Tag Archive for: Maggie

Maggie came to us last November as a county seizure. She had been living alone in a small sand paddock for many years. The case is still pending, but last week we were advised we had to release her to her previous owner. She was picked up on Saturday. It broke many hearts – especially Gabe’s. I can only hope and pray that there were lessons learned and that Maggie will be loved and properly cared for this time – and that she will have a friend. She truly appreciated having companionship.

Watching Gabe run around and hearing him call for her when she left and her call for him as the trailer drove away broke my heart. Animals certainly do feel happiness, love, pain, sorrow, and even a sense of loss.

Walking her to the transport trailer was a very hard thing to do and I feel like I betrayed her. I had promised her safety, food, and happiness. I’m sure she didn’t understand that we had no choice – we do have to follow the law. We all adore this mare and we cherish the bond that these two horses, each one having lived alone for many years before coming to us, had formed.

Together, Gabe and Maggie flourished. Maggie stays in my heart and in my prayers. The door is always open for her to come back.

Updated to address questions: We know where Maggie went. The State Attorney approved of the boarding facility where she was taken which is a couple of hours away. It’s off the beaten path so there is really no way to check on her by doing a drive-by. There was no restriction put on how long Maggie had to stay at the boarding facility.

Sincerely,
Theresa

Let’s start with the news that Maggie is okay. But boy, did she have us worried!

Last Friday evening, we noticed that Maggie simply wasn’t quite herself. Taking into consideration the amount of manure in her paddock, coupled with her demeanor, we felt that she may have been colicking, so we called a vet to come out. Upon arrival, the vet assessed her, tubed and oiled her and ran fluids. Once a rectal examination was done, the vet removed a good amount of healthy-looking manure and after running five more liters of fluids, she felt that things were looking up for Maggie. We were advised, however, that should Maggie take a turn for the worse, it would be in her best interest to admit her to the hospital. We finished running the fluids and took Maggie out of her stall for a little walk, but after she started to paw at the ground, we felt strongly that she still had an issue and it was imperative that she be immediately transported to the hospital, despite the horrific weather and torrential rains that we were experiencing at the time.

Once at the hospital, an ultrasound and tests were done. We were advised that Maggie might need surgery – there was an issue in the small intestine.

They ran blood tests every few hours, gave her fluids, and managed any discomfort in hopes the issue would resolve without surgery. If Margarita did not improve or if her condition worsened, she would go into surgery. It was time to pray!

On Saturday morning, the vet called with the good news that Margarita remained stable throughout the night, and they believed the issue had resolved. Whew! They started a slow refeeding protocol planned to keep her another day or two to ensure that she could eat, process the food and pass manure without issue. Surgery still had not been excluded, so she wasn’t completely out of the woods.

We were prepared to do whatever was in Maggie’s best interest, in accordance with the vet’s recommendations.

Other than this episode, Maggie has been doing great since we brought her in. She has gained 300 lbs., her coat is shiny and her eyes are bright. She has free roam in grassy paddocks and access to shelter 24/7. Grazing and walking is a natural thing for horses – it helps keep the gut happy. Maggie is a sweet and happy mare who shares a paddock with her best friend, Gabe, who missed her so very much.

Fortunately, Gabe got his friend back yesterday. We are so very grateful for answered prayers!

Sincerely,
Theresa

It was wonderful seeing Gabe and Maggie (a recent county seizure) together exploring new places and making new friends. They are both such very sweet horses. Gabe has COPD, which we are trying to manage, whilst sweet Maggie does not sweat at times. Maggie’s neglect case is still pending with the county but her owner has been charged. Maggie and Gabe both need sponsors for their care including hay, grain, farrier work, etc., so if you would like to sponsor or help either horse, please click on the ‘DONATE’ button at the bottom of this post where you can make a one-time contribution or sign up for monthly automatic donations which help tremendously.


ABOVE: Gabe and Maggie experiencing the innate joy of just being horses.

Nadia is still searching for a perfect friend since we lost Venus in November. Nadia and Venus had been together for twenty-five plus years. A few weeks after Venus passed, Peaches sensed that Nadia was grieving and remained by her side. Peaches has always helped others cope with the loss of a friend, but since she has always been a loner, her comfort to others is only temporary and after a few weeks of giving the other horse time to adjust, Peaches is ready for the other horse to move on. Nadia has Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD), a progressive condition that leads to chronic breakdown of tendons and ligaments. Her condition will only worsen and at some point, we will have to make the decision to let her join Venus. We will keep her comfortable for as long as possible, but in the meantime, we will continue our quest to find Nadia another very best friend from within our herd.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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