u/ParsnipFarmer676

This is his favorite toy, and it’s getting really gross! But I’m afraid he’ll never forgive me if I wash it?

I’m in the US (California), and we had a weird winter/spring - kinda stayed the same ”mid“ weather through both seasons, so I guess my dogs got confused! They just decided to blow their coats over the last two weeks, which was great timing since I was also fighting a nasty virus. 🤧

Thankfully they’re almost done now, but I’ve got a bucket full of fur to prove it. And these fun photos from the park last weekend. I swear they’re not humping in that one pic… just being weirdos. lol

So as the title says, I'm feeling sad for this horse at my barn - let's call him Jack. He's a Paint Horse, not sure how old, but not too old I'm guessing (maybe 10-15 at most?). Sweet medium-sized gelding, no drama that I've ever seen. Yesterday after my ride, I was putting my lease horse away, when the owner of Jack approached me and asked "Do you know how to put on the thing that goes on their heads?" "You mean a bridle? Or a halter?" "I don't know." "Are you trying to RIDE him, or just walk around?" "Oh I can't ride anymore, just want to walk him around the property." "Okay, then a halter/lead rope. Sure."

I went to the stall with her, and got the halter on after a minute or two. He tried to walk away from me at first, but stopped when I asked and stood nicely for me. The whole time this is happening, the husband is yelling at her - like WATCH HER DO THAT so you can do it next time, etc. I was told later she has dementia, which makes sense in retrospect (my late father had Alzheimer's, plus I work with seniors as part of my job). Once we got Jack all secured, she walked him around the arena while his neighbor friend went nuts. Guess he's realllllly buddy sour, and another boarder said it's because neither of them are taken out very often.

So now I feel bad for Jack, and want to offer some kind of help? Maybe I could offer to ride him if he's still rideable, or even see if they're interested in selling or leasing? What would you all do, if anything? They just seem overwhelmed, and the wife even told me her husband "claims to like horses, but doesn't want anything to do with Jack." Weird situation! Other people at the barn are afraid of them, but as someone with experience working with seniors + my late father, I definitely have the ability to manage their behaviors. And the wife seemed to really like me & was very grateful for my help. Jack likes me too, and she even said "I'm jealous, he's never that nice and snuggly with me." 😢

I wasn’t sure where else to post this, but I think it fits the sub! This is a very affluent town/county, but it’s usually been cool about letting people car camp at least. I work at a public building nearby, and we’ve never bothered these folks - one man has literally been living in our parking lot for over 20 years!

We need more services and programs, not to just shove them aside for another town to worry about instead.

I've been on the hunt for my first horse a while now, and can't seem to find exactly what I'm looking for... I've always rescued my house pets (dogs/cats/etc), so rescuing a horse would be great if they're suitable for my needs.

I found this ADORABLE old man through a verified ASPCA-partnered rescue in my state, who reminds me a lot of the horse I've been leasing. The one I lease is a 25yo chestnut gelding Tennessee Walker, and this guy is a 20yo chestnut TWH. Even looks just like him, and is described as being safe/sound/trail experienced/etc. All the boxes ticked, since I'm just a casual older trail rider looking for a nice & safe gaited hack horse. Older is actually preferred.

The only thing that gives me pause is that he has Cushing's, but they said it's easily managed with a daily pill. This is in the description: "thriving on daily medication for Cushing’s, which keeps him healthy, happy, and ready to enjoy life to the fullest. His condition is well-managed, and it doesn’t slow him down one bit — he’s as energetic, willing, and steady as ever."

Does this sound honest and accurate for a Cushing's horse, or are they making it sound like less of a problem than it would potentially be? And would he still be able to live a normal life otherwise, in terms of longevity and rideability? Again, I'm just a casual weekend hacker; so I don't need a horse that'll be winning shows or jumping high fences. And financially I'm fine, as long as we're not talking about MAJOR ongoing additional expenses.

Pics of the old boy for attention and observations. And I haven't met him yet, since he's about a 5-hour drive away (other part of the state). So I want to ask questions before making the trip, but I might go anyway since they do have other horses if he's not the one.