I'm so happy to report that "Project Gradual Integration" is complete, and Aba, Luci, Dyana, and Grisham settled in quickly as pasture mates.
It's been 3 months since Aba and Luci arrived at the Mareworthy farm and just under 2 months since Grisham arrived. Here is the gradual process I followed to ensure today was as drama and stress free as possible. Perhaps everyone would have been fine with a "tear off the band-aid" approach, but there are some risks with that approach that I prefer to reduce if possible. For me, there are four key components to consider when establishing a new herd in a new space:
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Before Monday, November 14, 2022 I swore I would NEVER bail a horse from a feed lot no matter how much that horse tugged on my heart strings because I was not about to put money into the pockets of the people capitalizing off horses who landed in tough situations.
That all changed when one of my followers on Facebook sent me the post for Grisham. I'm not sure why this particular mare was the one who changed my mind. Maybe it was the fact that she was 23 years old? Maybe it was the fact that she had 13 foals with her 2022 foal clearly having only been weaned very recently before Grisham ended up in the auction ring based on the fact that she was still lactating? Maybe it was just the fact that I'm at a different point in life with a much clearer focus on the impact I want to make. Whatever the reason, I broke my cardinal rule and sent $1,105.00 to Moore's feed lot in PA to bail Grisham. |
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Kyle the OTTB Mare Guy loves how mares connect when you take the time to build a relationship. He is dedicated to showing the world why mares are superior and working as an advocate for OTTB warhorse mares and broodmares who need to retire. Help support Mareworthy Charities.
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