Winston     (newer photos coming soon)

Approx. mid to upper teens black Shire gelding

Approx. 16.0+ hands

Winston came off the slaughter feedlot in the end of March, and he has been here at Shiloh Acres getting his weight up and being treated for malnutrition and a bad case of lice.  He looks to be in his teens in age, but it is kind of hard to tell for sure because his front teeth are in very bad shape, with several broken off and others worn oddly.  He doesn't have any trouble eating (and has had his teeth floated) so it appears that his low body weight when we got him was due simply to just not getting enough feed.

He is sound, and a nice mover with cute knee action.  We have ridden him a few times (the photo above of him being ridden was taken out at the feedlot back in March) and he does well and is willing, but you can definitely tell that it is not something he is used to doing (he is used to driving!).  He will walk, stop, turn, trot, etc. under saddle, but he can be a little confused about leg and seat cues if you don't use verbal driving commands along with them at the same time ("step up, come gee, come haw" for walking out and turning).  He just needs a little more practice at it and he will be going smoothly and ready to hit the trails this summer!

Winston is a good boy with nice manners, and he ties, loads, and stands very well for the farrier.  He is definitely a dominant horse within the herd, and will get into confrontations with aggressive horses (particularly males) if they challange him too much.  Right now he is in with some submissive mares that he gets along with fine (other than bossing them around a bit come feeding time).

We feel Winston would be well suited for an intermediate horse person that is looking for a nice pleasure riding or driving companion.

Winston's Adoption Fee: $800

Dizzy & Lizzy (better photos coming)

17 year old matched gray Percheron mares

15.2 and 15.3 hands

Dizzy and Lizzy were rescued from slaughter after they were retired from their job as carriage horses.  Both are well broke to drive and have a lot of riding experience as well.  They make a very attractive, well matched team and are very pretty when they are all bathed and cleaned (as NOT seen in this photo!).  They are smaller in height, but VERY thick bodied and stout, and appear to be sound and healthy for their age.  They are easy keepers that get fat just by looking at a flake of hay.

Their feet were in rough shape when we got them, and they still need some work but they are looking much better.  Apparently they hadn't had their feet trimmed in a long time...

Dizzy and Lizzy are very bonded and MUST go together.  Both are pretty calm and level headed, but Dizzy has a tendancy to be the slightly ditzier of the 2 (maybe that's the origin of her name?!), and looks to Lizzy to be the leader.

They would be a great team for someone wanting an experienced set of driving horses to play with and learn from, as well as fun horses to ride around on the trails.

Dizzy & Lizzy's Adoption Fee: $1800

Maverick     (newer photos coming soon)

Approx. 11 year old B&W paint Paso Fino gelding

Approx. 15.1+ hands

Maverick came off the slaughter feeldot as a stud, but he was quickly gelded once he arrived here.  He was already reasonably easy to handle and calm for a stud, but now that he is gelded he is an absolute cuddly marshmellow of a horse.  He gets along with most other horses, but can be protective of "his" herd and mares, especially around other dominate male horses.

Maverick is broke to ride, but so far has been a bit lazy under saddle (it is kind of hard to get him past a walk!).  We have checked him out for physical issues behin the roblem, like a sore back or ill fitting saddle, but found nothing...  We suspect that in the past he was ridden rather hard, as he seems to have some scarring on his nose consistent with a bosal noseband being used a little too roughly, and he tends to be a bit "dead sided" as if he maybe had a little too much spur action on him that left him pretty desensitized to leg pressure.  Other than that, he works well off of bit and seat cues, and leg cues for turning.  It is just getting him to really GO that has been a problem.  We are going to try a few more things with him (like trail rides and other non-arena work to see if that perks his interest) and change his diet a bit to see if that will get him more energized before he is officially ready to leave here...

Maverick is sound, although he can have a bit of creakiness to his joints now and then.  He is by no means a "hard" keeper, but he needs a little something other than just hay to keep his weight up.

Maverick is a very people oriented, sweet horse who is just about ready for a new family.

Thunder

5 year old sorrel Belgian/QH gelding

Approx. 15.2+ hands

Thunder came to us as an owner surrender, and has by far been one of the more interesting cases we've had...  The day after arriving here, he had to have surgery for a very unusual injury, and extensive dental work done.   He was also very emaciated and needed lots of TLC to get back up to proper weight.  Fortunately, the vets gave him a clean bill of health after the surgery and a prognosis for a long, healthy life. 

Thunder is, quite simply, a WONDERFUL horse.  He is very sweet and laid back, as well as smart and willing to learn.  He appears to be a bit stunted from malnourishment, but there is a small chance that he could still have a late growth spurt now that he is healthy.  At the moment, he stands at about 15.2 hands, and while his head is a bit too large for the rest of his body, he has the cutest face and kindest personality you could ever ask for in a horse. 

Thunder has recently completed 60 days basic training under saddle and is very consistent and willing.  He recently went on his first "real" trail ride where we trailered him up to the foothills and went on a 2 hour hike.  He was absolutely fantastic, and I am so proud of him! 

He still has some learning to do (like figuring out how to carry himself and collect with a rider on him) but he just needs some time, miles, and more specialized training put on him.

Thunder is ready for a new home (with an advanced beginner or higher level rider) to do pleasure riding, trails, or just about any other fun activity you want to do.

Thunder's Adoption Fee: $1000

Macy

Approx. 4 year old bay pony mare

Approx. 12.2+ hands

Macy was previously adopted out to a home, but came back to us when her adopters faced unexpected financial difficulties and could no longer afford to board her or their other horses.

She is a super little girl with a huge personality, and is extremely personable and "in your pocket" all of the time.  Her adopters had sat kids up on her a bit and introduced her to a saddle and bridle, but she is not technically started under saddle.  I have not done any riding training with her because I've been spending time building her muscle tone up with exercise (plus I feel I am too big for her!). 

Macy has had issues with her stifles sticking or locking up in the past (due to her conformation), but she seems to doing just fine now as long as she gets plenty of regular exercise to keep her hind end muscles built up.  We are going to look into the possibility of surgical treatment but for now she just requires that regular physical activity to keep her stifles from sticking.

For a smaller adult or experienced older child rider, she would probably be a very easy training project.  She also would do well as a cart pony.

Macy's Adoption Fee: negotiable

Gunner

(photos coming soon!)

Approx. 8 month old buckskin QH-type stud colt (soon to be gelded)

Approx. 13.1+ hands

Gunnar is a sweet little baby that came from an auction.  He is a very handsome little boy that will need a home willing to look past the fact that he only has one eye.  The auction story stated that he caught his right eye on a tee-post when he was very little, and while the eye is still in the socket it is not full anymore and definitely not functional.  Since he has been missing his sight in that eye for most of his life, he is very well adjusted to life without it.  He is not spooky on that side, and gets around just like any other normal horse.  He will definitely be able to have a pretty normal life as a riding horse when he grows up.

Gunner is sound and healthy, although from a long term lack of hoof care, he had some pretty nasty feet when we got him and we suspect that he had a mild case of "mechanical" founder and may have had a slight rotation or remodeling to his coffin bone.  Right now his hooves are still in the process of being trimmed back to a normal shape, and we will have some radiographs taken soon just to confirm what is going on inside, but he is completley SOUND so far and our farrier thinks he will be just fine.

Gunner has some basic halter training in place and is still learning how to stand tied and for the farrier, but he is a very smart and willing little guy who is coming along nicely.  He has the right temperment to be a great kid's horse or family horse. At the moment it looks like he will mature in the mid 14-hand to low 15-hand range.

Gunner's Adoption Fee: $200

Austen

Coming 2 year old chestnut draft/Curly cross filly

Approx. 14.3+ hands

Austin looks to be a curly draft cross (probably only 1/4 draft) with stout, solid conformation and VERY curly hair.  She looks like she will mature in the 15-16 hand range.

Austin was not tame at all when we got her, but she now has basic halter training in place, and has proven to have a very good mind and even temperment.  We have been sacking her out and teaching her to pick up her feet and she is coming along very well.  She is available for adoption to an experienced person that is comfortable with handling and training young horses.

Austin's Adoption Fee: $600

Vegas     *Adoption pending!*

Coming 2 year old Paint/Curly/Draft cross colt (gelded)

Approx. 14.2+ hands

Handsome, unusual colt with neat markings, blue/brown eyes, and cool, curly hair!  Like most curly horses, he has a spiral-curled mane and fetlock hair, a wavy tail, and a coat that is smooth in the summer, but super curly in the winter!  He looks like he has at least 1/4 draft in him, and should be a pretty good sized guy when he finishes out.  He has nice strong legs with big joints and good conformation.  Overall, he is a very nice,  very flashy looking horse.

He was not halterbroke when he was pulled from the feedlot, but he now leads and ties well.  He can still be a bit nervous about initially being caught, but once you have him, he is willing and very smart.  He has nice, healthy draft-type feet, and he stands pretty well for the farrier.

We thought for a time that he might have some issues with his eyesight, but we are happy to report that his eyes are just fine, and the vet has given him a clean bill of health. 

For anyone looking for a unique horse that will always get noticed wherever he goes, Vegas is your boy.

Vegas' Adoption Fee: $600

Riley

Approx. 18+ month old bay filly

Approx. 13 hands

Riley is a very refined bay filly with an intelligent mind and a beautiful little head.  We don't know exactly what breed she is; we were originally guessing QH, but her incredibly long and thick, wavy mane and tail and delicate features have us thinking she might be something else...possibly mustang or Spanish in origin?

She didn't seem to have ever been handled by people before we got her, so it has been an adventure in training her.  She was quite the little wild thing at first (rearing, temper tantrums, mowing people over, etc.   What fun!).  Fortunately, she has really settled down and is doing very, very well.  She now leads very politely and ties, does well for shots, dewormings, flyspray, etc, and has learned how to pick up her feet and stand for the farrier.  She looks like she will only mature to the 13-14 hand range, so she may be a good option for a future kids' pony.

Riley's Adoption Fee: $300

Jazzy's Adoption Fee: negotiable

Ty   

Approx. 8-10 year old Appaloosa gelding

Approx. 15.1+  hands

*Mostly blind*

This gelding came off the slaughter feedlot, and is one of the prettiest appaloosa horses I have ever seen in person (the photo above does him no justice!).  He has nice conformation and striking markings, topped off with a nicely arched neck and thick mane and tail.  He is quite the mover, too.  Sadly, he appears to have "moon blindness" in both eyes... When we first got him, we hoped that he had enough vision left to still be used as a light riding horse, but it turns out that he is almost completely blind, and just really good at "faking" it!  We think he can still make out distinct shadows and differences between light and dark, but he really can't be a riding horse anymore.  He is an easy keeper who is currently living well with a group of 7 other horses.  He is easy to handle and very sweet, and would love to go to a home where he can be a spoiled, and very pretty, pasture ornament and companion.

Ty's Adoption Fee: negotiable

Zeus & Apollo     *Adopted!*

7+ year old Belgian geldings

18.2+ hands

 *For those of you who remember, Zeus and Apollo used to be on our "Permanent Residents" page, as we had planned on keeping them here at Shiloh Acres.  Recently we began thinking of offering them up for adoption, as we just didn't really have the time for driving and exercising them.  We really loved having them around, but they weren't getting out and working...  Then a nice gentleman happened to come along and offer them a really good home, so we made the decision to go ahead and adopt these special boys out.  They will be working part time at a small, privately owned guest ranch in the mountains, and we plan on visiting them often!*