The Painful Journey-Founder Part I

To continue following Lady & Maark's story, go to www.thepainfuljourney-equinefounder.blogspot.com

In over four decades I've never had a horse founder. I've seen a few over the years, but have never had to deal with a case of my own. I have had two mild incidences of farrier induced laminitis, but both were resolved quickly with ice soaks & anti-inflammatories (& changing farriers!). Unfortunately this week I joined the ranks of those who have dealt with founder, a devastating, often times fatal disease of the hooves. As I journey into the dark depths of founder, I can only hope that what I learn will one day prevent another horse from suffering. And if it doesn't prevent the onset of founder, then at least let me know enough to save the next horse.

On Monday Sept 7, 2009, two registered arabians came into my life. FA Ovaature, aka Lady, is a 22 year old, dark bay mare of outstanding quality. Maarked Crescendo, aka Maark, is an 8 year old, dark bay gelding. They are mother & son, both with wonderful bone, substance, & stunning heads. Lady & Maark had traveled from MN to N CA, never stepping off the trailer in route. This decision proved to be a serious mistake. I had spoke with the shipper a number of times prior to their arrival. He had warned me that Maark was overweight. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine HOW overweight. The gelding that jumped off the trailer into my drive is the fattest horse I have ever seen. If you can believe it, he even has fat on his nose. There are rolls along his sides & back that pull his skin taut, making for a very creepy feel as you pet him. While Lady is carrying some odd fatty pads throughout her body, she isn't technically overweight & her ribs are slightly showing. She came off the trailer ever so slightly sore footed across my rocky drive. Neither appeared to be in stress & I was thrilled with my beautiful new horses.

Fast forward three hours & it was apparent that Lady was foundering. She was beginning to stand in that classical, sawhorse stance. My trimmer, Sally, graciously gave up her Labor Day ride to come see what she could do to help. By the time she arrived, it was apparent that Maark was also starting to crash. He was getting foot sore & not wanting to move much. It was unbelievable & I was devastated. Lady's heels were extremely high & her toes overly long. Sally did what she could to get Lady's feet a little more balanced. By the structure of her hooves, it was evident that she had previously foundered. Maark also got a little work done but with not knowing what was going on inside the hooves, it was like trimming blind. I gave each a dose of Bute (an anti-inflammatory) & soaked Maark's feet in ice. He was so good, standing perfectly still with both front feet in a feed pan full of ice & water. I could only hope that he was suffering from laminitis & not foundering.

On Sally's recommendation I had both horses x-rayed. We needed to see what was going on inside those feet. When a horse founders the coffin bone rotates out of position & it can drop through the sole. The coffin bone can also demineralize. If the damage is bad enough humane euthanasia is the only option. While I wanted to know what was happening, I was also afraid to know. Both horses were so well mannered for the vet. They had to stand one foot on a board for each x-ray. Their behavior was a testament to their wonderful dispositions. I knew they were in pain but yet they were trying to do everything asked of them. Lady & Maark started getting a dose of Bute morning & night while I waited for the x-ray results. I was also spreading their hay out in handfuls throughout their one acre pasture. I didn't want them to stand & gorge on their meals, I wanted them to "graze". Not only would they eat more naturally, they would also have to move around which aids in circulation to those ailing feet. It's so heart wrenching to watch a horse in pain from founder. Even standing still causes pain.

When I got home Friday night I had a phone message from the vet. Maark had laminitis but he was NOT yet foundering. Icing those hooves had just become a priority to keep the heat & inflammation out. I'm going to do whatever I can to keep him from full blown founder. Lady's x-rays showed that she was indeed foundering. She has rotation in both front feet. My heart sunk at the news. The vet went on to say that while Lady was foundering, it was her opinion that Lady could be saved. Her hooves have plenty of soul depth & the coffin bone is nowhere near dropping through the sole. While there are some bone changes & signs of pedal ostisis, her coffin bone is intact enough that she has a good chance of being pasture sound. This was WONDERFUL news. I called to let Sally know & she said she'd be out Sunday morning to begin treating both horses. I was so giddy with excitement that it was well after midnight before I fell asleep.

I have been warned that founder can be an emotional roller coaster to treat. As soon as the horse appears to be on the mend, another crash can come. Lady & Maark both shows classic signs of Insulin Resistance. They have fatty deposits, crested necks, & even the non-existent hollows above their eyes are marshmallow puffy. IR horses need to be fed special diets to control the disease & their weight because obesity is one of many founder causes. While both have IR & Maark is morbidly obese, I believe it was the long, continuous trailer ride that pushed them over the edge.


Tomorrow brings a new day & I can't wait to see what Sally has in mind to help these two deserving horses. While I'm riding an emotional high tonight, I am aware that I could be on the downhill slide at any time.

Common Bond

There have been untold numbers of horses impacting my life through the decades. Horses have been the common bond in bringing so many wonderful people into my life; people I wouldn't otherwise have met.

It must have been 10-12 years ago that I found a horse rescue site called TIER (True Innocent Equine Rescue). This rescue was, & still is, located in S CA. Although I was living in N CA by then, I hadn't left my S CA roots completely behind. At the time, TIER was pulling horses out of a horsetrader's "feedlot". The "feedlot" comprised of all manner of horses who were headed to slaughter. As I read through the website & message board, I realized the horsetrader in question was the same person from whom I, & many other young girls at my childhood stable, had gotten so many horses. I became a follower & supporter of TIER. There were many wonderful people on the message board, most with the same goals of saving horses from uncertain & cruel fates. Even after TIER's efforts to pull horses from the "feedlot" were ended, I continued to not only follow TIER, but to occasionally correspond with some of the people I had met.

In August 2009, I had an email from Heidi in MN asking all her email friends to vote for her dog in a cutest dog contest. I hadn't heard from her in a very long time so I emailed to ask how she was doing & to catch up on what was going on in her life. Life isn't always easy & Heidi had been going through some really tough life changes. She told me that she only had two horses left that she wanted to place in loving homes. The only problem was that no loving homes could be found. The current economy had all the rescues full with waiting lists to take in horses. I told Heidi that I wished we lived closer because I'd give her horses a home. A flurry of emails followed.

Soon a shipper had been found & arrangements were made to transport Heidi's two horses, Lady & Roo, to me. While there was excitement on my end, my heart was also saddened. A very special lady was sending her two beloved horses into my care, & I could only imagine the heartache she was suffering on her end. It was going to be a long, cross country trek for Lady & Roo with people on both ends thinking of them day & night. Their trip went well & they arrived at my drive 48 hours after their trip began. They had traveled well & settled right in. Both have fabulous manners & super dispositions, a testimony to Heidi's love & care. Lady is such a love, laying her head on my shoulder as if she's always known me. Roo is such a character who stays close to Lady as if he's protecting her. Both are wonderful horses who deserve this chance at life in sunny CA.

A few days before the shipper was due for pick up, I received their paperwork by FedEx. There was a wonderful note from Heidi & I found it hard to stay dry eyed. The following is a small excerpt:

"It's so strange how, so many years ago we met through TIER's forum and shared many email and discussion board conversations as I embarked on private rescue. You've heard the tales of my horses and watched as the numbers grew and dwindled. Now, 10+ years later, two pieces of my life will become a part of yours by God's grace. I feel comfortable turning the lead ropes over to you."

It is strange that this is how our lives have come together. Who would have thought that Lady & Roo would one day shorten the gap between MN & CA? Who would have thought that people on opposite sides of the country would be brought together by these two beautiful horses? Life with horses works in such mysterious & amazing ways. They've brought people into my life that I otherwise wouldn't have met. They've brought Heidi & I together in a friendship that will last a lifetime.

Topaz Gold

Registered 1/2 arab, palomino mare, born circa 1968

I've been browsing horse ads for decades now. It's just something I do on a daily basis. Forget the headlines, comics & sports pages. Forget watching Wall Street jump up & fall down. Just give me the classifieds & I'm happy.

That day in the early 1970's when I found an ad in the paper for a 6 year old, palomino mare for $100.00 was just like any other day. I was bored & needed something to do so I was barn shopping (my version of window shopping). I called, got directions & off I went to check the horse out. When I got to the place I was met by a family desperate to get rid of their horse. They hadn't had the mare long & no one had been able to stay on her. She was a shaggy, cream colored horse with long feet, a few ribs showing, & her expression was a defensive one with constantly pinned ears. They told me I could have the bridle, complete with its upside down hackamore, & what turned out to be a bareback pad. They said she always bucked when the pad went on. No wonder! They were putting it on backwards so the cinch strap was sliding into her flank. It was all I could do not to burst out laughing. That poor mare. Even though I didn't want her or need her, she needed me so I handed over $100.00. It was a pleasant surprise when they handed me registration papers that identified her as Topaz Gold, a 1/2 arabian.

I brought Topi home later that day, having a friend haul her for me. She stood about 14.2 & had a cranky disposition. At feeding time she was like a piranha, pinning her ears & snapping at anything or anyone coming within reach. What had a I done bringing this nasty mare home when I didn't even need another horse? It took a week to convince her no one was stealing her feed & that I was to be allowed in her stall. As she started to fill out she started to look surprisingly decent. Then she began to shed out the dirty yellow coat & what was underneath was a stunning, golden dappled mare with an almost white mane & tail. Topi the ugly duckling turned into a gorgeous mare. She was extremely green under saddle but learned quick & was a nice mare to ride on trail. Her gaits were smooth & she enjoyed getting out. Her only bad behavior under saddle was an occasional buck, but we were working that out. After a few months I decided Topi was ready to go to a new home. She had become a nice mare & I had no doubt an intermediate rider would do well with her.

The first person who came to look at Topi was looking for a show prospect. She declined to buy her because Topi was greener than she wanted. Later this gal called to say she'd like to buy Topi because she was the best of the worst that she'd looked at. If she had to settle for less than she wanted, Topi was at the top of that list. I told her in no uncertain terms that Topi was not then, or ever, going to be for sale to her. She deserved better than someone who didn't value her before even owing her. HUMPH!

I had advertised Topi very specifically as NOT a beginner or kids horse. She was still green & had some quirks. She still didn't like people all that much either. There were some people who called looking for their 9 year old daughter's first horse. I hated to disappoint them but had to tell them I wouldn't even let them see Topi. They called again, & again, & finally I agreed they could come look. They had looked at over a dozen horses & none had been right for their daughter. When they arrived I had the daughter put the halter on Topi & lead her around. I was ready to grab the lead if needed. I then saddled Topi & rode her some. She was on her best behavior so against my better judgement, I let the daughter get on. After placidly walking around for a few minutes Topi began to buck. The girl dropped the reins & grabbed the saddle horn. I yelled for her to pick up the reins & pull back. Luckily she did & Topi immediately stopped. Whew, that was close. While I talked with the parents I had Topi tied to a hitching rail. I was explaining all the reasons why Topi was not the horse for their daughter. I even offered to help them find a suitable kids horse. As I looked over at Topi, I was horrified to see that young girl climbing up Topi's leg to get back on. To her credit that mare never moved a muscle & allowed herself to be mauled. The parents practically begged me to sell them Topi & after her incredible hitching rail behavior, how could I say no.

A few weeks later I got a phone call from the girl (I wish I could remember her name) to tell me how much she loved Topi. She said Topi had run away straight back to the stall, throwing her, but she still loved her. Every year for the next few years I would get a call on Topi's birthday. I had to send Topi my birthday wishes & get an update on how they were doing. That scruffy yellow horse blossomed into a beautiful golden mare who taught a young girl how to ride. I NEVER would have thought of Topi as a kids horse, but she proved me wrong. I have never again underestimated the desire of a girl to have a horse; nor have I underestimated the understanding a horse can have towards a young girl.

Wraff Tales-Yellow Slicker Adventures

I no longer ride if it's raining. I won't even consider riding if there's rain in the forecast, even if it's not yet raining. I really have a fear of the rain. If it rains & I'm riding, I might have to put on the Yellow Slicker.

I bought the yellow slicker about 20 years ago. For a long time it sat packed away in my truck as insurance against the rain. Surely if I carry a slicker it won't rain. My reverse psychology on Mother Nature hasn't always worked. I don't know how many times I've had to put on that yellow slicker. For anyone who doesn't know, I'm an endurance rider. I used to not care what the weather was, I was going to ride. I've even been known to drive over the Sierras in snow flurries just to get to a ride. Ok, I'll admit that one time I tried to get over in a blizzard. Good thing the CHP had more sense than I. Anyway, back to that yellow slicker.

Hindsight has established that my love-hate relationship with the yellow slicker might be because I'm 5'1" & that slicker is 6' long. Don't ask why I've never cut the bottom off because I've thought about it many times. Just never got the scissors out.

I think the first time I wore it was at the Koche Kobee ride many years ago. I had ridden in trash bags before I got the yellow slicker so Wraff wasn't bothered by the large, flapping, yellow plastic flying in the wind. He was less than happy with it touching him however. Wraff was a horse who hated anything that tickled him & he'd buck to get his point across. I'd even had him buck when sweat ran down his side so if you ever saw me doing all kinds of weird gyrations with my legs, that's why. I had to keep the sweat wiped away. But now I digress so back to the yellow slicker. At the start of the ride I realized that I couldn't let the slicker touch Wraff's butt or he'd buck so I had to sit on it. That extra foot of length bunched up under me quiet unpleasantly. And because I was sitting on the slicker, water ran down my back underneath me. So much fun riding in the rain with wet pants. At the first vet check I didn't stop to think about the situation before I got off. Before I knew what happened I'd stepped on the bottom of that slicker & out my feet shot, sending me into the mud. Then I had to trot Wraff out for the vet & wouldn't you know it, I tripped over that slicker & fell on my face. I can't say the day got any better as I battled rain, mud, & the yellow slicker. Maybe I should be glad they no longer hold the Koche Kobee ride.

That yellow slicker did come in handy when I woke one morning at the Washoe Valley ride to snow covering the ground. I hadn't packed a heavy jacket so it was just me, Wraff, & that yellow slicker. I did better in the battle that ride. I used the wonderful fix all, Duct Tape, to tape the bottom of that slicker up so I wouldn't trip. The only time it almost got me was when I got off to walk down the SOBs & Wraff thought it would be great fun to teach me to ski. I slid 1/2 way down on my butt but at least that slicker kept the mud off me.

Many years ago my friend Laurie & I rode the American River 70. The first 30 miles were a great ride. Then at the first hour check the rain started. I couldn't believe I was going to have to wear that slicker for the next 40 miles. Off we went after our vet check, braving winds, storming rain, & the freezing cold. I was glad that day that the yellow slicker was very heavy, thick plastic because at least my body was dry & out of the wind. I wish the same could have been said for my frozen, blue hands & feet. The trails were getting muddier & slipperier as we rode. We were so cold with chattering teeth that we didn't talk. We just plodded on one behind the other. It was so bad that at one point there was a new easy boot on the trail & neither Laurie nor I could bear the thought of getting off to pick it up. We came to a steep hill that we could see horses had struggled getting up. Laurie & her horse Emblem were in the lead. Half way up that hill Emblem stalled & couldn't get traction to go on. Wraff caught up with him & turned to go around. That proved to be a very bad move. As Wraff turned across the hill, all 4 of his feet slid out from underneath him. As he was going down & stepped off to the high side. Minor problem was that I stepped on that damn yellow slicker. The next thing I knew Wraff was sliding down the hill on his belly with me rolling right behind him. The slicker had pulled over my face so I could see nothing. Twice as we slid down that hill Wraff would stop sliding & I'd slam into him, between his front legs. Never did he try to get up. He just stayed as still as he could as we slid. That slicker was like being on a Slip N Slide. At last our momentum stopped & I was able to crawl across the mud slide area & into the brush. Wraff managed to get up then & continue up the hill. Laurie was at the top yelling to see if we were alright & I just yelled back to catch Wraff. I finally managed to pull myself to the top, through the brush. As I was finally able to get untangled from the slicker, Laurie & I just burst out laughing. How funny that had to have looked to the poor guy at the bottom of the hill. I'm sure he was terrified to come up but he had no other option. The remaining 20 miles was as miserable as it gets. By the time we finished that 70 mile ride we were both close to tears from the cold & misery. But to this day the memory of that yellow slicker Slip N Slide sets us off into uncontrolled laughter.

Yes, after all these years I still have that yellow slicker. It's tucked away in my truck & I hope it stays there. As for Wraff that day, he was a hero. If he'd panicked when I kept crashing into him I would have been trampled at the very least. The guy behind us was amazed because he could see that Wraff was protecting me. I like to think Wraff was my superhero that day, battling & winning over the yellow slicker.

Those Passed By

Through the years there have been many horses who I've look to buy. For every horse purchased there were probably a dozen who were passed over for various reasons. A few of these horses left lasting impressions.

I don't know that I ever heard her name, but that little, blue roan mare was one of the prettiest horses I'd ever seen. She was a registered Quarter Horse, newly arrived from Stephenville Tx. She was 5 or 6, supposedly broke to ride, & boy did she glistened in the sun. She was also heavily pregnant, bagged up & foaling was immanent. I really fell for that beautiful blue roan, but after just having a mare who foaled I didn't want another. I wanted to ride now, not months from now when the foal was weaned. Several times that day, as I walked among the horsetrader's horses, I went back to look at that mare again. The horsetrader finally told my mom that if I wanted the mare & not her foal, he'd foal her out for us & give the foal to the dog ladies. He said that most people didn't want foals so he usually waited to sell the mares until after they foaled & he'd given the foals away. He didn't have to explain what he meant by that. Even at my young age I knew what he meant. That beautiful mare's foal would become dog food. I didn't take that pretty mare home that day. While it sadden me to know she would lose her foal if I didn't get her, I also knew that I needed a horse to ride. That pretty, blue roan mare was the first time I had to make a decision based on logic & not on what my heart said. Because of her I learned what it meant to choose a horse based on what I wanted to do, & not just because it tugged at my heart. A profound lesson for a young girl.

I was looking for a jumping prospect & my search began in Hemet Ca. In the late 1960s Hemet was a haven of Thoroughbred farms. Black Shank was a registered Thoroughbred gelding off the track. I believe he was 6 & he was black as night. He was at a farm in Hemet & he'd come off the track with a bowed tendon. He didn't have the best disposition, pinning his ears as we looked in his stall. What I remember most about Black Shank is that one of his front cannons looked like someone had precisely painted it white all the way around. I can't remember now what the treatment was, but whatever they did to treat his bowed tendon had turned his leg white. It looked odd to see him with a permanent bandage mark. With his disposition & the loss of pigmentation on his leg, Black Shank wasn't the horse for me. Years later I was visiting a friend at her stable when I saw a black gelding standing in his stall. Imagine my surprise when I saw that leg. It was Black Shank & he belonged to a young girl who rode him on trail. I lived at least 100 miles from Hemet. Seeing Black Shank after all those years made me realize that the horse world is indeed very small.

Ricky's Sister was a pretty, 6 year old, bay, off the track, Thoroughbred mare for sale in Stanton Ca. My mom & I arrived about 45 minutes early for our appointment to see her. When we got there a groom was walking her around. It was quite obvious that she was lame. As we waited & watched, she began to come sound. There was no doubt in our mind that she'd been drugged in anticipation of our arrival. Ever since that day I have always arrived early when looking at horses. Never have I come across another drugged horse, but it never hurts to be early.

Culling Time was a 3 year, bay with a lot of white, Thoroughbred mare at a farm in Hemet Ca. She was, & still is, the tallest horse I've ever considered buying. At 3 years of age she stood 17.2. At the time I was 4'11" & had no idea how I would get on her. I could swing up on my mom's 16.2 hand mare bareback, but was quite sure I'd never get up to 17.2. She had never made it to the track because she was too tall to be coordinated at that young age. She was very short coupled & forged as she walked. As the groom led her out of her stall, I could only gape at her long legs. As sure as I was of not being able to get on her bareback, I was just as sure that I could quite literally walk underneath her because her legs were as long as I was tall. I'm too old & stiff now to want a horse over 15 hands, but I sometimes wonder what it would have felt like to ride Culling Time.

I named her Sunshine Company even though she wasn't yet mine. She was probably a Quarter Horse or cross, fairly young, & a very bright chestnut with flaxen mane. We were walking through the horsetrader's, window shopping. When I saw her she had her head tied back to the saddle so tight she couldn't move. I felt so sorry for her that I told my mom we had to buy her. We went looking for Leonard to tell him that Sunshine Company had just found a home. To his credit as a horsetrader, Leonard told us that mare wasn't the horse for us. She was a rank bucker, even bucking off his nephew Eddie. No horse threw Eddie so we knew she must have been quite the bucker. Still I wanted to "save" her from the cruelties of Eddie's handling. But try as I might, Leonard insisted she would hurt me & wouldn't sell her to us. It was such a shame because we knew where she would end up. I have to say that to this day I know that not all horsetrader's are slick & just out for money. Well, maybe they are & Leonard was just smart enough to know that if I got hurt we wouldn't be back for more horses.

Supper

In 2003 a very special mare came to live with me. She had been through hell & back, & I promised her she would never know another moment of pain, suffering & starvation. When she was re-rescued from CHP Sanctuary I offered her a home. When she arrived all I could do is cry at her condition, knowing she had been at death's door just a few months earlier. CHP turned out to be a nightmare place with horses being killed by plastic bag suffocation (so the reports said) when they were starved near death. How Supper survived is a miracle. I've lost count of how many horses had to be euthanized during the seizure. There was somewhere close to 90 horses involved & a dozen or more who didn't even make it off the property during the seizure. Supper filled the hearts of everyone who met her. She became my folks' horse & they enjoyed watching her wander the pasture with her weanlings. Today there is still a large, soft sand pile that is still called Supper's Sand. There are 3 fillies who now enjoy Supper's Sand & I know she's looking down on them with love. Rest in peace Supper, you are not forgotten. Below is Supper's story as it happened.

On The Feedlot
#179. Bay TB mare, Irregular Star. 23 yrs. old. Appx. 16 hands? This is really nice mare. She recently had a foal that died. They do not know why the foal died. Yes, she is older, but she is the Dam of 8 registered racing TB's, 4 of which are winners. She was originally owned by N.B. Hunt of Kentucky. It is my understanding that Mr. Hunt has passed away. Papers will go to new owner. Foaled 3/16/76
Socializing
Supper
Noble Decree

Supper is a granddaughter of Vaguely Noble, who was the sire of Exceller. Exceller died in a slaughterhouse in England in 1997 because his owner didn't want to pay for his upkeep anymore.
Several wonderful people banded together to send funds to pay Supper's ransom! We were finally able to come up with her ransom, but the problem was where was Supper to go? RESCUE has absolutely no room and all the rescues in the area I contacted were in the same boat! All of us are at full capacity. After doing some checking, we contacted a fairly new rescue in the area. We received affirmative feedback from various sources about this rescue before we asked them if they had room for Supper. Thankfully, California Horse Protection not only passed our screening, but they had room! Yes. Supper arrived at CHP bright eyed. It was determined that she has no back teeth (big contributing factor to her lack of weight gain) and that she also has a uterine infection which is being treated! (No wonder the gal couldn't put on any weight!). Thank you CHP!

Update 9/24/00 - On September 24, 2000 my husband and I went to California Horse Protection to visit Supper! She is looking remarkably well and happy considering what she has been through! Once Supper arrived at CHP a vet determined that she had a raging uterine infection! Not surprising considering she had just had a foal.....not sure whether it lived or not. They had tried to breed her again, and when she didn't take, they dumped her at a feedlot. From there, a wonderful group of people got together, stepped in and saved her life! CHP is providing her with a wonderful new home. The infection is now almost completely gone, but since it had been left untreated for so long, she is still, understandably, thin. But, she is bright eyed, curious and quite loving! She also managed to get an abscess on her right ankle which has been treated and is healing also. To ensure the wound stays clean, she has a wrap over the area which is changed daily. Supper has a big gray TB mare as a roommate in her big living quarters. She is the sweetest thing! Comes right up to the fence when you call her name. Thank goodness she is still living and breathing and someone calls her name! CHP has said visitors are welcome to visit at any time. Although I know some of you aren't close enough to do so, the others that are close enough can call CHP (the website is listed above and their phone/address should be there) and schedule a visit.

Update 11/4/00 - Supper continues to improve. No one has ridden her yet, and with all the other activity, she probably won't be ridden soon.
JUST IN TIME FOR SUPPER!!!
Supper was seized by Animal Control on 10/04/2002 during a raid on the organization that had assured RESCUE & RESCUE supporters that they would provide a safe, healthy home for life. RESCUE picked up Supper approximately 2 months after the seizure upon approval by the authorities. She was still emaciated after being fed properly during the time she was in Animal Control's custody. She was severely underweight, had rain rot along her spine, thick/dull coat, runny - swollen eyes and nose due to her weakened immune system, and vaginal discharge, which she also had in August 2000 at the time of her placement with the organization.
WARNING! Graphic pictures below! (I was unable to upload these pictures 8/25/09)

A vet was called prior to her arrival at RESCUE and an appointment made for an immediate full check up. Blood was drawn and samples of the discharges taken for analysis. At that point, the vet indicated that due to her emaciated condition, he was hesitant to prescribe antibiotics as the impact to her liver & kidneys might cause damage. Amazingly, results of the blood panel were normal!! Discharge fluids (eyes, nose, vagina) results indicated deficient immune system. She was immediately placed on a diet of Orchard hay, Timothy hay, alfalfa, vitamins (Pawier vitamins for the first few weeks and then Evergreen Insure vitamins) and Timothy/Bermuda/Brohme pellets. When we had contacted the owners of the organization immediately after the seizure, we were told, "You know, Supper is a hard keeper?" This statement was/is completely erroneous!! When we bathed this beauty, the water that ran off her was a dingy gray and oily. She was washed 3 times in one session! Her coat was matted with quite a bit of unhealthy hair that had finally begun to shed.

2-2003 Supper has gained weight nicely. We have wormed her with Panacur, as her system is still fragile. She is shedding out the dull/unhealthy coat, which was the result of starvation. Her vaginal discharge has cleared up considerably (although she does have a failed caslick), as has the 'weeping' from her eyes and the runny nose. Our lovely Supper is a favorite with the youth groups who visit ever week. She absolutely loves being groomed by those small hands. She is very careful about accepting treats from the youngsters and will lower her great head for a rub/pat from the children. The children were saddened when they first saw this regal lady upon her arrival at RESCUE. The children asked questions as to "Why would someone do this to this sweet girl?" "Why do people do this?"; "What did Supper do to deserve being starved?"; etc. Unfortunately, we do not have an explanation. Supper's magnetic personality not only drew the children to her right away, but she became Grace's best friend! Grace has not tightly bonded with another horse at RESCUE prior to Supper's arrival. Although Grace does get along with everyone, it was Supper that she loved to be with. They would frolic together; eyes alight with joy as they dashed around the pasture area. They would do a "rolling duet" when turned out together. It almost seemed as if they had choreographed their movements as they would drop to their knees at the same time and then roll on one side, get up and then roll on the other side. They would then jump up; throw those tails in the air and run, run, run!! Finally, they would drop their heads and graze side by side or stand together for hours.

Supper's personality is so kind and gentle that we felt comfortable with letting her out with Pearl. Being that Supper was such a big girl and sometimes so full of energy as she became healthier, we were hesitant for Pearl to be around her as she is so much smaller and cannot move quickly. But, Supper being Supper, was careful and loving with Pearl. Why......Pearl never once yelled at her or had a bad thing to say about her!! This lovely girl's gigantic heart and willingness to survive is amazing! Officials told us that when she was originally seized from the organization, one of the officers recommended euthanasia due to her obvious condition. The attending veterinarian made the decision to not euthanize her as he "saw something in her" that indicated she was a fighter. We are so grateful! The gentleman who went with us to pick Supper up from the facility where she was being held recently told me he had thought that she would die shortly after we brought her to RESCUE. This gentleman has been around horses for decades and has seen a lot. In fact, when he came to RESCUE a few weeks after Supper's arrival, he asked us "Where's that starved Thoroughbred mare we picked up?" When we pointed her out to him, he was surprised! He didn't even recognize her anymore! The statement "You know, Supper is a hard keeper?" is so very untrue!! All we had done was fed her properly, gave her fresh water, vitamins, had her teeth and feet done, wormed & vaccinated her (after she was healthier); hugged on her, brushed her, turned out to socialize and play. Felt her warm, loving breath on our faces and looked into her knowing eyes. We gave her normal horse care.......all the rest came from Supper!! She blossomed and gave us so much more in return!

3/22/2003 - Supper has gone to her new home where she will remain for the rest of her life. A wonderful RESCUE supporter adopted her for the express purpose of providing her with a safe, reliable, loving home for life. A Mom who understand the commitment and the gift of having Supper in her life. Thanks so very, very much Mom!

Our thanks to Riverside County Animal control for being there........Just In Time For Supper!!
A BIG thank you to the RESCUE supporter who helped to arrange transport for Supper to go to her new home! You know who you are my friend and we thank you so very much for your continued support!!

Update 5/14/03 - Supper is doing good and will be even better after Fri. She's scheduled to have her failed caslicks fixed & her teeth floated. Her vulva stays irritated & she has a touch of vaginitis (plus who knows what else). My vet says our ol' girl will be a lot more comfortable once she's repaired & cleaned up. We love seeing her roam around the house w/her little charges tagging along. She seems to be happy & content wandering the pasture at her leisure. Plus she comes in & helps mow my yard occasionally.

Update 7/25/03 - Supper's doing really good. I've included photos of her repair job just moments after it was done. It looks great today & she no longer has any discharge. She's had her teeth floated, hooves trimmed and must feel like a new mare. The heat's taken it's toll on all my oldies. Supper got a stylish haircut to help her cool off since she never finished shedding her winter woolies. Left the midline to protect her from belly flies and her topline & sides to protect the old bones & skin while resting & rolling. The clip job did make a difference in keeping her cooler. And she loves for me to hose her off. I think she'd stand for hours if I'd keep hosing. But even in all our 100+ heat, the silly ol' girl likes to lay in her sand pile in the sun. My dad put a couple tractor scoops of sand out so she'd have a soft spot to roll. My folks have quite a soft spot for "their" horse.Supper's Mom

Update 10/13/03 -Dear Friends,It is with much sadness that I forward the following update on Supper to you. Thank you for being there for her. When I told the horses of RESCUE that Supper was no longer with us, they all became very quiet. As I turned out a few of the residents, they congregated in the center of the arena for a bit. Almost as if they were having a moment of prayer. Suddenly, heads raised and they were off!! Tails flagged and dust flying! I feel that Supper was there running in the wind with them as Grace stopped, lifted her beautiful graying face and nickered to the wind! Supper was very much loved!!!

"On the morning of Oct 3rd, a very gracious lady crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Supper was a most wonderful old soul who deeply touched everyone who met her, and her passing has created an empty spot in the hearts of all who knew & loved her. My senior parents had taken Supper into their hearts as "their horse", providing her with goodies and a sand pile for rolling & sun bathing; she was the perfect nanny and her little charges are lost & can be seen looking up the pasture, wondering where their foster mother has gone; Supper was a constant joy, always loving & looking for attention, never letting her past destroy her gentle nature & kindness; maybe my shoer said it best " a wonderful old mare has finally found the green pasture she so deserved". To everyone who worked so hard to save Supper and send her to me, THANK YOU!D

Kids Horses

Growing up there were a lot of horses who touched my life & I still think of them occasionally today. All belonged to kids, but today I wonder if they were truly kids horses.

GoGo was a liver chestnut gelding of unknown heritage, probably born in the late 1950s. I had been at the stable for a few weeks before I even noticed him. His stall was almost solid board fence & 6' high. It was said he was proud cut & his disposition sure indicated there was truth to that. In reality he was a cryptorchid. Without today's medical knowledge & facilities, it was common practice to just remove the descended testicle at gelding & forget about the one hiding within the abdomen. GoGo was mean & ornery, taking a bite at anyone who came within teeth distance. His owner was a young girl named Laurie & she was the only person GoGo liked. For her he was reliable, fun horse, running & jumping at her command. One day while racing through a bamboo tunnel he stepped on a branch that snapped & flipped up, impaling GoGo in the groin area. The vet came out, cleaned the puncture & said it would heal fine. A few weeks later it had still not healed, in fact it was draining with infection. For months Lori hosed, cleaned & doctored GoGo. The infection raged. At last GoGo was taken to an equine hospital where he died on the table from the anesthesia. On necropsy a piece of the stick was found embedded deep in his groin. To this day I cringe whenever I ride through deadfall & fallen branches. Whenever I ride debris laden trails, the memory of GoGo rides with me.

Sonny was a pretty, chestnut with white mare, an arab/Tennessee Walker cross born in the late 1950s. She was a spitfire who had raised three young sisters. By the time I knew her she was on the third sister, Karen. Sonny could jump & she could buck. She really taught those sisters how to ride. By the time Karen came along she'd mellowed some, but always put in a few snorts & kicks for good measure. Sonny was gaited like the Tennessee Walker but also trotted when she felt like it. It was fun watching her gait into a jump because she looked so different from the mostly Thoroughbred jumpers at the stable. One of the things that made Sonny special was that if you pointed her at someone or something & said "sic'em Sonny", she was like a rabid dog in her charge. Be it a person, horse, dog or sheep (there were many at the stable), Sonny would attack with her teeth bared. She really seemed to enjoy being given permission to be mean. One time she chased the stable owner all the way into his office. If you were riding her & reached around to pinch her rump, she would buck until you fell off laughing. Sonny was just ornery enough to be a young girl's horse, & her young girls grew up to be just as ornery.

High Voltage, aka Watts, was a fiery black mare of unknown heritage. She was probably part Thoroughbred & looked like she had some Saddlebred in there as well. She was born mid to late 1950s. She was owned & ridden by a girl we called Crazy Lori. I don't know whether Watts was crazy because of her owner, or whether Lori was crazy from riding Watts. I can still occasionally here her screeching voice yell Wattsy from across the stable. Watts was probably the highest jumper at the stable, but she was also the most inconsistent. Some days she'd fly & others she'd send her rider through the fence without her. That horse could stop on a dime when she decided she didn't want to jump. She only had one speed & that was full out gallop. Riding her into a jump was always scary because you never knew if she'd take off or slide stop. Eventually Lori traded Watts to another girl at the stable. It was unfortunate because the other girl got the worse of the deal. One day the new owner of Watts, Jackie, was jumping & all was going well. Then Watts did her infamous slide stop in front of a brush jump (solid tree stumps encased in wood with branches out the top). Jackie hit the jump head first & was unconscious for a few minutes. My mom had Jackie lay down in our tackroom until the paramedics arrived. In the meantime, Mr Harris had someone come get me to ride Watts over that fence. He knew I'd get on her. I used the whip on that mare all the way into the fence, sitting my butt tight, waiting to see if we go over or through. I didn't much care which as long as I stayed on. At the last second Watts lifted off & we soared over the jump. She must have known that I wasn't going to let her stop even if it meant crashing that jump. Years later I was to wonder if Mr Harris thought I was also crazy. Why else would he have had me ride Watts that day?

Royal Hassan was a bright chestnut, trimmed in white, 1/2 arab gelding who was born mid 1960s. His owner was Leslie, better known around the stable as SockItToMe. Hassan was very pretty as he pranced & danced when SockItToMe rode him. He sailed over jumps with no effort & could compete with the much bigger Thoroughbreds. He always had his tail flagging over his back while he snorted his way around the arena. Hassan was very pretty to watch, but not always fun to ride. He was the spookiest horses at the stable & he was very good at leaping 10' sideways as he leaped just as high into the air. I know of at least 3 times that he spooked SockItToMe off bad enough that she was unconscious & the paramedics were called. Only once did she go to the hospital & that was only because she was still unconscious when she was lifted into the ambulance. It would be many years before I owned & learned that not all arabs are crazy.

I've never been fond of ponies & am still convinced they are not the mounts for children. There were many at the stable when I was young & almost all were as mean & ornery as they come. There was the appy Indian pony who ran away every time her owner got on. It didn't matter if she was saddled or bareback, she would run away for 3-4 laps of the arena before she would behave. There was a chestnut & white pinto pony who would buck everytime he was ridden. It would take 5-10 minutes before he'd behave. The black & white pony was a kicker. It didn't matter who or what walked by him, he'd kick. Most of the ponies were in a perpetual state of pinned ears & bared teeth. Ponies were, & still are, the scourge of the equine world in my opinion. To be fair though, I'm sure most of the problems were because adults were too big to break them & young girls had too much fun teasing them. Still I've never owned a pony &, dare I say it, never will.