Barney

 Height: 17.0 hh (est)
Weight: 1,425 lbs (est)
DOB: 1999 (est)
​Sex: Gelding
Color: Red Roan
Breed:  Belgian Draft Horse
DNA: 1st Belgian Draft,
2nd Cream Draft,
​3rd Haflinger
Adoption Fee:  Not Available for Adoption
Category: In Memory

Barney's Story

Barney came to AAE in January 2019 from a family distress situation.  He was underweight (weighing in at about 1300 pounds at intake), and he had some health issues.  He'd been experiencing chronic diarrhea since a bout with sand colic the fall prior.  He also had some respiratory issues that were likely a result of the fires the summer before. We were told Barney was originally trained as a driving horse and part of a team, and when that didn't work out, he was rehomed.  Apparently, the post-driving goal was to make this big guy a trail horse, but he had a significant kicking issue when he would get under too much pressure, and he was labeled unsafe with a recommendation of keeping him as a companion animal/pasture pet. His owner intended to do that, but she fell on hard times and was unable to support all he needed.

Barney is a big, handsome, and kind ol' soul!  He loves to be loved on, groomed, and simply given attention.  Since being at AAE, he's been nothing but a gentle guy, with one exception. He bonds tightly with his buddy, and he gets extreme separation anxiety when one is taken out/led away.  Because of his kicking history, he's handled with caution.  No one takes his size and strength for granted.  

Originally, Barney shared a fenceline with Zena, a senior Percheron, who had recently lost her Clydesdale buddy.  Barney and Zena were introduced in a large paddock, and later moved to pasture.  They connected instantly, and it was decided that Barney would remain as a sanctuary companion with Zena. Sadly, Zena developed a very large eye ulcer, and despite aggressive treatments, she ended up losing her eye. The two had to be separated for her surgery, and it became apparent the separation anxiety was becoming a safety concern for Barney and the humans around him. When Zena returned, they were not re-united.  After recovery and healing, Zena was place with a foster with a much safer companion for her own long-term well-being. Fortunately, Barney latched on to Sierra, our ol' gal, and the two have been connected at the hip, since.  That said, he's much more reasonable when they are separated for whatever reason.  He still gets anxiety, but he recovers much quickly, and he's a bit easier to manage. They are two peas in a pod!
 
After diagnostics and treatments, Barney's respiratory and diarrhea issues improved, but we also discovered he has issues with his epiglottis, which may or may not have been a contributor to his respiratory issue.  His epiglottis does not work normally.  You may notice Barney eats with his mouth up in the air while he's chewing.  Whether it's to help him chew, to breathe better, or to keep food from falling out of his mouth, we're not sure, but one's things for sure, this guy salivates like crazy when he eats, and he slobbers excessively.  Beware the slobber! Regardless of his slobber, everyone loves this gentle giant, and he loves everyone back.

Barney is current with vaccines, deworming, hoof and dental care, and he has a microchip in place.