MYRACLE AFTER HER LOSS September 5, 2010

After her mother's death, Myracle was, of course, upset. Born on August 12, she was only 19 days old when Finayle crossed the Rainbow Bridge on August 31, 2010. Myracle has been surrounded by human caregivers since the moment she was born and naturally found some comfort in the many volunteers who are helping her get through the loss of her mother. On August 31, 2010, the night Finayle died, Judy Henson (who was fostering yiracle and Finayle), wrote on Facebook:

September 1, 2010: "Last night was tough. As you would expect, she (Myracle) was missing mom. Sweet Lori stayed with me and we sat in the stall and tried to soothe her until about 9:00 PM. My husband and son Bobby came home and took one look at me and said go to bed. Bobby went out and sat with her until it was his bedtime and then Brian (my husband) grabbed some cushions and our Dog Sally, and hit the "hay" literally until 2:00 AM (I can't believe that man hasn't left me yet) and then we fed her some more milk and got her to sleep again. She did good and we went out again at 6: AM and started our day. Dawn (Myracle's new adopter) came around 9:00 AM and the decision was made to take her to Cheryl's and see how Sweetie would respond.

Sweetie loves babies. Here she is with
our newest baby, Patience.

We put Myracle in the large arena by herself to gt acclimated to the arena and she started calling for her mom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sweetie walking towards us. She had heard Myracle's cry. Cheryl opened the gate and Sweetie walked in to greet her. I was waiting for Myracle to deliver a nice swift kick to poor Sweetie (like she did to all my horses) when all of a sudden they kissed, talked and then Myracle tried to start nursing Sweetie!!! OMG I could not believe it. If I had any tears left I would have cried. Amazing things happen at that rescue. I think I may have just witnessed another miracle."

September 3, 2010: "Today Our Baby went to her new and hopefully final home. Zach and Dawn (her adopters) wanted to try her with their Mustang mare who had previously lost two foals (before they rescued her from the kill truck) and see if they could become companions and perhaps their mare might even start producing milk again. We loaded her up and put a little halter on her and took the short ride to their place. Her mare is very docile and we slowly introduced them and everything is just fine so far. Myracle did try to nurse her very quickly and it didn't seem to bother her mare at all. So when I left all was well. Dawn and Zach said they welcome anyone who would like to come and visit as they know Miracle has a lot of our hearts."

Farewell Finayle. Rest in Peace.

We'll be following Myracle's story for quite some time to come. All of us at the rescue, whether or not we have met this beautiful filly, have spent much time worrying about her and her mother. Finayle has left us to care for the baby she could not stay to raise herself and we will honor her sacrifice and watch over Miracle. Although Myracle has a new family, we remain committed to her and will be there if and when we are needed. We wish Dawn, Zach and Myracle lots of joy and happiness together.

To be continued . . .

FINAYLE AND MYRACLE

Finalye, August 9, 2010

On August 9, HRRRF purchased Finayle for $200 from a kill buyer. She was taken into foster care because of her awful condition. A vet visit confirmed that her condition scored a 1 on the Hennekke scale, indicating her severely depleted body weight, which certainly was not surprising to us.

Finayle is down on August 9, 2010

However, we were completely shocked to learn that this dangerously undernourished horse was pregnant and due to deliver within days. Information was spread quickly on Facebook and soon hundreds of people were talking and taking an interest in a horse that no one would have otherwise heard of.

Anxious volunteers quickly gathered to prepare for the impending birth. Good thing, too. On August 12, only three days after her arrival, Finayle went into labor. A handful of volunteers were on hand to assist. The plan was to try to have Finayle deliver on her feet, hoping to enlist the support of gravity and put less demand on Finayle's breathing. But, with almost no muscle strength, she was unable to stand for the delivery. On the ground, one volunteer helped the foal by pulling for what seemed like hours, but was much closer to a few minutes, and suddenly, there she was, alive and beautiful.

Myracle's first day, August 12, 2010

Human stress levels were extremely high. The chance of losing mother and/or baby during the ordeal of birth were very real, so there was great joy when the foal arrived safely and looking pretty good, although thin. She was named Myracle because, in truth, that's exactly what she was -- a miracle.

Every day after that was an adventure. Photos of mom and baby were all over Facebook, everyone ooohing and aaahing and rooting for these two amazing creatures. Finayle only weighed about 550 pounds, so rescue volunteers were watching carefully to see if she could handle mommy duties.

Finayle had a tough road as thin as she was.

Worries persisted since baby Myracle's insistence on nursing was draining mom of energy and nutrients she desperately needed. She even wanted Finayle's grain! Behind the scenes, volunteers suggested different bottles and formulas and the search was on for other nursing sources. Eventually, Myracle began accepting some foal lac and milk pellets and has been growing and developing well.

Myracle, August 23, 2010

Finayle, too, seemed to be improving. At last weight, she was up to 680 lbs, still painfully thin, but headed in the right direction . . . until Monday, August 30. She was down and was experiencing a lot of pain. The vet, Dr. Duvall, was called and arrived quickly. She administered some medications and Finayle began passing gas and seemed more comfortable. Volunteers offered massages and constant vigil during the night. Facebook buzzed with questions and you could almost hear the collective intake of breath as we all waited through the night.

Finayle and her filly, Myracle

The morning message was not good -- Finayle was again in pain and Dr. Duvall had been called back. She worked on her for awhile and we learned that the vet would return at noon when a decision would likely be made . . . for good or bad. All afternoon we waited for word, chatting with each other on Facebook, dreading to learn the  outcome, but hoping that no news was good news. At 5:30 on August 31, we learned that Finayle had crossed the Rainbow Bridge around 5 p.m. with the aid of loving friends and Dr. Duvall. Sadness permeated the quiet messages of mourning, and concerns for Myracle were expressed.

Mom and her baby August 17, 2010

Today is September 1 and all of our lives have been changed in some way by the loss of Finayle. Although I never actually met her, her photos were so compelling that I find the tears hard to contain, tears of love and anger. Her presence and passing are haunting, but this is what rescue work too often involves. We live on an emotional roller coaster, full of elation and delight with each successful rescue and full of sadness and anger with the loss of a rescued animal because of someone's cruel abuse or neglect.

Finayle & Mracle Aug 30, 2010

Finayle with Dr. Lee on August 31, 2020

Finayle is safe and whole now and we can let her rest in peace; her legacy is Myracle and we will do everything we can to give her a life full of kindness and love. We honor Finayle for her courage and strength which helped her survive long enough to bring a miracle into the world. Finayle's story has come to an end, but Myracle's story is just beginning.

PASSION -- WE NEED A HORSE SLING

This photo of Passion was taken on July 21, 2010. As the photo shows, HRRRF could really use a sling for horses like Passion. We have had a number of older horses who have had difficulty getting up when they lay down, or, worse, fall down. We have had to use a variety of make-shift slings to suit these problems. Our slings may work, but they often take quite a bit of time to set up, causing more stress to the downed horse. Because the fit is not terribly reliable, they are not always comfortable for the horse. A sling costs around $2,000. We invite all of our readers to spread the word to see if we can find an affordable sling or to help us raise money to purchase one.


Passion is an older mare that really worked hard her life as a school horse. She arrived about three years ago with some lameness issues, but she has had other problems to contend with. She foundered in one leg, her fetlock dropped, and she suffered through a bad case of strangles.

Just before this photo, her good leg was being stressed as it bore the weight of the bad leg. We had the vet and farrier out to work on her. Because she was in pain holding one leg up for the farrier to trim, we rigged up a make-shift sling. If anyone needs a sling, we do! We are great at improvising though. Look at our contraption! It worked. We are hoping a brace can be made to support her leg. She has overcome many obstacles. She can do it again. She is a very groggy in this photo because she was sedated by the vet. She was actually enjoying the rest!

Passion is doing well at this time, but there may be a "next time" for her. We'd love to be prepared with a proper sling to help give her appropriate support.

posted August 31, 2010

STRAWBERRY -- AUGUST 29, 2010

Meet Strawberry.

She is a 15-year-old Medicine Hat Paint horse. She was bought by a family who wanted her for their daughter to ride. They left Strawberry at a local farm and never returned for her. The farmer was selling the property and needed to get Strawberry out. A great foster in Milton, FL took her in.

Strawberry had a bad right eye that we were originally told was not cancer, but that the damage was severe enough to remove the eye. During her vet visit, it was discovered that she did have cancer on her vulva, but plans were made to have Dr. Lee remove that along with Strawberry's eye.

After Strawberry recuperates from her surgery on Sept 1, she will be available for adoption. She will need a place where she can be stalled during the hot summer months and cold winter nights, but during nice weather, she can spend some quality time outside. Strawberry is a sweet and willing girl who will provide love and joy to her new family.

Strawberry the day of her surgery

All donations are welcome. Strawberry's surgeries will easily run over $500, not including expenses for her general care. Horse Rescue, Relief and Retirement Fund has been financially stretched lately with so many horses in need, thanks to the economy. We are grateful to all of our donors for any amounts they can give.

Note: Medicine Hat Paint horses have very particular markings, being mostly white with color on the head and ears (like a "bonnet") and were highly prized by certain Native American cultures. If they had a colored "shield" on their chest along with the "bonnet", they were considered invincible in battle.

Silent Art Auction September 4, 2010 from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

FOR ADOPTION: LENNY

Lenny was owned by a family who thought it was okay to let baby Lenny grow up in a dog pen. He lived there until he was 18 months old. Lenny is about 20 months now. He never got to run and buck and play. Living in such a small area also stunted Lenny's growth.

He is not going to be over 14 hands. He is a gaited tri-colored gelding. What Lenny needs right now is a green pasture where he can run and play for the next year or two. Lenny loves people and attention. He needs companionship and love to grow into his potential.

August 23 2010

FOR ADOPTION: DEJA VU

Deja Vu is a sweet little Appaloosa pony mare. She is about 24 years old, loving and sweet. She can be ridden and lead around with a child on her back. She loves attention and carrots. Deja Vu only needs a dirt lot without much grass. She doesn't wear shoes so an occasional trimming keeps her feet healthy. Deja Vu is looking for a loving family who wants nothing more than to love and care for a sweet and gentle horse. Only kindhearted horse lovers apply.

August 23, 2010