How I got started
This is how and why I got started into rescue, this poor boy. It was January and very cold in upstate New York, below zero with the wind chill. I along with many others drove by this horse every day on our way to and from work. He was pastured with another horse; they both lived in a small paddock on a VERY busy road. Each day for several weeks I watched as this horses condition continued to deteriorate. Obviously the seriousness of his condition did not happen over several weeks, it takes quite awhile for an animal to get to this state.
What I was noticing over those few weeks was the lack of hay for the animals; they were starting to eat their feces. I had no idea at the time of who to call, the weather was only getting worse and I was concerned for his life in particular, as the other animals where in fairly good shape. I knew I had to do something; I could no longer drive by this animal without acting. So after several attempts of contacting the owners to see if I could assist them in anyway, it was decided that it would be best if he went with me, the entire process took an agonizing week to accomplish. The story about this guy is one that I have now come to hear a lot of, he is really old, his teeth need to be done, he doesn’t like blankets, we really do feed a lot of hay, etc…tends to be the same old story.
After getting a closer look at him I was really shocked at his condition, every bone in his body was protruding, his breast bone stuck right out, you could feel every bone in his neck, his hair was matted and in places it just peeled off. At the time, he was so dehydrated I could not tell if he was a male or a female. I put 2 blankets on him, dewormed him and started a very slow feeding regimen, I really did not think he would make it; I thought perhaps I was too late for this guy. I have never dealt with emaciated horses only dogs, so I really didn’t know what I was up against. Thanks to a local horse rescue that came the day he arrived to give me some advice and encouragement, I was able to properly get him started on the road to recovery.
The first 2 weeks he never left his stall, just buried his head in his hay and grain at feeding time. After several months, he slowly put weight on, his nasty matted hair continued to literally peel off and he began his transformation into a lovely horse, I still am amazed when I look at these pictures, and so thankful that I took that step to make a difference in this horse’s life. Ringo is a wonderful horse who is very dear to me. He has the sweetest temperament even after his horrible neglect, anyone can work around him, he loves his pasture mate that he hangs out with at night and is just a treasure to have. He is only 22 years old and a registered thoroughbred and deserves a very special home.
He has been my inspiration and encouragement to pursue this journey into horse rescue.
(Note: The animals that remained at the place Ringo left are now being taken care of and remain in good shape)
Picture taken by Cindy Schultz/Times Union
UPDATE: Ringo passed away this winter due to complications from Cushing’s disease. It was an extremely sad day for me to say goodbye to him, as I felt that we had come so far in his recovery, only to be dealt this devastating blow. He is laid to rest in his favorite pasture and his spirit lives on as, he is the wind beneath my wings. Till we meet again my friend.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent
about things that matter,"
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
What Inspires Me?
The Starfish Story |
