Rainbow Bridge Equine Services

11/21/2022

As many of you may have heard, I was planning on retiring at the end of the year. I have decided on moving that retirement date up a month and my good friend Maureen Daane will take over for me on December 1, 2022. Maureen has started her own business called Angel Wings Equine Transport Services and will be taking on all my existing contacts and clients. I am sure she will provide the same level of service and compassion that I have strived to provide over the last six plus years. She can be reached at 775-843-2049 and will be doing all of the transportation as of December 1st.
When I started this business back in August of 2016, I never imagined that it would grow into a six day a week full time job that has provided my service to so many equine owners. I hope that I have made those horrible days when one of your best friends leaves your side a bit more bearable. My wife Leah and I will continue to be active in the local equine community and in those times when we have fires in the area, we will still be there to help people evacuate their animals. It has been an absolute honor to meet and help over 1600 owners since I started. I hope to now have more time to spend with Leah and our animals here on our small ranch. I might even have time to ride my horse! Thanks to everyone that has made Rainbow Bridge Equine Services a huge success and I am sure that Maureen will keep the level of service top notch as she starts her journey in the business.

04/28/2022

I just want to clarify a rumor that has been circulating. I am NOT closed for business at this time. I am intending on retiring at the very end of the year and have arranged to have a friend take over the business (under a different name) and to continue to provide compassionate services to horse and large animal owners in the area. So, for now it is business as usual. I have had to add a small temporary (at least I hope so) diesel surcharge to cover my additional costs with all of the driving that is associated with the business. Take care for now

10/27/2021

04/02/2021

Just a heads up, Facebook says I am "Permanently Closed" but this in NOT true, I have tried about 30 times to make this go away but it will not accept any of my updates/changes to my hours. I AM still in business and hauling horses and large animals. Please disregard this FB note.

04/02/2021

12/02/2020

Hello All, we are at that unfortunate time of year when some of our loved companions succumb to the elements due to their age and various health conditions. It is with this in mind that I ask you to think the unthinkable and plan for what to do in the event they are not able to get up in their stall/shelter and must be euthanized where they are. Having accessibility so that they can be taken for burial is something many owner do not think about. We all hope that our animals will be on their feet and be able to move to a "convenient" location. This, many times, is just not the case. Plan how you set up your property for emergency access for a truck and trailer to get in if needed or have a friend with a tractor that can help you out. I know this is something that many do not want to think about, but it is a reality of owning large animals and it is very helpful for both the vets and myself. Thank you and keep those water troughs clean and full, and as warm and ice free as possible. And on those very cold nights, your horses would love a late night snack so they have plenty of hay in their belly to keep them warm, as the digestion produces heat.

04/01/2020

Worked on my social distancing today and drove down and back to Tonopah (my back was not ammused). A client really wanted her loved horse cremated and getting horses over to Sacramento has been an issue so the facility in Las Vegas was the only option. The owner of A Beloved Pet here in Reno connected me with the owner of the pet cemetary and crematorium in Vegas. He was gracious enough to meet me half way, in Tonopah, where the horse was transferred between trailers and she continued her final ride. A win for all.

03/18/2020

Good morning all. I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be continuing to provide my services during this difficult time with the Covid-19 virus shutdown. Removal of deceased animals is an essential service for the continued health if our community. Please stay safe, keep your distance from others, and try to continue to enjoy you family and animals. I believe we horse owners are generally good at biosecurity, so keep up with those practices for the human side now. Stay upbeat!

01/30/2019

10/06/2018

Hello all, I just wanted to again say that we are in the "colic" phase of the seasons. It has been a very rough last two weeks on the horses in the area with the rate of colic being very high. I would suggest the following:
1. Keep the toughs clean and filled with plenty of fresh water.
2. Start thinking of getting those through heaters out of storage so that the water doesn't get to chilled at night and the horses intake doesn't get too low.
3. If at all possible, think of maybe feeding at three intervals a day, if you can work this in with your schedule.
4. I personally try and get all my horses turned out as much as possible so that they are moving around as many hours a day as they can (trying to replicate wild horses). I feel that the more they are moving around the better the motility of their guts will be. Not sure if there is scientific backing for this but it can't hurt.
5. I have had some vets say that a wet mash every day is good, and you can add a very small amount of salt to the wet mash to get them to drink even more. Talk with your vet on the proper amount of salt for your horse (size determines amount). We do a beet pulp and mini horse chow wet mash for our two mini horses that used to be prone to colic. Knock on wood they have been good as of late.
6. As we start to get some moisture, make sure your hay is out of the weather and that there isn't ANY mold in it as this can cause huge problem if they ingest it. Also try to not be changing their hay right now. If you have to do this, make sure you do it very gradually so that their guts have a chance to acclimate to the new hay.
7. We also use a probiotic supplement every evening for all of our horses to keep the gut "flora" going strong.

Good luck to everyone, and if you think your horse is having a colic event, call your vet sooner rather than later. We always keep a tube of Banamine on hand and if we have an issue call the vet and then administer the drug if instructed. The 30-60 minute jump of not having to wait for the vet to get on scene for meds could make the difference, but ALWAYS follow the advice of your
vet!

07/11/2018

Good morning friends, I just wanted to remind everyone that with the very hot temperatures we are experiencing to make sure your animals have access to very clean water all the time. We don't want to give them a reason to not be drinking (yuck it tastes bad with algae!) so that they stay hydrated and have a better chance of not colicing or becoming dehydrated and having other digestive and muscular issues. Shade is also important if you can provide a place to get out of the mid day sun. Let's all stay happy and healthy, as I would prefer to not see any of you professionally. Thanks and stay well

03/02/2018

Good morning friends! In this crazy weather we have been having, please make sure your animals have a clear source of water, preferably a trough that is heated. The cold weather tends to make the animals drink less, especially if the water is near freezing temp. Less water intake can lead to colic, which none of us want to experience. Also important is a regular feeding schedule twice a day minimum. We have even gone to a late night third light feeding so the horses and burros have hay in their bellies to make heat from. As much as I like you all, I would prefer to not have to provide my services to you. Keep them hydrated and full of hay!

09/05/2017

I am providing service to the Greater Reno/Sparks area (to include Spanish Springs, Rancho Haven, Cold Springs, Silver Knolls, Verdi, and Washoe Valley), Carson City, Silver Springs, Fernley, and Dayton. If you have a horse or other large animal you need removed for burial I can be there for you 6 days a week (Monday thru Saturday). The only day I can't pick up is Sunday due to the burial facility being closed. My base rate is $280 ($10 discount for cash or check) for animals up to 1000 pounds and includes to to 100 miles of travel. Larger animals are slightly more ($6 for each additional 100 pounds) as is additional mileage. Please contact me if you have any questions. I work closely with many of the large animal vets in our area and can be there at the time of euthanasia to immediately remove your animal.