Horse Name: foxy
Horse Age: 17
Horse Breed: Paint (Tobiano)
Owner Name: ronnie mosby
Owner State: Kentucky
Senior Horse Tale:
I had to leave for college in 1991. My horse "Foxy" could not attend with me. I couldn't afford to board her and go to school. I asked a "friend" who loved to trail ride if they were interested in keeping her while I was away. They jumped at the chance, because "Foxy" was the ultimate trail horse. I didn't want to leave her, but I knew we would one day be reunited. I went to school over 100 miles away, and I only got to visit her once in 3 months. I called to check on her often. It was Christmas break and I went to visit. She had lost over 300 lbs. I was fuming mad. The vet said to start her out slow, feeding grass hay and equine senior. Foxy had always cribbed and had worn her teeth in the front, though she had never coliced. The vet said she had developed stomach ulcer's too. The vet said "Senior's" easy digestability was just what Foxy needed. It worked great. Foxy and I have been back on the trail ever since. She's seventeen now, but the Equine Senior food keeps her fit like a five year old.

Horse Name: Grandma
Horse Age: 28
Horse Breed: Thoroughbred
Owner Name: Robert Batchelor
Owner State: Florida
Senior Horse Tale:
We got the call in March about a TB mare that was abandoned. The property owner said that if she wasn’t gone, he was going to shoot her! When we removed Grandma from her lush pasture, she was emaciated from neglect. We did not know if she could make it up the trailer ramp. At 28, she had no useable teeth to grind her food. We had to find the right diet so she could slowly regain her strength. We fed her five times a day and slowly increased the daily total to 30 8 oz cups of Purina Senior and 30 cups of beat pulp. It took a tremendous amount of time, patience, and resources to care for her. She was a "high maintenance" horse but she served humans well for many years—she deserved to be properly cared for and cross Rainbow Bridge with dignity. Grandma taught us a lot during her short stay with us. When nurse mare foal Chloe came to us, only a month after Grandma, it gave Grandma a purpose and strong will to live. Grandma was a devoted "mom" and loved Chloe as her own—she would even let Chloe nurse! We were so amazed with them that we shared the story of their growing relationship and bond on our website. But Grandma started falling as she lost control of her hindquarters. The first few times all it took was one nuzzle from Chloe to get her up. One day she could not get up no matter how hard a large group of us people tried. She was euthanized in October but her spirit lives on in Chloe, a special filly that is also loved by many across the nation.

Horse Name: Redford
Horse Age: 16
Horse Breed: Warmblood Cross
Owner Name: Renus Ramos
Owner State: California
Senior Horse Tale:
In December 2005, after numerous bouts of colic, my horse Redford underwent surgery. The prognosis was grim, but he came through with flying colors. However, he also lost a lot of weight. My horse has always been a hard keeper, and keeping weight on him has always been a challenge. Before the surgery, I fed him alfalfa and oat hay to maintain his weight. Since he was colic-prone, the veterinarian instructed me to feed him only free-choice timothy or orchard grass hay from then on. This was quite problematic, since grass hay is more expensive and has less protein per pound weight than alfalfa or oat hay. Fortunately, the vet also instructed me to feed him Purina Equine Senior, which I found surprising. I did some Internet research and found that this is common for after colic surgery, regardless of the horse’s age. The Equine Senior has been a godsend. It is less expensive than grass hay, packs more protein, and contains highly digestible pre-processed alfalfa, which makes it safe for colic-prone horses. I never imagined I would ever need to use senior products for my 10-year old gelding until later in life. But with a combination of grass hay, Purina Equine Senior, supplements, and regular training, Redford has bounced back stronger than before his surgery.

Horse Name: Fannie Joe
Horse Age: 33
Horse Breed: Quarter Horse
Owner Name: Wendy Bockman
Owner State: Pennsylvania
Senior Horse Tale:
When I was 15 yrs old I bought a skinny red QH mare because her owners were moving and couldn't take her. Fannie was very hyper and it took a lot of work to get her to be calm. I showed her in 4-H and qualified for the NJ State 4-H show in Barrels and Poles both years. She went to college with me and was a Student Mounted Patrol Horse at Rutgers. I brought Fannie along for moves to several states after graduation and leased her out when my children were small. That didn't go well and we got her back skinny again. We finally were able to get our own place where we could have her at home. Fannie was a backyard horse once again and she loved having the girls ride her. After a few years I took her to a Gymkhana at the riding club I had just joined. Fannie loved the games and we ended up with the trophy for High Point Senior Rider for the day. At the age of 23 Fannie had her first and only foal, a lovely Half Arabian colt. Over the years Fannie and I went to many Fun Shows and Gymkhanas always doing well and having fun. She competed in 4-H again with two of my daughters even taking my oldest to the PA State 4-H Show in Keyhole when Fannie was 26. The last few years she has been mostly retired except for a few trail rides and pony rides for visitors. This October my other daughter asked to ride Fannie in a Gymkhana at the same riding club were I had won the trophy so many years ago. They won a blue in the Ribbon race and place in every other class that day. They ended up winning

Horse Name: Mister
Horse Age: 31
Horse Breed: Other
Owner Name: Martha Schwabel
Owner State: Montana
Senior Horse Tale:
Mister is a May 1975 baby, I was there when he was born. He is by a Quarter Horse and is out of my American Saddlebred mare. He taught my daughter to ride and to compete successfully in local and state 4-H and local open horse shows. After she moved up to a registered mount we free leased him and he continued to teach several other youngsters to both ride and compete successfully in 4-H, Omoksee and open horse show classes, state as well as local levels. In his teens and twenties he also volunteered as a mount for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, Inc., even carrying riders to the state level in 4-H Special Riders. Mister has been fully retired now for several years. Purina Equine Senior has kept him in great shape during his retirement. And has made a huge difference in his last couple of years!! Without Equine Senior he would no longer be with us. He no longer has any teeth, yet his retirement continues in comfort because of Purina Equine Senior.

Horse Name: Northern Heir's Rebel
Horse Age: 29
Horse Breed: Tennessee Walker
Owner Name: Diana Williams
Owner State: Illinois
Senior Horse Tale:
Rebel and I grew up together; my mother purchased him as a 2-year-old when I was just an infant. Mom immediately began training both of us for the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association’s Versatility Program. Rebel proved a faster learner than I, earning his Adult Supreme Versatility Championship with Mom at the age of 7. With Rebel’s help, he and I earned our Youth Superior Versatility Championship when I was 8 - the youngest team ever to earn the award. I couldn’t have done it without him; he kept me safe – and sometimes corrected my mistakes – in showmanship, trail, English, western and gaming classes, not to mention countless hours training and playing at home. Time passed, and the time came when I had to move away from home, forcing me to leave my lifelong companion behind. Then, two years ago, I found myself with a place of my own and a mare who needed a companion. At the same time, Mom needed help giving Rebel the special care he needed at 27. It was perfect! My childhood friend was coming to live with me again! I was worried that he was a little underweight, so I had his teeth checked and started him on Equine Senior right away. In only a few short months, his weight was where it needed to be, and his coat was shining. Rebel is now 29, but he often acts like the 2-year-old he was when he first came into my life. Things have come full circle; I am proud to be caring for the senior horse who cared for me when I was young.