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Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals
More recently, significant numbers of horses have been adopted from the shelter, and a smaller census has facilitated our focus on “Old Timers” like Willey. In the past several months, he has received skilled handling and appropriate attention from the knowledgeable barn staff. As a result, this older gentleman has become much friendlier and more agreeable to routine handling, standing quietly for the veterinarian and farrier. Willey enjoyed a foster experience last summer and returned to the MSSPA having benefited from the intense individualized attention and affection given by the private foster home. He is one of the shelter’s horses available for adoption as a companion-only horse. Given his age and lack of conditioning, he is currently not being worked under saddle; that may be in his future. Willey - quite a handsome fellow - is both independent and a bit shy. We hope he will find a home where his ‘outdoorsy’ nature will make him a wonderful pasture-pal or companion horse. We know Willey to be somewhat of an introvert, happiest in his paddock and not the center of attention. With patience, he has grown to be a horse who is happy to be handled and groomed. Willey is currently benefiting from a daily dose of terrific Platinum Performance, Bio-Sponge. It helps tremendously in managing Willey’s intestinal dysfunctions, including “leaky gut,” and we envision Bio-Sponge will be a long-term component of Willey’s intake regimen.
Relationship of Nominator to Nominee
I joined the staff of the MSSPA in 2007, and Willey was already a barn resident, well known for his anti-social attitude. Less than optimal recordkeeping in the past has added to the myth and mystery of Willey’s pre-shelter life. Consequently, not much is known about Willey’s circumstances before his arrival at the MSSPA. I quickly learned he was skilled at observing people and would occasionally bolt on any inattentive handlers. Ear pinning, snapping his teeth, and charging at anyone approaching his stall was commonplace. Those behaviors discouraged most staff from wanting to spend a lot of quality time with Willey. When I began as CEO in 2011, Willey had become an institution. Barn staff found other horses had greater and easier-to-access potential as adoption candidates, and Willey made his way to the end of the line when it came to receiving groundwork or ring time. -- Meris J. Bickford, CEO, MSSPA
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