We went to an auction on 2-23-2008 and returned with 9 lost souls... There were hundreds of donkeys and Mini horses at this auction, as well as several OBVIOUS horse traders, backyard-breeders, etc. Out of all these horses and donkeys, we ended up taking the old, injured, crippled, sick, neglected, not-so-perfect and/or others that nobody wanted. We are convinced that these 9 angels have never seen a farrier or Vet, and that they were never given the chance to find out that humans can provide love, attention, comfort and quality care, and not only cause stress, pain or fear....
Out of those 9, 8 were successfully adopted out, but one was too sick to leave:
GRANNY - a 17-yo Mini mare that was used as a breeding machine her entire life. Her hooves are like Elf-shoes, her joints out of place, trying to make up for the deformed and overgrown hooves. Infested with worms and lice, foundered, skinny, scared and possibly pregnant....
2/23/2008: She is in so much pain that she can't even walk - she either stands in one place, or she lies down and stays down until she gets too thirsty and has to get up and drink. The farrier will be here soon to get started on her hooves, and to let us know if there is even a chance to save her....
2/24/2008
2/25/2008: Granny was trimmed as good as possible. She is foundered real bad, dropped soles, abscesses, infections, and so on - worse than we thought. It is obvious that right before auction her overgrown "elfshoes" were just "butchered" off in an attempt to hide her issues, but it was done so badly that she got hurt even worse... We will try to save her while keeping her as comfortable as possible. She is on Antibiotics and pain medication, and the Vet will be out soon for a further exam.
Granny's front hooves before her first farrier appointment
Granny's rear hooves before her first farrier appointment
2/29/2008: Granny will need to be kept on a special diet and will need regular trimming, but we will be able to keep her comfortable. SHE IS IN NO CONDITION TO TRAVEL, AND WON'T BE FOR A LONG TIME, SO SHE MIGHT HAVE TO RETIRE AT LHR, AND BE WITH HER LAST FOAL FOREVER !! (so we thought - please see note on bottom of page)
5/12/2008:Granny had her foal today - a beautiful, tiny little girl !! Both are happy and healthy, but due to Granny's disabilities, we have to keep them in the barn - enough room for the baby to run and play, but small enough so Granny can keep an eye on her at all times, without having to worry or move around too much...
5-15-2008 GRANNY and FRIEDA
6-2-2008 FRIEDA
6-2-2008 GRANNY and FRIEDA
6/4/2008: Granny and her foal are doing wonderful. However, we don't have any experience with founder nor with Minis, and we have to come to realize that we might not have enough time and experience, nor the right facilities & outdoor set-up to keep Granny and Frieda forever....... They would GREATLY benefit from an experienced, loving home, with possibly 1 or 2 other Minis for company. Frieda is as happy-go-lucky as can be, and since Granny can't play with her, she would probably be much happier with another youngster her size to play and grow up with. And to make matters worse, after a 7-year drought, we've finally had rain for the past few weeks, and our barn keeps flooding. So currently the 2 girls have only a very small area that stays dry, and it's very hard to keep Granny's feet dry and clean... So, if there is SOMEONE experienced out there who is willing and able to adopt Granny and Frieda, keep them forever and rehabilitate Granny from her horrible founder, then please contact us !!! We will consider all applications, but will be VERY PICKY - for Granny's and Frieda's sake !
Granny has lots of health issues that require special care:
Due to FOUNDER, she needs a special diet (no carbs) and needs to have her hooves trimmed every 2-3 weeks. Also, her hooves need to be kept clean and dry AT ALL TIMES !! WEIGHT - Granny has a hard time gaining & maintaining her weight, so a warmer climate might be beneficial !? SKIN -Granny still has dry and "itchy" skin - sometimes she scratches herself until she bleeds - adding oil to her feed seems to help with her skin and her weight !! She arrived here with lice, but those are long gone. Her coat was very, very long, dirty and filthy when she arrived, but as she is shedding and being groomed every day, that is improving as well. ARTHRITIS - Granny shows signs of Arthritis, which will most-likely get worse, due to her age and her neglect. So she needs a daily Arthritis supplement (Corta-Flx) to help her with that. And last but not least, we promised Granny and ourselves, that her last foal will never be taken from her, not even after weaning. So whoever wants to adopt Granny, will have to have room and time for Frieda as well.......