Gallant

Gallant's story as it appeared in the February 2020 newsletter.    A Good Samaritan called the sanctuary to report two horses. She thought one must have pneumonia because several weeks before the horse was breathing so hard that she went down in her back yard, and our good Samaritan couldn’t get the horse up. She was convinced that the mare was going to die, but in time she did get up. The two horses often got out of their fenced area.  

Melanie and I couldn’t find the two horses. We searched up and down driveways and only found a couple of donkeys.  Animal Control had been called many times to no avail. One of the Investigators realized that the mare was in a desperate condition, and the owner may be charged. Once again, we were called, and the owner now wanted to release the two horses so she would not be charged.  Chris Morgan hooked up the trailer in record time, and we were off to pick up the two horses. This time the directions were much better, and we headed off. It is always vital to go as quickly as possible or the abuser may hide the horses or give them to an inappropriate person. 

We never know what we are going to face when we arrive at a location. The Good Samaritan and the owner were present. We could tell it was once a well cared for property that belonged to her father, who died not long ago.  It was the first time that Melanie was with me to pick up a horse in the horrible condition of the white mare. She had the worst Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO) that I have ever seen. Each breath was torture for her. I knew she would not be with us for very long. I watched Melanie’s lips tighten, and her body went rigid. When we see a horse like this skinny, sick mare, it is hard to keep from saying or doing something unpleasant. The mare was old and maybe Arabian with a body score of a low one. We had no choice but to let her go.  

The other horse is a black 13-year-old Appendix gelding. His body score was a high three and in the short time he has been with us, he is gaining weight nicely. We have been putting together a list of names hoping the Black will like one of them.