Willow! Willow was born August 4, 2012. She was found by local Animal Control on August 9. Here’s what they have to say about her:
“We named her that for her “Will to Live”. Her mom (A bay app, and dad was a white spotted app. Both were there. It was back yard breeding) lacked nutrition, and so did Willow while in mom. She was dying in a muddy field while mom stood in a shed not even close to where her foal was. No one was home. We took her due to her condition. We had our large animal vet meet us at ARL, but told us this little foal needed intensive care that we could not provide here at the shelter. We called Quakertown Vet and told them what we had and could they help. They said they are not a neonatal facility but will try to save her. She was rushed to Quakertown Vet Clinic in the heaviest down pour of rain you can’t imagine in the back of our van. They got her settled in with the doctors, and nurses looking over her with IV’s, meds. We left her at 11:00pm to head back to ARL in the hands of them.
The next morning I received a call that our little foal was extremely sick. She was dehydrated, septic, was having seizures throughout the night. She was taking in milk replacer via a bowel, not a bottle. She is now considered a “dummy foal.” We went to visit her that evening. The doc’s were not happy with the seizures and they cannot control them with the meds. We made that very hard decision that if she has another gran mal seizure to put her down.
Saturday morning came and I received no calls over night. Hoping that is was a good sign. She only had one small seizure over night, and that was her last seizure she ever had.
Spending two weeks in the hospital, and after a $8000.00 bill. Willow came to live at my farm for her first year of life. She learned about other horse, and the herd pecking order. Pick up her feet for the farrier, and to stand still for the vet. It was time to come back to the shelter and be put up for adoption 1 year after her birth. But now Willow stands with no permanent home. She is in need of training to become a great horse once old enough for riding.”
My Gosh! How cute is this filly? She will clearly be a pretty strawberry roan with a nice head. Despite her awful start, Willow is going to be a genuinely attractive mare. For information about adopting her, please contact her wonderful caretaker, Joelle, at: jparto@berksarl.org. Please be prepared to explain why you would be the best home for this very special filly. Remember! Willow is not at White Bird and all questions should be directed to Joelle.