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Thanks for visiting! Please be sure to visit our adoptable
horses and other pages (menus are above)
| ARRIVED |
May 2003 |
| ADOPTABILITY |
ADOPTED, NOV 2008!!! |
| SPONSORED BY |
Feed sponsored |
| BREED/AGE |
17-year old saddlebred gelding (approx
1991) |
MIATA
Summary: Miata
arrived in 2003, roughly 300 lbs underweight, badly injured
from being inside a horse trailer during a car wreck. Over the next several years, there were a lot of
trials and hard spots trying to help this big fellow get
healthy again. Miata eventually recovered physically, and is
fit and healthy, looking great and looking for a life long
partner. Miata needs a one-horse owner who will be his
partner, who he can learn to trust and work with, before he is
ready to ride with them. Be sure to see Miata's
ride video, Fall 2008. Miata went to his adoptive home the day before Thanksgiving 2008!! We're so
happy both for Miata and for his new partner, Tyler. Congrats
to you both!
History: Miata came to us as an 13-ish year old saddlebred who had seen
some terrible things in his life. Ravaged with mange, the first two photos shown
above were 30 days after he came, when he was starting to grow hair and
look like a horse again. Miata came home with us because Gerry correctly
assessed that another month with the man who brought him to the sale
would likely kill the big gelding, he was so emaciated and in such poor overall
health.
Miata's body was ravaged by more than mange -- his weight was
roughly a 3 on the Henke scale (7 is ideal; 1 is dead); a huge scar on his
spine also suffered from rain rot, and he had a horrible case of worms. Miata's
teeth were in such bad shape that his mouth bled with every bite of food he
eagerly tried to consume.
To see Miata's condition in September
'03, please
purchase a copy of the WEIU video of Crosswinds.
You will get a VERY clear idea of the big guy's condition at that time.
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10/03 update: Having been with
us for nearly 5 months now, we still have to wonder if Miata will ever make it
back to life as a normal horse. Based upon the severity of his back injuries,
our vet believes he was involved in a car wreck while being trailered. Doc
continues chiropractic on him biweekly, and as we continue to pour in the
groceries, Miata gradually gains not only weight but spirit and personality as
well. Miata will not see a saddle again until spring -- attempts in September to
try light work showed his spine is still in severe pain. We will continue light
lunging to help build up his muscle tone, and he now has free choice quality
alfalfa all day long along with 8 lbs of strategy a day. We hope one day Miata
will be able to be placed, to have a normal life again. But even after 5 months
the huge gelding cannot be tied or confined in any manner, and he is amazingly
resistant to normal tranquilizers, as learned when we attempted to float his
teeth the first time.
Notice his remarkable weight gain in 5 months. He
was approximately 300 lbs underweight initially. Shown here, he has safely
gained over 100 lbs (safe weight gain is 1 lb per day).
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| 11/03 update: MIATA CANTERS!
Miata has been trotting on a lunge daily for exercise and to try to bring some
muscle tone into his back and haunches. This past weekend, he cantered on the
lunge on his own. It was sad, and nothing short of pathetic, as his body
struggled and stumbled. A few days later, he tried again. In about 3
strides, he found himself. In a matter of 3 sessions since then, Miata canters
with the grace and coordination of a dressage horse, and the ground eating
stride of a thoroughbred! WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR MIATA!!!! |
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12/03
update: Luanne Johnson (Luke's new mom)
generously donated an incredibly expensive, amazingly high quality and
unbelievably warm blanket for Miata. Thanks to this top quality rug, Miata
continues to gain weight even through these coldest of months. Luanne also
donated a Tucker saddle which, with her permission, was auctioned off, and the
proceeds were sufficient to purchase a round pen for training! This tool is
proving specifically invaluable to Miata's regular exercise to help rebuild his
back. A picture of the roundpen can be seen in the
press clippings area in The Regional article!
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March
'04 Update: Miata is making superb progress. He looks
like a horse again! He is now allowing doc to work on his entire back and hips,
and as the weather gets better is actually so active he is over-exerting himself
and tightening muscles! A GREAT SIGN! Miata also has made HUGE progress in that
he now is able to stay in a stall, not just for 15 minutes to eat, but on
3/24/04 he actually stayed in over night and in the morning was well
rested (although he did NOT lay down) and in good spirits, ate his breakfast and
showed no anxiety or requirement to exit his stall!!! He then spent the rest of
the week stalled, with just short turn outs and round pen workouts as we're
hoping a little stall rest will help his back to heal. |
| April
'04 Update: Miata continues to make superb progress, having spent 2 weeks on
stall rest with mild work, which seems to have done
wonders for his mobility! MIATA IS RIDING! It's 5 minute intervals, only, but he is
making AMAZING progress! |
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May
'04 Update: Miata is a focal point of the May
18, 2004 article in the Mattoon newspaper!
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July '04 Update:
Miata is also one of 3 horses that were focal points in the Eastern
Illini Centerfold article on Crosswinds!
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| October '04 Update:
Miata has been intermittently lame on the problem left shoulder for several
months. After repeated seeming recoveries followed by setbacks when he gets
overly excited with the other horses at pasture, Miata has been placed at a
local farm with just Dollie. The two will
"winter" in this lush grass pasture with no other horses to get
overexcited with, no changing atmosphere or activities at home to get worked up
over. We're hoping that this extended vacation will help both of them come sound
and let us determine their futures. |
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April '05 Update:
Their "winter vacation" did wonders for both Dollie and Miata. Miata
has gained significant weight, but more important AND IMPRESSIVE, is the big
silly guy exercises himself every day in the large pasture, and has put on a
good bit of muscle tone! He canters about in the pasture all alone, having a
grand time and getting in shape. We look forward to him coming home likely next
month and seeing if he is finally ready to start a riding career.
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May '05 Update:
Miata came home today. The only possible word for it is "Wow". Our
broken, shattered, frightened "will he ever be a horse again" rescue
case has more personality and spirit than most horses I've ever known, is at an
ideal body weight, has worked himself into an excellent physical condition. We
can hardly wait for Doc to give him his spring checkup this week and hopefully
declare him ready to start to ride again!
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| Fall '05 update: This summer
was not all smiles and roses for Miata, as we had hoped. He got
himself worked up over the arrival of a new horse, and ran the fence lines
to fuss at this horse for several days, until he had his back in spasms again.
We spent a lot of time this summer working on easy exercises to
bring his back strength up permanently, and finish getting him into shape.
We hope to have some permanent answers for his issues, and to have spring
2006 be the magic time for this boy. He so loves to ride when he isn't
hurting, and we so want to help him get back there again. |
| Winter 2005 update:
Miata is doing well. He is wintering again this year with a great family
over near Ogden/Homer, who are thrilled to have him back. He will have a
nice, comfortable winter there, with lots of pasture space to exercise
himself, and continue to build his muscle tone. With a barn to go in and
out as he pleases, lots of grass, and a nice ravine, Miata & Ginger
are TWO lucky babies thanks to this family's wonderful generosity! We hope spring of '06 will find
the big fellow sound and strong, and ready to find his way back under
saddle. |
| May 2006 Update: Dr King says Miata is 100% pasture
sound, but recommends retiring him. We're unsure if he'll be ridable or
able to do significant work again. (Today's
new photos can be seen at the top of this page.) |
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June 2006 Update: Miata has fostered over in
Homer the past 2 winters, and done fabulously. His foster
family have fallen in love with the big guy, and have chosen
to adopt him and allow him to live out his days at their
wonderful farm, retired. CONGRATS, Miata, and thank you so
much to the Alt family!
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| Oct 2007 update: Miata's
foster family took fabulous care of Miata -- and Ginger as a companion for
him. Sadly, their work situation changed and they are no longer able to
care for these 2, so they returned to CWER today. Miata looks the best he
ever has, and Dr King returned him to work! With some of the newer care
techniques doc has learned, and the exercise this big boy has given
himself, he is in far better condition than anyone could've hoped. |
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MIATA RIDES video
from September
'08
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Spring 2008: Miata is RIDING! He moves well
under saddle. He needs a partner who will earn his trust and work slowly
with him to build his confidence under saddle, or a retirement home to
enjoy the rest of his life. He has fully built his trust with Mike, and
Mike can ride him or have any intermediate rider ride him, in Mike's
presence. An adopter would need to build that same level of trust with him
prior to planning to use him for any sort of work. |
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November 2008:
Today Miata met Tyler, a 13 year old horseman looking for a lifelong
friend. The two of them got along well from hello, and the current plan is
for Miata to go home the day after Thanksgiving. We're so excited for them
both!!
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