Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the ASPCA’s Right Horse program. This week’s adoptable horse is Cisco! Check back weekly for a new featured horse so you can find your Right Horse.
Organization: Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, Union, Mo.
Get to Know Adoptable Horse Cisco
Cisco originally came to Longmeadow in 2016. He was owned by a rescue that fell on hard times and surrendered all of their equine to Longmeadow. He was then used lightly in Longmeadow’s lesson program, where he was a wonderful horse for the younger students.
During his time as a lesson horse, Longmeadow’s trainers noticed some discomfort while being ridden. After thorough vet exams and an MRI at the university, they found that Cisco’s discomfort was coming from an old injury. The MRI report describes multiple significant soft tissue and joint abnormalities in the left lower limb, involving the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT), navicular apparatus, and collateral and suspensory ligaments. His right front lower limb showed similar results, although more minor. Longmeadow fitted him for therapeutic shoes, put him on Equioxx and his comfort levels seemed to improve. It wasn’t long before they decided to retire him from our riding program so that he could find a family of his own.
Cisco was then adopted for nearly two years before being returned to Longmeadow due no fault of his own. Upon his return, Longmeadow began noticing occasional breathing issues, particularly when he was in his stall or during periods of extreme heat. After a thorough vet exam, Cisco was diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). To help manage his condition and minimize flare-ups, the veterinarian recommended that Cisco live outdoors full-time. Since then, he has been living in a pasture 24/7. To maintain his respiratory health, Cisco will need to continue living outside at his future home to help keep his lungs clear. He currently lives with other horses with access to shelter and an automatic water. Longmeadow wets his hay when his flare-ups occur to get the extra dust off and that tends to help.
Due to both this previous lameness and his COPD diagnosis, Cisco can only be ridden at the walk on flat ground. If his future adopter plans for riding beyond leading a small child on a longe line, he will need therapeutic shoes. If his adopter plans to keep him as a pasture pal, Cisco does fine barefoot.
Cisco is a very sweet boy on the ground. He really appreciates being groomed and snuggles from his human caretakers. He would be a good horse for a beginner to catch, handle, and groom, whether that be a child or an adult. He stands well for the farrier when being trimmed but did need sedation when being shod. He is very good for fly spray, baths, and standing tied. Cisco gets along well with mares and geldings but does tend to be higher up in his herd’s pecking order. He is not buddy sour and enjoys time spent with his humans away from his herd just as much as he does turned out.
This beautiful boy has a striking appearance and beautiful Paint coloring. He is kind and calm on the ground and can’t wait to find his forever home.
Contact Longmeadow Rescue Ranch today about ASPCA Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, Cisco!
ASPCA Right Horse
ASPCA Right Horse is the online adoption platform of The Right Horse Initiative, a collection of equine industry and welfare professionals and advocates working together to improve the lives of horses in transition. A program of the ASPCA, their goal is to massively increase horse adoption in the United States. To find more adoptable horses and foster horses, visit www.myrighthorse.org. To learn more about The Right Horse, a program of the ASPCA, visit www.aspcarighthorse.org.
