Does anyone have a rescue horse?

[pocket]

Does anyone have a rescue horse? If so whats their story?

<u>Ralphs story</u>

At my old yard, we always had RSPCA rescues, from pigs/over weight sheep and of course horses. Over the years, we treated many, some made it through to be re homed and unfortunately, some had to be put to sleep as they were too ill to save.

Ralph came to us approx 9 years ago. He had been found wandering on the Moore's with a head collar embedded into his face. He was at the most a yearling. At the time of his rescue the BBC was following the RSPCA officer whilst filming Animal Hospital.

He was not going to give up and be caught he gave the vets and the RSPCA a run for their money. Eventually a vet was brought in who could dart a wild animal and after a few attempts, Ralph was darted and caught.

Ralph was in a poor condition and the skin had grown over the head collar, it was so bad, it needed to be surgically removed, leaving bare bone. After much love and attention Ralph healed and you would never know that he had scars unless they are pointed out to you.

I did not take over ownership of Ralph until he was 4, but have seen him everyday since he came to our yard. He is now a beautiful big, proud horse that I love and adore.

Tell me about your horses

 

[serena2005]

well, my boys stories arent as bad as poor Ralphs, but here goes.....

Zeus: we brought as an 18mth colt, he had been locked in his stable ever since he had been seperated from his mum, very little water and no food, when we got her and tried to turn him out he didnt even know what mud was and refused to walk in it.

hes still a bit of a loaner but he is getting attached to the poines now, hes now 14 and had taught me everything i know, and loads of other childeren! hes perfect and i love him forever!

Chance: turned up at the yard skin and bones and a foal. someone had been to southall market and picked him up for £50, we ended up taking him on and he turned in to a cheeky little welsh pony, but fantastic trust in people (surprising coming from that market) but he didnt like men.
not sure where he is now, owner took him back when he was 6 and i havent heard anything since, i miss him so much.

 

[scrat]

My daughters mare was "rescued" by a local riding school owner before she owned her. Apparently she was a toast rack with a foal at foot. She was covered in filth and it took ages to clean all the dirt from her coat. They weaned the foal and the mare recovered. We believe she came from Southall and was probably destined for meat. She is such a kind creature with a big character.Despite her treatment she has no malice in her and we love her to bits! She has been with us for seven years and will have a home for life. I wonder somtimes if she remembers her past life??

 

[Happytohack]

I am sure I remember Ralph - his story touched many people's hearts. I am so please he is doing so well. My 3 year old was an unexpected foal. We bought her mum, a gypsy cob, not knowing she was in foal. Sadly, the mare died shortly after having Tilly, so I have hand reared her. My old pony gelding adopted her and taught her to be a horse rather than a human. Tilly is much loved and a big part of our family.

 

[Ginn]

<u>Here's my girlie's story (taken from my blog)</u>

Sadly, her breeder (home number 1) died when she was a weanling so she was sent to the Colmer stud (home number 2) to be sold (as that is where her dad stands). She was then sold to a woman (home number 3) up here in Gloucestershire but she clearly had no idea what was involved with such a young horse leaving poor Tilly rather neglected. She was turned out with a couple of shod geldings and the consequence was that she got really, really badly kicked - some wounds are still healing over 10 months later! and she was really badly malnurised and resembled a 40 yr old underfed hat rack.

Friends of mine were at the livery yard where she was kept looking at a horse belonging to one of there friends when they spotted her. She was very weak and her legs were filthy, covered cuts and kick wounds complete with proud flesh, rotton skin and oozing nasty yellow pus. One wound was so deep you could see the bone. (These ones are still slowly healing!) They voiced their concerns her owner who admited that she didnt know what to do and that buying her was a mistake but having spent a lot of money on her couldnt afford to let her go! They discussed figures, boxed her up and took her home to their yard that very day, (home number 4).

Once home with them she was immediatly examined by their vet and a treatment plan was drawn up involving a course of antibiotics, appropriatly treating and dressing her wounds and having samples taken from the exposed bones to check that there was no infection present in the bones themselves. They devised a feed programme to slowly improve her condition and slowly got her back on her feet. After about 2 months box rest she was given the all-clear to have a few hours turnout a day and she was looking much better. After much consideration and due to a shortage of stables on their yard, (they required another "ridable" horse (Tilly was only 15 months old) and had a mare (who was also rescued) in foal with another foal at foot), they offered her to me knowing I was looking for something I could grow with and wrap up in cotton wool.

They kept her for another month until she was almost back to full health and then she came to me mid sept 05 (home number 5). So very long story! But I really wouldnt be without her and I love her to bits - even when she has her "moments!", and im just so proud of how well she's done and continuing to do, I really cant put it into words! She has had such an awful start to life I really hope to give her the very best future.

 

[kateknights]

Hi Pocket, Ralph sounds lovely, don't forget to post some piccies of him, poor little thing, thank goodness you took him on...
Kate x.

 

[Bananaman]

I have my dear Henry, aka ILPH Helenos.

He was gifted in to the ILPH when he had gone lame and despite all the tests that were available, nothing pinpointed the problem nor helped at all.
His then owner couldn't keep him as a pet so after claiming loss of use through her insurance company, gifted him to the ILPH.
They accepted him as he was going to be PTS otherwise and as it was reputed that at some time in his career he'd cost a whopping six figures

, decided to see if they could help.
Two years later he came sound, they never did know exactly what the problem was, although he is shod with a wedge on one front foot as there was one theory that he may have one front leg shorter than another

.
I am fortunate in that I have the same farrier as the ILPH, he told me about this dressage horse there and might I be interested?

The rest, as they say, is history!

Henry is a dear, sweet horse. He has been with me for three years now.
I traced as much history as I could and he has been in Denmark, Germany and Sweden as well as the UK!
He'd only competed in two Medium and one Advanced Medium test in the UK before he went lame, but after building up his fitness again we started at Medium, then went on through the levels to PSG and are planning on doing our first Inter 1 shortly.

I am SO lucky to have him. He hacks and jumps too and is just such a nice person.

Touching wood, there has been no recurrence of his old problems although his lateral work in trot can be quite tight and I wonder if that is a throwback to his past

 

[pocket]

Thank you all for your stories. It is so nice to know that even though some horses have such a bad start in life, they can find love, happiness and security eventually.

It is also proof that in the right hands even with such bad starts, they can come right. Horses are such forgiving animals and a true gift to us.

I also think that it is important for others to hear stories such as these, especially when people have given up on an animal and felt that they are no longer valuable or workable. With time love and a little understanding horses do come right, there is not always a quick fix, but as you can see from Henry's story, the wait was truely worth it and a credit to his mum, well done and good luck for the future you really deserve to do well xxxxx