Horses = Accident Waiting To Happen!

Horses = Accident Waiting To Happen!

                                                 

Reopened and being cleaned

                      

Finnegan is a teenage large pony who normally minds his own business. He is on a lovely 25 acre pasture with only 2 young mares, so you would think, 'What could happen?' Well, Finn came up to one of the volunteers who checks on his little herd and he was very lame. He had cut his back leg just above the heal bulb. I looked like a normal cut, pretty clean but he couldn't stay in the pasture and our stalls or all full over at the rescue. How did it happen? We have no idea. A rock? A wire? Another horse? A mystery!

Countryside Farms recently opened near by and they agreed to take care of Finn, clean his would and a give him nice stall until he healed at a discount boarding rate. Well worth the great care. We had antibiotics we started him on immediately along with anti-inflammatories. Ashley and Amber spent time making sure Finn was getting his leg cleaned, iced and dressed everyday. The wound was in a place where it could not be stitched because it is a moveable part so cleaning and dressing were important. Finn's leg go better in a few days and we were grateful and thinking of moving him in a day or two back to the pasture but then the next day, he was painfully lame. I went to see him the following day and he was fine again. Two days later, he can't walk.What is this mysterious problem?

Dr DuVall Moloney getting Finn  ready for surgery

Dr Christine Murray came out and said it looking like a tiny tear in the tendon sheet and as it drained, he could walk but when it build up pressure, he was in pain. Afraid infection could get in that tiny hole, we decided the best place was with a surgeon who could clean and flush it in a sterile environment. UGA was usually out place to go but, luckily for all the horses in this area, Dr Laura Duvall Moloney, of Georgia Equine Veterinary,recently opened her new surgery center 10 minutes away.

This is how we want him to be again, happy and healthy and not wounded. Then he'll be ready for adoption

She had a Grand Opening which I missed so this was my first chance to meet the surgeon, Dr Goodin, and introduce him to Finn and his non-healing wound. Finn was admitted to the hospital and a procedure done on his leg. He's probably going to stay their until Monday if all goes well. He'll go back to Countryside Farm until he is totally well. He's a very sweet willing horse.He'll be loved by some lucky family one day soon.

We are very thankful this wonderful veterinary hospital is so close to the rescue. We have surgery coming up for a horse with serious cancer in her eye and 3 more minor surgeries planed soon as well. 

I'll be posting about the mare soon. Her surgery is getting urgent but we need to get Finns bills and needs taken care of before we take on another expensive case.

Horses needs never end. Thank you for your continued support and care. We are Rescue! 

The Skye and the Clover!

These two sweet old mares have been in a foster home for a few years They came from different circumstances but it seems like they were together forever. 

Skye and Clover enjoying the day!

Skye was malnourished when Forysth Co. Animal Control found her. She had been purchased at an auction, perhaps going though several auctions or different owners.

Skye

The Sheriff tried to work with the owner but for some reason, she wasn't gaining weight. They decided she needed experience rehabilitation and nutrition so she was brought her to the SaveTheHorses rescue farm. She was in her mid to late 20's. Thin and at one time someone loved her enough to have her eye removed for some reason. They didn't give up and dump her, they paid for surgery. I imagine a young girl loving on her and Skye loving her back, loving the attention and kindness, carrying her girl around and listening to her sing sweet songs to Skye. She's a sweet girl but fell though the wrong hands and ended up at an auction. Promises where made but not kept for Skye. The person who had her bought her at an auction for a buck or two. At least he beat the kill buyer price. 

Clover came from Forsyth Co. too but was walking around an abandoned housing development during the financial crisis. I don't think she was dumped for financial reasons. A SaveTheHorses volunteer family was passing and saw her walking around. There were no fences, just half finished streets. Not a place for a horse. The Sheriff recently arrested and charged a local man with 3 counts of dead livestock not buried (2 horses and a cow) and confiscated his stallion because it was nearly dead from starvation.  Could she have come from that same farm? It was directly across the street.  

Clover

The men at the farm saw us pull up with the horse trailer. They didn't say anything. Clover's head looked weird but we didn't realize why until we got closer. The halter wouldn't fit because there was so much swelling. She looked like a snake had bitten her in the face. As we drove back to the farm, we called the vet to come ASAP. An anti-venom was administered but the swelling did not change. It took almost 6 weeks for her face and neck to get back to a normal size. It wasn't a bite at all, it was a torn esophagus and her head and chest filled with air.  She also had a wound on her rear leg.  Clover may have been a victim of 'horse tripping'. She could have been flipped over buy a rope on her rear leg or she could have been roped and the rope pulled so tightly that it tore her esophagus. We really don't know how but we do know something bad had happened to injure her. Did the men think she would die and sent her across the street? They didn't need another dead animal found on their farm especially with the Sheriff watching. 

These two old mares are healthy and happy now. The foster mom is planning on selling her farm soon and Skye and Cover will need a new place to live out their lives, hopefully together. They are our Golden Girls. Neither has ever been ridden since they have been in our care. We take pleasure is caring for them, watching them thrive and stay healthy in their golden years. We are Rescue!

Me and You and Dog Named Blue!

So Many of you knew him. So many of you loved him. 

Our dog named Blue!

Blue 

It was about 12 or 13 years ago that a fellow dog rescuer called in tears explaining she found 3 dogs and they keep getting out of her Atlanta property. She had been in Murphy North Carolina, driving on busy 4 lane, Highway 64, when she saw cars swerving the 3 dogs running down the highway. She couldn’t leave them to get injured or killed so she managed to get the 3 skinny, mangy mutts into her vehicle and headed home to Atlanta. She had a well-secured, fenced yard that her other foster dogs enjoyed so she was quite surprised when her neighbors called her at work every day to tell her those 3 dogs were out and roaming the neighborhood. Not knowing where they got out, she decided to leave them locked in the basement so they’d be secure. When she arrived home after work, the 3 dogs were out and they had literally eaten through the door and drywall and escaped her basement. That’s when she called my sister Michele, a dog rescuer also, and begged for help.

Michele and I drove to Atlanta to spend a Sunday checking her fences and after observing the 3 dog’s behavior, we decided it was Blue who was the problem. I call him a “Don’t Fence Me In Dog”. He was a Lab/Husky/ hound type mix with beautiful blue eyes. He weighed about 120 pounds and shed like crazy!

Blue getting dressed up!

Blue caught steeling food

I brought him to the rescue farm and we put him up for adoption. It didn’t take long before a wonderful family met Blue and fell in love. He loved them and their children, too. They had 2 fenced acres and offered Blue a loving home. I told them about his ‘Don’t Fence Me In” issues so we thought 2 nice acres would suit him well. About 3 months later, they called and said Blue was not happy being fenced in and they couldn’t stand him being unhappy. He came back to the farm to wait for the right home.

About 2 months later, a perfect home on a dead end road with 5 acres welcomed Blue to their beautiful home. He loved the children and their whole farm. I told them about Blue being a “Don’t Fence Me In” dog so they left the gate opened and Blue stayed. At least he stayed until no one was at home. Then he wandered down the street into a neighborhood where he found people. He only wanted company. Phone calls came every time Blue’s family left the property. Worried neighbors said Blue is out. The people finding him thought he’d get lost or hurt, so Blue’s family would escort him home. So, again, Blue came back to the rescue farm as the family gave him a teary good bye. They loved him, everyone did, but he just wasn’t happy.

Blue loving the kids

Blue lived here at the rescue for 12+ years. He was happy and was well loved by all the volunteers over the years. He still was a ‘Don’t Fence Me In Dog’, though. On two different occasions, he was accidentally locked into a room in the barn. He took out two windows, frames and all, and just laid down by the barn like nothing was wrong. About 4 years ago, we put in an extra gate at the driveway, even though he could walk through the board fences without a problem, he sat at the outside of the gate for 2 days, daring me to lock him in. He never ran away, he knows he lived here. He has taken many foster dogs under his authority and taught them the do’s and don’t of living on the rescue farm. No killing the pesky Chihuahua’s no matter how annoying they are, No killing chickens, turkeys or ducks, pigs either. No biting or chasing horses, well. Ok, just a little when no one is looking. He protected the hamburgers on the Bar-B-Q grill at each event here at the rescue farm. He checked out all the lunch boxes left unattended. He’d quietly carry them off and help himself to the goodies. All in all, he was a good dog, with an extra good sniffer. He knew the word ‘No’ and obeyed it being shouted at him 99% of the time.

Blue caught  looking for donuts on break rood table

Last year Lucky dog, a local street dog, came to the farm and after a few months, decided to make it his home. Street dogs are homeless dogs that are dumped in the country by people who somehow believe if you dump a dog in the country, it will find a home. Lucky was a lucky one. Many are hit by cars, shot or starve to death if coyotes don’t kill them first. Blue became Lucky’s mentor. Lucky loved Blue. He always wanted Blue to go on an adventure. They’d go for an hour and come back.

Last picture taken of Blue, Saturday, Thank you Darren. 

When we came home for a family Easter Dinner about 7:30. I mixed the dogs food and Blue wouldn’t eat. He’d lost a little weight lately but seemed normal. At his older age, I thought losing some weight would be better for his bones anyway. I gave him some good supplements and this was the first time he ever didn’t want to eat. He laid down and seemed tired but at midnight, he barked to go out. I thought that was a good sign, she Blue and Lucky went out an adventure but didn’t come back after the usual hour. I called and called, and it wasn’t until 4:30 am the came back. Blue came in a laid down in his bed. He looked hurt but I could see any injuries. First thing in the morning, Blue walked around but looked uncomfortable. His breathing was labored. It was a struggle getting him into the back seat of the truck but I had to get him to the vet ASAP. Natalie, our future horse rescue veterinarian, (she’s still in college) hopped in the truck and we hurried to the vet’s office. By the time we arrived, Blue was too weak to even stand. We carried him in on a stretcher. The Doctor immediately did radiographs. She called us in and said she had never seen anything like it. It looked like a huge mass, so huge it had pushed what looked like his stomach to the top of his back. She wasn’t sure but offered to do an Ultrasound to see if she could find an answer. She said she thinks Blue would die within a few hours. She said it may have been cancer. His breathing was now very shallow. He didn’t respond to touch, his eyes didn’t blink. I think his spirit was gone, just waiting for his earthly body to pass. There was no need to do anything but let Blue go in peace. A small injection from the vet let Blue take his last breath. He never moved nor made a sound.

Lucky mourning the loss of his buddy, Blue.

We carried him back into the truck to bury him at his farm, his home. When Lucky saw us coming down the driveway, he was so happy. He jumped on the side door of the truck to welcome Blue home. We opened the door and let him see Blue, smell him and help him understand what happened. Lucky watched us dig a deep grave and gently lay Blue to rest. Chris, who is an ordained Minister, said a special prayer for Blue at his grave. Lucky just quietly laid under a nearby tree. He just laid around the house most of the day. We lost a good friend and he lost a best friend. Blue taught him so many things we will never know about. Say a prayer for Blue and Lucky, Give Lucky a special love pat if you see him at the farm. 

A Day of Many Thunders!

Last Thursday was a day of Thunder, 

three different Thunders.

 Funny how it all happens that way. 

Our Thursday morning Thunder arrives at the rescue farm. 

Thursday morning brought us a very handsome Thoroughbred gelding from Ohio, who looks fabulous but is not ride able do to his past racing career. His racing name is Stop the Thunder aka Thunder.

Alisa and Thunder, first selfie!

 Alisa, his Mom, is happy having him as her new, tall dark and handsome guy and has no worries about not riding him.  She will provide him with a the love he will ever need. He is already a favorite in the barn.

Our Thursday afternoon Thunder arrives at his new home in Canton.

Then our afternoon Thunder arrived in his new home in Canton , GA. He was well loved by his Mom, Jaye, but developed allergies from the grasses in South Georgia. Jaye wanted to find a good home where he can be away from the South Georgia allergies. We are praying that the change in environment will bring a healthy change in his health. Thunder was welcomed by Candy and David with open arms on their beautiful horse farm. 

Here is David on his first ride with Thunder, perfect!

What a great day it was until the evening thunder weather storm rolled in to bring us even more thunder and lots of rain. 

It was loud and rolling thunder. I took a deep breath and listened. It was also a reminder of all the wonderful horses we have lost over the past 17 years. It made me stop and rejoice and stop and think about them all. I could hear the running. The thunder in the sky was all those horses we loved running around the heavens, rejoicing their lives with us and their new lives in heaven, rejoicing our journey together. We will never forget them even as we meet the newest Thunder's in our life. Our tears fall, our hearts broken, then a new horse in need of love come to us to patch up that piece of hurt in our hearts. Look in their eyes and our hearts are ready to do it all over again. We are Rescue!

Helping Horses With Cancer

SaveTheHorses has had experience with horses with cancer, especially eyes. We started a Pink Horse Shoe Fund just for that but our fund is empty right now. We will raise the money to help Bonnie if there is a way to save her life. 

Pretty Bonnie waiting for eye exam.

When Kathy called about her new beautiful medicine horse paint mare, Bonnie, and explained her vet said the eye had cancer, we wanted to help. The previous owner told Kathy is was just sunburn. They may have really thought that is was. Until you have seen Squamous Cell cancer, you may think it is just bad sunburn. That is want causes it most likely, sun and the UV rays. 

We had an appointment with Dr Christine Murray yesterday. Dr Murray and her veterinary groups has done many cancer treatments for us. Kathy and husband, Tony, drove nearly 5 hours with Bonnie in trailer to get her opinion. We planned on taking the eye out and letting Bonnie recover at home but the cancer was on her eyelid more than we originally thought. 

The eyelid is infected plus has cancer

After much thought, Dr Murray gave Kathy some antibiotics for Bonnie and is going to get some quotes from the University hospitals, on the possible costs for removing the eyelid areas infected. The eye itself may not be cancerous and may be able to be saved. It will be a challenge. It is sure worth the effort so we are asking for your prayers and good thoughts for Bonnie and her recovery.

Once we get cost estimates, we'll update and see what can be done. 

Thank you for caring.

www.SaveTheHorses.org! 

 Join our Pink Horse Shoe Fund on FaceBook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pink-Horse-Shoe-Fund-Help-Horses-with-Cancer/255613151207676

Snickers Won the Mini Mules Over

These are the 3 mini mules from the Kentucky feed lot. Thanks to your generosity, WE (You included) were able to save them and can now get them safe loving homes. 

They are not trusting of humans but are curious and sweet. They were pulled from their home and sent to a kill buyer sale to be sold for slaughter. They were probably not treated too kindly and learned not all humans are kind. We are going to show them that many are kind and care about their lives.

We are Rescue!

Here they didn't want to come near me 

so I sat on the ground and waited.

 Then the heart shaped cookies looked 

interesting but they still had reservations.

Then they couldn't resist and came closer

 after I tossed a few over to them. 

YES, she came and ate the cookie from my hand. I was so happy.

Then Steve comes and they didn't hesitate to eat his snickers bar.

Who would have known snickers would win them over!

Worth Waiting For

When we take in a horse, we hope to find a new home for it ASAP but that usually doesn't happen. It has to be the right home and sometimes it takes a very long time. There is no danger to the horse because we will take care of it's needs forever. That's what we do, we are rescue!

Jason whispering to Sprinkles

So Sprinkles came to us about 5 years ago. He was going to be euthanized because the veterinarian said he was dangerous. A horse loving friend intervened and asked us to please go see him. Dangerous? No way, he was very frightened, nervous and no sign of aggression. I think he was being misread. Sprinkles is a very cute Appaloosa pony who is afraid to be caught so he plays a game. He gives up soon but because of his nervousness, I never let anyone ride him. If he spooked out of fear, I would be afraid a child may fall off and get injured. He did well saddling him but safety is first.

Sprinkles all dressed in a saddle

Mocha is a sweet Welsh pony who came only a few months ago from a Therapy and lesson stable. 

Mocha is a cute little mare

She has been serving humans for a long time and was apparently tired of her job because she was managing to get the kids riding her off but slamming on her brakes. We did have one of our good little riders here got on Mocha and they were a good team, not tricks, not brakes on but again for safety, we decided not to adopt her as a riding child safe pony. She paid her dues. 

Last month, an inquiry about Sprinkles came in and everything we waited for was there. Two wonderful woman who want to adopt two ponies, care for them, share their lovely home and give them lots of love was a reality. Definitely worth waiting for.  

Here are Mocha and Sprinkles waiting with to heir new barn.

Karen and Shirley have a beautiful pony sized barn, great pasture and time and love to give Mocha and Sprinkles. What a happy ending for these ponies. 

Perfect place for two ponies!

Happiness is worth waiting for!

WE Are Rescue!

Life of Quinn

Life Changes So Quickly! 

Quinn our handsome Quinn!

Quinn was cantering through the pasture Saturday having a great time, but Sunday, as he stall door was opened ready to put in his breakfast, he greeted us with a very swollen leg. He was painful. That leg was his weak spot. In 1998, he had an injury on his left rear leg that most horses would have not lived through. He severed his two tendons on the front of his leg on a rubbermaid water trough. Yes, horses can find trouble for sure. Dr Scott Owen thought we were crazy deciding not to euthanize him, he saw it as hopeless. e saw it as not giving up. Quinn wouldn't even get up from the ground. Eight months later, after twice a day hydrating and wound care, medicating, wrapping and lots of treats, he was sound. A miracle of love! 

cellulitis on weak leg, old scar from cutting tendons

He came to SaveTheHorses from South Florida. He had a career as a race horse and retired to become a show horse. Then developed anhidrosis. He doesn't sweat. georgia has humidity but we were willing and able to maintain him during the summer by horsing and having fans and water misters on him. We were vigilant for over 16 years. Many many volunteers remember hosing Quinn, he loved it so it made it fun for very one. 

Quinn enjoying the horse!

He had developed cellulitis in that weak leg. He had it a few times. Anti Inflammatories took care of it so on Sunday, Tom Scott administered his normal dose of  medication and by evening, he wasn't eating much grain but he was eating hay and the swelling had gone down a bit. Monday he started to get more stressed. Bonnie Moloney soaked his leg, medicated him and many volunteers gave him lots of love until Dr Cerniglia arrived.

Hear his breathing and teeth?

You can hear his breathing as he walked around his stall

By now he was very anxious, very painful and we all were very worried.  As Dr Amanda administered more medication, Quinn was breathing hard and grinding his teeth. He was telling us he wanted us to help! We were doing everything we could.

Quin getting love and comfort.

The fluids helped Quinn's breathing and gave him so strength. He seemed more stable but still critical. We all agreed he has a better chance getting to UGA Vet Hospital, ASAP. Thank God for all our wonderful volunteers. The trailer we use belongs to a volunteer, Pam Ross, but it had a flat tire. Jeff Lucursi was kind enough to change the tire in the rain while he wife, Sandra and 2 girls, Jordan and Julia and Susan Clark and daughter Sara all work as a great team and brought horses in, fed, hayed and tucked them in. We appreciate their dedication to all the horses. If I missed anyone, I am sorry. But thank you all every day for your time and efforts. 
SaveTheHorses dually truck is well worn from 15 years of rescuing horses so it isn't safe to take a horse anywhere but local. The last thing we wanted to do to Quinn was delay his arrival at UGA. Tom Scott took off from work early to drive the trailer to UGA. 


Quinn was able to get up with a little help and we loaded him on the trailer heading to UGA, hoping for another miracle. Tom, Steve Cook and I headed out. It was a 2 hour ride through rain and fog. Natalie Richardson rode with Alisa Cray as they followed behind the trailer. As we drove we could feel Quinn moving in the trailer. About 3 minutes from UGA, we felt him go down in the trailer. He kicked for about a minute. We didn't know if he was cast and trying to get up of just so much in pain he was kicking out. He stopped kicking about the same time we pulled in the parking lot. As soon as we stopped, Tom, Steve and I jumped out of the truck and hoped onto the trailer to see Quinn. We all were silent, he was gone. Natalie and Alisa came as we opened the side door. All I could do was not my head, no, no no, he is gone. 

We talked with the veterinarian and students, and told them what a wonderful horse Quinn was. A many year volunteer, Alissa Luthart, now a PreVet student came to say good bye to Quinn and give her condolences.  So many people lives are touched by one horse. One horse, many hearts! We were privileged to have Quinn in our care since 1996. He was ridden a handful of times. He hadn't been on a trailer since he arrived from Florida. Sixteen years of fun, sillyness, kindness. He gave us 16 years of his life. For that we are ever so grateful.

He will be buried on the rescue farm today, next to he best friend, EZ Breeze. Rest In Peace Dear Friend. Our hearts are with you, our tears will flow but you will always be remembered. 

WE ARE RESCUE!