Sad Stories....Happy Endings

If you have followed my blog for a while,

you will remember that two years ago (April 4th) Sid came to live on the farm.

Sid is Becky's thoroughbred (retired race horse) who was very thin

and very unhappy when he first came to the farm.

Now after two years, Sid is a beautiful, muscular, athletic horse

who is well loved and oh so happy.

Don't you just love a story with a happy ending?

Yesterday marked day "one" of a new story...

with hopefully the same happy ending.

Enter Powder (renamed Pete).

Pete is a 7 year old grey off-the-track thoroughbred that Becky just adopted (rescued).

She was called to see this horse who had a rather severe injury to his "manhood".

(I suggested that in light of this injury and his silly name (Powder)...

that she rename him Peter)

(By now you should know that I have a warped sense of humor!)

And so "Pete" it is!

But back to our story.

Pete was found to be in terrible shape.....

starving,

injured,

with terrible untrimmed, cracked hooves.

Bones sticking out all over....

the saddest horse EVER!

His injury alone would require hours of nursing care...

something his previous owners were ill equipped to perform...

and seemingly unmotivated as well....

not to mention the fact that the rest of him was in horrible shape.

Becky struck up a deal....refunding her Vet fees in return for taking the horse.

She calls Pete the "ultimate project horse".

We brought him home last night.

Trailering was a bit of a test...

 he was quite wary about entering the trailer.

Becky has infinite patience...

and so with a bit of time and coaxing she got him into the trailer;

and we transported him home.

Becky worked on his swollen "part"...

applying medication and massaging to help reduce swelling.

Meanwhile, I sewed him a mesh sling to provide elevation, 

while still allowing for elimination.

Pete has a long road ahead of him, but I know he will get there.

There is more than enough love and TLC here to help him along.

He is a sweet, gentle fellow with soft sparkly eyes...

and I cannot wait to see a happy horse in place of this skinny bag of bones!

I will give you progress reports as the days pass.

I can't end this post without saying that my heart is so very heavy.

Pete is a "hit you right between the eyes" sort of reminder that there are so many

neglected, unloved and abused animals in the world.

I don't understand the sort of people who can watch an animal starve to death.

As we packed Pete into the trailer I overheard the previous owners talking

 about their upcoming trip to Florida.....

Go figure.....

It makes me sadder than sad....

guess I'll go out to the barn

and hug my chubby horses!