Benji1
Well-Known Member
A Born Star, A true fighter!
Benji came to me almost without hope, but this is his story as seen through the eyes of those who spent time nurturing his beauty, and helping him reclaim his life. For what he has endured in his life, words are simply not enough.
To: Benji, you are a born star and a beautiful horse, thank you.
Since Benji came into my life 6 years ago I have discovered some truely awful things about his past owners and environment. He came to me damaged, broken and half dead. His naturally bay coat was virtually none existent and the extent of the physical abuse hit me the moment I saw him but it was the distrust and his volatile behaviour that made him almost unreachable at first. As with all the horses I've had, I take them as they are untill I learn more.
Benji had spent the first years of his life separated from his mother and all other horses and locked into a box not much bigger than him. The man who owned him didn't understand stable management or horse welfare. He had had the mare shot shortly after Benji's birth as he believe that was the "kindest way" kindest way too what? It's one of the many questions I have about Benji's past. When Benji reached breaking age he was forced to be handled in a violent manner and not understanding what was going on he lashed out which in turn was met with sharp cracks of the whip against his fragile skin that was neglected from the his already harrowing life.
During his early years Benji was not allowed contact with humans, or horses other than his owner. Shortly after Benji reached breaking age, he was rudely awakened to the harsh realities of what this meant for him, the whip which was constantly across his face, the kicks in the stomach when he couldnt stand up due to lack of food, and the force he was handled with, it got too much.
Unfortunately that is all I was ever able to find out about this beautiful animals past, but his recovery and strength that saw him through it all is outstanding.
First sight.
When the box pulled into the yard I knew something was wrong, it didnt even look like it could have made it half a mile down the road let alone the 27 miles it had just driven. I was shocked, if that was the box looked like, what on earth was inside it.
I was right to have been worried, he could hardly stand up on his own feet, his eyes now glossy were faded and dead, his coat almost didnt exist, and his bones were highly visible. There with 2 other of the girls, I cried. The first thought that came into my head, and I know Sophia was thinking the same Shall we put him to sleep now. At that point I wasnt even sure hed make it through the night but I had promised my friend I would try for her, but this was no longer about her, this was now about him.
Trying to get him out of the box was a near impossible task, not because of his physical health but because of his fear. In the end it took me and Sophia 4 hours to get him out of there and into his stable. I left him rest, there was nothing more that I could do for him until the vet had been to see him later in the day.
The vet came and saw Benji that afternoon, right there on that bleak and miserable winters day in the rain, and told me he would give me a week to try and work with him otherwise he would have to be put to sleep. I knew he was serious, a very dear friend of mine, and one whose opinion I have the up most respect for. That night I didnt go home, I didnt leave his side.
Benji was to be given medication/fluids every 4 hours for the next week in an attempt to build his strength up. I didnt sleep, I sat near the door in his stable on a bail of straw, he looked dead but his eyes kept me full of hope, I was not going to let this horse go without a fight!
By the next morning I was ready to start working on him, the vet had given me special feeding instructions that I followed to the absolute letter. I walked into his stable and slowly worked towards his face to attempt to tend to his wounds which needed cleaning daily. That was a fight I knew I had to win if there was any hope of getting him to trust me. I knew it would hurt him, but to leave them open and dirty would have been more negligent than his old owners actions.
I sat with him all day that day, talking to him, stroking his neck and untangling his mane, 12 hours in that stable and I only left once. Sophia brought me cups of tea every so often but even her presence seemed to unsettle him. I could hear the normal every day noise that is generated on a stable yard, but I paid no mind to it.
48 hours later, and he was different, physically he was still very ill but the glint was slowly but surely returning to his eyes, and I was delighted. The look in his eyes had gone from death to hope in only 2 days. Excited I rang the vet and explained the situation, and the vet agreed to come and review the situation and possibly give him some more treatment.
When the vet arrived I was curled up next to him on the stable floor, tears were in everybodys eyes, and we knew there and then that we had a survivor in our wake. The vet knew hed made the right decision letting me give him a chance, I knew the sleepless 48 hours had been worth it, Benji knew he was safe, and everyone else was over the moon.
The vet had a quick look at his wounds, and advised me to keep cleaning them and keep them covered to avoid infection, he administered an anti-inflammatory drug and some fluids, then left with a smile on his face and a hug for me. Later on I discovered hed also left me a pot noodle in the tack room, I hadnt even noticed that I hadnt eaten for two days.
You proved him wrong boy I said to Benji later on that day. Now that he was making progress and looking a little more alive, I knew without a shadow of doubt I had done the right thing keeping him alive, which I would do again for any animal in a heartbeat.
I managed to pick his sore feet out of dirt and lay some fresh straw down which with Benji barely moving was not an easy task.
He didnt move a muscle during the early days, he was still very weak and seeing him in such a state was truly horrendous. The vet was having to administer fluids into him via an IV, which I hated watching but it was the only way to get him better.
First steps
Id been sleeping on the yard for 16 days when Benji first stood up properly, I was exhausted but he was rested and ready to stand, it was like watching a new born foal find his feet, but he did it. I sobbed so hard watching him fight to keep his balance, but I sobbed with relief when he finally managed it.
He stood for well over an hour before needing to rest, and I wish Id had a camera with me to show the vet but I didnt, I did however photo graph those images in my head.
He was defying the odds against him and beating his past, at the same time having to fight with all his strength for his present, and his future.
I'll never forget the day I woke up to find up stood of his own accord in his stable with his head over the door, I had him at the yard 23 days and he had gone from strength to strength. What was once a half dead horse, was now alive again.
For the first time I saw the old wounds, and the ones that were still healing close up, and I was shocked. I guess in my naivety I had blanked out how serious it was, but now I saw, and I very quickly realised just how close he had come to death.
23 days after his arrival and I got to brush his mane out properly, I didn't touch his body simply because it was still too sore. Even with all of the scars, he was a beautiful looking animal, in every respect...
Benji came to me almost without hope, but this is his story as seen through the eyes of those who spent time nurturing his beauty, and helping him reclaim his life. For what he has endured in his life, words are simply not enough.
To: Benji, you are a born star and a beautiful horse, thank you.
Since Benji came into my life 6 years ago I have discovered some truely awful things about his past owners and environment. He came to me damaged, broken and half dead. His naturally bay coat was virtually none existent and the extent of the physical abuse hit me the moment I saw him but it was the distrust and his volatile behaviour that made him almost unreachable at first. As with all the horses I've had, I take them as they are untill I learn more.
Benji had spent the first years of his life separated from his mother and all other horses and locked into a box not much bigger than him. The man who owned him didn't understand stable management or horse welfare. He had had the mare shot shortly after Benji's birth as he believe that was the "kindest way" kindest way too what? It's one of the many questions I have about Benji's past. When Benji reached breaking age he was forced to be handled in a violent manner and not understanding what was going on he lashed out which in turn was met with sharp cracks of the whip against his fragile skin that was neglected from the his already harrowing life.
During his early years Benji was not allowed contact with humans, or horses other than his owner. Shortly after Benji reached breaking age, he was rudely awakened to the harsh realities of what this meant for him, the whip which was constantly across his face, the kicks in the stomach when he couldnt stand up due to lack of food, and the force he was handled with, it got too much.
Unfortunately that is all I was ever able to find out about this beautiful animals past, but his recovery and strength that saw him through it all is outstanding.
First sight.
When the box pulled into the yard I knew something was wrong, it didnt even look like it could have made it half a mile down the road let alone the 27 miles it had just driven. I was shocked, if that was the box looked like, what on earth was inside it.
I was right to have been worried, he could hardly stand up on his own feet, his eyes now glossy were faded and dead, his coat almost didnt exist, and his bones were highly visible. There with 2 other of the girls, I cried. The first thought that came into my head, and I know Sophia was thinking the same Shall we put him to sleep now. At that point I wasnt even sure hed make it through the night but I had promised my friend I would try for her, but this was no longer about her, this was now about him.
Trying to get him out of the box was a near impossible task, not because of his physical health but because of his fear. In the end it took me and Sophia 4 hours to get him out of there and into his stable. I left him rest, there was nothing more that I could do for him until the vet had been to see him later in the day.
The vet came and saw Benji that afternoon, right there on that bleak and miserable winters day in the rain, and told me he would give me a week to try and work with him otherwise he would have to be put to sleep. I knew he was serious, a very dear friend of mine, and one whose opinion I have the up most respect for. That night I didnt go home, I didnt leave his side.
Benji was to be given medication/fluids every 4 hours for the next week in an attempt to build his strength up. I didnt sleep, I sat near the door in his stable on a bail of straw, he looked dead but his eyes kept me full of hope, I was not going to let this horse go without a fight!
By the next morning I was ready to start working on him, the vet had given me special feeding instructions that I followed to the absolute letter. I walked into his stable and slowly worked towards his face to attempt to tend to his wounds which needed cleaning daily. That was a fight I knew I had to win if there was any hope of getting him to trust me. I knew it would hurt him, but to leave them open and dirty would have been more negligent than his old owners actions.
I sat with him all day that day, talking to him, stroking his neck and untangling his mane, 12 hours in that stable and I only left once. Sophia brought me cups of tea every so often but even her presence seemed to unsettle him. I could hear the normal every day noise that is generated on a stable yard, but I paid no mind to it.
48 hours later, and he was different, physically he was still very ill but the glint was slowly but surely returning to his eyes, and I was delighted. The look in his eyes had gone from death to hope in only 2 days. Excited I rang the vet and explained the situation, and the vet agreed to come and review the situation and possibly give him some more treatment.
When the vet arrived I was curled up next to him on the stable floor, tears were in everybodys eyes, and we knew there and then that we had a survivor in our wake. The vet knew hed made the right decision letting me give him a chance, I knew the sleepless 48 hours had been worth it, Benji knew he was safe, and everyone else was over the moon.
The vet had a quick look at his wounds, and advised me to keep cleaning them and keep them covered to avoid infection, he administered an anti-inflammatory drug and some fluids, then left with a smile on his face and a hug for me. Later on I discovered hed also left me a pot noodle in the tack room, I hadnt even noticed that I hadnt eaten for two days.
You proved him wrong boy I said to Benji later on that day. Now that he was making progress and looking a little more alive, I knew without a shadow of doubt I had done the right thing keeping him alive, which I would do again for any animal in a heartbeat.
I managed to pick his sore feet out of dirt and lay some fresh straw down which with Benji barely moving was not an easy task.
He didnt move a muscle during the early days, he was still very weak and seeing him in such a state was truly horrendous. The vet was having to administer fluids into him via an IV, which I hated watching but it was the only way to get him better.
First steps
Id been sleeping on the yard for 16 days when Benji first stood up properly, I was exhausted but he was rested and ready to stand, it was like watching a new born foal find his feet, but he did it. I sobbed so hard watching him fight to keep his balance, but I sobbed with relief when he finally managed it.
He stood for well over an hour before needing to rest, and I wish Id had a camera with me to show the vet but I didnt, I did however photo graph those images in my head.
He was defying the odds against him and beating his past, at the same time having to fight with all his strength for his present, and his future.
I'll never forget the day I woke up to find up stood of his own accord in his stable with his head over the door, I had him at the yard 23 days and he had gone from strength to strength. What was once a half dead horse, was now alive again.
For the first time I saw the old wounds, and the ones that were still healing close up, and I was shocked. I guess in my naivety I had blanked out how serious it was, but now I saw, and I very quickly realised just how close he had come to death.
23 days after his arrival and I got to brush his mane out properly, I didn't touch his body simply because it was still too sore. Even with all of the scars, he was a beautiful looking animal, in every respect...
. It's amazing that the horses ever lurn to trust again.