Life's Journey of One Sweet Horse.

When Strawberry was born, her owner was happy to have such a pretty little filly. She has the look of a prized Medicine Hat on her head. It is mythical as well as very attractive to most horse lovers!

Medicine Hat horses are believed to have a special magical power to protect their rider through battle and their mainly white coats were decorated with symbols to help further protect the rider.

I don't know her full journey in her 15 years of life but I wish to think it started out with love. How did she get here? Our volunteer foster home with Patti in Milton, Florida found her on a local Craigslist Posting: Mare with bad eye needs home, FREE! Not any takers for a horse with a bad eye. We couldn't turn our back on a really needy horse. That's what rescue is to us...helping the ones who need help the most.

The story were were told was the horse was given to a child who's parents dropped off the horse at a friends pasture. No one every came back to care for her, feed her or show her their love.

She was treated with love at Patti's farm. Her journey continued to a wonderful veterinarian who diagnosed Strawberry with Squamous Cell Carcinoma in her eye. Our magical horse, Strawberry, may have protected her riders but no one protected her from the harmful rays of the sun. We had surgery to remove her eye. Dr Lee thought he had removed all the margins of cancer and she was on her way to better days ahead.

She seemed happier and was gaining weight. We were seriously looking for a new permanent home for her but suddenly, she started showing signs of paralysis on one side of her face. It was the side where the cancer was found. It quickly moved down to her left jaw. She is having trouble eating as you can see in the video. She has to move her head around to try and grind and swallow. I went to Florida and took the videos last week when only the left side was affected. Patti told me that her right jaw is now getting paralyzed. We sadly made a decision to let Strawberry continue her journey to the Rainbow Bridge. It is a heartbreaking decision for Patti and I. We both gave it much thought and knew it was the kindest thing to do, despite our sadness.

Thanks to the generosity of Patti for opening her farm and her heart to Strawberry. We feel it was worth the time and money spent to fight for Strawberry's life. Sadly is ended too quickly but she left us knowing we did all we could for her and showed her kindness and love in a sometimes not so kind world to animals. Below are a couple of Videos of Strawberry.