Carol Nelson
06-28-2006, 07:39 PM
"Saving the life of one animal may not change the world, but the world will surely change for that one animal"
A beautiful, dark bay QH mare came down our drive yesterday morning at feeding, obviously in heat and obviously looking for our stallions. She had a nasty cut on her back fetlock that had a softball size clump of proudflesh hanging from it. The whole joint was extremely swollen. This was an injury this mare had had probably for several weeks, perhaps even months...there was a partially healed cut on one front fetlock also. Probably cuts from wire fencing. Because we are a breeding establishment we did not want to bring her onto the place, but put her in a cattle holding pen at the end of our lane.
After searching for the owners, we finally were told that she belonged to some people in a trailer kind of down in the brush, halfway as you drive down Molasses Road. We were told that this wasn't the first time she had gotten out...it had happened numerous times. We went over and left a note on the door of the trailer telling we had found the mare and where she was and our phone number. There were unfed dogs laying around the trailer, a litter of kittens on the porch, the place was in a shambles with junk cars sitting around, and a makeshift pen was set up with two strands of electric wire for the horse. There was no hay apparent for this horse, and there was a pail of water but it was half under the wire fence so that the mare would get shocked if she took a drink of water.
In a 24 hour period we had no calls, no people came by looking for her, nor did the mare get picked up and taken home. So this morning, instead of calling the sheriff, I decided to call a woman who has an equine rescue. She came right over and looked at the mare and went with us back over to the trailer and this time left her own note...saying as much as if they did not claim the mare in 72 hrs. they would have to go to court to get her back, and they would be responsible for all the vet bills and cares for the horse while at the rescue, plus pay for current vaccinations, and Coggins on the mare. If they don't do so within 30 days, the mare becomes the property of the rescue. Then once healed, she will be either adopted out or kept for their therapy work with children with cancer.
So we left the note, went back, loaded up some hay and grain I donated to the rescue, and then Coleen borrowed our horse trailer, and we helped her load up the mare, and off they went to the vet to treat the proudflesh. I think this mare's life just dramatically changed here in a heartbeat today...she seemed to know that we were all there to help her.
A beautiful, dark bay QH mare came down our drive yesterday morning at feeding, obviously in heat and obviously looking for our stallions. She had a nasty cut on her back fetlock that had a softball size clump of proudflesh hanging from it. The whole joint was extremely swollen. This was an injury this mare had had probably for several weeks, perhaps even months...there was a partially healed cut on one front fetlock also. Probably cuts from wire fencing. Because we are a breeding establishment we did not want to bring her onto the place, but put her in a cattle holding pen at the end of our lane.
After searching for the owners, we finally were told that she belonged to some people in a trailer kind of down in the brush, halfway as you drive down Molasses Road. We were told that this wasn't the first time she had gotten out...it had happened numerous times. We went over and left a note on the door of the trailer telling we had found the mare and where she was and our phone number. There were unfed dogs laying around the trailer, a litter of kittens on the porch, the place was in a shambles with junk cars sitting around, and a makeshift pen was set up with two strands of electric wire for the horse. There was no hay apparent for this horse, and there was a pail of water but it was half under the wire fence so that the mare would get shocked if she took a drink of water.
In a 24 hour period we had no calls, no people came by looking for her, nor did the mare get picked up and taken home. So this morning, instead of calling the sheriff, I decided to call a woman who has an equine rescue. She came right over and looked at the mare and went with us back over to the trailer and this time left her own note...saying as much as if they did not claim the mare in 72 hrs. they would have to go to court to get her back, and they would be responsible for all the vet bills and cares for the horse while at the rescue, plus pay for current vaccinations, and Coggins on the mare. If they don't do so within 30 days, the mare becomes the property of the rescue. Then once healed, she will be either adopted out or kept for their therapy work with children with cancer.
So we left the note, went back, loaded up some hay and grain I donated to the rescue, and then Coleen borrowed our horse trailer, and we helped her load up the mare, and off they went to the vet to treat the proudflesh. I think this mare's life just dramatically changed here in a heartbeat today...she seemed to know that we were all there to help her.