Puppies Need Homes!

These adorable pups are approximately 3 months old. There are a total of 5 males, two red and white and three solid brown. They have wonderful, playful personalities. We think that they are spaniel-type mixes.

Call the Sanctuary if you are interested in adoption! (970) 897-3122

Midnight, Farrier Educational

Midnight is a 20 year old quarter horse mare. Her lifetime has been filled with teaching small children how to ride, helping other older children to gain confidence in their riding abilities and in her most recent years, working poles, and at a more intense level of exercise. Thinking her foundered to the point of being unable to jump, run barrels and work at a more intense level, Midnight’s owners decided to find her a permanent home elsewhere that she would be safe and in good hands.

Sanctuary workers picked midnight up on Tuesday, the 21^st of August from her previous home. Darrin Hill, farrier immediately set to work on Midnight’s hooves. We were all very anxious to see if what Midnight had was actually founder or yet another mis-diagnosis due to poor farrier work. Well all Darrin had to do was pick up the hoof and examine. Bingo! Yet another horse had fallen culprit to lameness due to a botched farrier job.

Sole has not been knifed down, causing the horse pain . When the sole of the horses hoof is not knifed down below the hoof wall each trimming/shoeing, the pressure from each step is on the sole, a tender area for the horse, causing lameness issues.



From this view, you can see the sole of the hoof is extended below the hoof wall, improper trimming and shoeing practices.


Proper Trimming Techniques



Step 1: Cleaning Hoof
Knife out the Sole as pictured
Trim the Frog

By knifing the sole and trimming the frog, pressure is kept on the hard laminate of the hoof wall, protecting the softer tissue areas of the hoof such as the sole. If a horse’s hooves are too long, there is no pressure on the frog, the blood is not circulated from the hooves back to the horse’s heart, causing lack of proper circulation.




Step 2: Nipping off excess growth of hoof wall.

This aids in proper hoof alignment, a properly trimmed hoof, will allow for cleaner movement rather than issues with toe-in, toe-out, over reaching, and more.

During this step, most farriers will achieve proper hoof angle and balance.



Final Step: Filing or rasping the hoof.

Filing the hoof helps to level the surface and keeps it from chipping.

We have come in behind some farriers who have literally filed the horse’s hoof at a crooked angle, causing the horse to stand leaning either to the right or left depending on whether that farrier only filed to the right or the left in one direction. You will notice in the photos below, Darrin files both with the left and right hand, making for a level surface.



Comparing the properly trimmed hoof to improperly trimmed/shod.

CSU's Parmalee Hall Freshmen Visit!

Parmalee Hall Freshmen!



Little Man with Parmalee Hall Freshmen





Brittany Eskridge, Group Leader

Kiowa's Ongoing Battle

Kiowa is a very special gelding, he is one of 33 Miracle Horses saved from slaughter at the Dekalb, Ill. plant in April.

Kiowa had a very swollen sheath upon arrival to the Wyoming Stockyard. This was tested for cancer and has come back inconclusive. Yesterday's visit to Dr. Farrand was for a biopsy. Kiowa is 11 years old, very well trained and an incredibly majestic horse. We are all hoping and praying that this is curable.

In the photo you will see his sheath, pay attention to the enlarged veins on his belly, these are carrying the blood supply to this sheath. There is a very large blood pocket and beyond that a very calcified mass. The results should be in soon. Help us to hope for the best and brace for what could be a very involved surgery. We would like to thank the Humane Society of the United States for funding this portion of Kiowa's veterinary work.

If you would like to contribute to Kiowa, please don't wait, do it now, your donation will help to save his life. Visit our website at www.denkaisanctuary.org to donate.

Your Commitment in a New Horse: Educational

This is one in a long series of educational articles and press releases that we here at Denkai Animal Sanctuary plan to be sending out. It is our hope that in reading these short articles, people will begin to plan long term for their animal companions resulting in lasting relationships and a higher standard of care.

Future articles that we have in mind for this include caring for llamas, planning for pets in your will and pet insurance, caring for other animals such as pot bellied pigs, turkeys, sheep, goats, the human animal bond and many more! We hope that you enjoy this and encourage you to write to us with questions or comments. Our website can be found at the end of this article.

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Plan before you jump! Horses are a 30 year commitment!

So many times we get calls here at the Sanctuary for people seeking placement for their horses. The reasons are always the same, “My horse went lame and since we can’t ride him/her, we need to get rid of them” or I just can’t afford it. A lot of the time we come across “green owners” or those who have always wanted a horse, but never had one and somehow end up with a yearling filly or colt that is “out of control!”

There is a remedy for all of this! Educate yourself! There are so many wonderful trainers in this northern Colorado area along with veterinarians and rescue groups that can help horse owners to make educated decisions about the commitment they will embark on when acquiring a horse. If you are new to horses, don’t jump in feet first and take on a yearling that has never had any training and is fresh off of the pasture. This always turns into a bad situation for both parties, you and the horse. Instead, you might look for a horse that is well trained so that the first experience for horse and rider is a good, safe one. Don’t just hop on right away either, gain a relationship with this horse, get to know them, make sure it is a good match before embarking on what could be a 15 or more year commitment. If you have to, hire a trainer to help you get started.

Some of the things to think about when acquiring a new horse include the cost of feeding this horse per year and board if you do not have the room to house a large animal on your property. Check in with the planning and zoning committees along with your HOA if you have one, in your county and find out what the regulations are on horses.

Veterinary costs per year can run up to a minimum of $1,000.00 and plan for more due to unexpected injuries. Do you have the proper and safe fencing needed for your animal companion? Wood is great, but horses tend to chew through that faster than you can put it up. Vinyl is wonderful, but very costly. Smooth wire works well and is economically much friendlier.

General care for your horse comes in the form of quarterly worming, rotating the wormer per quarter to insure the best results. Vaccinations need to be administered at least once yearly in the spring and farrier work (hoof trimming or shoeing) should be performed every 6-8 weeks depending on the type of riding you are doing. What you feed your horses is so very important to their long-term health, plan accordingly, will they be on pasture or will they be in a stalled area or dry lot with the need to be fed hay twice per day? Your food bill is going to vary depending on these situations. White salt blocks and mineral blocks, such as a 12:12 mineral, are crucial no matter whether your horse is pastured or fed hay here in Colorado. Lastly, do not forget to check the condition of your horse’s teeth on a yearly basis. Dental work is a very important factor in not only being able to chew food properly, but also in the comfort of the bit in your horse’s mouth when being worked with if a bit is used.

Plan to have at least two horses together. These are herd bound animals, they do not function well alone and we have seen many a behavioral issue in horses that are separated from their herd. Be aware of your moods, if you are afraid of your horse or feeling timid about things, they are going to pick up on this. We once had a horse come into our Sanctuary that was famous for looking at her owner, pinning her ears and running this person down, then biting them. This horse had absolutely no respect for their owner and could sense the fear that this person had toward them. This creates a dangerous and unpleasant situation all the way around. Within one day of entering our Sanctuary, this horse had learned respect for us with kind but firm training methods. This mare is an excellent example of what can happen with a green owner and a green horse.

There are many horses at Denkai Animal Sanctuary in need of foster homes and sponsors. Consider helping out at the Sanctuary or fostering one of these horses as a way to help you gain a better understanding of the commitment taking on a large animal entails.

Denkai Animal Sanctuary is a not for profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, adoption and sanctuary of all domestic animals. Volunteers are always needed and appreciated along with donations of in-kind materials and cash. www.denkaisanctuary.org, info@denkaisanctuary.org (970) 897-3122.

Tiny Kitties!

Two three week old kittens find a foster home with June in Greeley!

These two precious little kittens are still being bottle fed after mom went missing. June of Greeley has been wonderful giving these two little ones a warm, caring home to come to. They will be up for adoption soon and looking forward to meeting their new homes!

Little Man's Big Day

Little Man is a 10 year old miniature horse. He came to our Sanctuary due to a neglect case almost 2 years ago as a stallion. He definitely earned his name and has had plenty of company from our many resident goats as he could not join the ladies yet! Well the neglect case is over and thanks to a generous donation from Bridget Spangler, he had a big day at the vet yesterday and was made a gelding!

Upon arrival at the veterinarian's facility, Little Man pranced from the trailer whinnying and jogging in excited circles, where are the other horses! I can smell them, where are they?
After a bit of sedative and a bit more (there was some rearing in there too, thank goodness he is small!) Little Man was ready for surgery!

Here are a couple of pictures with a big thank you to Dr. Farrand and his Wife/tech. Kim. We enjoy working with these guys and appreciate their hard and diligent work!

After surgery, Little Man has been going for walks two to three times per day. We are looking for walkers! Could that be you? come out and visit him soon.

Beagle Puppies

Two very special beagle mix puppies have joined our Sanctuary after mom (a stray) was hit by a car. Rescuers found these two puppies in a hollow tree after hearing whining and crying sounds. They promptly dug the puppies out at the age of three weeks and nursed them by bottle back to health.

These two very playful little girls are looking for a home right now! They are both house trained, incredibly smart and get along very well with other dogs and cats. We would like to send a great big thank you off to Jane, Arielle and Joella Schepmoes for fostering these special little guys! Contact us for adoption information at: (970) 897-3122 or come visit them at the Annie Walk in Fort Collins on August 25 beginning at 8 am.

The Stowasser Family Reaches Out!

Katrina Stowasser and her two sisters have been working very hard to raise money for their three sponsored Denkai animals!

Thanks to these three very hard working girls, Smiley, Cherokee, and Silver the Cat have some very loving visitors each week! These sisters have been cleaning pens, helping to purchase needed grain and supplies for these animals and doing it all on their own through working in Fort Collins at home!

Who would have thought these gals would exchange horse riding lessons to help save lives?














Katrina (center) with Smiley and her two sisters on either side one with the horse Cherokee and the other with Silver the kitty cat!

You can help out too! Become a sponsor and see the rewards with your own eyes and heart! Donate today!

Miracle Horse Update! Look at them Now!

It has been almost two months since our Sanctuary took in the 7 miracle horses from Dekalb, Ill.

We are happy to show you these amazing results! Remember, your donations go a long ways towards helping these amazing animals! Top: Lena (left) April 2007 (right) May 2007.
Center: May (left: before) April 2007 and (right) May 2007. Bottom: Survivor before and after!

Katy, her father Gary, Flicka and Jeb Spend Quality Time

Katy has come a long way since we first met her. Her timid, shy personality is turning to one of confidence. She was finally able to ride Flicka today, what a great pair! Flicka took such great care of Katy that she felt completely safe and even trotted a little bit!

Katy said that when they got back from their ride, Flicka pulled right up to the bench so that Katy Could hop off! A match made in heaven!



Katy's father, Gary has been an amazing support in her endeavors to learn about and begin riding horses. I do have to say that I believe our 26 year old Mule, Jeb is by far his favorite. Gary and Katy had a great ride together today!

New Arrivals!

Angel is a 16 year old Quarterhorse mare, she stands at 16hh and escaped the sale barn and slaughter. The mare is very beautiful and once comfortable with you, she'll walk right up. We know that she originally came off of a neglect case and was a brood mare for a good part of her life. Darrin will be working on training Angel to assess her riding capabilities.




Big Red is an amazing 6 year old Ex-Race horse. He has such a calm, friendly disposition, stands at 17.1 hh. We will be working with him and looking at him for a trail horse, he has been worked with previously, but has only been off the track for one year.

Both of these guys will be coming up for adoption soon!

Survivor, May and Lena Updates Miracle Horses

Survivor as of 4/20/2007, he is slowly but surely gaining his weight back, not bad for a 30 year old man!



Survivor's blind eye. The cloudiness has cleared and I dare say he can see out of it now!



Lena has really put the weight back on, we are concerned that she may be pregnant at this point.



May has really gained weight too, we are concerned that she may also be pregnant, we'll see what the vet says on May 1st!



May's cuts are healing daily, looking good!

Sasha, Miracle Horse Update!

I am so very happy to announce that Sasha has gone to her new home with Michelle in Cheyenne. Sasha is a 9 year old bay QH mare. Her eyes were swollen shut and she was barely able to walk when we first came upon her at the Stockyard.

What a magnificent change! Sasha has gained weight, had her hooves trimmed, which she did a pretty darn good job for considering she hadn't been worked with in quite a while. Darrin, the farrier spoke to us about her front heel, which had been torn off in an injury at some point in her life. She did her best to make him eat dirt, but he wasn't having it!





Sasha with her new momma, Michelle!




Sasha says, "Eat Dirt!" Darrin Says, "No Way Jose!"

Sherman (now Kiowa) Update

Sherman (now Kiowa) has the most amazing personality and is so very well trained. We have ridden him quite a few times now and have been absolutely amazed with the amount of training and disposition of this amazing horse.

Kiowa had his first hoof trimming on Thursday and stood stock still for Darrin, our farrier. He did not protest an inch.


Kiowa Has been adopted by Jill and Darius of Frisco and will be leaving the first week of May for his new, pristine horse heaven!

Miracle Horses Updated

Our veterinarians, Karyn Muggli and Katie Jones with Denver Integrated Veterinary Service are scheduled to come out May 1 for dental work on the miracle horses and an overall check up. These girls rock and our Sanctuary is very excited to be working with them.

Smiley was finally able to stand on his front hooves long enough to get his back shoes off on Thursday. His bowed tendon is healing nicely and we are looking forward to a speedy recovery!



This is what happens when shoes are left on too long, Smiley's hooves had grown around the shoes, this picture is with the shoe finally off.