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We have three new horses at the ranch. Thanks to your support, three lives were saved.

On August 15, County of San Diego Department of Animal Services rescued a stray gelding in the community of Boulevard in the far eastern portion of San Diego County. This sweet boy is believed to a youngster, only about fourteen years old. Unfortunately, advanced pastern arthritis (ringbone) in both of his front legs means his riding days are behind him. During his in-take exam with Dr. Harlan from East County Large Animal Practice, we discussed a chronic wound on his right front leg. This long-term wound, combined with a number of scars all over his body suggest he may have once been caught in a fence or wire. While we will never know his story, we do know that he is a kind, gentle boy. He has been given the name Harold.

William Big, aka Bill, is a Belgian Draft Horse. Bill transferred to our care on Nov. 2, 2023 from a local rescue/therapy center that is closing. He arrived in their care in March of 2022. He was initially rescued by a rescue in Michigan. That rescue took him in directly from an Amish farm on June of 2021. The original rescue listed several different ages for him, from as young as 15 to as old as 18. ECLAP estimates him to be in his early twenties. Both rescues agree that Bill is a sweetheart.

A lack of grinding surface on his back teeth means Bill is on an all-pellet diet. He has a slow-healing hoof abscess and very thin soles that will require careful farrier management to keep him comfortable. He also has a history of GI issues. We hope that between his diet and supplements we can manage all of these issues.

Maggie also came to us on Nov. 2, 2023, from the same local rescue/therapy center that is closing. She came to the local rescue in December of 2022. She had reportedly been bounced through auctions and was sitting at an out-of-state kill pen when she was rescued. She is believed to be fifteen years old.

Unfortunately, at some point in her life Maggie experienced an avulsion fracture of the top of the coffin bone (the extensor process). This means that a bone fragment has separated from the rest of the bone and in Maggie’s case it healed inappropriately. This break left her with significant arthritis and deformation of the hoof wall. As a result, she cannot carry riders. We hope that daily pain medication will help provide Maggie with years of comfort.

 She is a wonderfully calm mare and loves attention. We think she will be a very popular lady with our volunteers.

2023 has been a challenging year for us financially with ever-increasing feed costs. However, your support allowed us to say yes to these three horses that had run out of options. Thank you for making their forever home with us possible.