The Little Mare with the Flaxen Mane

I woke up thinking about her and she’s been on my mind all day. Hopefully, she will be in my dreams tonight.

June 14th, 2013. Betsy Rose arrived skin on bones with a Body Condition Score of 0.5 (Henneke Scale 1 to 9). The odds for her survival were next to none. When a body is deprived of nutrition, it feeds off its own fat, muscle, and then organs. It shuts down. This is where Betsy Rose was when she arrived. From the moment I saw her, there was an overwhelming connection and I sensed a fierce determination in her to overcome. I promised her that we would do everything we could to make all of her tomorrows everything her past should have been. I believed that if we could stabilize her, enable her body to be able to ingest and digest food through a proper refeeding program and give her body time to heal and grow strong, that she could overcome. I knew her rehabilitation would be absolutely demanding and intense but I also knew she deserved a chance. Her recovery and survival were nothing short of a miracle.

Betsy Rose was much more than that one special horse that comes into your life – she was a teacher, friend, comic, helper, healer and a hero. She overcame insurmountable challenges with much determination and dignity.

Throughout her incredible journey to overcome all odds, she taught us perseverance, courage, compassion, patience, wisdom, and to never give up. She taught us to believe. We were blessed to have her in our life. Sadly, we had to let her go to Rainbow Bridge on December 22nd, 2017, due to a condition that prevented her from being able to swallow. If one cannot swallow, they are unable to live, and there was nothing more that could be done.

Betsy Rose had an incredibly strong life force about her that naturally captivated countless hearts from around the world. She motivated many people to overcome various types of obstacles. There is no way to measure the love this little mare generated amongst people far and wide. She will always be in our hearts and she will never be forgotten. Her spirit and her legacy live on through our work and through others that she inspired. We will forever be indebted to this little mare with the flaxen mane that taught us to believe.

Sincerely,
Theresa