Challenge Painting #199 Rescue Flip at Alder Hill Farm in Missouri

 Update:"Filp" of Alder Hill Farm Rescue

"Milestone for Flip"
His first time under saddle
4 by 6 inches Watercolor
by LindaLMartinArtist

SOLD

Flip is the 15 year old Mustang Stallion that was found in  a stock sale in Oklahoma. He had been purchased by a kill buyer, one who ships horses to slaughter in Mexico. The woman saw him and purchased him then had him brought to her farm. She soon realized that Flip was going to be more of a challenge than she anticipated and more time to gentle than she had time to do. So She contacted Scott Litherland and surrendered him to Scott. Scott brought Flip to Alder Hill Farm last year when he took the position of head horseman.

It didn't take long to discover that Flip (named that because one of his ears is broken over ) had not only been treated badly and had many fear issues, but he also was an untitled mustang.

Leslie Maxwell works with Flip in
the Alder Hill Farm  Rescue Round Pen.
A year ago the only one who could
safely get near Flip was AHF's
Head Horseman, Scott Litherland.. 
Flip is a special boy who needs on
going special attention . To see
about Sponsoring Flip or one of
the other horses in Sanctuary At
Alder Hill Farm please go to their
website and contact them:
www.alderhillfarm.org

Now most of the readers probably understand by now that  to get a titled mustang means that you have given a year to your newly adopted mustang and provided for him and have worked to gentle him and have met the minimum requirements. When the time is up an inspector for the Bureau of Land Management will come and inspect your premises and make sure your mustang 's situation has met BLM requirements. Once you have satisfied the requirements you will receive the title for your mustang. Which means you legally own him and are responsible for him and you can sell or keep him just like any other horse.

Leslie Maxwell in the  round pen
with Flip as he wears a Saddle
for the very first time Since he came to AFH
with Scott Litherland last year from Oklahoma.

In the mean time Flip has been gelded and had to deal with a number of fear and health issues. Flip is slowly coming to trust the people of his new home where, once the paperwork is complete, he will be a sanctuaried permanent resident of Alder Hill Farm. It has only been in the last few weeks that Flip has begun to show enough progress so that more of his basic formal training can begin.

It is a real milestone in Flip's ongoing story, for this wonderful resilient mustang to have carried a saddle for the first time,  this month and connected with his first woman handler, in Leslie Maxwell.

If you would like to help fund the mustangs at Alder Hill Farm or perhaps adopt or sponsor a horse in their care please contact them through their website: www.alderhillfarm.org

Just a Side note: This past summer, during the high temperatures and drought in Missouri, Filp had some problems with the extreme heat. A lot of horses in the region who were 15 or older dropped condition in order to contend with the heat. In Flips case he had to be bathed, fed electrolytes and a special diet and checked hourly. It was like intensive care. He was moved closer to Scott and his fiancée, Karen Hester. Karen spent many hours working with Flip to help him stay on his feet and lower his body temperature. Through Scott and Karen's tireless efforts  Flip is gaining weight and growing stronger every day. The reason he appears so thin in one of the above photos is because he is slowly recovering from the ordeal and gaining in strength every day.