Buckwheat - 22-27 year old gaited gelding

[schwung]

I have thought about the RMH...his coloring could be dark brown and not dark bay (hard to tell) which is common in that breed. And the little video I could see the gait looks similar. But some of the Pasos I saw (some, not all) shared the slightly dished profile and tiny ears he has. I definitely do not think Saddlebred or Walker - he doesn't have that head shape or high head carriage. He also does carry his tail rather erect and slightly off to the side when excited, and I am not ruling out that he could still be an arab crossed with a gaited breed.

[hollynanne]

You said that he's doing well on his meds... when does he get retested? He is super-duper cute and looks like he would be so soft! (I agree with the others, those ears are adorable!)

I hope he finds the perfect home soon. I could even see him being a very cute companion/retired guy... out lookin' cute and causing trouble!

eta- I just realized that I used 'cute' like 3 times in that post!

[schwung]

Bucky got retested last week when the vet did Dexter's teeth and the initial exam on Baxter. His ACTH levels came back in the normal range, so the Pergolide dosage is correct and is working for him. He still got pretty hairy this winter, but its not a curly coat and the real test will be to see how he sheds out this spring. He's definitely perkier than when he first came and his weight is doing great.

[schwung]

Bucky was moved down to Auburn to be Summer's new companion. Sadly, Summer's buddy Mac was put down yesterday after several colic episodes. Summer's wonderful foster home was worried about Summer being alone and was very willing to bring in another foster horse to keep her company, and we just happened to have another older Cushings horse that would fit in perfectly. Sad that it is under such unhappy circumstances, but Bucky has a wonderful new foster home!

[coconut]

This makes me a bit teary...

I did the site check for Summer's placement and I have to say that, even though I didn't get to meet them, I could tell by their home & the praises from their farm sitter that these are truly compassionate people.

I hope they get to see how truly sorry I am for the loss of their beloved friend Mac and how very touched I am that they've taken their loss & turned it into something loving & giving.

Summer & Bucky are very fortunate to have such wonderful people reaching out to them.

[calpiner]

I wanted to update everyone on how Bucky is doing. He is just so darn adorable! He and Summer are doing very well together. When he first arrived, they were getting along but tended to be a little independent. Now more often than not they are hanging out together. Bucky will often mirror her posture and we'll see both of them with the same back leg cocked.

Bucky was a little shy at first. I'd walk up to him to try to groom him and he'd stand quietly for a minute or two, and then he'd walk away. Over time he's become more comfortable with things and now he enjoys being groomed and stands quietly without being tied while I groom and love on him. At dinner time, he usually meets me at the tack room door and escorts me to his stall.

Bucky has delightful ground manners. He's easy to work around and he's good for my farrier and vet. He is very submissive, and he will not challenge Summer at all.

Bucky came into our lives at a very difficult time. We had lost our beloved Abby in September, and we needed to find a companion for Mac, our 30 year old gelding. We were lucky to find SAFE and Summer. We had to say goodbye to Mac in late Jan and once again reached out to SAFE for a new friend for Summer. After having both Mac and Abby for over 20 years, it's been a big change for us. Having two foster horses has helped us tremendously.

There is something so special about older horses. They just have a special outlook on life, and seem to take so much in stride. They still have a lot to give, and they can teach you a lot if you let them.

Bucky reminds me of a great Mark Twain quote: Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

[Whitewolf821]

How's Bucky doing this winter? He's been on my mind recently, and we haven't had an update on him in a long time!

[calpiner]

It has been quite a while since I posted about Bucky. He's full of energy and seems to be enjoying himself. He is a real cutie! He's always escorting me to his stall when I come down to feed in the evenings, and he has very good barn manners.

I had his ACTH re-tested in late summer/early fall and it was elevated, so we increased his pergolide to 1.25 mg. Last winter, Bucky looks like he was part Yak - his coat was at least 3 inches long. This year his coat is very shiny and soft but it's still about 2 inches long. It's hard with the seniors when you don't know what's normal for them to really judge how they are doing at times. I'll retest his ACTH in the spring to see how he's doing. Cushings is progressive, and horses typically need more medication over time to keep things in check.

Bucky had a dental earlier this month. He's lost one tooth, and his back teeth are pretty much worn down to the gum line. I've got him on Triple Crown Low Starch, which I mix with some water to soften it a bit, plus compressed timothy hay. Compressed hays are cut so the hay is not as long of pieces as a regular hay, and it seems to be a little easier for the older guys to eat. Right now he's holding his weight and doing well with his current diet. At some point, he may need more pellets or soaked hay cubes because of his teeth but for now he seems to be doing ok.

Bucky seems to be happy and healthy. He and Summer have an understanding: She's in charge, and he's happy to let her be in charge. Thanks for asking about him!

[shekaberry]

I love Bucky updates! I miss his fuzzy little ears, he is a lucky gent to have Summer and you to take care of him