Meet Odin

If you follow mythology (or just watch Thor movies) then you know that Odin is the one-eye god of war and death. This name is most fitting for the horse who almost lost his life at a killpen... and who is also blind in one eye.

Odin is a Belgian draft aged about 15-18 years old based on his teeth. I bought him sight unseen just a week before he was to be shipped from a Texas killpen to slaughter at a processing plant in Mexico. Aside from his lack of sight in one eye, he has rotting hooves from the muck he's been living in, which was stuck up to his pasterns. He has lice, is very underweight, and is covered in callouses from his work harness. And despite all of this, he's a gentle soul.

I've already bathed Odin, removed the muck, and have started salves and antibiotic ointments on his wounds and eye swelling. His lice has been treated and he'll have a follow up dose in two weeks. His hooves will take work and time, but we will get there. We’ll schedule dental too. Even though he's clearly had a rough go at life, and traveled 3,000 miles to finally find his forever home, he's in good spirits. He's curious, friendly, and happy to have loads of hay all to himself.

As requested, I will share my quarantine protocol in a post next week. And I will also share my new intensive rotational grazing plan for keeping 4 draft horses on 6 acres without sacrificing land stewardship. Yup… tomorrow, one more horse arrives I just couldn't pass up.  Thanks for all the luck sent our way to get this boy here safely. Welcome home, Odin.

Thank you to everyone who recommended horse auctions, pens, sanctuaries and organizations for me to browse. If you’re looking, there are some great rescues out there. And loads more where this guy came from at Last Chance Direct Ship horses on Facebook. They provide a list of trans-continental transportation companies upon purchase. Note these are horses that need rest and recovery before work.

Last Chance Direct Ship Horses
Colby’s Crew
Storeybrook Farm
Gentle Giants Draft Rescue
Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue
Castleton Ranch Horse Rescue
Horses Deserve a Second Chance