“They mean everything to me. They are good for my soul,” says Charly, of her animals, which she lovingly refers to as her “critters.”
The fifth-grade teacher turned stay-at-home mom runs Forever Youngs Farm, a small horse-boarding operation in Cobleskill, NY. She also has two horses of her own, a flock of layer hens, numerous cats and three aussies/border collie mixes — all of which rely on Blue Seal feeds. Although she envisions one day going back to teaching, more time at home has meant more time with her critters — a lifelong dream for Charly.
“I’ve wanted to raise animals for as long as I can remember, but didn’t have the opportunity growing up,” says Charly. The instant she turned 16, she landed a job with a boarding facility and began taking riding lessons. It wasn’t long before she started leasing, which eventually led to buying her first horse, Fritz. In her words, “the rest is history.”
Healthier, happier barrel-racing quarter horses
Charly’s two horses, Fritz (27) and Possum (12) are not only loyal companions, but they’ve both seen their days as competitive barrel-racers. While Possum is still an active racer, Fritz has hung up his racing hat to live out his golden years, although he’s as healthy and vibrant as ever, thanks in large part to Charly’s attentiveness and the switch to Blue Seal Sentinel three years ago.
“I noticed a 100% difference,” she says, of making the switch to Blue Seal. “The other brand would make Possum kind of crazy. He was uptight and high-strung. Both are quarter horses, but they didn’t look like it, because they were so slender. You could see Fritz’s ribs.”
After the switch to Blue Seal Sentinel, not only could Charly use one feed for both horses, but their temperament and weight greatly improved.
“The beet pulp, the prebiotics, the probiotics and the supplements like glucosamine — it made a difference. Within six months, both had completely filled out. Their shoulders filled out, their hind-ends were rounder, and they both love eating it.”
Most recently, Charly has introduced Blue Seal Sentinel Topline 30 to Fritz and Possum.
“I really like the Topline 30 product. I’ve been giving it to Fritz to help with his topline, which is now much straighter these days. But I’ve been giving it to Possum too, more as a preventative measure, since he’s a barrel racer. They both love it.”
Cats and frisby-obsessed aussies/collies
To say Charly’s three dogs — Maizey, Ranger and Jeb — are active is an understatement.
“Ranger, in particular, is always on the go. Sun up to sun down, he literally never stops, which made it hard to keep weight on him in the past,” says Charly.
Three years ago, they switched all the dogs over to Blue Seal EnTrust Active, because of the higher protein.
“It’s been great, because they’ve been able to maintain their weight without putting on too much weight and causing stress on the hips,” says Charly. “EnTrust Active has kept them exactly where they need to be.”
For the hoard of cats on the farm, Charly has gone with chicken-flavored Entrust Adult, which has kept them all healthy and happy.
Her “ladies” (a.k.a. layer hens)
“Hey Ladies” is not just a 1989 Beastie Boys hit. It’s also Charly’s rallying cry for her layer hens.
“I just yell, ‘ladies!’ and they start emerging from every nook and cranny of our property,” says Charly. Her ladies supply an abundance of eggs for the family, but more than anything, they’re well-loved pets.
“Gwyneth, or ‘Gwenny’ as we call her, is my favorite,” says Charly. “She’s the last remaining O.G. from our very first flock.”
She keeps Gwenny and the ladies healthy with Backyard Basics Layer feed and the occasional Scratch Feed as “a nice little treat,” in Charly’s words.
Blue Seal all the way
The critters of Forever Youngs Farm have never been happier and healthier, which has the same effect on Charly. And the fact that they all can be fed from a single source certainly makes Charly’s life a bit easier.
“Our Blue Seal rep, Mackenzie Chauncey, loves us, because we love Blue Seal,” says Charly, “and we absolutely adore Mackenzie.”
The feeling is mutual, Charly.
- Love, Blue Seal