Horse Rescue

June 01, 2008

CLOUD 9

HORSE CARE AND EQUINE MASSAGE

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Horse Rescue

Below are pictures of Karisha, a rescue Easter long weekend 2008 ~ 25 year old 16 3 hands Arab/Saddlebred mare. Unfortunate circumstances for this gorgeous girl landed her in my lap. Lucky for her!

She was weighed in at 800 lbs. (should have been around 1300 lbs.) when she came here and on May 7, she weighed 985 lbs. About 250 lbs more to go plus muscle.

Karisha was lucky she was taken in by the lady where I am living. Between the excellent food provided her and my hand walking up and down quite a steep hill, grooming and massage treatment, Karisha is looking awesome.

I tried to get on her May 7, and her hindquarters buckled when I stood in the stirrup on her left side. She needs at least another month or two before I try to get on her once again. Her back is just too weak.

She has a lot of gas but has now been put on Probiotics. The probiotics will help with the friendly bacteria in her intestines and help with bloating etc.

I personally take probiotics and they certainly have helped me with my hind gut problems.

The pictures are a little dark but if you look at her face in the top 3 pictures, the one at the end of the row shows how concave her nose is. No fat on her anywhere.

The pictures don't show how emaciated she was but believe me it was not good.

I hand walk Karisha down and up (once) quite a steep hill near my cottage.

I alternate this with lunge work doing walk, trot and canter. The transition work will help her to start collecting and strengthen her abdominal muscles thereby strengthening her back.

Along with above, I do "tummy tickles" so she raises her back up and hold it for 10 seconds or so.

May 12 - I took her down and up the hill, almost to the bottom. She was very happy and eager in her walk.

Her eyes are soft and interested. Her coat is soft, silky and shiny.

Will update this page as Karisha progresses. Please stop by and take another look at this most beautiful girl. The horse's spirit uplifts me. I enjoy every minute I am with her.

Weight Karisha June 23, she is about 1000 lbs. This was taken with the weight tape so may not be totally accurate. She could weigh more for all I know. But at least it is better than 800 lbs!!.

Pictures above were taken April 11, 2008 ~ 2 weeks AFTER.

Pictures above were taken May 3, 2008 ~ 6 weeks AFTER.

Pictures above were taken May 8, 2008 ~ 7 weeks AFTER.

Pictures above were taken June 25, 2008. She looked

better on May 8, when I was hand walking her up and down hills.

Speaking about rescues, the email below was sent to me from my cousin in Kelowna. Enjoy!!

Like I have said before, my animals have always taught me more than any school or any other person on earth.

The Fantastic Pony

Meet Molly. She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana, USA . She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.

But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.

'This was the right horse and the right owner,' Moore insists.

Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana. The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg. The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports. And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too.' And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. 'It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse', she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it.

'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life', Moore said, 'She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others.'

'She's not back to normal,' Barca concluded, 'but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself.'

Molly most recent prosthesis has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind!

MOLLY

OF New Orleans

Cloud 9 Horse Care

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