Xena

It was so nice to get back to The Meadows Equestrian Centre in Uxbridge once again. There were some familiar human and equine faces and some new ones as well. Xena is a very pretty chestnut mare that is looking for her forever home... Leslie

Barb Fletcher tells this story of her horse:

"Xena was in the Alberta PMU program (pregnant mares' urine) for most of her life, forced to have foals every year. I think that it was in 2003 or 2004 that there was a big health scare with regard to hormone replacement therapy. Researchers announced that it was quite likely responsible for causing serious heart disease in women. Of course, the sales of Premarin plummeted and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals cancelled about 200 of their 300+ PMU ranch contracts, putting about 20,000 mares out of business. (see more info here)

I found Xena on a website where they were trying to find homes for these horses and their foals. She was pregnant on the feedlot, with not a lot of time left before slaughter. I kept watching the site and horses were being purchased daily - the number of available horses kept getting smaller but no one wanted Xena. So I bought her and then I bought a second pregnant mare to keep her company on the trip to Ontario. They arrived from Alberta in early May of 2005, after spending four days on the trailer.

Xena is 15 now and is a registered paint – ‘Docz Solid Sting’. At 15 hh she is solidly built, sound and a very easy keeper. She is anxious and fearful of new situations but has come a long way in the three years that she has been at The Meadows. She is timid with people but tries very hard to do the right thing. When she arrived she was difficult to catch, didn’t like to be touched, groomed or petted and had no idea what ‘treats’ were. Now she enjoys all of that, especially the treats and thanks to a lot of ground work, will follow without a lead shank. While she has never been aggressive with people, her anxiety can cause her to over react to aggression from unfamiliar horses and she is much happier when she is turned out in a small group with one or two other horses.

She was professionally backed last fall but needs a strong, confident and gentle rider or she becomes very agitated. Xena needs love and attention from a person who is willing to spend the time to gain her trust and confidence. She will be a one person horse and will bond strongly with that person.

Xena is in excellent health, UTD on her shots and has never been shod."

Xena's price is negotioable, please contact The Meadows Equestrian Centre

Congratulations to Xena for being our March 17^th, 2008 Horse of the Week!