Deeds

We haven’t updated Deeds’ page in a while.  He spent his summer at a foster home up in Stanwood, where he was a companion to an older mare.  We have now moved him down to a foster home in Redmond, where he has a nice dry paddock and shelter and a buddy, a warmblood gelding of the same age and size, that also has some physical issues.  We’ve decided to downgrade Deeds to companion status.  He can be lightly ridden if he were given some maintenance for his arthritis, but he would be equally happy to just be a pet.  He made fast friends with his new buddy, Odin.  Deeds is a happy, sweet horse that loves to just hang out and lick your hand.

Update from Sheridan:
Deeds is doing well; he’s here at my place in Monroe. He did a month of training with Kim Gatley in Maltby, and it did wonders for him both on groundwork and under saddle. He’s very quiet and generally very sweet. I just wish I had more time to ride him; he enjoys quiet walking and trotting and working on suppling exercises — but my schedule and taking care of the horses means I’m not getting as much time with him as he (and I) would like. 

Deeds at Kim Gately Training

Many thanks to Sheridan Jones who has arranged for Deeds to spend a month in training with Kim Gately! Sheridan felt that Deeds could use a little refresher on his manners. We’re also hoping to get Kim’s opinion on what type of job Deeds might be suitable for, given his physical limitations. She’s been riding him regularly and he’s doing well, so hopefully with Kim’s help he can find his forever home soon!

Foster home update:

Deeds is doing so well! He has put on weight, is very relaxed, and loves spending quality time with his best friend Goliath in the pasture everyday. The weather has been so nice that they’ve both been out 24/7 the last few days. I’ve been riding him about 3x/week and he feels good. The cosequin helps, as do the suppling exercises, and he continues to be sound. I’ll try to post some video next week. Cathy O’Donnell did his feet last Tuesday; he was a little nervous being separated from his buddy, but as soon as we brought them both into the barn, Deeds was cool as a cucumber for his shoeing, even dozing off. If anyone would like to come and meet him or Goliath, contact Jaime who can get you my contact info and address in Monroe. Both Goliath and Deeds are nice, nice horses!!

Since Deeds has been returned to SAFE, he spent several months in a foster home where he was started lightly back under saddle, mostly bareback, and was ridden and led on walks on the trails. Unfortunately, he developed what turned out to be a mild case of cellulitis at the foster home and the foster mom could not take care of the intensive care he required so he was moved to another foster home here in Monroe. He recovered completely from his cellulitis and his current foster home has started riding him in her arena. She reports he is really fun to ride and feels very sound right now, although with his previous injuries he is still limited to lighter work. He was actually going to make an appearance at the SAFE show, but he needed new shoes and we couldn’t get the farrier out in time so he stayed home. He’s a sweet horse and generally well-mannered, although he can be very herd-bound and will stress when his stablemate is taken away from him or out of sight. He’s a super nice boy!

Deeds is back with SAFE now. He looks really good! Such a pretty boy!

From Kate, his former adopter:

Deeds spends the majority of his day in pasture turnout. He is happiest with another horse and has been pastured with both sexes, young and old, big and small. He generally has a pretty mellow, get-along, kind of attitude towards his pasture mates, but doesn’t put up with a lot of nonsense either. The horse he is currently turned out with actually bullied him badly at first, but it never became physical, and they have settled down very well and he is quite attached now. He comes into the barn every day to have his evening meal. In the winter time, or in poor weather, he stays in overnight. In the summertime, he comes in for his feed and then is turned back out after the worst of the bugs have died down.

I have not ridden him while I have had him. After x‑raying him, I was concerned that riding may put unnecessary stress on his front legs and figured I had plenty of time to try again in the future. When I first brought him home, I had to regularly hose down his front legs after turnout. They tended to swell, though not develop heat, but he was never actually lame because of it. After months of regular turnout, I never see his legs swollen anymore, even after he reenacts races in his field. This summer he did come up lame, and after x‑raying both front feet, we determined that it was simply his thin soled Thoroughbred feet and very hard ground. After putting on front shoes, he was sound again. Now that the ground is soft again, we pulled his shoes and will monitor how he does.

Deeds does best with a very regular schedule. He does not like to be left alone in the barn and will pace and fuss if it does not fit his routine.
He does not crib or chew his stall.
He is a very very good boy for his farrier, and does not mind having shoes put on.
He is fine with hoses, blankets, fly masks, dogs, children, chickens, and cats.
The best attitude with him is a no-nonsense one. Firm but not harsh. He will try to test you if you try to coddle him. He likes you brisk and confident.
He will load right into a trailer with this approach.
He is reasonably good for the vet, and very good if wearing a chain. The chain definitely does not need to be used, but he seems much calmer with it on.
With a chain on, he is an angel for his chiropractor, and really seems to enjoy his adjustments.
For a Thoroughbred, he is a pretty easy keeper. He prefers grass hay and also eats LMF Gentle Balance with Platinum Performance’s Ortho-Chon HA joint supplement. We also add oil to his feed.
He just had his shoes pulled, his feet trimmed, a chiropractic adjustment and his fall vaccinations on Monday the 9th of November. He is now up to date until the spring as far as the vet is concerned, and January for his feet. Below are some photos taken during these appointments.

All in all, this guy is a very very nice horse. He is quite a character and super sweet. I wish that circumstances were different and that I did not need to write all of this… but I do.

Due to financial issues, life changes and an upcoming move, Deeds is looking for a new home. SAFE will be helping his current adopter find him a new home from his current location in Bellingham. If he does not find a home by spring, he will need to be returned to SAFE.

Photos from Deeds’ site visit in June:

Update from Deeds’ Adopter:

So… Mr. Deeds got to be our model this wednesday! We had some reps out to my work to demonstrate a very fancy digital xray machine. Since my vet knew that i was planning on rechecking Deed’s enlarged fetlock and suspensory, he asked if i would be interested. Now, i have to admit that i have not ridden Deeds since i brought him home (i know, i know!), i was just so paranoid about his legs! Now, he’s been on a joint supplement for 6 months and had consistent turnout with other horses to run around with, and his legs seem consistently good. I was cautiously optimistic. When looking at the xrays Hannah sent me, we were pretty sure there was a chip in the fetlock. The digital xrays confirmed it- in excruciating detail (digital is amazing), as well as a large amount of arthritis and joint deterioration. So, at this point, Dr. Sauter is comfortable with walking and trotting on the flat, with no cantering at all, and only with lots of warm up and cool down, and probably cold hosing. Now, since it was a demo, i didn’t have to pay for the xrays (which was good, considering they took about 5 of his leg, 4 of his shoulder and about 6 of his head) but usually you don’t get to keep them. These guys promised they would load them onto a disc for us, but left without doing so. Hopefully, they have not forgotten and deleted them. If we get the disc, we will email the shots of his fetlock to WSU and/ or Pilchuck and discuss whether surgery should be considered.
So, to sum up: it’s pretty much what SAFE had already found and i feel better having his condition so clear. Since i definitely wasn’t planning on any strenuous activities for us, i am not the least disappointed. I just don’t want to make him any worse or cause him any discomfort. Dr. Sauter does feel that exercise will be beneficial for him, so long as we keep a close eye on those legs of his and we will probably make xrays part of our annual checkup.

Update from Deeds’ adopter, Kate:

Well, we didn’t do a photo shoot because we have a new wrinkle, er bump… The herd bliss was apparently on temporary hiatus and Deeds has been kicked, very hard, in the shoulder. The pressure of the kick appears to have split the muscle and left a deceptively small hole. Holy swelling! Luckily, the wound is at the bottom of the split and allows drainage. The position of the injury is just below the joint so we are hoping it won’t be affected. The swelling is working it’s way down the leg thanks to gravity, but he seems to be benefiting from all the hot-packing and the DMSO/ furazone application- though he doesn’t like it, and has no problem eating his antibiotics, so his recuperation is relatively quiet. So far he has not run a temp and only been a bit off on that leg and been much more stoic than I would be. Today he led out with nary a wobble.
This has been a crazy month! My younger mare had strange (and scary) colic complete with allergic reaction to who knows what and required 3 vets in one day! She is back to her typical sassy self now. Here’s hoping December has no surprises, and thank goodness I work for my vet! 

Dec 7 2008 Update:

Deeds has actually surprised everyone with his speedy healing (my vet has commented on it several times) and was able to participate in last night’s chiro session. Dr. Johnson, who is doing the chiropractic work, is excited to work with him because she will be able to see, and feel, his progression more obviously than in others- mostly due to his having raced for so long. He really enjoyed the pelvic work last night, just about falling asleep!

Hi there! Quick update for Mr. Deeds… That boy can EAT!!! Luckily, my two other mares are veeery easy keepers, so he kind of balances things out Unfortunately, he has been prone to some skin irritations this winter, as have many horses in our wet county. But, he is a perfect gem for baths and treatments, and has a set of blankets now to choose from- depending on the weather. So, he still gets to be out all day and tucked in at night with his bounty of hay. The two other horses he is turned out with follow him on his morning run through the pasture nearly every day, including LEAPING over a low spot that fills with a couple inches of water when it rains. He has not had a single fight with either of them, even at feeding times when they are all out together. Also, one of our wonderful vets is taking chiropractic training. Between each training session, she has to work on a number of animals using the techniques she is learning. Deeds is on her list. He is very good and doesn’t mind the big blue blocks she has to stand on to work on him. I will post some pictures as soon as I can find the cord that connects the camera to the computer 
On a bright note: we plan on starting construction on our new barn come spring!

Here he is hangin’ with his gang He is the 2nd from left.

Update from Deeds’ adopter, Kate:

I have to gush about how amazed I am by this boy: Each day we’ve been taking little walks and just doing some getting-to-know-you stuff, grooming and so on. Last night, he was more than happy to just stand next to me while I chatted with a neighbor about his adoption… he just rested a hind foot and kinda leaned his head against my arm, not even trying to rub.
I’ve taken him into the arena and we’ve checked out the jumps (my neighbors daughters are awesome jumpers) and none of it fazed him. He is very responsive, halts with a voice command and will trot with me as soon as i speed up, and slows down just as willingly.
However, last night I did notice that he was landing on the front edge of his left fore (the one with the suspensory injury) which caused him to stumble periodically, and today it appears a smidge swollen, though not hot. So, today we can practice being cold hosed and tomorrow I will have my conveniently located vet (who lives next door) take a look at him, in case he has other suggestions.
I think I may wait to start riding until he’s been checked over by the good Dr. and perhaps had his feet done, and maybe even a chiro adjustment. I will know more in the next day or so.
Until that ride however, we have plenty we can do on the ground together, and I am loving every minute of it 

Update July 14th 2008:

Ohmigosh! To get him to stand still while I hosed his leg, I just held out a hand and let him lick it! He stood stock still and licked me the ENTIRE time 
btw- leg looks pretty good this morning. No heat, only a small amount of swelling, and he does not find it painful at all.

Update from Deeds’ adopter, Kate:

Whew! That was a looooong trip! Luckily, the big guy was quite relaxed each time i checked on him on the way to Lynden (though he was rather sassy about getting IN the trailer, thank you Bonnie for helping!). When we finally arrived home, he turned around and announced himself to the county. He walked very nicely up to his turnout and promptly rolled in the grass. He paused at one point, still laying down, and started eating- with quite a crowd to applaud how cute he looked. He is now wearing a borrowed fly fringe and has been rubbed down a bit and had fly spray applied. I’m going to let him hang out for the next few days, let him acclimate, and then this weekend we can test the arena.
Thank you SAFE!

July 9th, 2008

So, Mr Deeds spent the day relaxing in his grassy turnout while i was at work, talking shop with my neighbor’s OTTB Gino no doubt. Then, this evening we walked around the property, investigated the arena, were shocked by ducks… yes, Deeds was not at all sure that those ducks should be allowed! However, when he noticed that none of the other horses cared, he soon decided it was ok with him too Then, an hours worth of beautification (and fly sprays and lotions and roll-ons) it was back to more relaxing in the sun. I’m sure i need not add that he was a very good boy the whole time 

Congratulations to Kate A. of Ferndale, WA on her adoption of Deeds!  I can’t wait to see photos and hear how he is doing at your place. I am so happy he has found such a wonderful new home!! It took almost a year, but good things always come to those who wait. 

From Kate, Deeds’ Adopter:

Deeds will be coming home on Tuesday afternoon!
Thank you so much to everyone at SAFE who took care of him and worked with him, and gave me this wonderful opportunity! I plan to do everything possible to give Deeds the fairytale ending we want for all castaway horses 
Thank you again- and prepare to be bombarded with pictures!

Update from Liz Stabbert, equine photographer:

Like Amy said I got to go out and meet her and Deeds a couple days ago. I was almost hoping he was still feeling spunky and I could get some dramatic galloping Deeds shots It ended up I got a lot of pictures of him eating. Back to his old self I guess! All in all he was a very sweet boy and it was fun to get to see him in person. Hopefully we can coordinate on a sunny day and get some nice riding shots next time (he looks SOOO cute all tacked up!).

Here’s his gallery 
http://lizstabbertphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/5207269_YhCtF

Deeds is popular with all the ladies at Frontier Training Stables. 

Deeds got a visit on Thursday from Mr and Mrs Kea’s Crest. I wanted to introduce him to them because they are interested in a horse that Mrs KC can ride. I told them about Deeds, and how I thought he’d make a suitable candidate, so we drove over to the boarding barn to see him.

Deeds ended up making me look very foolish. Either that or he really objects to being called a “pretty Quiet horse.”

First off, I took Deeds into the little covered arena so he could roll. He immediately started trotting around, and then he made a sudden move towards the corner of the arena nearest the gate to the pasture. I am fairly certain that he was thinking about jumping out. Scared the beejeesus out of me! So I turned him out in the pasture, which is what I normally do when I am cleaning his stall. “Normally” he’ll trot away from me and stop after about 15 feet and start grazing. Like you’d expect from a “pretty Quiet horse.” Not this time. This time he took off at a full gallop and proceeded to show us all his racehorse moves. He sprinted back and forth across the pasture, bucking for joy…much to the delight of Mr and Mrs KC, who clapped and cheered at his display of athleticism. The cheering and clapping seemed to inspire him to dig a little deeper for that extra gear (as they say in racehorse stories) and he just flew. It was so beautiful.

As I said, Mr and Mrs Kea’s Crest were quite in awe of his performance and his athletic ability. But Mrs KC did turn to me at one point and tell me, quite politely, that he might be a little too much horse for her. I had to tell Deeds at one point, “This is no way to get yourself adopted!” 

And from Mr. and Mrs. Kea’s Crest:

Thank you again Jaybird for so generously spending time with us while we visited the horses. You have a wonderful place you kindly share with horses in need and a huge heart for giving all that you do.

Dont feel bad about Deeds “out-performing the sales brochure.” He was spectacular! I’m sure our whistling and clapping; egging him on, bumped him up a notch. He just looked like he was having so much fun. Maybe it was just me but I’m pretty sure I heard him humming “I’m Popeye the Sailor Man!!”.… 

He was probably just feeling cooped up after being in the paddock all morning watching it rain and just needed to blow off some of that “spinach” steam. He is such a handsome boy, I just love thoroughbreds. He is clearly well trained but he is just a bit more horse than my wife is ready for. Although we have several years taking care of older retired horses, my wife is just a beginning rider. Both my wife and Deeds are impressive individuals but just not quite the right fit at the right time for each other.

We did enjoy spending time with him and hope the “right fit” person comes along very soon. 

Deeds got turned out with my OTTB today for the first time. Here is some pictures, Deeds wasn’t sure about the mini!

Deeds is doing great! His under-saddle work with Lucy continues to get better and better, and she has nothing but good things to say about this boy. She tells me that he catches on to new things faster than any horse she has ever met. If they work on something one day, when she rides him again four days later, he doesn’t need a review, he remembers what he’s been taught and is ready to take the next step. He has a terrific work-ethic and really tries his heart out.

He is becoming more balanced, and the two of them have started doing some canter work. Lucy says his left lead canter has come a long way after all the trot work she has done with him.…his right lead canter has a ways to go yet. But he is improving by leaps and bounds.

He is a really nice horse. I’m sure Lucy would be first in line to adopt him if she could, but unfortunately, as a military spouse, she can’t make a long term commitment to an animal that she can’t move across county with. I have a great deal of respect for her position on that, and I am very grateful that she has been able to lend her time and talent to SAFE and to Deeds.

And more photos from April 2008:

Update from volunteer rider Lucy:

Deeds was fun today … with all the windy weather, he brought out his get-up-and-go! I was really excited because today was the first time he really accepted contact (rather than being behind the bit). So it appears we are making progress on that front. I think he would make a great training and first level dressage horse one of these days. He still has a ways to go because we are just getting flashes, nothing consistant yet. But I think he will physically hold up to that level of work and he is a very willing learner. He is such a blast to play with! 

Deeds update from Lucy:

I’m sorry to hear about Deeds’ colic episode! I saw him today and he looked good. I think the pelleted bedding is helping a bit because there was less sand in his stall. He was really perky and excited to be getting out of his stall and move around some. While grooming him, I did notice that he appeared to be a bit stocked up on both his left front and left hind legs. This seemed odd to me as horses generally stock up on both sides. There was no heat of tenderness to the swelling so I decided to work him a bit and see how he was moving. He was stiff as usual and we did lots of streching at the walk and then trotted a bit, also focusing on streching. He was off when he started trotting, but warmed up out of it after a few minutes. When we stopped, the swelling was gone from the left hind and significantly decreased from the left front but not entirely gone. Again, there was no heat or tenderness.

So anyways, I will keep an eye on those legs and his weight (he is a bit thin, but I don’t think he has lost much since I have known him) and I will let you know what he is looking like on Saturday! Let me know if there is anything else you want me to do in regards to his legs or anything else!

Mr Deeds had a slight bout of colic over the weekend. He became upset when the mare from the next paddock was taken out for turnout, and he worked himself up into a bit of a lather.…started rolling and groaning and not eating his breakfast. The barn owner where he is staying called me and I called Slew and we both headed down there to see him. Fortunately, when we got there he was pretty much over it.

I went to see him this evening and he was completely his normal bright eyed, curious self. As a precaution, I brought a tub of Sand Clear for him to start getting.…his paddock was recently redone with builders sand, and he’s been tracking it in to where he eats. But all in all, he seems fine now. So whew!!

also here’s an update from Lucy who saw Deeds on Friday:

Deeds was a good boy today … I felt like I could really start working with him on his weak points now that I know what they are. Deeds is such a cool horse … he goes like the typical off the track baby who has been jammed face first into a frame — — meaning he is stiff as a board and behind the bit consistantly. BUT, he is so smart!!! We worked for about 30 minutes today — about 2/3 of that was walking and the rest trot. He was really listening and seems like he really wants to please his rider. The long walking and streching excercises really helped and when we did start to trot he was still feeling stiff, but he trotted out sound from the first stride! That alone was exciting. But the other really cool thing is that at the very end of the ride he was willing to start slowing his rhythm and start reaching for the bit. These were really slight changes, but most horses take much longer to reach those first thoughts of self carriage.

I know that Deeds will always need some vet maintanence (like joint injections and so forth) but I really think that if he gets fitter and more supple he will be a much more comfy horse.

I guess my point of all this rambling is that we had a blast, Deeds is seeming a bit more comfy in his surroundings (he followed me into the grooming area after his roll in the arena) and I am really glad I stumbled apon this organization because it is giving really amazing animals a second chance and that is really exciting and motivating to me. The more time I spend with Deeds, the more I am baffled by his previous owner’s wish to euthanize him. What a loss that would have been!

So thanks for letting me be part of this horse’s transition to a forever home! I will keep you updated on his progress and don’t feel shy about letting me know if there is anything else I can do to help! 

I had a nice visit with Deeds today and met a great new SAFE volunteer!! Lucy is a somewhat recent transplant to the Kitsap area from Kentucky. She works as a small animal vet tech and is also in school getting her certification. Somehow she has decided that she has the time to put in volunteering for SAFE! Because of her riding experience and ability, we have set her up as with Mr Deeds and she plans to work with him twice a week while she is in school.

So we went to Deeds’ boarding barn this morning to introduce her to the horse and to the barn owner. We spent some time brushing Deeds, who seemed to like that quite a lot. He is in fine shape at the moment, just lacking muscle over his haunches and along his topline. He was a pretty good boy in the crossties, except for his incessant pawing, and Lucy got him all cleaned up and tacked up in her dressage saddle. She rode him in the little outdoor arena at his barn, and he was such a good boy for her. Like Schwung and Shekaberry have both said, he is the least Thoroughbred‑y Thoroughbred you will ever meet. He was bright and interested in his surroundings, but he stayed relaxed and did not misbehave for an instant. Nothing bothered him. Lucy rode him in the walk and the trot and then did a little bit of calm cantering. He was a bit off at the trot at first but he seemed to work out of it so general stiffness might be playing a part. Lucy reported that he was responsive to her aids and seems pretty well trained. And he looked smashing all tacked up on such a pretty day. I am kicking myself for not bringing a camera.

I hopped up on his for a couple of minutes and just walked him around the arena. He is a very nice horse, and pretty comfortable to sit on. A steady-eddie for sure. I hope that we can find him a nice home where he will get some light riding and he would probably do really well on the trails because he is so laid back and easy going.

Afterwards, we undressed him and let him have some free time in the arena. He rolled three times until he really really got the sand ground back into his coat, and then he spent the rest of the time poking around looking at things, wandering back from time to time so that we could pet him. He is really a nice horse, very friendly, sweet and terribly handsome.

Lucy plans to work with him to improve his suppleness which should make him very comfortable and happy. We will keep you posted on his progress. A big welcome to Lucy and a big thank you for helping with Deeds. He seems to really enjoy interacting with people so I am sure that he will be happy to have visitors on a more regular basis.

Deeds in winter:

I worked with Deeds again over the weekend, and he was pretty stiff. Probably due to the cold weather we have been having. He was pretty lazy on the lunge and under saddle, and due to his stiffness, I just did walk/trot circles and serpentines with him. He still doesn’t give to pressure real well, but he tries and is such a gentleman on the gound.

He is starting to chew on the bit and soften his jaw, so I am getting a little bit of foam which is a good sign. I am looking forward to taking him on the trails to see how he does.

We moved Deeds to a boarding place over by Bonnie yesterday. He’ll have a stall and attached paddock as well as turnout. He gave us a little trouble about getting in the trailer but then when he realized we were serious about it he walked right in. I expected much worse.

Deeds got his shots on Friday:

Subjective/Objective:
Deeds:
History/Presenting Concern: Due for vaccination
Physical Exam:
Temp-98.5, Pulse-48 (just running around) and Resp-20 = WNL (within normal limits), MM: pink, CRT < 2sec, GI +/+ = WNL. Heart, lung and GI sounds = WNL.
Vaccination: Tetanus (IMl), Flu/Rhino (IN)
Assessment/Plan: Looks good.
Please call or email with any questions or concerns.
Dr. Hannah Evergreen
206–940‑8589
info@evergreenholisticvet.com
PO Box 1494
Monroe, WA 98272

And from his dental float and sheath cleaning:

Subjective/Objective:
Deeds: Bay TB gelding

History/Presenting Concern: Due for dental float.

Physical Exam:
Temp-99, Pulse-40 and Resp-12 = WNL (within normal limits), MM: pink, CRT < 2sec, GI +/+ = WNL. Heart, lung and GI sounds = WNL. Bright, alert and responsive. Small bone spur left mandible (non problematic).

Dental float: (2.5xyl,2xyl,2xyl) Reduced buccal and lingual points, reduced ramps at 306/406 and hooks at 106/206, canine reduction.

Sheath: moderate smegma, moderate bean, cleaned.

Update from Allison:

I worked with Mr. Deeds on Saturday. He is coming around very nicely. He was really uppity on the lunge line, just playing and a couple bucks, but was great under saddle. He was a bit hot but not stupid or spooky; he wanted to work! I can feel that he is still “off” when tracking right, but if you post on the wrong diagonal you can’t tell 

Update from Allison:

I played with Mr. Deeds today and I’ve got to say, he is one nice horse. He stood nicely in the cross-ties — jigged a bit when the horses in the pasture started running around — and was quiet and cooperative while I tacked him up. Put him on the lunge line, he was lazy, so I hopped up on his back and did some walk/trot circles. He still feels “stilted” at the trot, but hopefully he can work out of that with joint supps and corrective shoeing. I did lots of small bend-around-my-leg circles and change of direction. I even got brave and pushed him into a canter on the straight way. The few canter strides I rode felt relatively nice, but he is definatley off. He doesn’t seem spooky or hot at all, there was some dude driving a big truck through the pasture next to the arena and Mr. Deeds couldn’t have cared less. I just love this guy!!!

I did some research on Deeds’ racing history. He raced 65 times with 10 wins, 8 places, 3 shows. He earned $51,130 in his career. He raced at Hastings Park for most of his career, then Portland Meadows, and then the fair circuit.

His sire, Alydeed, is a multiple-stakes winner who earned over $900,000 on the track. His dam Arch Miss, was also a racehorse — she won over $30K on the track. Deeds has at least 3 full siblings, and about 8 half siblings — many of which were successful stakes placed racehorses themselves. His dam was a pretty amazing producer.

He is a great grandson of Alydar and Nijinksy. His grandsire Mississippi won over a million bucks on the track. His pedigree is filled with stakes winners and champions.

I’ve updated his information on pedigree query if you’re interested. You can also see a photo of his sire Alydeed if you click on his pedigree.

http://www.pedigreequery.com/HE+IS+INDEED

Picture time! I worked with Deeds today and I must say I LOVE this horse!! He is so sweet and willing and reminds me a lot of my Slam. I took him out and Allison and I put him in the crossties and brushed him and cleaned him up. He was a very good boy and stood quietly. Then I saddled him up (he was good, a little nervous but good) and bridled him and brought him into the arena. He was nervous and not paying much attention and wanted to run as soon as I put him on the circle so I made him walk and we just walked until he finally stopped jigging and got bored and relaxed. Then we did a bit of trotting and then I put the side reins on. He was good although wanting to brace against them and it took him a while to relax into him, which he finally did. After we did a little walk/trotting both directions I got on him. From the description from his previous owners I was expecting him to be wound up but he was as cool as a cucumber. The dogs were running around and barking and he was completely unfazed and totally listening to me. He goes naturally on the bit and while he doesn’t understand bending around the leg he was willing and great. To the left he felt really good, his movement is stilted in front and takes some getting used to but he didn’t feel off. To the right though you could feel he was off on that left hind. I am going to try and get him on a joint supplement and see if that helps him. He was so mellow though, totally relaxed and even a little lazy.
There are some photos in this album of his left front foot which is very out of balanced and certainly doesn’t help! We’ll work on getting that fixed:

Deeds (He is Indeed) is an 11 year old TB gelding, bay with three socks, 16.2h, who raced until he was 9. Deeds was purchased site unseen from a dealer in Oregon by his former owner in July as an eventing prospect. When he arrived he was lame, had horrible feet, and had signs of previous injuries that made it obvious that he was not going to work out as an eventer. The owner made the decision to have Deeds euthanized. The owner of the barn where Deeds was boarded did not feel that Deeds should be euthanized and that his lameness issues were resolving, so she contacted us. We agreed to take him in and at least have a vet evaluate his soundness. Deeds has been with us two weeks now and we have had his soundness evaluated by Dr. Hannah, and euthanasia will not be necessary. The many years of racing has indeed taken a toll on his legs, he has a large bony protrusion on his right front (we are awaiting results of xrays on that), and a thickened suspensory on his left front. However, he flexed well on both front legs. He did not flex well on his right hind and probably has some arthritis in there. On the lunge he moves mostly sound with an occasional head bob. His feet are also way out of balance and will take several months of corrective trimming to fix, and are likely part of the problem.

Overall Dr. Hannah felt that Deeds is suitable as a light riding horse (trails, low-level dressage, etc) with maintenance. He should be on a joint supplement at the least and would probably do best on Adequan/Legend shots or joint injections on the right hind/right front fetlock. The left front, which has the suspensory injury, should be monitored regularly for signs of heat/swelling and he will need to be rested/cold-hosed if any problems arise (while the suspensory is cold and non-reactive to pain at this time, suspensory injuries are prone to reinjury and there may be adhesions that come loose from time to time causing him temporary pain).

For someone that is willing to put the maintenance into him, Deeds is a fantastic quality horse, with beautiful, floating gaits. He is very sweet and loves attention. He is easy to handle (does have some issues getting in the trailer that needs work). He is high-strung under saddle and has not had much training since he raced so will need an experienced rider. He does pace in the stall and we were told he cribs although I have not seen any sign of cribbing. He is in good weight and appears to be an easy keeper for a TB. This is a VERY nice horse that deserves a special home. UTD on everything and he is having his teeth done today (9/28/07).

For those of you that follow bloodlines, Deeds is an Alydar grandson. He made just shy of $50,000 in his racing career.

Adoption Fee: $500