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Shiloh Horse Rescue’s “the Older Horse” |
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Why adopt an Older Horse? "The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces." One lazy day in the nursery, the Velveteen Rabbit asks the old horse what it means to be "Real". He answers thoughtfully. "It doesn't happen all at once," says the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off...and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." -The Velveteen Rabbit “Older horses can make the best horses. Many rescue horses are older more mature animals whose former owners thought they were too old to be useful. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Oftentimes, first time horse buyers will be attracted to a very young and spirited horse. This is not always the best choice! Young horses can be flighty and need an experienced rider and handler. Even on the ground, young horses can easily intimidate the inexperienced rider. Young horses can be dangerous to be around if not handled properly. Once a rider becomes frightened by the horse’s behavior, things can go downhill quickly for both the rider and the horse. Older horses, on the other hand, are usually much safer animals for the inexperienced horseperson. Something that may set a younger horse off, may not even bother an older horse. Older horses can make excellent first-time horses, family horses, trail horses, and children’s horses. Their worldly attitudes can help a novice rider to gain confidence, trust, and much needed experience in dealing with horses. They make wonderful teachers. We at Shiloh Horse Rescue encourage people to consider the virtues of the more mature horses.” |
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We are sure proud of Jill & Shiloh Horse Rescue, it was Jill’s dream to start a horse rescue & now she’s doing a great job at it! (Jill & Tauni grew up riding together in the 80’s & 90’s) |
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