Hope and Promise

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Name: Hope

DOB: Unknown (about 18 years old)

Color: Palomino

Arrived: February 27, 2024

Breed: Quarter Horse

Name: Promise

DOB: Unknown (about 16 years old)

Color: Bay Dun

Arrived: February 27, 2024

Breed: Quarter Horse

February 2024 (intake)

We didn’t plan on having two new horses come to Freedom Reigns Ranch on the first day of the Spring Session Season, but God did!
Meet Hope (palomino) and Promise (bay).

Their previous owner loved them dearly but fell on difficult times. When we offered to assist her, she leapt at the opportunity to give them a place where they would be well cared for. We are grateful that she did right by her horses and hold her in high regard for that decision.

We pulled up in the horse trailer with halters in hand and excitement mounting at the opportunity to welcome in new horses. The mares greeted us as we entered their pasture with nickers and Promise allowed us to catch her easily. Hope was a little skeptical of these new invaders and tested us a bit by evading our efforts to halter her. After some gentle coaxing and the appearance of a bucket, she allowed us to catch and halter her. We were unsure on how they would do being loaded onto a trailer (Promise had never been on a trailer before!) but they loaded up like a dream! Promise went first and took her time to inspect the foreign location but was willing to trust enough to step up and be loaded. Hope hopped on with no issues!

Our first order of business was to take them to the Jaeckle Centre to weigh them. Both horses willingly entered the barn to be weighed. Hope was missing 350 lbs and Promise needed about 150lbs.

The mares were welcomed to the Ranch by enthusiastic Junior Volunteers. We had a special quarantine pen set up with alfalfa, water, salt block, minerals, and their own blankets thanks to Weatherbeeta! The Junior Volunteers made quick work of the burrs tangled in their manes and tails, lovingly picking each one out and then expertly braiding the hair. Now free of dirt and burrs, the mares settled in for the night.

These ladies have a bit of a road of recovery ahead with weight gain and farrier care, but we are so glad they’ve been entrusted to us. They are mother and daughter too which is so special to some of our volunteers who volunteer as mother and daughter! Hope is the mother and Promise is her daughter. They are a bonded pair and have been together ever since Promise was born.

Click the video to see their first day at the Ranch!

March 2024

We are blown away by the progress the mares have made in just a few short weeks! We were anticipating that Hope would take about 3 months to rehab and Promise will be about a month. But they are quickly gaining weight with minimal grain and alfalfa which is an amazing sign. We are hopeful that they will be easy-keepers. This isn't often the case with the rescues we bring in so we are thrilled! They have both gone through their period of quarantine without a hitch and are now settled in their own pasture near the other horses. Our herd of boys were intrigued by the mares but, thankfully, didn't cause a scene. When they pass by on their way to the barn, they are curious but are respectful of their boundaries.

Both mares will have their first farrier visit after they get to a healthy weight and gain more strength. Promise's hooves, especially, are going to need some extra care. Because of the lack of nutrition Hope and Promise have experienced, their coats are "molting." Meaning, the fur is completely falling out to make way for new, healthier hair. While they look a bit strange and raccoon-like, it is a good sign that their bodies are responding to the right food. They thoroughly enjoy being groomed and doted upon so they do not seem to mind their silly appearance. We are excited to see how they look as their coats grow back in!

April 2024

Hope and Promise have progressed to their first farrier appointments! Both mares stood very well for the farriers. There was a good amount of hoof to trim and we are so grateful for our farrier, Billy Lampley, and his team for their expertise.

Both mares have reached their ideal weight way ahead of schedule! We are so proud of the girls and their quick progress. Their coats are starting to grow back in after molting out! When she arrived, Hope was almost white but now her coat is becoming a glowing palomino color. She is a bit patchy but we are excited to see her full coloring come in! Promise's coat is coming in well. She had a harder time shedding and we suspect she has Cushing's which is a condition similar to pre-diabetes. Our horse, Remi, also has Cushing's so thank fully we are knowledgable about the condition.

We are not sure what level of training each horse has experienced and will start with some groundwork in the next few months once they gain their strength back. Both horses are genuinely sweet and enjoy attention. Hope can be a bit opinionated while Promise is more easygoing. Hope displays some signs of past harsh treatment because she shows fear at swinging ropes or our Parelli sticks. At Freedom Reigns, sticks are merely an extension of our arm as we work on the ground and are never used to hurt a horse. Of course, it will take time and trust for Hope to learn that she is safe from harm with us. Our Session horse, Freedom, struggled with the same fear when he came to us but has bravely overcome his fears and teaches kids that they can too! We are confident that Hope will conquer her fears too!

May 2024

Another month of firsts for Hope and Promise! Both mares had their first veterinarian visit where they had their coggins pulled and vaccinations administered. Hope stood like a champ, barely flinching at the prick of a needle. Promise had a harder time. She was very intimidated by the new face and struggled with standing still. Our vet, Dr Mark Wooten, was very patient with her and was able to give her what she needed. He also determined that Promise is allergic to flies. A rarer condition in horses but it helped bring clarity to the hives she had developed over the past few weeks as the flies made a comeback. We are so grateful to learn more about how to keep our horses comfortable and have dressed Promise up in a fashionable Weatherbeeta fly sheet, fly mask, and fly boots.

Hope and Promise have been separated into different pastures to aid us when working with them individually. As a bonded pair, they struggled to stay calm when apart which can be dangerous both for them and for the people working with them. A few days in different pastures made a huge difference and now they are much more confident on their own! Hope has become BFF's with our Session horse, Bronson, and they spend a lot of time sharing hay and hanging out side by side. Promise has her own pasture with a shelter and special grain to help with fly control. She looooves to be scratched and loved on and will follow volunteers around the pasture as they're mucking it out. It has been so fun to see their personalities come out and learn to work with them. We are pursuing a Liberty-based training with them which require a lot of patience and understanding. It's challenging us in a good way and we are enjoying the opportunity!