February 2023

Hay Friends!

Comet here with another blog update. In case you don’t know me, I’m the Resident Social Director, Mascot, Reporter and Blogger for After The Homestretch AZ!

This is my favorite time of year! It’s not too hot, it’s not too cold…it’s JUST right for horsing around! Being silly is my favorite pastime.

This is me taking a nap when I was just a youngster! I have a smile on my face so I must have been dreaming about all the shenanigans I was planning for the day!

Bold Cowboy Update

Bold Cowboy came back to the ranch after 14 days of post-surgery recovery at Copper Ridge. He’s doing well and likes being next to our sweet mare, Bella. She lets him share her water and hay from one of her hay bags.

Cowboy is such a sweet and grateful horse. For more details about his surgery, check out this blog.

Rehabilitation Report

Cori Deltoro, Top Line Therapeutic, came to the ranch to demonstrate Kinesiology Taping (KT) on the horses. This therapy helps separate the skin from the fascia below and increases lymphatic flow promoting the body to heal itself.

We first taped Stu “Stubborn Streak” to encourage blood flow in his legs and for his headache.

Cori then taped Marshall “Janzig Affair” who was not a good patient with his kicking. He had broken his withers years ago, and he got some much-needed relief with the taping.

A few weeks later, Marshall had an opportunity to redeem himself during his recent KT taping with Cori. His “cap” is red light therapy. He was 85% better. There is one area on his right side that still gets his “threaten to kick” response.

Then it was Cowboy’s turn for a massage and KT to keep him comfortable during his convalescence from knee surgery.

I think the horses look so cool with the colorful tape on them. I wish I could have some. I’d ask for red tape that looks like flames so it would look like I was running really fast since I never got to race!

Success Story Update

We love hearing from our former herd mates.

This month, Nancy sent us a picture of her with Bean “Striker Bean” riding on Brown’s Trail. Wow, they look great! Bean is living such a wonderful life, and that makes us so happy!

The Ranch Scoop

Did you know that out of the 19 horses currently at the ranch, 13 of them are bays?

Ace, Reno (my BFF), Marshall, Tango, Teddy, Ry, Rollin, Ridgeway, Hawkeye, Cowboy, Bella, Tyger and Elka! Wow!

We have five chestnuts. They are Loretta, Miracle, Mystic, Stu and Talk.

That leaves the one and only gray…Comet. That’s me. I can honestly say I’m the most handsome gray at the ranch!

You can take a look at the horses here.

Name That Star

One of our horses has a star (the white face marking) that resembles a famous hat…the Harry Potter Sorting Hat.

It’s 20-year-old Ace “Acolyte.” What do you think? Do you see a resemblance?

I wish I had the Harry Potter Invisibility Cloak so I could sneak over to the Feed Shed and get more yummy snacks!

I digress…

Do you know what all the horse face markings are called? Check out this cool chart I found here.

I like the last one! I think my face mark looks like that but you can’t see it since I’m all white now!

Until the next blog, Comet

After The Homestretch AZ is a 501(c)(3) Arizona non-profit organization whose mission is to protect the legacy of former racehorses through Reconditioning, Retraining, and Re-homing.

Our organization is 100% volunteer-run so we rely solely upon the generous support of our donors and grant partners.

Click here to find out how you can get involved!