Since finally meeting Polaris in late April after purchasing him in Feburary, I think we’ve finally got some progress to report!!

We have had the farrier out techinically three times, twice to actually shoe. We found out that Po is a major jerk for shoeing and needs a full tube of Dorm to be worked on, and even then he has still been kicking my farrier sadly. Since he is half shod, he lives full time in bell boots while we correct his angles; and we’ve used, loved, and unfortunately destroyed Capone’s old bell boots. Long live my bright light blue Centaur bell boots from the Webb Ranch donation pile. I got the text from my barn owner that he had lost a boot, and made my way over to a very small tack consignment store to buy a pair of pull on bells.

I hope he rips them off to be replaced down the line because I don’t think I can pull them off his feet now that they are on him. Though I will have to find a way to work around them for shoeing later in July. Wish me luck.

Goal of today’s post was to update you all on what Polaris is eating, and his overall diet. He is currently on:

1 Flake Alfalfa, 1 Flake Grass, 1 Flake Orchard Mix

3 cups Montana Premium Forage Alfalfa Orchard Grass Pellets

2 scoops Horse Guard Super Weight Gain

1 cup Nutrena SafeChoice Senior Horse Feed without Molasses

1 pump GutX by 100x Equine

1 tsp Himalayan Salt

Then PM he just get his three flakes of hay again. In a perfect world I would be using Lakin Lite pellets milled in AZ, but Tractor Supply cannot get them via rain check for me here in WA. I had to pivot after a month of waiting and just grab the closest hay pellet I could find, I like the Montana Premium Forage analysis, but the pellets are so small!! I would ideally feed way more than I am, but I don’t want to one overwhelm my barn owner, and I also don’t want to change it so fast Polaris has a tummy problem.

Since starting him on all this new feed and getting into a routine for it, he has done a 180 in the weight department and he’s looking good. This is a comparison from Apr 28 – May 29, just a month later. I know he isn’t facing the same way, but the point still stands.

I am hoping to get the finer details of his diet fixed, I think I know what he is missing from here, but I will update you at a later time when I see some improvements. Until then, Polaris is in the lightest of work, and unfortunately he is mostly in his stall due to a veternarian recommendation on controlled turn out for the time being. I have to remember he JUST came off the track, and three months living at a barn doesn’t immediately mean he’s retired and a normal horse. He has no idea how deeply he needed to just be a horse for a while, and our barn has allowed for so much growth on his end as a horse.

With that he has befriended his neighbor, but now they fight over the water they share. Po’s poor face has been all cut up from their shenanigans, and no fly mask has been a safe option to protect his face from anything. Po’s neighbor takes flymasks off his face, tail bags off his tail, and sometimes steals his stalll toys too. I am hoping with more activity, Po doesn’t need to act up in his stall as much.

Until our next update, I hope you enjoy this update on my childhood dream made a reality.