Part 2: A new start
The four minis are all registered and came to us with existing names. However, as part of welcoming any new horse to SAFE, we give them a new name to mark the beginning of their next chapter with us.
Our handsome little stud was given the name TeSelle in honor of a kind and devoted supporter of rescue animals — and a dear friend to SAFE — who recently passed away.
The thin, wise older mare was named Jefa, “lady boss” en español, due to her lead mare attitude around the other two mares. But don’t worry, it’s all a front; with people, she is shy and very sweet.
Our sweetest little mare with painful eyes has been gifted the name Emery, an Irish name meaning “brave.”
And our lady with the long hooves — we’re calling her Rella, after Cinderella. Though we’ll be sure she never has to wear slippers again.
In the four weeks they’ve been with us, we have brought them up to date on all their basic medical care and have taken steps toward their longer-term rehabilitation. All the minis have received vaccinations, microchips, and dental floats.
Thankfully, with a little help from our vet, they now have good grinding surfaces. They all had sharp points that were beginning to cause ulceration — a tremendous source of discomfort. Along with the poor-quality hay they were being fed, this was a major factor in their poor condition and malnutrition upon entering SAFE. With just some light maintenance dentals, we were able to remove painful ulcers and greatly improve their quality of life. They can now enjoy their hay, and with quality hay and supplements, they are able to gain weight. It seems like a simple thing, but routine annual dentals can literally be a lifesaver for horses.
Following Jefa’s dental, the vets determined that she should be able to eat hay, a fact that made both her and us quite happy. Her ACTH levels came back as positive for Cushing’s, so we started her on pergolide, and discovered through a bit of trial and error that her vessel of choice is an apple.
TeSelle was gelded. For a shy guy like him, the most difficult part of the surgery was being sedated — but made possible by the kind approach of our veterinarian Dr Lewis from Rainland. The procedure was smooth sailing. With TeSelle being 16 years old there was an elevated risk of complications. Luckily he healed up very well, and was a champion for his forced exercise.
Rella received her first hoof trim — though “trim” hardly does it justice. This was more of a full hoof remodel. Our good friend Lisa Fite had just the right tools for the job and used a saw, rasp, and dremel on Rella’s slipper toes, transforming them into something that actually resembled a hoof again.
To help mitigate soreness, we’ll need to take little bites at a time. We still have some time before her hooves look “normal,” but removing the bulk of the overgrowth was a huge first step. She can now walk normally and even roll and get up without those massive flipper hooves holding her back.
Lastly — and perhaps most significantly — was our dear Emery. Upon closer inspection of her right eye, our vets discovered a great deal of scar tissue surrounding it. Even more concerning, her bottom lashes, initially thought to be missing, were actually curled into the eyeball itself, scratching what remained of her cornea. We don’t know about you, but even one eyelash in our eye is intensely irritating and painful. Now imagine living like that for years.
In SAFE’s 20 years of experience, we’ve seen some very sad situations, but knowing Emery suffered like this for so long feels especially cruel.
We discussed her quality of life with our vets — her ability to live comfortably and get along without sight. These are serious considerations, because the loss of an eye can be very traumatic for a horse, and some do not adjust well. Horses that lose vision suddenly often suffer the most. In Emery’s case, it was clear this had not happened overnight. She had long adapted to the lack of vision on that side, but the pain was undeniable.
After careful consideration for our brave little one, we scheduled a date to remove her right eye. We were grateful to be able to help her out of this unimaginable pain and give her the comfort she deserves. The surgery took place less than a week later, and went very well. She was accompanied for her inpatient visit to Rainland by her half-sister, Rella, for companionship and comfort.
Because of the lack of healthy surrounding tissue for closure, Emery had to remain bandaged for a week longer than was standard, but with frequent bandage changes and antibiotics, she healed up remarkably.
Despite daily treatments, her left eye still has a small ulcer. She is the definition of an angel for her twice daily ointments, which is a blessing considering this will likely be an ongoing part of her care to help keep her remaining eye as healthy as possible.
We are so thankful for the support of our care teams who help make our rescue and rehabilitation of horses like these a reality.
Thank you to our amazing vets at Rainland Farm for their skillfulness, generosity, timeliness, and flexibility. We could not be more appreciative of the hours they spend both directly and indirectly caring for our horses.
And to our hoof care team, who helped get these four little minis back on their feet. Their expertise and patience is invaluable to us, and is literally life changing for the horses they trim.
Now that these four are up to date on their basic care, we are ready to start looking for their perfect matches. We promise them that their happily-ever-after is just beginning, and we know a wonderful family will come into their lives to give them the life they’ve always deserved — filled with love, dignity, and safety.
