Introducing: Rowan

Name: Rowan
Sex: Mare
Age: ~18
Height: 17.2 hands
Breed: 1/2 Holsteiner, 1/2 Thoroughbred
Breeding: Was told her father was L-line Holsteiner
Arrived at Meadowlark: 01/22/2017
Favorite Treats: Rowan is still learning to trust people, so treats can be hit-or-miss. She LOVES alfalfa cubes, though!
Unique Traits: Shy and sweet

Special Needs: Rowan is on a joint supplement, due to her age and conformation, as well as a hoof supplement to strengthen her feet, "cool calories" and rice bran mash for weight gain. 

Physiotherapy: Currently enjoying a leisurely life of long walks, light lunging and love. She also gets regular chiropractic care, carrot stretches and stifle strengtheners, and will begin work over poles this week.

Considerably less confident than Hazel, Rowan is going to take some pretty serious rehabbing before she can join the lesson program full force. Her shy disposition has unfortunately leant well to a codependency on her new super-bold, red-headed sister. While Rowan and Hazel do call to each other when separated, they have been (thus far) respectful while apart. When together, however, Rowan has taken to hiding behind Hazel and poking her head out occasionally to sneak a treat from outstretched fingers. She is warmer and warmer, however, and I am confident that she'll be strutting around like a schoolie in no time. 

Rowan came to me with considerable muscle wasting and weight loss, as well as a severe fungal infection on her legs and ankles, rain rot across her back and a condition referred to as "pneumovagina" (don't google this unless you are seriously curious) so must be monitored for infections. Her back is not fit enough to carry a saddle at this point, and her sacroiliac joint is enflamed and juts rather angrily out of her hind end, not to mention she has high-low heel syndrome, so naturally we've got a long way!