Ryoma's Story
Ryoma is an OTTB gelding who came to me directly from his guardian by one of local equine rescue organization after his owner’s passing just 2 years ago.
He was born in 2004, and raced until he was 3 years old, when he was suspected to be infected with EPM (according to his current vet, this may have been a misdiagnosis, and he’s never relapsed since then). His first owner thought about putting him down, but his second owner took over and cared for him. Years after, he got bad laminitis on his left front hoof. Everyone around the owner, including his veterinarian, recommended she put him down, but she strongly refused it and took care of him. However, years later, the second owner got very sick and unfortunately passed away. One of her family members tried to take care of him and another mare that the owner left with him, but he wasn’t experienced as a horse owner, so he left them in a boarding facility and called an equine rescue organization for help.
When I first met Ryoma, he was just skin and bone, and covered with rain rot. But his second owner must have loved and taken care of him very well, because he didn’t lose his gentle mind and sweet heart. I immediately decided to rescue him, and a couple weeks of later got ownership.
I started treating the rain rot, started a new diet plan & supplements, and did weekly bodywork to help his mind recover from the loss of his owner, leaving his pasture mates, and environmental changes.
After his skin healed, I started to exercise him and do biweekly bodywork and massage to build up his muscles, working on a horsemanship program to build my connection with him.
2 years have passed since his adoption, and he has had an amazing transformation. He has gained back his confidence, has good barn and field mates, is getting a lot of attention from the barn people, and he is enjoying his life again.
Before - Sept. 2022