Delilah

description: 2005 dark bay draft cross mare
type of rescue: King County Animal Control seizure
intake date: 1/19/2010
adoption date: 3/7/2011
length of time with SAFE: 2 years, 2 months

ADOPTED!! by Eileen D

Delilah was one of five horses seized from their owner by King County Animal Control because of neglect. Animal Control officers found numerous dead farm animals on the property, and those who survived, including the horses, were living in mud and manure more than a foot deep. Delilah came to SAFE underweight, with overgrown, chipped hooves and a mouth full of ulcerations from lack of dental care. She was also approximately nine months pregnant.

Delilah gave birth to a healthy colt on March 26, 2010. She had some initial problems allowing the youngster to nurse at first, but within about a day and a half, she was allowing him to nurse without intervention, much to our relief. Sampson was a strapping baby boy with a lot of energy who kept his mom on her toes until he was ready to face the world on his own. Once he was weaned, Delilah was ready to start a new life as a riding horse, and was sent to Andrea Lucianna to be started under saddle. She did so well under saddle that one of Andrea’s students decided to adopt her and kept her in Dressage training with Andrea. Delilah qualified to compete at the dressage regional championships at both Training Level and First Level.

Birth 

Here you go…many more pictures to come but I need to feed horses, myself, take a shower, eat, and maybe take a nap first. But mom and baby are doing great and he’s a healthy, strapping big solid dark bay colt. He’s been up, nursed, and all the things he’s supposed…

Foal Watch 2010 

March 24 Nope…no foal…! But man, that is one big mare and she can make one HUGE mess! Have I mentioned how much I hate cleaning a stall bedded with straw? UGH! And she is drinking about 6 full 5‑gallon buckets of water every day and then peeing it all back out…

Delilah Update from Mar 20–21 2010 

Hoping to get some updated photos of Delilah today. She’s bagging up and getting close I think. She’s huge and uncomfortable and has lots of edema under her belly and between her front legs. Yesterday she got a little excited and tried to do a little head flip/mini…

Delilah Update from Feb 10, 2010 

She’s doing great! She’s such a sweet girl. When we groomed her last weekend the baby was all on one side and she looked huge on that side, flat on the other. I wish we had some idea of when the baby might be due, but we’ll just have to keep watching her udder for…

Observations on Delilah 

Excerpt from “Hoofbeats Across My Heart” by Jeannette Parrett “All of the mares are getting noticed on the SAFE message board but Delilah seems to be stealing hearts left & right. I’m not sure if it’s her maternal status or the fact that she looks like a giant teddy…

Delilah Update from Jan 28 2010 

Delilah got her feet trimmed today and those long, flared feet trimmed up. Here’s the summary I sent to AC: Delilah was showing lameness in her left hind right after having her hoof flexed for trim and then set back down for a few steps and then got better. Seemed to…

Delilah Background and History 

Delilah is a 4 1/2 ‑5 year old dark bay/black Percheron or Percheron X draft mare seized by King County Animal Control on January 19th, 2010 and currently residing at the main SAFE facility. She has a BCS of 3 and is at least 7 months pregnant. She is approx.…