What did I do??? Newest Rescue [Archive]

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aspenlucas

Mar. 12, 2009, 11:37 AM

So yesterday on AC4H page, I was told about the cutest little pony for my 2 1/2 year old daughter. In the process I clicked on this:
http://s535.photobucket.com/albums/ee359/aspenlucas/?action=view&current=TianaFront.jpg
My heart sank...something about her face, and maybe the $100 price tag on her. Financially this is a bad bad decision for me. I have the money to buy the grain and hay but was downsizing and doing quite well at it, but there was something that kept me coming back to her. I asked if I took the pony and her if I could have a break and they took $50 off the pony. So today at 4 I am going to pick up my newest addition. Tiana I am going to call her. I think that is a pretty princess like name that suits her. She looks so loving. They said she is skinny but not "i'm going to die tomorrow" skinny. So I will slowly get her back to speed with senior foot and beet pulp. SLOWLY I know. My plan is 4 small meals to start and just rest and love. We have a quarantine stall ready for her. Poor mare. What was I thinking, this is such a bad thing to do. I really don't need another horse. BUt I figure maybe in a month I can find someone suitable to take over. I am hoping the people I rent the barn from will be interested, they need a quiet, almost dead horse, as they are beginners. That would be great as I could keep an eye on her. I'm almost thinking long term free lease?
More pictures:
http://s535.photobucket.com/albums/ee359/aspenlucas/?action=view&current=TianaFace.jpg
http://s535.photobucket.com/albums/ee359/aspenlucas/?action=view&current=TianaSide.jpg
http://s535.photobucket.com/albums/ee359/aspenlucas/?action=view&current=TianaHind.jpg
http://s535.photobucket.com/albums/ee359/aspenlucas/?action=view&current=TianaRide.jpg

Daatje

Mar. 12, 2009, 11:46 AM

Good for you! I wish I had the fortitude to get another......I just can't rationalize the financial side of it.

The Appaloosa colt on there right now for $350.00 is calling to me....hard.

Must. Not. Look.

Lieslot

Mar. 12, 2009, 11:48 AM

Ohhh, beautiful sweet facey!
Well done and thank you for giving this mare a home. :)
Please follow up with more pictures.
I love feel good stories & pics.

DeeThbd

Mar. 12, 2009, 12:03 PM

What a swan she is going to be......you chose well. Something about her eye and face remind me of my darling little mare, who was one of the best teachers I've ever had.
Bravo, Maria.
Dee

webmistress32

Mar. 12, 2009, 12:15 PM

I too brought in a rescue with no business doing so, too many already!

but I did and she's so sweet - always the first to nicker to me morning and night.

I also hope to find a home for my rescue once she's well enough.

good for you, she looks sooooooo sweet!

meaty ogre

Mar. 12, 2009, 12:46 PM

"What did I do?" sounds very familiar. In fact it was my first lamentation the morning after I came home from NH with my 2 rescues. I was just going to pick up the one, but then they showed me this skeleton of a horse, and well, I just can't have that. I'm married to a feed dealer for pity's sake. Didn't need him or have a use for him but that didn't matter. Even if you can only give her a couple of months, that's still at least a reprieve from a possibly bad fate and a good shot at finding a good home. Best of luck, and can I suggest plenty of alfalfa? I know a little about refeeding syndrome and studies have shown it's one of the best ways to bring a horse back.

Oh, and what about pictures of the pony? :)

Carolinadreamin'

Mar. 12, 2009, 01:04 PM

She does have a sweet look about her. I must say that when I saw the pictures of her under saddle, I was thinking, "ouch". So skinny.

DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"

Mar. 12, 2009, 01:06 PM

Maria - your story made me BEAM. Bless you.

SUECLOUDY

Mar. 12, 2009, 01:16 PM

Maria
Bless you, there is a special place for you in heaven. Please keep us posted and updated.
Sometimes these rescues will surprise you and give you so much in return. I am so happy to hear about people that find it in their hearts (and pocket books) to do this.

JohnDeere

Mar. 12, 2009, 01:31 PM

What did you do?

You saved a life, made a friend and made a difference. Pat yourself on the back honey.

No shes not going to dye tomorrow but shes not going to live much longer either.

cu.at.x

Mar. 12, 2009, 04:14 PM

Man, takes some kind of neglect to get a pony THAT skinny. :( Kudos to you for rescuing her.

aspenlucas

Mar. 12, 2009, 11:24 PM

Well she is not home yet. I left to get her today and got in an accident on the way there. Trailer was empty. Two year old daughter slept through it and five year old daughter woke up and said "did we get the horses yet". My truck had a diesel leak that is being fixed 1 mile from the accident, then I'll get it and have to get it fixed soon enough, but it's drivable. Ugh...I just wanted to get her home. Now the rescue can't get me in til Monday or Tuesday and I have to pay $10 a day board, they probably aren't feeding her very good food. :(

Ambrey

Mar. 12, 2009, 11:38 PM

Think of the life she'll have now because of you! Every bit of love you and your daughters give her is love she never would have gotten without you and AC4H.

Cherry

Mar. 13, 2009, 05:07 AM

Aspenlucas, as thin as this mare is I would advise not feeding it Senior food right away and just stick to alfalfa hay. Feeding her horse feed in the condition she is in could cause her internal organs to shut down which could kill the horse! :eek: :yes: It's called refeeding syndrome and is addressed in this article: https://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12086 .

Small meals of alfalfa hay throughout the day is recommended for bringing back a starved horse. The magnesium and calcium in the alfalfa hay help to restore the electrolytes in the horse's system. Fresh water cannot be stressed enough, along with a salt lick.

She looks like a nice mare! I can see why you fell for her.... :yes:

DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"

Mar. 13, 2009, 10:38 AM

Sorry about the accident!!!! But glad everyone is okay.

Monday will come soon. And the new ponies will be so happy with you.

aspenlucas

Mar. 13, 2009, 01:18 PM

Bluey

Mar. 13, 2009, 01:42 PM

What we do, from the CA Davis research on refeeding, that our vets follows, is to right off check teeth and possible mouth ulcers, that keep a horse from being able to eat well, along with pulling blood to be sure all else is working fine.
Once that is addressed, several times a day small alfalfa feedings, with mouth rinses of baking soda if ulcerated, someone told me they use Mylanta for that, for a week to ten days and then, if you are not having any other problems showing up, you can start adding some grain, we have been using senior pellets the last years and maybe in two or three weeks start deworming.

We have had some mid twenty horses, so weak they were falling down when trying to turn come on and be fine shortly, if nothing else was wrong with them.

She is evidently strong enough now to carry that fellow around.

msrobin

Mar. 13, 2009, 02:40 PM

She is just adorable. Thanks for saving her life.

TKR

Mar. 13, 2009, 05:26 PM

aspenlucas

Mar. 13, 2009, 10:41 PM

Thank God for your compassion and that of many other posters! I don't think it's ever a matter of one of us "needing" another mouth to feed -- but they need the help, so you have to jump in! Did that big dumb dude riding that pathetic creature give any explanation for her condition?
PennyG

The man riding her was a rider that helps AC4H with the videos. When AC4H saw her, I was told, the broker said they were going to shoot her. My thought is she didn't bring anything for meat? So what else can they do? They thought she was sweet and decided to try her under saddle. At first I thought that was pretty rough to do to her, but the more I thought if she was just a skinny mare, I probably wouldn't have given her a second thought in hand. Seeing the pictures of her under saddle, her kind eye, willing attitude, well that just did it for me. I emailed immediately about her. So I think that 3 minute ride was worth it for her. Let's hope she is as sweet as she looks and the refeeding goes well. Plans are for her delivery Monday now. :) I am excited to meet her as are a lot of other people!

Ambrey

Mar. 13, 2009, 11:04 PM

Those videos can look a little rough if you don't realize that AC4H's "rough" treatment (putting one of those big, brave guys on some skinny beasts with no understanding of their background) is what gets those horses seen by people like you, who then fall in love with them and give them happy, loving homes.

Super fair trade I think.

certifiedgirl

Mar. 14, 2009, 12:59 AM

She's going to look like a different horse after a few months of good care, congratulations on your new girl- I think she looks like a total sweetheart!

twinkle

Mar. 15, 2009, 10:48 AM

Bless you. You are a good soul. Tiana is a beautiful name for this special mare. I bet that she will bring alot of love into your lives.

Buffyblue

Mar. 15, 2009, 11:27 AM

She's just lovely! Her face reminds me of my Buttercup who lived to be about 38 and was the most amazing horse ever. I got her from a riding school that was closing down when she was about 31, also thin but not quite as thin as your girl. She later was often referred to as "Butterball" instead of "Buttercup"! LOL! Good luck and have a safe trip on Monday!

pAin't_Misbehavin'

Mar. 15, 2009, 02:39 PM

Oh, my. What a beautiful lady she is. I bet she was someone's pride and joy once - and thanks to you I bet she will be again.:cool: I can't wait to see pics of her in her new home.

anonymoustip

Mar. 16, 2009, 01:22 PM

Any updates AspenLucas? I'm so excited for her arrival.

aspenlucas

Mar. 17, 2009, 12:24 PM

Yes she arrived last night. It was a long day for the hauler but not for Tiana. :) She is settled into the big stall in the lower barn, she is alone but it has an overhang and she can see out. We are doing this to make sure she is quarantined til we make sure she has not contagious diseases. Her eyes are so bright! She has not given up on life. She is skinny but I'm sure she could be worse. Her feet need trimmed, but all in all she looks pretty good. As the broker was feeding her hay. I have started her on hay and then three very small meals of senior and probios. She has a "used" udder. My guess looking at her is that she had a foal last year and was allowed to be run down. She loves people, she loves kids. Her teeth make her look around 14 and she seems to chew just fine. I am excited for her progress and I will definitely get pictures tonight. My quote of the day is "I can't save every rescue, but yesterday life changed for just one". And though I was upset with thinking of the money I was spending. I got word last night that someone was committing to buy a yearling. So God is watching out for me and telling me I did the right thing for Tiana! I got my daughter's pony also. He's 10.1 hairy beast with feathers and thin with crappy feet (snowshoes almost). Their feet are almost like cardboard. :( Good feed and trimming will turn that around! Thanks for asking! I can't wait to take some nice head shots of her, her head is remarkable! And the eye~

Skeezix

Mar. 17, 2009, 12:33 PM

We will be looking forward to pictures :)

Ambrey

Mar. 17, 2009, 12:36 PM

We will be looking forward to pictures :)

:yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:

PolarPony

Mar. 17, 2009, 02:20 PM

Good luck with her :yes:

anonymoustip

Mar. 17, 2009, 03:19 PM

Thanks for the update AspenLucas!

Please post photos of both of them when you get some time! I am also so glad to hear that her eyes are bright and full of life!

kraslad

Mar. 17, 2009, 05:20 PM

Oh, she does look very sweet - and thank you so much for sharing some good news, it is so much needed these days! (I am sorry about your accident and hope it is only minor).

Would love to see pix when you get her home - with a face like hers, I'm sure we'll all be glad to see the relief in her eyes to have been given a real chance. Thank you!

P.S. I posted once before about the supplement Cool Calories which really worked on my horse when he lost a bunch of weight. It adds calories without adding energy - you may want to check it out and talk to your vet to see if it seems appropriate. I've had GREAT luck with it.