Name: Balin

    Type: Andalusian Horse

    Color: Grey

      Markings: Fleabitten 

    Sex: Gelding

    Birthday: 1/1/2006

Balin had the world at his feet. He is a beautiful Pura Raza Espanola (Andalusian) and was much loved by his owner. However, Balin had a problem. He was a lot of horse; young and full of himself. Genetics had not been kind to Balin. For years his owner consulted vets, trying to understand his behavior: rearing unexpectedly, standing perfectly for mounting one time and the next nearly falling over. As the years passed, Balin would seem to improve; then another episode would occur. Finally, Balin was put into training that seemed to help. He did “horsy gymnastics” daily and gradually grew stronger. Balin was always a happy, easy-to-love fellow and seemed to have overcome his issues. He was eventually sold to a nice woman who fell in love with him at first sight, but…the new program didn’t fit and Balin slowly reverted to his old issues of rearing and falling over when mounted. Sadly, this happens more often than you would think…everyone has good intentions, but…a new exercise regimen, a new place, a new way of riding, and suddenly things fall apart. Although distraught, Balin’s new owner wanted to return him. 

Unfortunately, his previous owner wasn’t in a position to take him back and turned to us. Here was a horse that suddenly had no place to go – he had an undiagnosed physical issue that caused him to be unrideable at times. This is where it starts – that slide into home after home and finally a ticket to the auction carousel where horses routinely fall into the wrong hands and end up on a one-way trip to Mexico and a horrific end. Balin was one of the lucky ones. His owner was determined that this wasn’t going to happen to him and fortunately, we had an opening.

The vets eventually discovered that Balin has a genetic issue with his stifle; at times and with a strict exercise program, he would do well, but there wasn’t anything that would permanently fix his leg. As he grew older the stifle would become arthritic and his pain would need management. Today Balin lives at our Sunrise Pointe barn and under the care of our expert staff, his pain is managed with NSAID’s and mild exercise and he is living the good life with his buddies.