Stafford, DE
T. Price, DE
R. Kinsey, DE
Plumbing by Fletch, DE
The Wyatts, DE
S. Johnson, DE
V. Copeland, DE
A. Barmer, DE
J. Roberts, DE
S. Callahan, MD
The Callahan Family, DE
Dr. R. Franczek, DVM, DE
Dover Downs, DE
B. Messick, DE
Foster Feeds, WV
Southern States, WV
F. York, TX
M. Watkins, AL
WRWCO, TX
Audubon Animal Clinic, WV
Angie Huffman, WV
C. Myers, WV
The Barnharts, WV
J. Shutay, IL
P. Pitts, WV
P. Pape, TX
C. Yonque, WV
D. Greenhalgh, WV
B. Dombrowsky, VA
M. Lee, NC
B. Robinson, WV
M. Asthater, VA
T. Rhoades, VA
The Powers family, WV
Morgan, Chris & Mel at Pony Pastures, MD
C. Heeter, PA
The Herzberg family, NC
J. Peterson, OH
The Smith Family, PA
F. Gentile, PA
P. Burr, TX
S. Soeder, WV
The Coia Family, NC
C. Furrow, VA
1SGT Big'n and family, PA
C. Greene, NY
Huntington Stables, OH
L. Garrett, WV
The Popp family, CT
The Biddle family, PA
P. Jageman, MD
K. Martin, PA
S. Reed, VA
The Hubbell Family, OH
J. Hoke, WV
A. Carroll, WV
D. Hanley, WV
G. Hearnes, PA
T. Bruning, MD
The Wade Family, WV
The Blessings Family, WV
S. Nagengast, NY
The Dewitt Family, WV
E. Niday, VA
J. Hutto, AL
The Cox Family, MA
D. Ferrell, VA
M. Scott, NY
B. Szost, NY
 
and a special thank you to all our adopters and fosters who have always been so good to take such great care of all the horses!!
 
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family, especially your 4 legged family. May the inspiration, joy and magic of the season be with you all year long.
                             
                     Celeita, Beth, Maureen, Diana, Bruce,    
                     Tom, Ruby, Donna, Hilary, Sara, Marion,   
                     Patrick and all the volunteers at
                     Crossed Sabers Stable
 
Save 50%
On All Adoptions Tuesday 1 December 2009
Offer Expires: 2 December

September Ledger

 

Subject: The Crossed Sabers Ledger, Top 10 for September

fall header
 
 
 The Stable Ledger 
Crossed Sabers Stable 
Top 10

1Dreamer, our rescued Saddlebred is coming along, gaining weight but will need a few more surgeries in 4 to 6 weeks plus we still need to get $760. to our foster since she covered nearly half of our vet bill which ended up being well over $1600. for the initual vet work. 

Thank you all for the donations from L. McKinney (FL), L. Jerrett (WV), J. Shutay (IL), C. Myers and the Taylor County Animal Shelter (TCHS, WV), P. Pitts (WV). P. Pape (TX), Taylor County Humane Society (WV), and B Hoopes (VA). Someone called in a donation to Audubon and they did not get your name, thank you, too!! A special thank you to our foster mom Angie Huffman and our neglect case workers Tom and Ruby Fleming for doing all they could to help this boy. Kudos!

 Please send paypal donations directly to Angie Huffman, our foster at dusthuff@yahoo.com or you can mail donations in the mail to us and we'll get them to her. We'll do more credit card donations when he goes back to audubon but now lets get Angie's money back to her. In the mean time, the proof is in the pictures, Angie is doing a super job on his rehab:
 
saddlebred2 at pick up dreamer sep taken this week
2. Lucky Midnight Blue is our new arrival, Lucky is a 5 yo Walking Horse gelding found abandoned in a strip mine in McDowell County on the VA/WV border, barely walking from either soring or from pulling walking horse pads from his feet, leaving much damage and a body condition level 1 or 2, left to die alone. He is so weak and his feet will take some time to get better but his life will change forever one day at a time. We were called by many in the area that found him and though we are full we didn't have the heart to turn him away. He's had his first bath, which he was perfect for and he's eating like crazy. Its very obvious that he is glad to be alive. Sweet, wants to please and they always appreciate that they have been saved. Keep watching for updates on Lucky.  
 lucky arrival at arrival last week
lucky after bath after his first bath
3Hay and Grain for winter, We've gotten all our hay to last us until first cutting 2010 (YEA). Thanks to everyone who donated, adopted and even bought things off SWAP Shopping as that is where the money has gone, over 3000 bales in the big barn and hay barn, check this picture of the isleway taken this week, we just have the last 300 bales to pay for, so we are sitting pretty good for hay going into winter, we just need to pay that last $1000. for the final bales just delivered. The big task now is covering the $1200 worth of grain that we need each month, this is where adoptions and donations/sponsorships become critical for us to keep helping horses that need us through the months when adoptions are so slow. Please consider a monthly donation/horse sponsorship through the winter months:
 
hay in barn hay in the main barn
 
4. Recognizing and reporting Neglect, taking care of your horses in tough financial times, protecting your horse when you can't keep it.......
Recognizing neglect or abandonment ... ribs and hip bones sticking out, no food or water available, horses laying down excessively, major injuries and no vet, horses left in a field or the woods are the big red light signals that something is very wrong.
 
A. Call the county sheriff or animal control officer of the county where the horse is located with the complete address of the horses location, owner of the horse if you have that, pictures if you could get pictures. The sheriff at the very least should go out and see the horses and second get a large animal vet in to evaluate the horse and get the animal care, then they will either give the accused time to get the horse in better shape or chose to take it immediately from the aleged abuser.
 
B. If the county does not do anything then contact us and our neglect case workers Tom and Ruby Fleming at tomfleming64@cebridge.net or contact PETA neglect case workers, Stephanie at sbell@peta.org, or Tori at ToriP@peta.org, they have been super at getting authorities to do their job, educate them on the state laws and to get the horse some help.
 
C. Affording Your Own Horse: It always amazes me to go in with a sheriff on a neglect call and find no grain at all and then ask the family what kind of feed they normally feed and they say Triple Crown Senior or Safe Choice and alfalfa hay, all very expensive feeds and they can't afford to buy them. Well, no wonder, choose a cheaper grain and a simple grass hay.  Here locally you can get a ton of a 12% all stock pellet for $230. a ton which could feed one horse for months, if your horse needs a higher calorie feed go with a corn based feed, hole or cracked corn, which runs about $238. a ton. Much has been said negative about corn and horses but no one seems to be able to show actual research to support their findings. Check out the link from Ohio State Research, corn is actually the number 1 feed of horses in the US, why? Because its cheap and high calorie. Even the internationally known Equine School Meredith Manor feeds whole corn and all their horses look great. I suspect many large ranches, farms and other large schools feed corn as well for the same reasons. Click here to read the Ohio State Research. 
 
D. If your life or finances change, do something quickly, call rescues and programs like ours immediately, do not list your horse for free on websites (its a big red sign to meat buyers and those lying cheating horse traders who will tell you anything to get your horse and it will be gone immediately, all for them to make money, with no regard for your horse). Your horse depends on you to do the right thing and take some time in finding the best home, don't just think oh what a nice family, get proof they will care for your horse by getting vet and farrier references at the very least, make sure they have a job etc... if they don't want you to ask questions, go on to someone else. Make sure there is an adoption agreement or purchase agreement that will protect your horse for life, once someone owns a horse they can do anything to it including shoot it, neglect it, starve it, over use it, not feed or give it shelter and rarely does anyone ever find out and then all you find out later is the horse died of colic.... well, that is what they say.  Beware, sign strong agreements and get proof its a good home!!
5. Adoption: We have reduced adoption fees for fall and many super horses, monthly payments with a very low downpayments are always available, 10% off when you pay up front vs. paying payments. We have many many super horses right now, from show and competition horses, lovely sound young registered egyptian arabs, Quarter Horses, beautiful Standardbreds that all drive and ride. HORSES AVAILABLE is the link to see all the new horses (2 sound 3rd level dressage horses, a tall young sound TB hunter that comes with experience and training (never raced), a lovely registered QH gelding/western pleasure horse, 2 very nice Missouri Fox Trotters, several wonderful Paints)... the list is long but some super choices, plus kittens and dogs, too! All needing good homes.
ren jumping kerrara
 
6. A review of some of the key items on the SWAP adoption agreement, this is a friendly reminder to those who appear to have forgotten the agreement they made with SWAP:
A. Complete annual updates every year (follow up forms are on the website under the SWAP section)
 
B. Getting signatures of the facility owner before moving your adoption horse there (this protects you and your horse from a potential lien),
 
C. Facility change forms if you move the horses residence,
 
D. Inform the program of any change in personal situation or residence with new contact information
 
E. Contact the program and/or return the horse if you can't care for it or no longer want the horse and do so before the horse is starved or in trouble.
 
F. Do no sale, transfer, move or put the horse into the care of another person without SWAP's written consent and an adoption agreement and application from the new adopter.
7. 2nd Annual SWAP Golf Tournament is October 30th, in Wyoming, DE at the Wild Quail Golf and Country Club. Registration is 11:30 and the shot-gun start begins at 12:30. Still looking for more players and prizes for giveaways.
golfing 

If you want to market your business at this event, consider a prize donation or becoming a hole sponsor for $100. All donors will have nice signs with their business information posted for all to see. 

Some of the current prizes include a 2010 Mazda for a hole in one prize, several 5 day trips, cash prizes, original paintings, electronics, an original pencil drawing of a harness racing horse, 2 night stay at the atlantic hotel in Ocean City, MD (thanks to Impi's adopter) and so much more!!
To play, become a sponsor or prize donor contact Tina Dennis is geden@comcast.net Click here to get all information on this event! 
8. Horse and Barn 101 Clinic: The Mountain State Horse School is "potentially" running a Horse and Barn 101 clinic October 17th and 18th, we've had many begging for more clinics and are looking at running the 2 day Horse and Barn 101 clinic for all new horse owners, for others looking to get their first horse or for long time horse owners who have never had any formal training about horses. We need at least 6 students to run the clinic, free quarters are available for the first 8 females that signs up. The clinic is $150. each and that includes all supplies and lunch both days. You can arrive Friday evening and depart on Sunday evening. Class on Saturday starts a 9am until at least 5pm but can go on as long as the student wants to address problems they are having in care, training, etc. Adopters get 50% off all clinics and additionally students from the same family are also half off. Attendees under 16 need to be accompanied by a parent or adult that is also attending. Audits are also 1/2 off ($75.), we only have room for 20 students so sign up soon. We need to have all students signed up by Saturday the 3rd of October!! Click here to see the description of the clinic. Contact us at secondwindadopt@aol.com to sign up.
 
9. Riders, Volunteers and the Girl Scouts, We've had a super Spring and summer for Riders, Volunteers from WVU, Robert C. Byrd High School, Meredith Manor International Equestrian School and even help from the local Girl Scouts in Clarksburg. A very special thank you to Donna, Hilary, Sara, Marian, Sam, Carol, Crissy, Dana, Julie and all the girl scouts that have come and worked so hard to help us help so many horses in need. Congratulations on a job so well done, we look forward to seeing you all this fall!! Here's the girl scouts learning all about caring for horses:
 
girl scouts
 
10. adoptedArmbro Lenny, Fuzzy, Cathy, Emmy, JJ/Dakota, Esteban, Bogey, Dante, Jolly, Tye, Honey Bun, Posey, Pip and Janie have all been adopted!
Armbro Lenny ... from beginning to his final chapter at SWAP, his new life in a great home starts now....
 
armbro lenny starved arrival June 25th 2009
lenny jobeth with adopter JoBeth this past weekend (9/19/09), Armbro Lenny is now in his new home in NC. YEA... another happy ending!
How you can help:
 
1. Adopt, we do have so many great horses including a young big lovely sound hunter (Ren) and 2, 3rd level dressage horses (Bee and Kerrara), many great beginner and family horses, too.
 
2. Foster one of our light use or companion horses for the winter or until we get them into a home
 
3. Send a donation to Dreamer and Dreamers foster mom on paypal at dusthuff@yahoo.com
 
4. Send a donation for Lucky by mailing a check to Crossed Sabers Stable, Rt 2 Box 24A, West Union, WV 26456
 
5. Donate a fancy horse that will help us raise money, all horses get a great home for life.
 
6. Attend our Horse and Barn Clinic if you are new to horses or have horses for years but never had any formal training in horses.  
 
7. Attend our Wyoming, DE golf tournament October 30th, donate a prize or sponsor a hole (and market your business too).
 
8. Volunteer if you're local, if not local consider a weekend or week of volunteering to spend time with the horses
 
9. Consider a small fund raiser, book sale, bake sale or car wash, all great events for kids to help horses
 
10. Sponsor one horse through the winter months, pick your favorite horse and send $50. to $100. a month from October until March, our toughest months. $100. will pay for feed, farrier or deworming each month. If you do on line banking you can set it up so the donation comes directly out of your bank account each month, nothing to do except notify your bank. To do that contact us at secondwindadopt@aol.com and we'll give you our banking information. Be sure to pick your favorite horse and we'll send you monthly updates on your sponsored horse.
 
 
FARM FOR SALE IN EASTERN WV, 50 minutes from Winchester (if SWAP can send them the buyer, we get a $5000. donation)... check this out. 
POTENTIAL BUYERS MUST MENTION THAT THEY ARE REFERRED BY US !
 
Have a look at this gorgeous 20-acre farm for sale for just $380,000 !
 
britewoodfarm        
 
THANKS LOTS AND I HOPE YOU WIN THE FINDERS FEE !! I KNOW YOU'D PUT IT TO GOOD USE !
Anna James, owner/seller

Long time adopter, foster and SWAP transporter needs a new or low mileage SUV to pull his Benderup trailer. Owner donated or owner financed only.  The program needs to have them up and running to move our horses and their family needs this transport business to keep their farm. SWAP can personally vouch for their integrity, honesty, devotion to horses and ability/desire to pay for the vehicle but because they are German and have a few years before they can become citizens they have no credit rating in the US and no SSN making a car loan impossible. Please contact SWAP at 304-873-3532 or secondwindadopt@aol.com if you think you can help.
 
 
Thank you all for your continued support and friendship.
 
Sincerely,


 

Celeita Kramer
Owner, Crossed Sabers Stable
President/Executive Director, The Mountain State Horse School & Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc
President/Executive Director, International Life School, Inc.
304-873-3532
 
 
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Crossed Sabers Stable | Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road | West Union | WV | 26456

Subject: Two 3rd level dressagemasters and big young trained Hunter
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Don't miss out on these new arrivals .....
 
ren jumping
 Renaissance aka "Ren" 2003 (6 yo) 16.2 hand thoroughbred gelding. Health care is up to date and kept current. He is in regular light work about 3 times a week with daily turnout. He really needs at least 8 to 10 hours of daily turnout, if not he tends to not perform as well as he should. He has very good manners, good temperament, likes to work and jump, he is a very smart horse, good with other horses, good with farrier, he loads, cross ties, clips, bathes, and you can catch him in an open field. He has been working on basic dressage, trail riding, hacking, limited jumping, horse shows and gone on fox hunts. Ren also has great ground manners and a friendly personality. He really is a sweet and amazing horse!  He would make a great low level dressage or low level jumper, fox hunting (1st flight or hilltopper), pleasure riding, hunt seat on the flat, hunt seat over fences, competitive trail riding, english pleasure. Never raced/not tattooed. No illnesses, no special care, no lamenesses. He likes a rider who is a good leader, he gets his confidence from his rider so a confident quiet rider is best with him. Very quiet for a TB when getting turned out, ground ties even, amazing just how quiet and unnerved he is by being in a new place and being ridden/jumped upon arrival here. Sweet willing boy who wants to please, really likes people. Nothing negative to say about this boy except he does best with more turn out. Respects your space, easy to handle, knows leads, likes to work, likes to jump, good with other horses, good with farrier, good with vet/shots, good alone, quiet in stall, free lunges and on a line, friendly personality, comes with some 'household goods'... some tack and supplies. We feel the best place for him is the south east maybe in the carolina's where he can be out more, vs. being stuck in a stall during the winter months up north. Adoption fee is $2500. monthly payments available but 10% off when paying up front vs. paying payments.
 
 kerrara
 
Karrera SF: 1992 registered/branded dutch warmblood mare, 16.1 1/2 hands, registration number is 92.13094 STB with KWPN, Daughter of world famous Argus, Dam is Tahitian Holiday, foaled in California, former high level show jumper and then trained in dressage, has been a dressage master and if competing would be at the 3rd level test 1 or 2, she has spent most of her time with her former owner as a personal dressage horse and a lesson horse. She can do well in a training/boarding situation or on a family farm. Can not be bred (has had 2 breech birth foals that could not be saved and she almost died so breeding is out) but sound for riding, would make a lovely dressage master for a rider wanting to learn dressage, likes people, good manners, respects your space, good temperament, can be ridden today, confident, knows leads and all 3rd level lateral work and changes/tempi's, likes to work, easily trained, smart, good with horses and other animals but does not care for dogs, good with farrier and vet, loads, ties, cross ties, clips, bathes, good alone, quiet in stall, lunges on line, comes when called, can catch in open field, high in pecking order in turn out but not mean, willing for any level of rider as long as the rider does not clamp their legs, does not like riders that get tight with her, you stay loose and balanced and she will stay loose. friendly, willing horse, honest to riders aids, needs bar shoes in back when working at 2nd and 3rd level, she does not challenge fence, good appetite, blanketed in winter, recommended for dressage, showing, pleasure riding, hunt seat on the flat, lesson or school horse. Exceptional horse for some lucky adopter. A super Dressage Master for someone who wants to learn dressage or enjoy some clinics, 3rd level horse for a lucky adopter. Adoption fee is $3500. monthly payments available but 10% off if you pay up front vs. paying payments.
 
Bee
 
Miss Bee is a 1989 Thoroughbred mare who is a 3rd level dressage master, 16.1 hands and has been teaching kids dressage for the last 2 years at Meredith Manor International Equestrian School, sweet, sensible and sound, will be an excellent horse for someone wanting to learn dressage or just do some fun dressage. No special care beyond some consideration for her age. We want to keep her from being a lesson horse for different riders and just have her with an individual rider that wants to learn and enjoy a super well trained horse but may not be ready for competition or no desire to compete. A real love bug. Many students from Meredith Manor tell us that Miss Bee taught them everything they know about dressage, that is a pretty good resume for this lovely girl. She deserves a great home where she can have some fun with one special person. All health care always kept up to date, no vices, loads, bathes, ties/cross ties, good with the farrier and vet. Loves people and wants to please. Very kind, should be called Sweet Bee. Adoption fee is $2500. monthly payments available but 10% off if you pay up front vs. paying payments.
 
dixie riding girl scouts
 
  Dixie's Dancing Girl: 1996  double registered Missouri Fox Trotter/Spotted Saddle Horse mare, not gaited but a good gaited rider in the right bit could get her going gaited too but in a snaffle she walks/trots and canters, palomino and white spotted, Blaze and 4white stockings, 14.3 hands, serious serious eye candy, just lovely. ridden by kids and novice riders, Registration numbers are 96-57146 with the MO Fox Trotter registry and 9803930 with the Spotted Saddle Horse (SSHBEA). Sire was Barney'sJ.R. and Dam is Dancing Dixie of Zane's Lad. Proven broodmare, has beautiful babies, totally sound for all riding. Years of trail riding experience, just not for the beginner if riding alone on trail as it takes a more advanced rider to get her away from the barn alone, a beginner can ride her in a group. About a mile down the road anyone can ride her.  Excellent in the ring and will teach any beginner or child to ride. No injuries, illnesses, surgeries, fractures, allergies, or sensitivities, can be ridden English orwestern, goes in a snaffle and medium saddle tree, likes people, respects your space, good temperament, can be ridden today, knows leads, smart, good with other horses, good with farrier and vet/shots,loads, ties, cross ties, clips, bathes, quiet in stall, free lunges and lunges on line, can catch in open field, low on pecking order, proven broodmare, has lovely babies, throws color, hardy easy keeper, used to wearing a winter blanket in the winter, doesn't challenge fencing, wonderful mare, perfect for any child, beginner or any adult rider that needs a consistent quiet mount, someone can really enjoy this girl. This picture was taken the day she arrived here, a few hours later she was riding girl scouts for their first ride. Amazing girl. Adoption fee is $3500. monthly payments available but there is 10% off when you pay up front vs. payments.
 
many more horses available, wonderful standardbreds who make perfect family, beginner and childrens horses for pleasure riding and driving, more quarter horses that are well trained and perfect pleasure mounts for all levels of riders, several paints, more gaited horses .... a long list and 80% of the adoption fees are below $800. With adoption there is an adoption application and agreement when you adopt, this is a no resale or transfer agreement, if you can't keep the horse it comes back to SWAP for placement in another home.
 
 
 
Thank you all for your continued support and friendship.
 
Sincerely,


 

Celeita Kramer
Owner, Crossed Sabers Stable
President/Executive Director, The Mountain State Horse School & Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc
President/Executive Director, International Life School, Inc.
304-873-3532
 
 

August Ledger

 
Subject: Rescued Saddlebred, Other horses in Need, Farm for Sale, Adoption Prices

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The Stable Ledger from Crossed Sabers Stable 
Top 10

1. Rescued Saddlebred got castrated and first of many surgeries, we are desperately asking for donations to help pay for the vet bill that will end up being between 800 and 1200. for his first round of care. Does anyone have the heart to help us help this boy? (see below)

2. Other horses that are in need of a home or placement (Urgent, please cross post and contact the owners, not us, see below)
 
3. There is a farm for Sale in Eastern WV, if we can find a buyer, there is a 5k donation to SWAP (see below) 
 
4. Zorana and Michael, adopters in Blacksburg, VA who have all the safe selling horses listed on our website (lovely Trakehners and some Trak crosses) really need to downsize for winter.  They have given us the go ahead to run a 50% off the already reasonable prices for their extremely well bred horses. This will only last for 10 days, until 1 September. If you have been admiring these horses, now is the time to make that move. All their horses are on our HORSES AVAILABLE PAGE
 
5. Last but certainly not least, SWAP has greatly reduced many of the adoption fees on the horses, and remember we still give monthly payments with a very low downpayments and monthly payments. We have so many super horses right now, from show and competition horses, registered egyptian arabs, QH's, beautiful standardbreds that all drive and ride, Lenny, our rescue is doing super, we even a lovely sweet draft horse. HORSES AVAILABLE
 
6. We are still waiting on some of the annual updates from some adopters, remember this is an annual requirement for all adopters (thank you all in advance for taking the time to do this).
 
7. To all the adopters who have sent their updates in, Bless you, we love reading all about your horses and seeing all the great pictures. And there really were some good ones, can't wait to get them all on the Happy Endings Page and our Annual Review video will be super this year with all your pictures.
 
8. Remember we have some of the best prices in the horse industry for lay ups and the cinderella program is the best, a 90 day make over for any rescue or horse in need.
 
9. We'll be needing riders in September and October for our fall training so we can get horses into homes before Christmas. Right now the horse flies to die down.
 
10. We still have a couple of dogs looking for homes and now 3 kittens to add to that list (pictures coming soon of all)
 
 
1. Dreamer, our Rescue Saddlebred Stallion is now a gelding and had his first of many surgeries to remove all the proud flesh and even calcified tissues underneath. He'll have another surgery today and will either stay at the vets (depending on the bleeding), come here to CSS or go straight to his Foster Mom Angie Huffman, who will do much of the rehab for us (Bravo).  Here's pictures of him at the vet after his castration and first round of repairs. As you can see he is also very skinny, the vet evaluated him as a body condition score of 2, which is hard to see from this picture but others show he's in very poor shape. Even in this picture though you can see a vision of a very cute horse just waiting to come out. He's a lucky boy.
 
saddlebred dreamer 
 
donations needed to cover his vet bill, send to:
Second Wind Adoption Program
Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road
West Union, WV 26456
 
Make the check payable to Second Wind Adoption Program (put 'for saddlebred stallion All A Dream' on the check).
 

If anyone wants to make the donation directly to the vet bill, call Audubon Animal Hospital at 304-842-4836 and talk to Dr. Loomis or Marla the vet tech, give them a credit card number and tell them its for ALL A DREAM aka "Dreamer", the saddlebred rescue that came in with our program. They will apply the money right to his care, no one elses.

 

Original pictures of All A Dream "Dreamer"
 

  
saddlebred2 saddlebred3
 
A special Thank you to Tom and Ruby Fleming, SWAP New Neglect Case workers for making this all happen and to Angie Huffman for having the courage, devotion and inspiration to take this one. Many Blessings!
 
 
2. Other horses in Urgent Need: Please cross post but be sure to tell everyone to contact the owner directly, not us. The only thing we would require that its either a rescue or welfare organization that takes them or if its an individual they at least sign our adoption contract (no fee) just to keep these horses safe.
 A. a foal with a femur fracvture. She is at the vet currently and the options they have given me is surgury which they estimate at 5,000 to 8,000 dollars , euthanization or conservative care which they only give a 20% chance of success. The foal was kicked by another mare.
Do you know of anyone who has the resources to help this foal. I am a nurse and do not have the funds to help this baby. I was hoping with your networking you might be able to direct me to some resources. I live in western Nebraska but could travel if I had to . I just hate to euthanize such a gorgeous baby. Thanks for any help in advance. Laurie lsoper@nebmail.com
 
B.this is Linda i told you about my older horse Poco. He needs a
home where he can get the attention he deserves. I just don't ride anymore,
also we need to cut back because of the economy and financial situtions. It
is sad because I love him so much, but that is why I am looking for a
forever home for him. I have had him for about 16  yrs. He still does lite
to moderate  riding and is gaited. Western trail, neck reined, and backs
up. He has foundered in his early years before I bought him [nice man]. But
is sound at times for light riding, mostly because he is out of shape and
needs to build up muscle tone due to inactivity. A big sweet heart of a guy
and temperament the same. He has been with my 2 large ponies for the same
amount of years, but they hang out together mostly. He eats rd. baled hay,
senior vintage 14 %, and grass after the first cutting. Poco really needs a
barn buddy so if your not interested can I hang a photo of him up? He is
free to a good approved home by me.  I really need to find this sweet horse
a home!   we live near Paw Paw, Wv and own a sorrel Quarter horse/Tennessee
walker mix, gaited about 23+ years old. He is gelded and a very sweet 14
hands horse. We have owned him for 15 years and have taken really good care
of him. Unfortunately, when we bought him we were not told he had turned
coffin bones on all four feet. We found this out later when he went lame
and our farrier told us. At that time we started special treatment got
ex-rays for his condition and he was rideable most of the time. Over the
years he has had short term temporary lameness, but still capable of light
riding. His needs are as such, trimmed no more then 6-8 wks apart, 6
preferably. He also wears front shoes  to comfort him. He is now eating a
senior mix feed. He has been my prize procession since I have had him. I
have not ridden him in 3 years, yet without any hesitation, I could saddle
and ride him w/o lounging him. Our land layout has always been hard on his
feet and we knew the day would come when he should be on somewhat softer
ground, and where people will spend more time with him, You see we have
been foster parents for 16 yrs. usually having 3 children at a time,  I am
nearing 60 now and I am out of shape and overweight. And  Poco deserves
more hands on I just don't have the time or energy and funds to care for
him the way he needs to be cared for. No one wants an older horse in this
economy. I am asking for you help, in possibly being able to take him for
me where he will be safe, in a forever home and cared for like he should
be. Some have said he's old so think about putting him down. I can't even
imagine that, just because he is getting old! Last year we had to put our 2
dear pot bellied pigs down after 13 and 16 years for health issues that was
more humane, and I still am not over losing them. This horse Poco, I know
has a few more years left with the right people, I'd say up to about 8
years with care and love! Please give me some advise or see if you can take
him for me! Please don't suggest that I put him in the paper unless there
is a way I can make sure that he will not be sold at an auction, or for
meat! He would make a wonderful horse for working with small or disabled
children, I just don't know where to start!  I hope you can give me hope
for Poco and wait to hear from you soon!   Thanks  Linda
Adkins
venusview@frontiernet.net
 
twh poco Poco, looks lot taller than 14 hands, unless he just has exceptionally long legs, the distance from the knee to the elbow looks quit long.
 
 
FARM FOR SALE IN EASTERN WV, 50 minutes from Winchester (if SWAP can send them the buyer, we get a $5000. donation)... check this out!
I am selling my farm !!  And I am trying to do it without a realtor ! Instead -- I have FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS  waiting to be given to SWAP if you find a buyer -- once the sale goes through and is complete.
 
POTENTIAL BUYERS MUST MENTION THAT THEY ARE REFERRED BY US !
 
Have a look at this gorgeous 20-acre farm for sale for just $380,000 !
 
britewoodfarm        
 
If you contact them, BE SURE TO TELL THEM WE REFERRED YOU -  we get a Finder's Fee if we send them the Buyers !
 
THANKS LOTS AND I HOPE YOU WIN THE FINDERS FEE !! I KNOW YOU'D PUT IT TO GOOD USE !
Anna James
 
 
Thank you all for your continued support and friendship.
 
Sincerely,


 

Celeita Kramer
Owner, Crossed Sabers Stable
President/Executive Director, The Mountain State Horse School & Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc
President/Executive Director, International Life School, Inc.
304-873-3532
Subject: Can you save this horse?

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Can You Save This Horse?
 
 
We have an 8 year old registered Saddlebred stallion in need of help or he will be put down by county authorities early next week (8/17/09).


 

saddlebred1  His registered name is All a Dream, he was injured (we don't know how) and then supposedly put into an auction where the gentleman that has him now bought him. I guess he was going to rehab him until he realized what expense and time it was going to take. Other than this injury he is healthy but does need some weight, he's probably at a body condition 3 to high 3 from what I can see in the pictures. He is friendly, can easily be handled, a good boy.
 
His right lower hind has a serious injury, tons of proud flesh that will need cut off and then will take several months of antibiotics, wrapping and cleaning. I suspect it will take 6 months to a year to get completely better. Our estimates from our vet was at least $800. to $1200. for all the vet work, plus costs of wraps, antibiotics, etc. That estimate was from Audoban Animal Hospital, I'm sure vets in larger cities and in other states will probably have higher, so it might be best if the vet work to be done by them since they are close to the horse. I do think he can travel but I would think it probably needs to be regionally (WV, OH, VA, PA, KY, NC, MD).
 
Unfortunately, SWAP does not have the funds or the personnel to take this on right now, we would need another part time person to accept him, we have our hands full taking care of all the horses we have here or scheduled to come in, plus we are turning away horses on a daily basis, we just can't accept the numbers of horses that need us. We have only 2 full time people and all our volunteers are going back to school so their time with us will be limited. This horse really needs someone who has the experience to clean, do hydro therapy and wrap daily for an extended period, possibly 6 to 12 months. If we had 3 to 7 volunteers committed to come in weekly until he was better then we would be taking him.
 
We will offer to pick up the horse and get him to the vet, pick him up and keep him at our place until someone can get him picked up. Someone will have to pay the vet bill and plan to get him picked up within a couple of weeks of the completion of his vet work. If someone feels that they don't want to take this on long term but will foster him and take care of him, do all his daily work, then we'll take him into our program and place him when he's better. If anyone can think of any other options that might work, please contact us at secondwindadopt@aol.com
 

If you feel you can pay the vet bill and want the horse please contact Tom Fleming, our Neglect/Abuse Case Worker at 304-672-1948 or at tomfleming64@cebridge.net

 
At this point, we are just looking for someone who can save him, remember time is limited, the county will be putting him down soon.  
saddlebred2 saddlebred3
I know this looks bad but I do believe it can look almost normal with just some vet work. There is nothing that is life threatening at this time but the authorities will not help him and will not leave him like this with no care from his current owner. Please help if you can.
 
 
Thank you all for your continued support and friendship.
 
Sincerely,


 

Celeita Kramer
Owner, Crossed Sabers Stable
President/Executive Director, The Mountain State Horse School & Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc
President/Executive Director, International Life School, Inc.
304-873-3532

July Ledger

Subject: Adopters Annual Update Due, Update on Lenny, etc

adoption header
Adopter Updates Due Now
 
I have to admit, we do love this time of year. Seeing all the pictures and hearing all about our horses in their homes. All the stories of good and onery things they are doing.
 
I know its a hassle for adopters to do but for us, its a reminder of what wonderful homes our horses have and how lucky we are to have so many people who give so much to our 4 legged friends.
 
It also lets us know if there is a problem (either physical, mental or with training) that we can help with before it means sending a horse back.
 
Photos and updates can be sent to secondwindadopt@aol.com, plus you can attach the annual update form to an email too. Just to make it easy. If you are having trouble finding the form, send us an email and we'll send one to you.
 
We do have many that have arrived and have been spending our days reading all about the lives of our horses, looking at the great pictures but we are still looking for many more and would like to get those in by the end of July (they are actually due in June as per all adoption contracts signed 2001 and later).
 
We'll start calling those still MIA in August but we hope we don't have to bug anyone. Thank you in advance for being so deligent to follow the adoption agreement and above all, keeping your horse a priority in your life.
 
Armbro Lenny Update:
 
He's already started to brighten up some, like he's waking up to the world again. Hilary and I gave him his first bath here, he's got some bad scratches and some rain rot we need to work on. Our farrier came and cleaned up his feet Sunday so he's already starting to look more like a horse. I did go ahead and hit him with a zimectrin gold since he is acting pretty strong already. Now, we'll give it some time to get his weight up and then we'll do his shots and coggins. Just a matter of time now to get his weight up. (after bath pictures to the right)
 
Again, our SWAP family comes through for another in a very quick and efficient way. We do have wonderful supporters and horse lovers with big hearts.
 
special thanks to the following:
 
J. Coia, NC
M. Tanner, USTA (NJ)
S. Soeder, MD
C. Shiner, PA
B. Cunningham, KY
M. Fielding, GA
L. Hancock, NY
P. Breakiron, KY
F. York, TX
A. Trusnik, OH
D. Ames, OH
K. Laughlin, OH
E. Harvey, USTA
R. Antaki, NJ
B. Dee, PA
T. Dennis, DE
D. Lawson, WV
The Baileys, VA
L. Andrae, CA
J. Arena, NY
K. Moran, OH
Thank you from Crossed Sabers Stable!
Sincerely,
 
 
Celeita Kramer, President & Executive Director
Crossed Sabers Stable
The Mountain State Horse School & Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc.
Crossed Sabers International Life School, Inc.
Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road
West Union, West Virginia 26456
304-873-3532
Armbro Lenny
1990 STB gelding
(after bath pics) 
 lenny after bath
already starting to fill out in the bottom of his barrell/belly
lenny front
sweet boy, easy going, just happy to be alive
lennyback
hard to see with our camera but he's in very bad shape, it will be months before his back bone will be covered and fleshy again. All baby steps to good health.   

 

the next pictures will be much better!
Saying Goodbye 
 
AngelGone but never Forgotten.... 
 
Trippin, 1991 thoroughbred gelding. His adopters Clint and Carol Wade did all they could to save him but his body was failing him from what the vet suspected to be a tumor. Poor boy wanted to live, which made it an even harder decision. He was loved till the end.  
 

Rest in Peace

 
See you at the Rainbow Bridge
adopted
 
-Clamity Jane has been adopted by the Hubbell family of OH, Dr. Hubbell (DVM) teaches Vets at Ohio State, he actually taught our local vets. Janie is for his wife Shelley. Congratulations and thank you!
 
-Honey Bun, our last puppy from the NC rescue we did last December left for her new home in VA with Sherry Reed, who also adopted her sister, Pella. So happy to have all those dogs in great homes now.
 
-We had gotten in Max the Lab who is now in a home in NJ. Bandit, who is a special needs Dobie who may stay here at CSS, Bogey, a young female Dobie cross who should be on the website soon and Baby who is on the website now. Both Bogey and Baby are looking for their forever homes.   
 
-We still have so many super horses that are looking for homes. Click here to see Lenny, Kickboxer Kosmos, a standardbred being returned because his family has retired and hitting the RV trail, a life long dream coming true even though they hate to see their best buddy Kos go. Also we have another new Standardbred gelding coming in who is a love, he's arriving tomorrow.
 
Our current special is being extended until the 5th of July!!
 
Happy 4th of July!!
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Crossed Sabers Stable | Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road | West Union | WV | 26456

special Newsletter

Subject: Armbro Lenny, 1990 Standardbred Gelding saved from Kill Buyer, thanks to You!

swap banner 2
Thanks to you, Armbro Lenny is safe and here at Crossed Sabers. Looking very poor as far as his weight but happy to be here. We have the farrier coming here Sunday to take care of him and as soon as he has some weight on and looking more healthy we'll deworm and get his shots and coggins done. All this, thanks to your generous help to a horse that needed you.
 
Here are some pictures. He will never look this bad again, his days of suffering are over... only better times ahead for lenny.
 
Once we have his weight coming up and well on his way to good health, we'll evaluate him, but he is walking sound now and we're hoping he will be able to fill a riding or driving job with a great (and very lucky) family.
 
Again, our SWAP family comes through for another in a very quick and efficient way. We do have supporters and horse lovers with big hearts.
 
PS. I did give the meat guy our name and told him to call again with others like Lenny. Hopefully we can do this again, the hard part I'm sad to say for him and all the others in the barn is finding them homes. So our saving ability is limited by the number of homes we can find for all our horses. If you know of anyone looking, please ask them to consider a SWAP horse.
 
special thanks for all the help with donations and assistance in making this happen:
 
J. Coia, NC
M. Tanner, USTA (NJ)
S. Soeder, MD
C. Shiner, PA
B. Cunningham, KY
M. Fielding, GA
L. Hancock, NY
P. Breakiron, KY
F. York, TX
A. Trusnik, OH
D. Ames, OH
K. Laughlin, OH
H. Garvey, USTA
R. Antaki, NJ
B. Dee, PA
T. Dennis, DE
D. Lawson, WV
Thank you from Crossed Sabers Stable!
Sincerely,
 
 
Celeita Kramer, President & Executive Director
Crossed Sabers Stable
The Mountain State Horse School & Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc.
Crossed Sabers International Life School, Inc.
Armbro Lenny
1990 STB gelding
raced 173 times
won approx 82k
born in Ontario Canada
the best part of his story is yet to be written, thanks to you! 
 

armbro lenny

 
armbro lenny freeze brand
 
armbro lenny starved 
 
armbro starved 1
 
the next pictures will be much better!
Saying Goodbye 
 
Gone but never Forgotten.... 
 
Prestigious Gem, 1981 STB mare, special thanks to the Henley family of Ohio for giving her such a wonderful home for so many years.
 
Nations Cup Winner, 1977 Selle Francais, Omnibus, donated by Olympic Gold Medal Winner Show Jumper McLain Ward, Thank you to the Bouchel family of Ohio for the many years of love and a great home.
 

Rest in Peace

 
See you at the Rainbow Bridge
Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road
West Union, West Virginia 26456
304-873-3532
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Crossed Sabers Stable | Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road | West Union | WV | 26456

June 09 Ledger

 
Subject: The Horses Need Your Help

Crossed Sabers and Second Wind Needs your Help!
 
Times continue to be tough, we have a barn full of amazing horses that no one is adopting dispite all our training. We are turning horses away that need us and getting concerned about our future. If you like the work we do, please consider doing something to help us continue to help horses. First cutting hay time is here and we don't have the funds to get the hay and grain we need. 
 
1. Adopt, we have so many wonderful horses and some cute dogs.
 
2. Sponsor one of our horses for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. 20 horses need sponsors and even $50. a month helps. Our banking information is available to make this easy.
 
3.  Send a one time donation to:
 
Second Wind Adoption Program
Rt. 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road
West Union, WV 26456
 
4. Organize a fund raiser for SWAP, any kind that raises funds is a help. We are still looking for more people to have a few more Golf Tournaments this fall.
 
5. Buy something from SWAP Shopping.
 
6. Donate a fancy horse that will help us raise funds, this is our expertise and every horse gets a great home... but the fancy horses help us raise funds to take care of the other horses.
 
 7. Donate Hay or to our Grain Fund at Southern States, Clarksburg, WV
 
What we've gotten accomplished this year!

Lets keep this going!!

 
1. 17 horses have been adopted and 22 more have been taken into the program, a few of those are returns because of adopters financial hardship.
 
2. 14 dogs and 2 kittens have been adopted and several more have been taken in, all the dogs were trained to be housebroken
 
3. 36 horses have gotten all their shots/coggins for this spring
 
4. The farrier has been here every 8 weeks to do all the horses,
 

We bought 130 dewormers which will take us into spring and handle any horse that comes in infested with parasites

 
5. Nearly all the dogs have gotten their shots and been fixed, the kittens got their shots, we just have a few new ones that need to go to the vet
 
6. We've finished our 70 x 300 outdoor arena, painting it now
 
7. We've changed many of the feeders in stalls that were rusting out and rotting.
 
8. All the horses are under saddle and being trained, we have one youngster that has been backed and needs more training.
 
9. We helped several horse donors with their transport costs when they could not afford to ship their horse to us... when they had lost a job or had financial hardship.
 
10. We worked on and fixed 2 water wells, one more needs work.
 
11. We rebuild some of the dog fencing and got a wireless system to keep runners at home. We also bought enough wood to make badly needed repairs to posts and boards on the horse fencing
 
12. We've trained several volunteers and barn employees.
 
13. SWAP assisted in several neglect cases, reporting, filing criminal complaints, assisting case workers and investigators, making every attempt to see the horse receives care and justice.
 
14. CSS and SWAP assisted many horse owners and adopters with their problem solving with their horses. Both health and training questions. Education is the foundation of every good home.
 
Every penny that is you invest in CSS/SWAP goes to helping the animals in need.
Thank you from Crossed Sabers Stable!
Sincerely,
 
 
Celeita Kramer, President & Executive Director
Crossed Sabers Stable
The Mountain State Horse School & Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc.
Crossed Sabers International Life School, Inc.
Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road
West Union, West Virginia 26456
304-873-3532
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Crossed Sabers Stable | Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road | West Union |
 
Subject: Dads Day Adoption Special, More Rain Rot/Arthritis/Annual Update for Adopters

horse collage
Question and Answer about Rainrot and Arthritis:
 
Q:  Ways to handle Rain Rot
 
A: Just a few answers from our adopters/donors and supporters:
 
-You can get this at you local hardware store it is for tree fungus. It is called captan you mix 2 table spoons to a gallon of water. You spray them down with it once a week, till it is gone. (from Honey's adopter Aminah Carroll)
 
-equal parts of Thiabendazole dewormer paste, DMSO gel, Nitrofurazone, and Desitin. It is very thick and very sticky, but just lather it on. The article, by Heather Thomas, states that "the DMSO reduces swelling and inflammation, and also helps the fungicide penetrate the area deeply and thoroughly, taking the medication into the underlying tissue. The nitrofurazone combats any bacterial infection that may accompany the condition, and it helps buffer the DMSO so it won't burn or irritate the tissues." I added the Desitin to keep any additional moisture from penetrating. Clean the area and then dry it before applying, and it is recommended that gloves be worn (from Omnibus's adopter Rena Bouchel)
 
-listerine and water 50% mixture (from Jack, Gissy & Apple Jack adopter Ed Walsh)
 
-wipe him with clean bath towels all over every day and anytime they are in the rain or even inside in a wet barn (use towels only once and not on other horses) (this is also a good prevention for rain rot).
 
-groom daily with a curry and stiff brush (excellent for prevention as well)

-put grooming tools in a mix of Clorox and water (rain rot is contagious so don't use them on other horses)

-bathe once a week with an anti bacterial shampoo, betadine scrub or iodine scrub

-put the horse on 20 cc's a day of penicillin for 5 days, then 5 off and then 5 on (if he still has it by then) or some kind of antibiotic (SMZ's is a good choice, too)

-wash everything he's touched so he does not get reinfected (blankets, pads, boots, sheets, his stall, etc, bleach everything that is white or that can handle bleach)

-don't put a sheet on him until he's rid of it totally, it needs to get air to go away (but stay dry).

-MTG will get rid of the scabs
 
-always consult your vet, even a phone call to confirm they agree with treatment 
 
Q: Handling Arthritis in an aged horse:
 
A: Here are just a few more options:
 
-Surpass is awesome. Its a semi new topical rub that reduces the inflammation and inflammatory process of arthritis. You get it from your vet...yes its expensive...I think just over $100 for a tube...but it does work wonders. Have used it twice now...usually everyday for a tube then like 2 or 3x a week after the first tube until the problem eases up.You can restart if the problem resurfaces and use on an as needed basis. You only use a little...and rub it in well...but its great stuff. Also keep in mind that sometimes injecting the stifle joint helps too. The vet would need to tap the joint capsule to access the viscosity (oilyness) of the joint fluid. If its very watery or stained with blood then an injection would help him. If it has good viscosity....comes out clear or slightly tinged with yellow (like urine) and drips out 'stringy' or oily...then it probably wouldn't help. Stifle joints are relatively easy to inject...but dont let them use the garbage cortisone in there....make sure they use hylarkin (sp?...hylarcin?) or equiflex in there. Cortisone is a temporary relief and can cause additional damage as time goes on. A shot of depo can help too. Not the repro stuff. Its a steroid anti inflammatory that is injected in the muscle and helps halt inflammation (from Adlige's adopter Christina Brown)

-don't completely retire, its critical to keep them moving

 
-corta flex is a good supplement
 
-linaments will help with the pain
 
-don't confine in a stall, turn out is best when its at all possible
 
-keep in easy work, hand walking or pleasure riding or hacking out at a walk, not hard work
 
-keep feet clean and in good footing when possible
 
-make sure the problem is not navicular (a simple xray will confirm that) 
 
-use boots instead of shoes if feet need support (boots will allow the feet to work at they are naturally intended, shoes doe the work for the feet, thus restricting blood flow to the foot)
 
-Sore No More is expensive but it works and its available at KV Vet Supply
 
-as a last resort, Rebound is a Bovine treatment that is suppose to work on horses
 
-always consult your vet, there are some injections that can give relief to joints, just remember that some injections will give temporary relief but shorten the life of the joint, so injections should only be done by a vet and in particular one that is a lameness expert (track and competition vets see these things all the time).
 
Hope this helps. If anyone else has some great advice, don't misunderstand these are only recommendations and are not to take the place of a good working relationship with a vet, even phone consults with your vet will help you confirm the best steps but many times vet visits are required to confirm the diagnosis.  If you have other questions, don't hesitate to ask.
 
Thank you Jennifer Hutto (Alex's adopter and years of rescue and horse experience for helping me brain storm all the solutions, we are so glad you are an adopter or ours!)
Dad's Day Adoption Special  
Ends Tuesday June 30th

40% off the ADOPT NOW fee on all horses (except the horses listed below, Dante & safe selling horses)

30% off the ADOPT NOW fee on Cathy, Esteban, Pippi, Janie and Jolly

10% more off when paying in full up front

Another 5% off when adopting a dog (two left, Baby and Honey Bun)

the 50% off group are free when you adopt a companion or light use horse too (light use horses are Dixie, Allie, Orphy and Jelly Bean)...

All adoptions must be a good fit for the animal and the adopter.

Adoption fees/contracts are due immediately, no horse is considered adopted until everything is in (after thursday June 30th, all prices go back to regular fees)

The approved adoption application and adoption contract are required for every adoption.

call Suzanne Nay for transport estimates and scheduling 740-591-1129 (shipping is much cheaper than you might think)

call 304-873-3532 or email secondwindadopt@aol.com to get questions answered or to schedule a visit

*will consider taking payment for all horses/swap shopping items in hay at $3.25 a bale or less delivered

Many many new and wonderful horses (some shown to the right).... just to mention a few
 
2 lovely Haflinger mares (Calamity Jane and Pip) that ride and drive, one is registered, both very sweet,
 
one 17 yo 16.3 h Dutch Warmblood, Esteban, that was doing 5th level jumpers looking for an easier job,
 
Jolly in Florida, Dutch Warmblood that was a big hit in the h/j show the HITS... all sound horses ...
 
we have several lovely standardbreds that ride and drive, one has been eventing and could easily be a lesson horse,
 
Cathy, a registered Belgian mare... the list goes on and on....
 
You must be an approved adopter to adopt the horse of your dreams. Don't miss out on this super special. We are trying hard to raise some badly needed funds and get some horses into great homes too. Please help if you can.
 
Click to see all the horses and to get approved to adopt!
 
open all week and weekend for visits and riding, times a wasting, get your application in now!
 
call 304-873-3532 w/ question or email secondwindadopt@aol.com
 
Payments available
  
We are getting calls daily for more horses needing help but we must raise necessary funds and get horses adopted to continue to help more horses.  
Thank you to Our Volunteers!!
 
We've been so lucky this year to have such a great group of volunteers, riders, help around the barn, fosters that really care, folks that will stop by and help me fix fencing or gates, those that cover the full time people so they can have some badly needed time off, even the vets and horse experts that allow us to bounce decisions off them about the horses and never once ask for a fee as compensation and especially those who have done fund raisers to keep the program running.

Its been a huge help in a very tough year! And we thank each and every one of you!  Without each of you, I'm certain the adoption program would still be here but our badly needed farm may have been long gone and without it, our operation is greatly decreased when you have to depend solely on fosters to keep horses. We thank you again for a job so well done!

 
Consider Volunteering
 
Even a weekend visit or week long visit helping, doing a fund raiser in your local area or becoming a foster is a huge way to help. We are especially looking for people to have golf tournaments in the fall with the proceeds going to SWAP, we know how much people love to golf and its a great fund raiser, that is fun too!!

Right now there are horses in need, horses that need us, that need you. Just consider it!

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Thank you from Crossed Sabers Stable!
Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road
West Union, West Virginia 26456
304-873-3532
Sincerely,
 
 
Celeita Kramer, President & Executive Director
Crossed Sabers Stable
The Mountain State Horse School & Second Wind Adoption Program, Inc.
Crossed Sabers International Life School, Inc.
Horses Available For Adoption!
 

darlin jumps

 

 jolly 

 

calamity jane 2 

 
cathy
 
dante 2
 
dodger 2
 
fuzzy 2
 
allie
 
sandhi
 
dixie
 
 mickey
 
tommy
 
serendipity2
 
posey2
 
pip2
 
esteban2
 
many many more
  calamity jane
 
allie 2
 
esteban2 
 
cathye up for adoption and many many more
Annual Updates
 
Its that time of  year again. June and time for Adopters to turn in their Annual Updates on their adoption horses.
 

For everyone that adopted from 2004 to today there is a form on line that needs to be signed by your vet.

 
For everyone that adopted prior to 2004 we only require pictures and a written update, those can be emailed to secondwindadopt@a
l.com or sent to our executor (Celeita Kramer) on Facebook.
 
If we don't hear from our adopters, we do make a friendly call as a reminder and when we don't hear from someone we start looking at visiting or sending someone to your farm to make sure the horse is okay.
 
Just try to remember this request is not to badger but to just make sure the horse is healthy, you are happy and to see if there are areas we might be of help. Its just part of adoption and the horses welfare and an important part of our adoption contracts, we do take these updates very seriously and always appreciate the time it takes for you to put them together.
 
Thank you all for being the best adopters in the world! 
adopted
 
The following are adopted or on their way to their new homes:
 
Lass
Lucy
the kittens
Scooter
Pella
Tye
Impi
Honey
L'Argent
Daisy Mae
Amber
Trippin
Black
Mastercard
Zephyr
Dreamer
Big Boy
Singsation
Hershey
Jack
Markus
Gracie
Ceebud
Alex
Max
 
Thank you to all our donors who care so much, to all the adopters who have opened their home to these wonderful horses and a special thank you to some of the donors that have been able to retire our horses back on their farms to insure they have a forever home during the years when they need it most.
 

Thank you!

 
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Crossed Sabers Stable | Rt 2 Box 24A Jockey Camp Road | West Union | WV | 26456
 
Subject: 50% Off Adoption Special, Rain Rot, Arthritis Questions, Annual Update for Adopters

horse collage
Question and Answer about Rainrot and Arthritis:
 
Q:  I have a quick horse care question: Gracie (the barn owner) and I are having trouble getting rid of rain rot Bud has acquired. We had about two weeks of rain and then really humid weather and then rain rot showed up! She said she bathed him with medicated shampoo and is now spraying him with rain rot medication. The rain rot on his hindquarters is scabbing and clearing up but it spread to his legs?? I feel like we are doing all that we can do? I am going to call the vet tomorrow and ask what else we can do but I figured I would send you a message since you are so knowledgeable.Thanks, Becca  
 
A: here's the things we do here:
 
-wipe him with clean bath towels all over every day and anytime they are in the rain or even inside in a wet barn (use towels only once and not on other horses) (this is also a good prevention for rain rot).
 
-groom daily with a curry and stiff brush (excellent for prevention as well)

-put grooming tools in a mix of Clorox and water (rain rot is contagious so don't use them on other horses)

-bathe once a week with an anti bacterial shampoo, betadine scrub or iodine scrub

-put the horse on 20 cc's a day of penicillin for 5 days, then 5 off and then 5 on (if he still has it by then) or some kind of antibiotic (SMZ's is a good choice, too)

-wash everything he's touched so he does not get reinfected (blankets, pads, boots, sheets, his stall, etc, bleach everything that is white or that can handle bleach)

-don't put a sheet on him until he's rid of it totally, it needs to get air to go away (but stay dry).

-MTG will get rid of the scabs
 
-always consult your vet, even a phone call to confirm they agree with treatment 
 
Q: I wanted to check in with you and see if you had any ideas. Maiden has been having issues with joint pain and stiffness; we've had two vets look her over to make sure there's nothing else going on and they both say it's arthritis/ joint pain related to "just being old". We have her on glucosamine, chondroitin, and Dr. Clark (our usual vet) has recommended bute paste for times when it is really bad. Of course it has rained for almost 2 weeks straight so her legs are making her very sore. She is not eating as well because she seems to be aching. We have tried some different medication that the vets recommended but they are mostly for "break through" pain not routine use. Any other ideas??? We have always had her on a complete feed for seniors and she usually eats pretty well but I'm worried she's not gaining weight. I'm a little discouraged, so if you have any ideas I'm open! The vets are out of ideas, and Maiden is still feeling bad. I'm hoping some sunshine will help her feel more like her sweet self. 
 
Maiden and Smitty's mommy, Lindsey
 
Q:  I would also like to consult about Jazz (Jasfar) Last month the vet told me that he has arrtritis in his right stifle. We have him on supplement (smartflex senior) and he has only seemed to get worse. We are even tryed giving him bute on top of the supplement and that only helps a little bit. I had someone tell me to keep him moving because it will help him however he is unable to do more then a walk even then he seems uncomfortable it doesn't matter if I am riding or just hand walking. I am getting frustrated that I cannot make him more comfortable and I was wondering if you have any suggestions THat might help me help him.I have decided that it is probably best for him to go into retirement however I really would like to be able to ride and can not afford more than one horse right now. I would really like to be able to continue giving him a good loving home but I feel LIke I am letting Him down. Any help or suggestions would be apprichated.
Thanks,
Jen
 
A: Here are just a few options:
 
-don't completely retire, its critical to keep them moving
 
-corta flex is a good supplement
 
-linaments will help with the pain
 
-don't confine in a stall, turn out is best when its at all possible