responsible rescue and it's moral pittfalls - Page 2

ASB Stars · #11 06-29-2009, 07:59 PM

I have a gelding who has been here a bit over a year, and I am finally not embarassed about how he looks. "Middy" came out of the kill pen at Mel's- and the Brokers all had looked at him, and passed him by. He may be black, but he looked like someone had stretched a skin over a skeleton, and he was sick, sick, sick. I could hear him breathing in the trailer when we went to unload him, after bringing him home. I wasn't sure we'd get him off of the trailer alive.

This horse has taken more attention- between his feet, weight, and general health- than any other horse I have brought home in 30 years. He will only eat certain things- and they do not include hay- unless he is outside. In a stall, he will not eat the nicest alfalfa, brome grass, fine orchard grass, or timothy, I have ever bought- he just doesn't care. Right now, I feed him, and I have to leave him in for an hour, to be sure he finishes, and then, he goes out, and runs around like a TB. And he doesn't make a noise anymore..

Two days ago, I looked at him, and I realized he has dapples on him. I cried...I admit it.

Silly Filly · #12 06-29-2009, 09:42 PM

Ok, OT and silly, but a special memory every time I hear about or see dapples. Whenever a horse would shed out and dapple, my dad would sing this little tune, "She's got dapples on her butt and she's pretty". LOL!

kiminky · #13 06-29-2009, 10:02 PM

Silly Filly, I love it !!

Anke · #14 06-30-2009, 07:21 AM

I know all about those dapples...... Rex was a dappled liver chestnut! Even Doodlebug has dapples. That and their eyes are the indicator for me I am on the right track.

You all remember Hippy; in the time he was allowed with me, I spent a fortune trying to reverse the non reversible...... Would I do that again? I guess it depends on the animal. Some have such a zest for life, you HAVE TO support that. Hippy will always be the horse of my heart, I still miss him and I think I would have robbed a Bank if it only ment getting him better.
I finally had to face facts, Hippy was never going to be any better and I did not want him to suffer so I did the next best thing for him. I think that is what we have to keep in mind, will our efforts benefit or just prolong......

cparker912 · #15 06-30-2009, 05:01 PM

Ive never seen a horse that wanted to live as much as Hippie...his good days. You gave him more of those than anyone else could have. He gives me hope for the guy I have here..who isn't even close to battling the health problems Hippie was...

lorrie · #16 06-30-2009, 08:02 PM

I wouldn't give up on my ASB mare Fancy that I rescued from starvation 10 years ago (at a horse trainers barn) She developed ecoli and strep infections in her leg and chest last year. Three times she almost died and my Vet wanted to put her down; I said no she wants to live. She made it and is known as the miracle horse at my Vet's office. She is a little gimpy in her one leg but trots, bucks and rears all over the pasture; she loves being alive! She is 20 this year but you'd never know it to look at her.

Anke · #17 07-01-2009, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cparker912

Ive never seen a horse that wanted to live as much as Hippie...his good days. You gave him more of those than anyone else could have. He gives me hope for the guy I have here..who isn't even close to battling the health problems Hippie was...

I also was Blessed with a very supportive Vet, who left no stone unturned, tried alternative treatments, read up on the latest, stopped by each and every day on his way home to make sure we were doing OK. He finally set me down and told me, with tears in his eyes, that it was not getting any better and more then likely would get worse. He NEVER pressed for the final step and gave me all the time in the world to do what was best. He told me that he would support me in whatever I wanted to do. People like those are few and far between.
Christy, you fall in that same category. You are, and always will be, my hero!!

attafox · #18 07-01-2009, 12:10 PM

Yep, the special ones always touch their vets. When we put Impy down, I made the call to my vet (when I walked out of the operating room having given permission to "up" his dosage and let him go on the table). Upon hearing the news, the office staff patched me through and my vet was crying on the phone. My other vet as well when I got ahold of her.

Little did I know that Impulse was still waiting for me to come back in and tell him that he had to cross over. The anesthesiologist was standing there in amazement because he should have been gone shortly after I left the first time, but no, that horse wanted his mom there with him.