Candace’s BIG Surprise!

“Did you know that I didn’t have a name until Mommy Theresa brought me and my mommy to the rescue? But now, I do have a name and it’s Candace! Mommy Theresa said every baby deserves a name. And guess what?!? My mommy has a name too – it’s Sophia! Isn’t that a pretty name? Both my mommy and I are feeling better. She really loves the alfalfa we get here. It’s nice to have good hay and to not have to eat weeds and leaves anymore. I do have a big surprise to share! Are you ready? Is it okay if we go back to the beginning of me and my mommy’s story – before we came here?

Before we came to Beauty’s Haven, we lived in a place where there wasn’t any grass so me and my mommy were hungry a lot. There were some trees for shade and we had water – we loved the water! Mommy would put her nose in it and swish it all around. I can’t remember what happened first – if I was too tired to nudge my mommy’s udders to get milk or if she was too hungry to even make milk for me. I just know the milk bar stopped working and I was so hungry and my mommy looked frustrated. I tried eating leaves but they weren’t good, and by the time I finished one, my energy was all gone. At some point, I lost my appetite even though my tummy was empty. My tummy was kind of big and puffy, even though you could see my ribs. I had sores and cuts all over me and my coat was missing hair in some places, but you know, I didn’t really feel any pain from them. But I seemed to get more tired each day. I wasn’t feeling very good, but I promised my mommy that I’d be a big girl and try to stay strong.

Then, a human came and started giving us hay and something called sweet feed each day! But my tummy started feeling not so good and I could hear my mommy’s tummy starting to make a lot of strange noises. Then guess what? It’s kind of embarrassing, but my poops got watery! A couple of days later, a man came who had a shiny gold star on his shirt. I heard him say that we needed a vet to examine us. The next day, another human came (Mommy Theresa) and she promised she’d be back to pick us up as soon as she got permission, and take us to a place called the rescue. She said that once we got there, we’d see a vet who would check us out and do tests to see what we needed to help us feel better. She said we’d never be hungry again! The very next day, she came back with a trailer. It seemed like it took forever for us to walk to it. I was just so tired. We had to stop a few times, but we finally made it and my mommy walked right on, but I needed help – I had run out of energy. We were only in the trailer a short time and when we got to the rescue, we saw green grass, hay, a shelter, and a big fan! We didn’t have a shelter or fan thing where we were living, so this was all new to me. There were humans at the farm who welcomed us and there were lots of horses that looked really happy. Even little itty bitty ones!

The vet poked us with needles and used something to listen to our hearts and tummies. The vet’s name was Dr. Emily and she had another nice person with her named Mandi. Dr. Emily gave me and my mommy something she said was good for us through what they called IV tubes. I heard everyone talking about how we needed lots of protein and good food. Since my mommy’s milk bar wasn’t working, they came up with a feeding plan so I could get stronger. Oh, I also have something called a three finger hernia under my tummy that needs to be fixed when my body is stronger. Mommy Theresa had already taken some of our poop and put it in a glove to see how much sand settled in the fingertips. Dr. Emily said it was a good amount. She took some more of my poop and some of my mom’s poop to test for what she said were parasites. Mommy Theresa told her that me and my mommy are Thoroughbreds and that my mommy once raced and had even won a couple of races! My mommy was a race horse! After they left, I nibbled on a little hay and then I laid down and slept. I slept really good – I was so tired. When I woke up, I could tell my mommy was more at ease which made me feel so much better.

A couple of days later after test results came back, Dr. Emily returned and reviewed with Mommy Theresa what we needed. She said my mommy has lots of strongyles, whatever that is, and she had given them to me through her milk because I had a lot too. It helped explain why, combined with not getting nutrition, our tummies look so big even though we are very underweight, and why my eyes are glassy, my coat is rough, I don’t have any muscle, I probably have ulcers, and why I feel so weak. They talked about how I wasn’t able to get milk from my mommy and what I should be fed. We need lots of good protein to help give us energy. Oh, and we have to take supplements. Some don’t taste good, but I take them anyway. I want to get strong and run around and play. Mommy Theresa and others here may not have seen me every time, but I did try the milk bar many times each day, but it was just broken.

Over the next couple of days, I met new aunties and they all love us! They said I’m very cute but way too skinny. Everyday, I kept trying to help myself to my mommy’s milk bar but it still wasn’t working. I did see Mommy Theresa get the milk bar to work a few times but I just couldn’t do it myself. But, I wasn’t going to give up. Over the last few days, I’ve been feeling better and now, I’m a bit stronger. I kept trying the milk bar and guess what????? I’m able to get milk from my mommy now! That’s right – the milk bar is working! That’s my surprise!

Thank you all so much for caring about me and my mommy! We promise to make you proud!”

Love,
Candace