Little "Mikey" was tuckered out after day 2 of "fix the emaciated pony"!

To our surprise, once at West Coast Equine Hpspital, we learned that other than missing his lower jaw, the molars in the back of his mouth were otherwise fine, only requiring a light power float of his teeth. This means there was no reason for his extreme emaciation, other than a lack of food! 

On top of that, Dr. Sullivan states he is only around 5 years old -- anything but elderly! -- again negating any reasonable excuses for this pony's condition, other than criminal neglect. 

Per vet instructions, Mikey is fully capable of living on a diet of hay, not requiring mashed food for pellets. This is because the molars in the back of his mouth, where his jaw is still intact, are all that's required to masticate his food. The front incisors are mostly for tearing off food, such as grazing.

Dr. Sullivan does not believe Mikey was born with an incomplete jaw, but it was likely surgically removed at some point. Backyard surgical procedures performed with standard garage tools is quite common in poorer communities. Rather than deal with the complexities of healing a fractured jaw, it would be easier to just remove it with a blunt tool...horrifying to imagine, let alone do.

The little guy is now fully on the road to recovery, with all the "necessities" -- tooth float, farrier, vaccinations, deworming -- taken care of. Now it's time to eat, eat, and eat!

Mikey is a chipper little guy, and has a sweet pony-sized nicker when horses pass him by. We'll never know what exact hell he endured. But we do know only peace, love and tranquility lay ahead of him.

Thank you to everyone who donated to Mikey, we have done so much for him in just a few days. We would also like to thank Trinity Horse Refuge, who have offered to take him into their sanctuary. Arrangements are being made to take Mikey to their rescue in Northern California, a trip that thanks to a very kind hauler, will only cost us $300 in fuel to make. 

"Mikey," after his bath...the hair came out, revealing even more spine.

The filth and stench have been removed, and the farrier has fixed his feet. What's next for little Mikey? The vet! 

We have an appointment later today at West Coast Equine Hospital, to see what we can do to give this old guy a new lease on life.

If you can help with today's vet bill, which will include a thorough look at his damaged jaw, please donate direct to the hospital at (805) 386-7151 or throughhttp://www.auctionhorsesrescue.com/donate.html

We would like to send out a big THANK YOU to Katja of Equine Wellness Group for donating her time and expertise yesterday working her magic on "Buck Tuddy Buck".

Tuddy got a full work up of massage and boy did he love it. The appreciation our horses display during these sessions is simply wonderful to watch and is just one more tool we use to bring them back to full health and vitality.

Katja identified some fairly acute soreness on the left side of Tuddy's back. Mostly likely, it was caused from being ridden in such poor condition, in a saddle that did not fit. 
Katja has graciously offered to return next week for another session with Tuddy. Based on Tuddy's behavior yesterday, we are certain he will be very happy to see her. 

If you are looking for Massage, Acupressure or Rieki for your horse, we highly recommend Katja. Please help us return her kindness by visiting her web site or give her Facebook page a "like".

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Equine-Wellness-Group/311054255579740 

Here she is!

After a long day making sense of the mess that is our jawless old Quarter Horse (we're leaning toward calling him "Mikey"), the young Thoroughbred filly rescued alongside him, made the trek to Toby's Legacy Equine Rescue. And ... See More
What a looooong day! Made it back this evening with our new little girl. Not so little. All legs and tall! Underweight. Body score of 2-3. She is being fostered by my friend Terin Harris.....future foster failure? Maybe  her name is Miss Watson! She will be buddying up with their yearling Sherlock! Sherlock is Mustang Sally's baby. Mustang Sally was formerly know as Zoe and adopted from TL. ......confused? Wonderful family. Just good people and they live close by! Stay tuned for progress pics! Really happy

...and now...a "Buck Tuddy Buck" update:

A picture is worth a thousand words and we think these do the job explaining how "Buck Tuddy Buck" is feeling lately. While he still has more weight to gain, he is certainly on the mend and is well on his way to returning to the full glory he once was, before ending up in the wrong hands. 

We purchased Tuddy at the Lancaster Auction earlier this month. We found him there, several hundred pounds underweight, standing on extremely long and very neglected feet. This once proud and successful racing Thoroughbred had been reduced to a depressed and pathetic looking horse, who appeared to be much older than he actually is.

After almost a month of TLC, hoof care and lots of quality feed, Tuddy is blossoming back into his old self. At just twelve years of age, Buck Tuddy Buck will now have many years left to spend with someone deserving of this sweet and very kind horse. He has a bright future ahead, thanks to so many of you who help us on a daily basis. 

Special thanks to Buck Tuddy Buck's former race trainer, Valerie Rhoden.

The old, emaciated Quarter Horse is enjoying every plate of soaked alfalfa pellets we've put in front of him, since rescuing him yesterday evening. There's a look of relief -- "finally, food I can eat!"

That means, we are about to go through a lot of alfalfa pellets. Such an extremely emaciated horse has a lot of weight to gain, and can only do so safely, the "slow" way, of frequent feedings of alfalfa. And without a lower jaw, that means soaked pellets only. 

If you would like to donate toward his feed bill, please call Fox Feed in Canyon Country at (661) 252-9790 or donate through our website at http://www.auctionhorsesrescue.com/donate.html 

We're trying to get the farrier here today, as he's having difficulty walking on the high heels his hind feet have become, and a bath to begin washing away the layers of filth and stench. Then West Coast Equine Hospital tomorrow to evaluate his overall health, and what can be done for a horse missing a large portion of his jaw. 

If you would like to donate to tomorrow's vet bill, please call West Coast Equine Hospital at (805) 386-7151 or also through our website. 

We are working with Animal Control and related officials to bring the remaining horse on the owner's property to safety. We're hopeful her belly can be full soon, as well.

The owner of an emaciated elderly Quarter Horse gelding and an emaciated 2-3 yo Thoroughbred filly is willing to let them go to new homes, ASAP - which they clearly need!!! The QH gelding will likely require a special diet and a retirement home. Trinity Horse Refuge has offered to provide a place for him to go but we would need to raise funds vet (teeth, vaccinations, anything else needed - around $350), farrier ($55) and transportation up north (at least a few hundred dollars for gas). 

The Thoroughbred filly is said to be unbroke. We currently have two unbroke fillies we are going to have to self-fund training for (barring a surprise sponsor popping up). We cannot afford to take on another at this time. 

We are hoping to find a rescue or private rescuer willing to take the TB filly, or if we can find a sponsor for her training, we will take her. 

Very few specifics are known about these horses. They are both unregistered. The Thoroughbred's height is unknown, but very roughly guessed to be in the 15-16 hh. They are in Southern California.

If you would like to donate toward the costs needed to rescue the old sorrel gelding and send him to a much-deserved sanctuary/retirement home, please donate tohttp://www.auctionhorsesrescue.com/donate.html

If you would like to sponsor the unbroke filly's training, please email [email protected]

Happy Friday! Here is a short video of Fiona's filly, a few days ago, experiencing the great outdoors for the first time. She has been named Felicia by Ingrid, who's kindness in adopting and taking on the care of pregnant Fiona, (with her very infected rear hoof), resulted in her amazing recovery and the delivery of Felicia. 

Ingrid's hard work has allowed the rest of us to sit and enjoy a level of extreme cuteness most of us do not have the opportunity to see as often as we should.

Thank you Ingrid!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lSyVtnXp0A

Warren's Doogood, granddaughter of the great Storm Cat, has had a hard past several years. By the time we rescued her, outside an auction, last August, an infection had spread inside her hoof, into the coffin bone. 

That's been fully healed, thanks to several months of antibiotics, then ulcers diagnosed, and those treated. 

Now it's time for Doogood to find her path in life. A beautiful, sound, young Thoroughbred like this -- now that a number of costly ailments have been diagnosed and treated! (Such is the nature of rescue!) -- has an almost limitless array of possibilities. 

But, what will be right for her? 

We've enlisted the help of trainer Gustavo, who's begun Doogood's retraining. Retraining from scratch. First off, the bosal. Doogood is learning to go comfortably in all three gaits, and once she's fully "mastered" that, reacquainting Doogood's relationship with the bit will begin.

All these tools have their place. But when used incorrectly -- be it from brutishness or ignorance -- they become tools of abuse. From the bit to the "kindest" rope halter, they all have the capability of turning cruel, in the wrong hands.

We've been down this road before with prior rescues, and with calmness, patience, and love, they can overcome. So now, it's Doogood's turn.

We would like to put Doogood through a few months of professional training with Gustavo, but at $750/month, it is quite a drain on a small rescue's budget. However, a sufficiently traumatized horse, needs a new start, the right way. 

We were fortunate enough to find a sponsor for Romeo's training, the unbroke Arabian colt, rescued last year. Can we find the same for Doogood? 

If you would like to donate toward or sponsor Doogood's continued rehabilitation and retraining, please go tohttp://www.auctionhorsesrescue.com/donate.html

Thank you as always, and Doogood thanks you, too!