Setter
Breed: Thoroughbred (New Zealand bred)
Sex: Gelding
DOB: 1993
Height: 16.1 hh
Color: Bay
Markings: Brand on right shoulder
Location: Cleveland, TX
Adoption Fee: $600
 

Temperament: Setter is a very friendly gelding, he comes running when his foster family drives in and whinnies with a nice greeting. 

Physical problems / health issues: Setter has suffered a bout with colic and recovered from surgery.

We have full medical records on this horse, who has had some lameness issues in 2005.

July 2005 lame coming in from pasture....diagnosed by Texas A&M with a palmar medial P1 fracture in the left fetlock joint   Surgery was not indicated, he had further tests and stall rest recommended.    Treatment: stall and small paddock for 60 days (vet injury might need substantial rest to improve).

Recheck: 8/5/05 left fetlock injected w/ 12 mg vetalog .22mg Hyvisc and 125 mg amikacin, lameness seemed to persist.

Recheck: 8/25/05: re-diagnosed with desmitis of the distal straight sesamoidean ligament. Still needed more stall rest.  His donor indicated he was still lame as of Dec. 05, rest was continued. He was also specially shod (egg bars with packing).  Horse was rested for many months and the donor decided to donate him to the organization since she was paying board on him and wondered if he could continue with jumping.

March 2006 - Setter came into foster care and his shoes were removed and he's been on full turn out (which he loved!).   He's been going sound, runs full out all over the pasture with no lameness at all, skids to stops too.  His foster mom has been slowly asking more of him over the past few weeks in terms of round penning (which he does not do very well yet), then riding at a walk, then some trotting, etc.  He appears to be going sound.  He has not been tested in an arena for hours at a time nor has he been out on trails.

May 2006: Setter has been working as a lesson horse in a hunter barn in the Tyler area. He's been going great at walk, trot, canter and has been doing some jumping.  He's a real favorite of those taking lessons and should make anyone a fabulous lower level hunter.  His feet were allowed to grow out and his hoof wall has thickened enough for him to wear shoes on the fronts again.  He's been completely sound and used several times a week.

Interaction with horses: Gets along okay with others, runs and bucks and plays.  Although currently fed separately, he is defensive of his feed and will kick out a lot and look around a lot to make sure no others are going to get his feed.  He should continue to have separation for feeding.

Interaction with people:

History: Setter was donated due to his need for pasture rest, he has not been abused or neglected.  His donor does eventing, but his legs weren't holding up to the task, so she decided to donate him in hopes of finding someone interested in a nice horse for flatwork. Setter was a 1 and 2 star level eventer at one time, did novice and training level eventing most recently. 

Training / abilities: When Spiro came into foster care, he had never been handled by humans. With increased people contact he is showing improvement though he would really benefit from some daily work in an enclosed area. Needs to continue his ground training. Spiro is a companion only at this time.  In the future, with significant training and exercises to improve his back end (see lameness problems section), a vet said he could carry a very small rider.  However, this is really an unknown.  He could possibly improve enough to pull a cart, again, with significant training needed.

Experience level required to work with this horse:  Intermediate on the ground since he is a large TB and when nervous, he can get pushy and forget his manners with his handler.  Intermediate under saddle in an arena.

Has this horse ever: Bucked? No. Reared? No. Kicked?  Yes, but not at humans.  He will kick out a great deal while eating even when no other horses are around. He's not kicking deliberately at humans, just being protective of his feed as if he was group fed at one time.  He also did a a lot of kicking out in the round pen when being worked, but again, it was not nastiness, just more like he was feeling good. Bitten? No.  Other? Does some ear pinning at feeding time, pretty typical food protection behavior.

Ground handling: Catch? Yes. Lead? Yes. Tie? Yes. Trailer? Yes. Clip? Yes. Trim Feet? Yes. Bathe? Yes.

Special needs: Shoes on fronts seem to be working for him now.

Other comments: Setter is a beautiful gelding who has nice skills, he would make someone interested in lower level hunter work, a very nice horse.  He could also go western, he's adapted well to that type of saddle though he does not neck rein yet.

More pictures:

Adopt: Please contact us regarding adoptions at adoptions@habitatforhorses.org or call 1.866.HFH.LSER(866.434.5737).

Are you unable to adopt but would still like to have Setter in your life?
Sponsor him through our Virtual Foster program.

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