Deja Vu
2009 Tennessee Walking Horse Mare
Suitability: TBD
Color: chestnut
Markings: blaze
Height: 14.2 hh
Weight: 870 lbs
Adoption Fee: TBD
Deja Vu was part of a four horse Pierce County Animal Control seizure in early 2024. Deja was very thin, and long overdue for some basic care. Thanks to the work of Pierce County, her foster, and the vets at Tacoma Equine, Deja is looking much improved from the condition she was first seen in. Now at SAFE, Deja is continuing her rehabbing and despite being the most nervous of the bunch, is settling in well.
We are uncertain if she has been ridden in her past, but signs point to ‘no.’ We look forward to evaluating Deja and bringing her into the fold of our horsemanship program.
Halter-Starting the Halter-Started
We have no shortage of chestnut mares at SAFE. It’s our most popular color, in fact, with no fewer than 10 in our care currently. Deja Vu is aptly named, then, being a chestnut mare herself. Walking by her paddock, you may ask yourself, ‘have I seen this horse before?’ But after spending a bit of time with her, you’d come to the realization that she, like all the rest, is an individual, not to be referred to as ‘just another chestnut mare.’
Deja, as has become her moniker, is a wary, but intelligent gal. While she arrived able to be haltered and handled, one quickly came to the realization that she was doing so in spite of you, not because of you. So recently we have been working on getting her to hook on to a person instead of tuning them out, helping her be an active participant in what is happening versus merely allowing things to happen to her. This is demonstrated in something as simple as going in to catch her. Yes, she will allow you to walk up and put a halter on – if you approach with some caution and finesse – but it is clear from the way she looks towards her horse neighbor or the surrounding environment that she is not at all with you. If you are to raise the energy, she scrambles away, and tunes out your bids to restore a connection that wasn’t there to begin with. She does not yet find peace in humans, despite how she might have originally appeared by being halterable and ‘gentle.’
So each time we go to catch her now, instead of sneaking a catch on her, so to speak, we ask her to hook on to us. At this stage, this looks like a little bit of work. We send Deja around the paddock, sending energy towards her hip in order to encourage her to face us. Once she does, she gets a break as long as she is standing facing us with her attention also pointed in our direction. If that attention breaks or if she feels the need to move off, totally fine, but back to work she goes. The first time we did this, Deja felt the need to scramble around the paddock, changing direction on a whim, and feeling like she was only able to stop in a way where she could have eyes on her friend. But she is a smart mare, and was soon realizing that the answer we were looking for was one that involved looking for us. Soon, she was seeking out opportunities to find us, and by extension, the release.
It’s important to work both the right and left sides of a horse, and it is also fascinating to see how the two differ. Most horses are handled more on the left side (being the side they are haltered and led from in the majority of cases), and while you may think that this might be their ‘better’ side, the opposite can also be true. Sometimes, they have learned more negative habits or tendencies on the left due to poor handling, meaning that the right side is actually the side where they are softer and more pliable. But, it can also mean that they are more comfortable with people on that left side, so even if the right side is ‘better,’ they may want to keep you on the left eye where they are more used to seeing you. Deja is definitely less brace‑y on her right side, but does have a tendency to want to get you back on the left eye.
Each time we go to catch Deja in this new way, the time it takes for her to hook on grows shorter and shorter. She has even begun to take a few steps towards us when she draws in, showing that she is choosing the connection rather than having it foisted upon her.
Just because a horse has been haltered before does not mean it has been done with quality, and also does not mean that we will write them off as being ‘done already.’ We may have to work to undo what has already been done in Deja Vu’s halter starting, but helping to rebuild this foundation will have a massive impact on the quality of communication she is able to have with humans for the remainder of her life. Besides, we may have done this a time or two before – the real Deja Vu!
Walkin’ Into SAFE: Zuri, Bailey, Cleopatra, Deja Vu
Four new mares Tennessee walked into SAFE last week: Zuri, Bailey, Cleopatra, and Deja Vu.
Their story is one of neglect, as is so often the case with our new intakes, but as they were seized by out friends down at Pierce County Animal Control, they have been in very good hands since they were first rescued. The girls were all tremendously thin before they were taken, with body condition scores in the 1–3 range. Cleopatra, who was in the best shape (a relative term), had only held on to her little bit of extra weight by being food aggressive. No horse should have to fight for a meal.
For the last few months, they have been rehabbing down south, but last Friday made the trek up to SAFE. So far, everyone has been settling in well here, enjoying at least five meals a day, and getting to know the routine and the volunteers who already adore them.
Zuri and Bailey are the two matrons of the group, neither a stranger to being handled. Word is that they were show horses, once upon a time, and they do have a ‘been there, done that’ worldliness about them.
Zuri on seizure
Zuri is likely 30, and was in some of the worst shape of them all. She has gained a significant amount of weight over the course of her time at foster, but there is still visible evidence of her pointiness. She has a history of colic, so we are keeping a close eye on her eating and bathroom habits (a standard across the new intake board, of course, but something that we are making sure to pay extra attention to given what we know). She is so far curious and friendly, and will greet you vocally — especially if you come with food.
Bailey is also 30 or above, and has a history of laminitis that has led to some significant rotation in her front feet, particularly her left. Bailey’s hooves were in terrible condition in general, so managing her overall comfort has been a high priority. She has been living in soft ride boots, and taking daily equioxx, both of which have been helping some. But she doesn’t let her feet stop her from being a sassy lady!
During her intake photoshoot, Bailey was quick to remind us that she would much rather be chowing down on her alfalfa, thanks very much. She is a hoot!
Cleopatra on seizure
Cleopatra is 20, and as previously mentioned, looks the best out of the four. Despite her food aggressiveness with other horses however, she is rather shy around humans. While she does allow you to halter and touch her all over, she is clearly uncertain at times. It will be wonderful to see her come out of her shell a little once she settles in more here at SAFE.
Deja Vu on Seizure
Deja Vu, so named because of her physical similarity to Cleopatra, follows her doppleganger’s personality thru-line as well, being perhaps the most wary of the group. Still, she is not untouchable by any means, and allows for haltering and blanketing, but is definitely hyperaware of everything that is happening. Though we do not know if Cleo and Deja have riding backgrounds, signs point to ‘no.’
All four ladies are settling in well at SAFE, where they are growing used to the rhythms of this place. One thing is for sure, they already know the sound of the food truck!
Deja Vu’s Friends:
1. Julie S.
2. ____________________
3. ____________________
4. ____________________
5. ____________________
6. ____________________
7. ____________________
8. ____________________
9. ____________________
10._____________________
Every horse deserves at least ten friends! Even a small monthly donation can make a difference. Plus, SAFE horse sponsors receive discounts at local businesses through the SAFEkeepers program!
Click here to sponsor Deja Vu!
