FatPalomino
Dec. 28, 2008, 08:58 PM
A few months ago, I received a call from Cruz's owner, Jane, begging for help. In turn, I begged Colorado Horse Rescue to find room for Cruz, a 26 y.o. skinny mare which desperately needed help. Our very own 4Martini's transported Cruz several hundred miles. After The Finish Line sponsored much of Cruz's rehabilitation, and several COTHers made generous donations to help with Cruz's expensive rehabilitation.
Here's the whole story:
http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=170125&highlight=WannaCruz
Our vet was at CHR on Wednesday, and she said Cruz was *skinny* when she came in. And she doesn't use that word lightly. She said they kept a fly sheet on her for weeks so that no one driving by would call the authorities on the 'very skinny horse.' Here is Cruz before arriving at CHR:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/Cruz1.jpg
On Christmas Eve, I volunteered at Colorado Horse Rescue (www.chr.org), as they were short on volunteers due to the holiday. I fed Cruz, the 26 y.o. mare which was starving our on pasture while her owner sought refuge at a woman's shelter from domestic violence.
Cruz is several hundred pounds heavier now. She looks AMAZING for her age. She has a shinny coat and it is evident that she was well cared for in the past. The horse that eats next to her is also 26 y.o., but looks much more her age. She lives out with the geriatric horses, eating free choice hay and grain (beet pulp, alfalfa cubes, and grain) 3x a day.
She would rather not pull her head out of the feeder for the pictures ;)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/WannaCruz005.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/WannaCruz003.jpg
She pins her ears and acts quite feisty at feeding time (which I hope our TB's would do at her age).
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/WannaCruz004.jpg
The barn manager's own blanket... a Rambo Supreme.. is what she wears on cold windy nights.
(The pictures aren't the best... it was getting dark and it was feeding time. She looks 10x better in person).
Cruz in the geriatric field:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/WannaCruz007.jpg
None of us have heard from Jane, Cruz's old owner, since Cruz went to CHR. Today, I received a call from Jane. It was a rough holiday season for her, but she went down to see Cruz today. She was laughing and giggling on the phone... she was so thrilled to see Cruz doing better. She feels horrible that Cruz's had gotten so thin... but she acted quickly, sought help, and Cruz is doing wonderfully now.
I had emailed Jane the link to Cruz's story on COTH. She said "I could read all the wonderful things people said, but could not figure out how to write back. I'm just much better on the phone." She wanted me to relay the message that she is doing much better. She has a job (at Petco!) and is learning how to use a computer through work (although she admits, she should take a class at the library to learn email!). She found a lovely apartment... close to a park... which is quiet. She adores her own little place but says it is so odd living by herself... as she has never done that before. She mentioned her birthday in New Year's Eve and she will be 53.
I invited her to come out riding. This is the last week I have available before vet school will consume my life for another 16 weeks. I was glad to hear she had Friday off from work, as my husband is also hoping to take that day off. She says she's rusty in the saddle, so I promised her we would put her on our very steady-edy 23 y.o. standardbred gelding.
4Martini, Jane was asking how you were doing. Can you join us on Friday for some leisurely trail riding around the barn? is described by Jane as "a person that has made a lot of right choices in her life." 4Martini's, Jane giggled as she depicted you as a "thin, pretty, very innocent woman who has a fancy job and has some amazing stories about places traveled for work!" Jane says she feels so lucky that so many amazing people helped her through her journey.
Thank you all for your kind words, good thoughts, and support for Cruz. We couldn't have done it without you!
Here's the whole story:
http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=170125&highlight=WannaCruz
Our vet was at CHR on Wednesday, and she said Cruz was *skinny* when she came in. And she doesn't use that word lightly. She said they kept a fly sheet on her for weeks so that no one driving by would call the authorities on the 'very skinny horse.' Here is Cruz before arriving at CHR:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/Cruz1.jpg
On Christmas Eve, I volunteered at Colorado Horse Rescue (www.chr.org), as they were short on volunteers due to the holiday. I fed Cruz, the 26 y.o. mare which was starving our on pasture while her owner sought refuge at a woman's shelter from domestic violence.
Cruz is several hundred pounds heavier now. She looks AMAZING for her age. She has a shinny coat and it is evident that she was well cared for in the past. The horse that eats next to her is also 26 y.o., but looks much more her age. She lives out with the geriatric horses, eating free choice hay and grain (beet pulp, alfalfa cubes, and grain) 3x a day.
She would rather not pull her head out of the feeder for the pictures ;)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/WannaCruz005.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/WannaCruz003.jpg
She pins her ears and acts quite feisty at feeding time (which I hope our TB's would do at her age).
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/WannaCruz004.jpg
The barn manager's own blanket... a Rambo Supreme.. is what she wears on cold windy nights.
(The pictures aren't the best... it was getting dark and it was feeding time. She looks 10x better in person).
Cruz in the geriatric field:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/margpete/WannaCruz007.jpg
None of us have heard from Jane, Cruz's old owner, since Cruz went to CHR. Today, I received a call from Jane. It was a rough holiday season for her, but she went down to see Cruz today. She was laughing and giggling on the phone... she was so thrilled to see Cruz doing better. She feels horrible that Cruz's had gotten so thin... but she acted quickly, sought help, and Cruz is doing wonderfully now.
I had emailed Jane the link to Cruz's story on COTH. She said "I could read all the wonderful things people said, but could not figure out how to write back. I'm just much better on the phone." She wanted me to relay the message that she is doing much better. She has a job (at Petco!) and is learning how to use a computer through work (although she admits, she should take a class at the library to learn email!). She found a lovely apartment... close to a park... which is quiet. She adores her own little place but says it is so odd living by herself... as she has never done that before. She mentioned her birthday in New Year's Eve and she will be 53.
I invited her to come out riding. This is the last week I have available before vet school will consume my life for another 16 weeks. I was glad to hear she had Friday off from work, as my husband is also hoping to take that day off. She says she's rusty in the saddle, so I promised her we would put her on our very steady-edy 23 y.o. standardbred gelding.
4Martini, Jane was asking how you were doing. Can you join us on Friday for some leisurely trail riding around the barn? is described by Jane as "a person that has made a lot of right choices in her life." 4Martini's, Jane giggled as she depicted you as a "thin, pretty, very innocent woman who has a fancy job and has some amazing stories about places traveled for work!" Jane says she feels so lucky that so many amazing people helped her through her journey.
Thank you all for your kind words, good thoughts, and support for Cruz. We couldn't have done it without you!