Forest visits the Opthamologist

 

Forest & Trudee early morning ride A few weeks ago we put Chancer's mom, Trudee, in the stall with Forest in anticipation of the 3.5 hour drive to the veterinary appointment on December 20th. We did not want him to panic, unable to see in a moving box for many hours all by himself. They got along well in their barn stall and paddock. Trudee, being a mom was used to having a little one bump against her and follow her around. So the pairing has been very good for both of them. Finally, Forest has a friend who will stay by his side.

Forest & Trudee on the trailer cam 5:00 AM on the morning of the 20th we loaded them both in the straw padded trailer and hit the road. We had ordered, and Lary installed, a trailer camera so we would be able to watch our precious cargo during the all day trip. What a relief it was for me to be able to look at the monitor and see they were doing just fine.

We arrived at the medical center where Dr. Reed from Eyeshine Veterinary, equine opthalmololist, and her team finally got to meet Forest. We have been emailing back and forth for several weeks. He was awesome during the exam and lets just say everyone fell in love with him just as all of us have. Dr. Reed, did numerous tests on both eyes and felt his had some sight, mostly the ability to see light and also dark objects, but it is limited at best. He has a few cataracts in his right eye, but that is not impeding his vision. She felt he has been blind since birth and the communication between the eye and the brain are where the disconnect is. Both eyes look better since the day we rescued him so they have recovered a little from his severe dehydration and malnutition from being left to fend for himself in the high desert of the Petrified Forest.

Both Dr. Reed and Dr. Minuto, the vet who also examined him at Chaparral Vet Med Center, thought he was doing awesome since his rescue on 9-27-22, as we showed them picture of his overall condition and his eyes at the time. Forest still has a ways to go in his recovery, but everyone is pleased with his progress so far. On intake he weighed 236 pounds, was a body condition score 2. emaciated, was very dehydrated and had bite marks and scars all over his torso. On 12-20-22, not quite 3 months later he had gained 79 pounds, most of his scars have healed and he has a lot of energy. His blood work is good, he has been gradually dewormed and gets probiotics, a ration balancer, gut health to heal and prevent ulcers and now we are adding vitamin E to help his eyes more. He continues on the eye meds but we hope to wean him off those soon.

We made the long trek home and arrived just as the sun was gracing the sky with a stunning sunset. Trudee and Forest unloaded with ease. Forest takes a little longer but he trusts us so he follows us very carefully. it amazes us how he gets around. Dr. Reed felt it would be safe to put him in a larger enclosure so he can run and get the exercise a baby needs to grow healthy. And he does LOVE to run. We have contacted our friend who does fence work to weld him a nice big enclosure, one that he can grow in to and be safe having fun running around. We will use some of the funds donated for his care to make him a larger and safe place to spend his days and nights.

Forest - I'm a big boy now!

We can't thank you all enough for your support and helping him financially so we can get him all he needs to heal and grow as normal as possible. There is a small chance he may get a eye sight little clarity as he grows with good nutrition and care, but even if he doesn't he is so loved. He is one brave little horse!

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Equine WellBeing Rescue is a 501c3 public charity which is 100% volunteer run and managed. There is no paid staff or employees so funds donated goto the care of the equine at the rescue and others in need that we can help. Our volunteers are loving, caring and the best ever!!!! There are lots of wonderful charities to support around the world and we are honored and humbled by the support we get from you and your friends. We want you to know YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!! Wishing everyone many blessings in 2023. Happy New Year!

SO close to our goal....can you help????

 

November 29, 2022 was #GivingTuesday and your support over the years has been phenominal. We reached our matching donation of $5000, making your donation worth double. In fact, we got $6000 in donations so with the matching $5000 from an anonymous donor advised fund from the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, we raised $11,000. FABULOUS! OUTSTANDING! AWESOME! BUT..... we still have not reached our goal of $15,000 for the newer used tractor that the rescue REALLY NEEDS. The Griffin's have let the rescue use their tractor for over a decade, it hauls 1400 pound bales of hay out the various pastures to feed the 40+ horses, donkeys and minis. It is used to plow the snow so volunteers can get to the rescue, drag the manure in the enclosures, create furrows to reroute rain runoff and SO MUCH more. We have used it so much it is worn out and the hydrolics are not working properly making it unsafe.

A newer used 4x4 tractor at auction There are several machinery auctions December 13-15th, next week, where we could purchase a newer used tractor that will run for decades more. Our goal is to raise $15,000 to use to purchase the much needed tractor. We have tried to find grants to cover the purchase cost and there simply are none.

Multimedia Systems and Technology Consulting Inc of Snowflake, whose owner's grandaughter, Alexandria, has both adopted a horse from us and volunteers at the rescue every weekend, has offered to match the next $1000 in donations. That would give us a total of $13,000, leaving only $2000 still to be raised to reach out $15,000 tractor fundraising goal. We appreciate your support so very much whether you can help with $5, $50 or $500. Every donation is so meaningful and will make a huge difference to us. If you can help us just click the button below to make a tax-deductible donation via check, debit/credit card, PayPal or Venmo and have your donation doubled with the matching donation.

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As winter approaches we are so hopeful we can meet our goal and purchase a tractor before the snow hits. We thank you. Rimson and Buddie thank you. Our volunteers thank you. All of the horses, donkeys and minis appreciate and thank you so very much!!!!

Rimson & Buddie say THANK YOU!

Special Needs this #Giving Tuesday - Can you help?

The Griffin's 1980's tractor November 29, 2022 is #GivingTuesday and your support over the years has been so wonderful. This year we really need help! The Griffin's have let the rescue use their tractor for over a decade, it hauls 1400 pound bales of hay out the various pastures to feed the 40+ horses, donkeys and minis. It is used to plow the snow so volunteers can get to the rescue, drag the manure in the enclosures, create furrows to reroute rain runoff and SO MUCH more. We have used it so much it is worn out and the hydrolics are not working properly making it unsafe. This year, thanks to an anonymous donor advised fund of the Jewish Community Foundation, we can match the first $5000 in donations. What does that mean? Your $20 now becomes $40, your $100 now becomes $200.

A newer used 4x4 tractor at auction There are several machinery auctions in December where we could purchase a newer used tractor that will run for decades more. Our goal is to raise $15,000 this #GivingTuesday to use to purchase the much needed tractor. We have tried to find grants to cover the purchase cost and there simply are none.

There are so many wonderful charities to consider this #GivingTuesday and we know times are tough for so many. We appreciate your support so very much whether you can help with $5, $50 or $500. Every donation is so meaningul and will make a huge difference to us. If you can help us this year just click the button below to make a tax-deductible donation via check, debit/credit card, PayPal or Venmo and have your donation doubled with the matching grant. There is no time limit to give to this fundraiser so if you are seeing this after the 29th your donation will still count.

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As winter approaches we are so hopeful we can meet our goal and purchase a tractor before the snow hits. We thank you. Rimson and Buddie thank you. Our volunteers thank you. All of the horses, donkeys and minis appreciate and thank you so very much!!!!

Rimson & Buddie say THANK YOU!

AMAZING Miss Maisie - Thank you for your love.

 

Maisie 11-15-22

11-15-22 Maisie Tuesday morning, we loaded Maisie up, so excited to be taking her back to Chaparral Veterinary Medical Center to discuss possible surgery on her front tendons to reduce the constriction to her front legs that was not allowing them to straighten as she grows. The next step in her long healing process now that the soles of her hooves are growing strong. Excited too that she has gained 160 pounds since arrival in Feb. 2022 emaciated with a body condition score of 1 and is now a normal weight for her age and size.

Upon arrival Dr D mentioned how good she looked from the last time she saw her in mid-April. Maisie was super good standing for her xrays as we waited to discuss the tendon surgery, what would be involved and how long her recovery would take. The xrays showed us something none of us were prepared for.... Maisie’s front coffin bones were resorbing, disintegrating. 1/3 to 1/2 of them were already gone. Gone! We had just done xrays a few month ago and they were 100% there, how could this be? At this rate of resorption, she would have no coffin bone at all before spring. Imagine no bone from your ankle down to support your foot, this is what was going to happen.

Maisie June 2022 Surgery on her tendons would do nothing to stop the resorption, it would only cause additional pain on top of the pain she was feeling with the bone inside of her hooves disintegrating. Questions were asked and answered, this was not something that could be fixed and very painful 24 hours a day. Maisie had already been on pain meds for months. The heartbreaking decision to end her pain, and I mean HEARTBREAKING, was made as we all stood there in tears knowing this was what was best for her.

I am sobbing as I write this because it hurts so badly and I know you are as shocked as we are. We know she was met at heaven's door by her mother who tragically died of starvation when Maisie was only a few months old. That mother and daughter are reunited, both whole with no pain is the bright light in such a sorrowful time.

Created by Michele for Maisie She was buried here at the ranch in a special spot and we know that she knew she was so LOVED every day she was in our care. She knew love!!! We cannot thank all of those involved in her care since February enough. You dedicated your time to helping her feel better and showed her kindness and love which I know she felt. Many others helped with donations and prayers and she felt your love too. She brought joy to so many through her antics and good nature and will be missed very deeply.

Run pain free, our beautiful and sweet girl, run in paradise at your mom's side. Together again, FOREVER

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Blind, orphaned foal....meet Forest!

 

I can’t begin to imagine what it would be like to be left behind to fend for yourself when you can’t see, even worse, to be out in the high desert all alone….as an orphaned foal.

Forest

The park rangers put him in a stall till we could get there. When we were contacted to rescue this sweet little guy, he had been found by rangers at the Petrified Forest when he wandered near the machine shop, probably having heard noises coming from the building. They let me know his eyes were red and he was very disoriented. Our horses, Trooper and Gus came to us from the Petrified Forest when they closed their mounted ranger program a few years ago so we knew they had horse facilities. The guys caught the foal and set him up in one of the stalls till we could come pick him up. They sent us a few pictures so we had an idea of how big he was and from the picture we could tell he was very boney with no idea how long he had been separated from his mother. The rangers told us that free grazing horses sometimes wandered onto their land, migrating on and off as they grazed. They looked for other horses at the time and found none.

Forest settling into his stall at EqWBR When we arrived, the first thing I realized when we entered the stall is that the foal could not see us. After having hay and water he was not as disoriented as he had been when they first caught him. We were able to get him into a stall and carefully put a halter on him making it easier to get him in the trailer. With the rangers help we got him in the trailer very carefully and with little fuss. We thanked the rangers and headed straight to the rescue. The ride was a little stressful, but he unloaded ok and went right into a stall. A little hay, fresh water and he was good for the night. Now he just needed to decompress and realize he was safe.

Forest left eye has a ventral strabismus The vet came out to give him a thorough examination, pull bloodwork and check his eyes to see if he was totally blind or if perhaps he could recover from the eye issues. We have been consulting with an equine optometrist to determine what his current and future needs will be. The specialist is in the valley and we are hoping to get him to her as soon as he is otherwise healthy enough to make the 3-hour trip.

Forest's right eye - luxated lens Both of his eyes have luxated (dislocated) lenses and his left eye has a ventral strabismus, his eye points downwards, Dr G feels they have been that way since birth. We are hoping there may be surgery or some sort of treatment that can help him gain some sight. Right now, he can only see light and dark and we have noticed he can usually stop before hitting something so he has not injured himself.

Petrified forest is high desert with no trees We named the colt “Forest”, in honor of the rangers who saw him wandering the Petrified Forest. For those of you who don’t know, there are no living trees there, it is high desert so there is a bit of desert grasses, but mostly tumbleweeds and other bushes. Forest has large scars on his back and other places we assume from the herd stallion culling him from the herd.

You can see the scars all over his back and neck. Upon arrival he only weighed 236 pounds and was a body condition score of 2. He has gained almost 30 pounds since then; his scars are healing and he is getting his winter coat. We have done a slow deworming process and also check for sand in his intestines as he didn’t gain any weight the first two weeks. He is currently getting eye drops and ointment twice a day. His diet includes a blend of alfalfa and Bermuda pellets, Mare & Foal feed, ration balancer and probiotics.

Gary in 2019 with Buddie and Rimson Barbara Hackney contacted me the other night. Her husband Gary, who donated the funds to save Buddie as a friend for Rimson in 2019 and was here when Buddie arrived, has a birthday, today November 10th. To celebrate he has offered to match $500 in donations to help us raise funds for Forest. Our goal is to raise $3000 for his vet, eye and health care so we can provide this little blind, orphaned foal all that he needs to grow healthy and hopefully gain some eyesight. We have met the $500 matching donations and more, but if you would like to help with a donation for Forest please click the Donated button below.

Forest - safe and loved at last!!!!

As we head into fall and winter, yesterday we got our first snow and we have had several nights below freezing, we want to get this sweet baby as healthy as we can as quickly as we can. We have an appointment on Dec. 20th to have his eyes examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist and we will be meeting her at Chaparral Veterinary Medical Center (where Maisie has been treated) which is 360 miles round trip, so it will be a very long day with a long drive. We will then know if Forest can see more than we think, if there is surgery to help his eyes, what his future will be! EVERY donation is so appreciated. We also want to thank Gary & Barbara for this $500 matching donation to help Forest. Happy, Happy Birthday Gary!!!!!! Thank you all for your continued support of the rescue and helping us help those in such great need. We currently have 40 horses, donkeys and minis at the rescue and 5 in training so all donations are such a big help to those in our care and others that may be in need......like Forest!

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