Success Stories

[Viki]

Here is Sonny. It's hard to tell with all the winter hair, but he had a body rating of ONE when the shipper carried him off the trailer. ONE! 10 months old and nearly starved to death! I started him on just about everything you can think of and my vet came the next day to check him out. I have a very caring vet and he was so shocked at Sonny's condition. He didn't think he'd live out the week. He did though! And below, here he is today! Rags to riches! He had a strong will to live and I had a strong will to make him live and thrive.

This is Rose. I bought her as a 3 yr old and you can see the shape she was in. She'd lost the DESIRE to eat! I tried everything you can think of to get her to eat. I finally started dissolving Calf Manna with Red Cell in it and actually syringed it into her mouth, several times a day. After a lot of dental care and LOTS of syringes, she began looking for food on her own. THAT was a wonderful day! Below is her today. She turned 20 this summer. She has had MANY wonderful foals for me.

I just wanted you all to see....you can bring one back and they can thrive again and be useful and happy.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Bless your heart Viki!! You absolutely saved these horses lives, and they are GORGEOUS!!!!!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I remember when you got Sonny. He is certainly a handsome fellow now! Thanks for the update.

 

[penny]

You did an awesome job with them...Both of them are really pretty! Love the shine on your mare too...

 

[Watcheye]

So happy to see the Appy colt again!! GREAT JOB

:yeah

:yeah Nice mare too!

 

[Becky]

I"ve had more starved horses come in here than I care to remember.

One was the dam of Viki's mare she pictured. Horrible condition. Still nursing a yearling filly when I got her. She also was very slow to come around and start eating. But she eventually did and went on to produce several really nice foals for me.

Another was a black pinto filly I bought a few years ago in TX. The seller didn't show me current pictures of her when I bought her. I went to TX to get her and was appalled at her condition. I brought her home as much to rescue her as anything else. She was very slow to come around as she didn't want to eat anything. I took her out on a lead multiple times a day to let her graze (it was winter and I had to keep her stalled) and it was grass that she would eat. She finally started eating the smorgasboard of food I had in her stall and never looked back after that. She turned into a beautiful mare!

I took in a little 29" gelding a few years ago in trade from a client. When he arrived here with the shipper, the shipper mentioned that he wasn't in very good shape. Winter time again and he had long hair. When I felt of him, OMG, it was a wonder he was still standing! Body score of 2 or less. He was probabaly the worst I had come in. Absolutely pathetic and it was a wonder he was still standing. When I asked the client about his condition, she said he was boarded at a well known trainers farm and the little gelding was running in the pasture with some Hackney mares and they all shared a round bale. It was obvious who was getting the hay! At least this little guy ate when he got here. He went on to become quite the show horse. Multiple wins in hunter and halter. AMHA World Top 10.

My latest is a horse that I had come in 4 weeks ago today. A 5 yr old stallion. With a body score of 2 - 3, the seller didn't think he was thin.

Back bone sticking up to look roach backed, every rib showing with no fat, ewe necked in appearance and huge pot belly. Pictures of this horse from May show a beautiful horse in great weight. It doesn't take long to starve one! I doubt this horse would have lived through the winter in the deteriorating condition he was in. Fortunately, he has eaten well from the day he arrived and with lots of alfalfa in front of him, he is coming along nicely. By next spring, he should be the beautiful horse he once was.

 

[Connie P]

Great job Vicki! That appy is looking wonderful. Kudos to all that help the horses in need!

This is one of my rescue stories. I have too many to mention here, but this one will always be very close to my heart

Miss Diamond came in at 35 years old severely starved (body score of 1, which is hard to see under her mounds of fur), lice ridden to the point of having open sores on her skin, not many teeth in her mouth, just an overall train wreck. I cried when she came in and I cried at every single milestone she made. Talk about a will to live - this mare had one. It took me many many months of very close hands on to get her better, but she made it and is still living a great life today at nearly 40 years old with her wonderful adoptive family in Oklahoma. The ONLY reason I let this mare go, is because I just knew she could not endure the harsh Michigan winters any longer and I put way to much blood, sweat and tears into getting her better to let her go downhill again struggling in winter.

Miss Diamond on her day of arrival

Diamond after her first bath 2 months later - take note at how thin she still was.

Diamond after about 4 months in recovery \

Diamond after 6 months of intense care. I was so proud of her and of myself for that matter.

Just because a horse is old doesn't mean they have to be a rack of bones. Diamond is living proof of that. I love this girl with all my heart. Although I miss her tremendously I know she is in THE BEST forever home now and that makes my heart sing.

 

[Charlotte]

Bless you! All of you. For taking in these mistreated animals and being willing to spend the time, money and work....not to mention the emotional stress of wondering every morning what you will find when you get to the barn.....to get them back in good health again.

Charlotte