Kiger gelding Free to the right home...

[Michelle Clarke]

6 yr. old Kiger gelding, out of 2 freezebranded Kigers. 15'1 and dun, lots of hair factor. Very leggy and athletic, wonderful gaits. Going well under saddle, some trail experience.

Here is the catch. He has a very high testosterone level and needs to be re-gelded. The surgery here at Texas A & M is $450.00. That is not the problem. The problem is he has seasonal heaves here in the summer and surgeon does not want to knock him out with a breathing issue.

He needs to be in another part of the country to help him with the heaves. My vet belives they may very well dissapate without the presence of the allergens like here. I bought this horse a year ago and he had the symptoms of heaves through the summer, then they went away...came back the past month. His mother is also boarded here and had heaves alot worse than him when they came. She is turned out on the back 60 acres and the heaves have not returned. It may be that he is kept up by the barn in a stall and run - which we have to do because of his behavior.

He really is a magnificent animal and would do really well for someone that was capable of handling his issues. With his studdy behavior, he needs someone who can handle that until he gets his surgery. We have way too many of our own projects at this point and feel he would do better in a more suitable home.

Will post picts this weekend. Please email me privately. [e-mail]

[dazzlingduns]

Michelle,
He sounds like a nice horse. Have you considered having him allergy tested? I have been unfortunate to have had experience with "horse allergies." After having the horse tested, then an allergenic extract customized for the horse, the allergies and breathing problems disappeared. The horse receives one 1 cc monthly maintenance vaccination. This is one of my good saddle horses. His allergies occured five years ago. We have had no problems with him since.
This problem is becoming fairly common in the Eastern states.
Samples by vet were sent to
Spectrum Labs
Tempe, AZ
Allergy test cost about $400.00
Maintence shots for 1 yr. about $160.00 which will vary depending on what the horse is allergic to. Some owners only vaccinate during peak allergy seasons, depending on what their horse is allergic to. I vaccinate my horse once a month year round.
It takes two to four weeks for test results depending on what time of year sample is sent in.
I sent a nice Kiger mare to Oregon a few months ago. She developed allergies, was just a bit slightly heavy, so I had her tested and ordered her custom allergenic extract right away so she could be comfortable and allergy free here while I searched for her a good home out West. The heat, high humidity, and poor air quality can be miserable for animals and humans with allergies. She is doing wonderful at her new home in Oregon!
Melissa

[Michelle Clarke]

Melissa, thanks for the info. We have a circle of issues with him and after many long talks feel it is best for him to be in a better suited place. With his studdy behavior he is miserable here with all the other stallions, mares in and out of heat plus all the training horses that come and go in his barn. He paces all day and has a hard time keeping weight, which adds more to the problems. It is getting very hot and humid here also, which makes things worse for him. I can't have the surgery done while he had breathing issues and I worry about the weight issue too with surgery. I am hoping the right home comes along quickly. Everyone that has ridden him is just in love with his gaits and abilities. If not, I will just have to wait until fall to try to get weight back on him and the heaves go away. It just kills me to have him locked up for another 4 months.

[dazzlingduns]

Michelle,
I feel for your situation, but I believe if you can get the breathing issue under control by allergy testing and treatment, you'll go a long way toward the weight problem. It sounds to me like this horse is well worth the effort to rid him of the problem that is preventing him from having the surgery. I have a close friend who dealt with the same testosterone situation for which surgery was an instant solution. Hope this helps. Who is this gelding? Just curious.
Good luck,
Melissa

[Michelle Clarke]

[ctxkiger]

MICHELLE, HOW IS YOUR SEARCH FOR A HOME (FOR THE HORSE) GOING?