Rescuing horses, what you can not see.

Thursday evening the phones go again from our regular helper. We know by now when he calls its because another horse urgently needs our help. We told him that since the sad stories of Aslan and Zingaro last month that we have space for another emergency case.

Within 3 days of telling him we have the space she arrived. Thursday night was the call and Friday morning she was here. We didn't even bother asking why she needed our help so urgently. We know by now to trust him. His judgement of horses in need is reliable and understanding of all situations involved. 

So as she arrived even we questioned why she was so urgent. She looks pretty well. We have certainly seen some loved pet horses in worse condition than her. As she stepped of the trailer and walk down the ramp to our lower finca we saw the first reason. Her lower legs. At first glance she seems to have ringbone or some other arthritic problem caused from who knows what?

The vet has yet to have a chance to come and investigate, confirm and diagnose. Due the a shortage of quality vets on the islands ours even visit other islands to keep horses healthy and in tip top condition. This is where they have been since her arrival. Fortunately now she is with us and with pain relief, space and proper food her case in no longer and emergency and she can wait until her appointment with our favorite vets.

Why so urgent when she looks so good?

Honestly we do not know the full story yet, as always we have to put information together from sources around the island who may know the horse in question. What is very refreshing is with this particular rescue is that she arrived very early on to us from her abandonment. Rather than having to fight starvation as well. On this occasion she only has to fight her medical problems rather than doing it from a already painful skinny condition. We are very happy that she came to us at the right time before she suffers unnecessarily. 

So far all we know is she had a consistent home for the majority of her life, we don't know what she was doing there, but we think just a hobby horse. Nothing major or competitive. For some reason she was sold on. Maybe due to the start of her medical issues or even from struggling owner funds since lock down. Every reason is possible. However it doesn't matter. What matters is she got into the wrong hands. By piecing together the story so far we think she was sold to a riding school as a jumping horse. Soon they found she was not up to the job and she ended in the disaster of a home that she was in prior to coming to us. We think our source forced her out, but we don't know and we don't ask. The politics, the stress, the welfare and the misery can be beyond difficult. But the good news is she only suffered for a very short time and was not forced to do things over her capabilities for long. 

What we have learnt is that what you see on the outside isn't often what happens on the inside. 

She may look well, but we don't know the extent of her physical and mental pain yet. Over time we hope she feels comfortable enough to tell us and let her guard down. Until then we will work with her slowly, help to rehab her feet, legs and her mind. She may look like she doesn't need the help as much as our other horses but please trust us that she does. She needs love, pain relief, medication, patience and sponsors as much as every other horse on our finca.

Sometimes the skinny ones just need food but the healthy looking ones have much more expensive and complicated problems to fix. So if you would like to sponsor her monthly you can via patreon.com  or through her personal page.