Phoenix

age: yearling
sex: gelding
breed: Saddlebred
color: palomino with star, strip and 4 white feet
height:

Seized by King County Animal Control on Feb 23, 2008
Status: Available for Adoption

Located in Monroe, WA
Adoption Fee: $500

Phoenix is one of 10 horses seized from a Carnation farm, and taken in by SAFE. Phoenix was removed from the property a day prior to the seizure as Dr. Evergreen felt that he might not last even another 24 hours at the farm if he did not receive immediate medical attention. He was anemic, lethargic and weak, and his body temperature was dangerously low. This little colt had a Body Condition Score of 1.5 on a scale of 1-9, and like the others, had rain rot, overgrown feet, internal parasites, and such a severe lice infestation that it appeared that his skin was moving. Phoenix was completely unhandled when seized but in his extremely weakened state was relatively easy to handle. He now leads, picks up his feet, and is quite well behaved.

Phoenix was discharged from Pilchuck Equine Hospital on Feb 25, but he was still far from out of the woods. He was still quite weak and depressed and would lie down for long periods of time, sometimes having trouble finding the strength to rise. He had trouble maintaining a normal body temperature as well. He had less of a distended belly than Kokomo or Sinatra, so it was easier to see how truly emaciated this little colt was. His sheath was swollen and his protein levels were very low, likely due to the massive parasite infestation in his body. He did however, eat and pass manure normally, and greeted us with a whinny at feeding time, so we were very hopeful that he would, true to his name, rise from the ashes and be born anew.

Update (2/27/08):
Phoenix had a mostly good day today. He was up and whinnying for his food this morning and ate very well today. He even was up for a few photos today when the Seattle Times photographer came, and enjoyed his first grass time today, which he liked so much he was pretty sure he didn't want to go back in his stall. However, the day took a toll on him and by late afternoon he was lying down again looking wiped. When Dr. Hannah stopped in to visit him today, his tempature had once again dropped, this time down in the 96 range, so we have added a second blanket on him to give him more help on keeping his body temperature up. He's eating, drinking, and passing manure, but he's still quite depressed and lethargic. Please, continue thinking good thoughts for Phoenix! He is still not out of the woods.

Update (2/29/08):
Phoenix is doing very well! He got quite a bit of grass time yesterday with the other two colts, and I think the social time and the grass really perked him up quite a bit. He was able to go without his blankets for a while yesterday, and the great news is that when his temperature was checked, it was normal for the first time! He was still pretty wiped out when he went back to his stall and proceeded to lie down for a long nap, and he is still so weak that I could push him over if I tried, but I am finally hopeful that this little one is going to pull through.

Update (3/3/08):
Phoenix continues to improve every day, and is becoming a bright, curious and loving foal who thankfully now only seems to be lying down when he takes a snooze. He is maintaining a normal body temperature now too. He loves attention...he nickers when he sees you coming towards his stall and he enjoys the praise and petting he gets as he sticks his little head over the door. When you see this little guy, and look into his big eyes, you cannot help but breathe a sigh of relief that he is recovering, because had he not, there would have been a long string of broken hearts left behind. He is that special. Everyone loves him.

He is a good boy who submits to his three-times-a-day administration of yucky medicine as best he can. He enjoys a half hour a day of grazing with his two friends, Sinatra and Kokomo, and while he'd be happy to stay out a little longer, he is easy to catch and lead back into his stall. In his mane and his fluffy white fur are bits of fresh shavings from his deeply bedded stall; Jaime and her faithful volunteers keep his stall immaculate and comfortable at all times. He is fed small piles of hay continuously over the course of the day. He wears two blankets to keep him warm. Rest assured that Phoenix could not be cared for any more carefully, lovingly and diligently that he is being cared for now.

Update (3/4/08):
Little Phoenix is a bit under the weather since being wormed today. He's off his feed a bit, but mostly he just seems a bit quiet and very clingy. He is lonely in a stall by himself I think, and so he is craving human companionship when he is not with the other horses outside. He is the sweetest little colt ever.

Update (4/9/08):
Phoenix has made tremendous progress since we last updated this web page! He had a tough time of it for several weeks following the seizure, and once he started to be treated for internal parasites. He had a very hard time maintaining a normal body temperature, and often after he lay down for a period of time, he would be too weak to get back up. He and Sinatra, who had similar problems, were stalled together, bundled up in blankets, and warmed by heat lamps night and day. Slowly the two colts regained their strength, and they seem to be out of the woods now. The two are inseperable, and their bond seems to have brought a great deal of strength to both of them. Now, when they are turned out together on sunny days, they run and buck and play, just like other foals their age.

Update (4/23/08) from SAFE Volunteer Valerie W.:
I went to turn Phoenix and Sinatra out since it looked like we were going to get a break from the rain. We normally lead them both out at the same time, and this has not been a problem, but alas I think those days are coming to an end. No sooner did we get out of the stall all together, then Phoenix began nipping and biting and pushing Sinatra around all the way to the pasture. He was totally into play time before we even made it to the play area. So after doing a few pirouettes of my own to separate them until we got in the gate, I let them go and all I can say is - Mr. Sinatra was looking completely exasperated!

Phoenix is all over him like white on rice. Biting, jumping, pushing - all the games that boys do. Mr. Sinatra did manage to get off one half hearted kick and off to the races they went.

Could this be the very same Phoenix who knocked on death's door so many times? That had to be lifted so many times from the ground because he could not rise? That became so depressed and cold that we were so afraid he would be still in the morning? We all breathed every breath with him and now he is strong.

He has risen from the ashes.

Update (5/9/08):
Phoenix apparently twisted his leg at some point, and has an inflammed hock as a result. To reduce the swelling, Dr Hannah Evergreen injected his hock, drained some of the fluid out, and injected hylaronic acid, steriods, and antibiotics. Phoenix is currently being cold-hosed twice a day, rubbed with Surpass, and bandanged, all to help reduce the inflammation. Hopefully this treatment will reduce the risk that he will suffer long-term arthritic issues in his hock. He is still pretty frisky in the pasture, but he does show a clear lameness on the leg, Hopefully it will continue to improve with further treatment.

SERIOUS CUTENESS ALERT! Read about Sinatra and Phoenix on the Horsebytes blog: Photo Assistant

Click here to follow Phoenix's progress on the SAFE Message Board.

If you are interested in sponsoring Phoenix, please click here to learn more about our sponsorship program.

Send email to adopt@safehorses.org if you are interested in adopting Phoenix.

Please read SAFE's adoption policies prior to submitting an adoption application for any SAFE horses listed on this site. SAFE Adoption Policies can be found HERE. SAFE has a strict no-breeding policy.