Skittles has been with SAFE since January, and she is more than ready for her forever home! She has so much she wants to do, she’s just waiting for the right friend to come along and share some adventures with her!
Terry & Skittles on the trail!
Over the last couple of months, Skittles experienced some bouts of pretty significant diarrhea. We adjusted her diet to see if we could determine what was causing it. The culprit? Grass! Anything over about an hour of grazing per day and her digestive system got pretty upset. Since limiting her turnout to dry lot areas, things are going much better. Another concern was raised after Skittles was observed drinking about twice the normal amount of water. She was also looking a little ribby. We had our vet do a thorough exam, and some bloodwork was done to rule out serious issues. We are happy to report that all of Skittle’s tests were completely normal. She does not have Cushing’s or any kidney/liver issues. The veterinarian has suggested that she may just be one of those horses who gets bored and drinks extra water. We have seen this before in other horses; aside from more frequent filling of the water bucket, it is not a concern.
Since Skittles now has a clean bill of health from the veterinarian, we would like to once again point out that this little girl was a gem at the SAFE show in August. She bathes, trailers, and listens well in new environments. She was a Show Pro, and couldn’t have behaved any better.
Just a few days ago, Skittles was loaded up for a trail ride at Bridle Trails State Park. She thoroughly enjoyed the outing and was very well behaved in spite of being quite “alert” and active. She preferred to be in the lead on the ride, but would listen to her rider and consent to follow as well. She also crossed wooden bridges and walk/trot/cantered in the forest with a relaxed and happy attitude. She was a joy to ride. She has proven that she is the same horse no matter where you take her!
Skittles’ ideal home would have the ability to limit her grass intake (a grazing muzzle should do the trick). She gets along well with other horses, mares and geldings alike. Her ideal rider would be a petite height and weight, either adult or child. Arabians tend to live long and useful lives; although she is 19 she has many happy and productive years left. This should be taken into consideration when deciding if a child rider might outgrow her. Skittles is considered beginner safe, but of course she would excel under the guidance of a trainer. She can go English, Western, jumping, and trail riding. She is the epitome of versatile!
