Kill Pen Rescue!

Texas Kill Pen Rescue

FOREWARNING GRAPHIC PHOTOS!!!!

We Rescued this little cremello filly on the date of Dec,1st 2016. we are going to record her journey and progress of training throughout her new life here at RSS

Found

As a horse person, i commonly share and spread the word of horses that are seen at kill pens. For those of you who dont know exactly what a kill pen is; these are designated lots where horses traveling across the us in their way to mexico (since horse slaughter has been illegalized in the US) may stop and wait til thier "delivery " date.
For some reason a little shaggy looking off-white filly caught my eye. it was her last day in the pen and she had not been "bailed out". This is when i made the decision to take a chance and adopt her. No idea how to get her from Forney TX to NC. Just faith that i would find a way.

Prayers

I was now commited to this filly. And thanks to some of the people who work at the kill pen we took little Eve into Quarentine away from the other horses who may not have been as blessed. She had a severe cold with runny eyes and a snotty little nose. This may have been why she was overlooked by others. And unfortunatly the day before she left the pen she was kicked in the thigh by another horse. So not only did i have to find a way to get this little girl home, but also deal with vet bills as well as any board as we wait for her to recover and be healthy enough for her journey to her new home. A great friend of mine set up a donation "box" online and i was shocked at the generousity of people. Within two days we had over 250$ just from our horsey family and friends. And from this i was put in contact with a woman who offered a great deal for her to be transported home.

Treatment

So now we had a great opportunity to get this filly home. Unfortunatley i needed her to of course be healthy enough to travel. We immediatly had her looked at by the vet when put into QT. They started her on a round of exceed (injectable antibiotic) and looked into her swollen leg. After he looked her over he believed she had been kicked in her hip. Nothing broken just very swollen so wrapped her leg and gave her anti-inflammatory to help. (Later I realized it was cellulitis when i was able to examine her in NC)

Journey home

After every delay that could have possibly happened we had her journey started.
The trip consisted of her being picked up from her QT facility and then being transported to Alabama with several other rescue horses. I would then travel to Alabama and pick up my filly and the others rescues to have them safely taken to their new homes. We set out around 330am to arrive approximately around 1230. After one trailer brake malfunction and passing approximately 20 mobile homes being transported to Gatlinburg due to the massive wild fires, we arrived!!!! We were given an address to which we were to pick up the rescues, (I’m looking for a large barn out of habit). I get confused as we pull up to a large white gate with deer engraved over it. I Called the number and a sweet girl answered confirming we were at the correct place, “one moment, I’ll come open the gate”. We wait in AW as the large gates open and we pull thru to what looked like a beautiful gated community, little did we know it was a deer reserve. As we drive the long-paved road to the stable we look to either side of our truck to see 20 plus mule deer happily munching away. After a while the other transporter arrives, by this time it is close to 8pm. My filly looks exhausted, her cold was much worse than what I had been told and her leg looked severely infected still. Since (now to my knowledge there was improper vet care) it had been some time since the original injury had taken place it had begun to heal improperly, proud flesh and what would be a nasty lumpy scar. Went over and checked the others and they were older horses most likely 30’s and legs looked shaky. I decided to delay our return and let them all rest over-night and start fresh the next morning.
Final Travel Day Alabama to North Carolina
After everyone including ourselves ate a good breakfast we rewrapped legs and loaded up. Multiple stops we done to check the precious cargo who were wonderful passengers. Everyone was great and seemed very happy and content in our little trailer. Once we dropped off the old guys we had our final stop at my barn for the filly. She clearly was not used to unloading without a wrap and poor little thing stumbled and fell on her way put but luckily was completely unharmed. Checked her out and settled her in for the night with lots of fresh water and hay.

Carolina Life Begins!

On Dec 19 2016 this lil filly finally arrived to her new home in NC. She was snotty, coughing and her leg was horribly infected. Immediately I could tell she needed a major group of antibiotics in her system for several days to get rid of her cold and leg infection from the cellulitis that smelled rotten.

Immediately i must say this is the sweetest baby i have dealt with, i had to take a scalpel, numb the leg and remove some of the proud flesh that began to heal incorrectly and she never moved. Stood perfect while i wrapped her leg and gave her injections. I expected some of which was due to her not feeling well but even with that i was shocked.

A new year new life

Its now may 2017, since I've done my last update on moonshine. She has become a barn favorite, with a calm and sweet personality that, thru all the struggles of fighting her infection, daily walks, countless worries... she has proven she was well worth it all. All her of her symptoms are gone and her leg has healed perfectly, to be honest I'm even shocked; not even a scar and not a hint of lameness. She has started in my groundwork program and progressing beautifully, due to her bad start her joints are growing slowly so taking her training slow for her benefit! She currently lunges great, w/t/c. backing, turn on forehand and hindquarters.