Nonie is "Ears Forward" and Ready for a New Home!

NONIE was rescued from starvation in November 2009 from a pasture in Santa Rosa. She was so emaciated that it has taken the CHANGE Program some five months to rehabilitate her to the point where she is ready for adoption. Nonie still has some weight to gain, but she's ready to join a home where will be loved and cherished in her well-earned retirement.

Learn more about Nonie here.

This sweet, content senior mare is easy to handle, completely bombproof, and just happy to be loved. In fact, her foster home named her "Nonie" due to her grandmotherly nature. For more information on Nonie, please contact CHANGE Program Adoption Coordinator Katie Moore at Katie@SonomaChangeProgram.com or by calling Katie at home at (707) 544-7584.

Crystal Finds Love...And a Forever Home

While Crystal was in foster care, a boarder who had recently lost her two elderly horses met her...and unexpectedly fell in love.

"I knew I'd get another horse someday," writes Crysal's adopter, Saskia, in her adoption application, "and when I met Crystal I knew she was the one."

Saskia goes on to say "I want to adopt (Crystal) so that I can give her the great life she deserves. She will be my companion and friend."

Crystal got lucky, too. Her new person, Saskia, is a professional equine massage therapist!

Congratulations to Crystal and Saskia on their newfound partnership. It's happy endings like this that help the volunteers of the Sonoma CHANGE Program keep doing their work.

See you on the trails, Crystal and Saskia!

Socks gets cosmetic surgery, thanks to friends

The Sonoma County CHANGE Program provides all necessary health services to horses in the custody of the Sonoma County Animal Care and Control Department. Such procedures include dental work, vaccinations, deworming, hoof care, diet programs, wound management, etc. CHANGE takes careful measures to make sure that the hard earned dollars that generous patrons donate to the program only go towards paying for necessary procedures to make the horse healthy.

Cosmetic procedures, such as removing a skin tag off of "Socks'" nose, is not considered by CHANGE to be a medically necessary procedure. The skin tag was purely cosmetic, and did not threaten the health of the horse at all.

However, a group of concerned foster moms wanted to treat Socks to a day at the plastic surgeon. They pooled together some money and paid for her to have the skin blemish surgically removed today. She was a perfect lady for the procedure, and it only took about 15 minutes! Now she is an even more gorgeous gal, and the sutures will come out in 14 days to reveal her extreme makeover!

Nonie still has her ears forward

The dedicated crew at Nonie's foster care facility just cannot get over her enthusiasm for life! Despite having a full body fungal skin infection (a.k.a. "rain rot"), Nonie still keeps on truckin! She has lost large patches of hair all over her body, but she has not let it slow her down. She is still eager to get out and eat grass every day and is not at all embarrassed by her coat. She is just happy to be here, in the care of such gentle people.

She is slowly gaining weight on a diet of green grass, alfalfa hay, equine senior and rice bran / wheat germ oil. One step at a time... one step at a time.

Balou and Socks Frolicking

The heavy rains have passed (at least for the time being) and Balou and Socks are taking advantage of the green grass and good weather! Luckily, they recently got their teeth powerfloated by the CHANGE Program veterinarian, and now they get to graze pain free!

A Forever Home for Ci Ci

Ci Ci, who was profiled in our last blog entry, was rescued by Animal Control in 2009 from a pasture where she was thin and neglected. We knew this kind, patient and well trained mare would make a wonderful riding partner for someone. Ci Ci was adopted in November and now makes her home in the East Bay with her new 'mom,' Suzie, who is returning to riding after an extended break.

Here is an account of their first trail ride at home:


I took CiCi out on our first outing, and I am over the moon for this little mare!!! I was apprehensive and nervous having not been riding for some time and not knowing how she would be, but soon all fears were forgotten. CiCi just moved on out like she couldn't wait to hit the trail, not even wanting to wait for the other horses, she seemed to like being out in front, ears always pricked forward and curious about everything she saw.

At first I was a little surprised at her energy level, she acted like she really wanted to go, not just a slow and laid back walk, and I was thinking, oh boy, she's going to be more horse than I had wanted. But after awhile, she calmed down and was just perfect. However she still was always out in front, she really moves out, even while walking. Being a holiday, we encountered many, many people on the trail, loud kids, dogs, strollers, bikes, and she just took it all in. If she was a little surprised at something, she just pricked her ears a little more and took a closer look and moved on, nothing fazed her!!

We came to the creek, which is pretty full, and my friend Judy said to me, "you want to try to cross her over?" and I was thinking no, maybe not on this first ride. But before we could finish the thought, she was in the water and splashing through with no problem, we crossed several streams along the way, and I think she actually loved it.

Judy, looked at me at one point and said, wow, you really got yourself a great little horse! We rode for a couple of hours, just walking, and she never seemed to tire, always in front and with a spring to her walk. Are you guys sure she is 20 years old!! Anyway by the time we were heading back I was feeling like I had been riding her for years, she gave me back the confidence I needed, and I feel she will always take care of me. What a great way to feel, my first time out.

Oh and another thing, she practically ran into the trailer, going and coming back. After having horses that were a nightmare to trailer, that is so appreciated. CiCi is a dream come true!!! I can't thank you enough for saving this great little horse, and for all the care you gave her.

~Suzie

Thank you, Suzie, for giving Ci Ci the wonderful home she deserved!

(PS: Ci Ci's daughter, Crystal, is available for adoption and is as well trained as her mother!)

Dreamhorse

Ci Ci is like the horse you dreamed about as a child: Gentle, kind, white, soft, fuzzy and sweet. She floats along when she trots, her feet scarely touching the ground. Ci Ci will stand for hours while you brush her or braid her mane. Ci Ci loves people and loves attention.

She is just a wonderful, wonderful horse!



Ci Ci lunges well. When you say "whoa" she comes to a stop, and turns to look at you quizzically. She is giving walk/trot lessons to 7 and 8-year-old girls, both of whom adore her. Ci Ci is safe for beginners but also fun for more advanced riders.



Cheryl Krug, a local riding instructor and trainer, has been kind enough to donate full board and training to Ci Ci. Cheryl trailers Ci Ci out on trail rides and says that Ci Ci loads easily into the trailer, rides quietly, and is calm when they unload at the park.

Ci Ci, although not yet very fit, takes a 2-mile flat loop around the lake with Cheryl. She is calm with bikes, strollers, hikers, and dogs. She likes to go on trail rides and will be a wonderful trail, dressage and pleasure horse for a petite adult to youth up to 130 pounds.



Although she is 21 years old, Ci Ci is sound and healthy and looks to have many years of good riding time ahead of her. Her knees and hocks have very good flexion, her legs are clean, she has GREAT feet and is currently barefoot. Ci Ci is nicely put together and will look ever better once she has more muscling on her topline and more weight. That will take time; Ci Ci was very thin when she came to the CHANGE Program in June 2009.





Here is Ci Ci with her trainer, Cheryl. Ci Ci is about 14.2 hands and a petite build. She's very calm and obedient under saddle, and she tries hard to do what you ask. Ci Ci has three lovely gaits with good suspension. She would also excel in lower level dressage.

This dear, sweet little mare is ready for a forever home with someone who will love, cherish and enjoy her. We can't say enough good things about Ci Ci! For information on adopting Ci Ci and other CHANGE Program foster horses, please contact Katie Moore at (707) 544-7584 or email katie@sonomachangeprogram.com