Delilah was rescued a few months ago w/her mother, Savannah. They were found starving. Baby Delilah is 15 months old and only the size of a 6 month old. Our barn took them in as our project to rehab and get them into good homes. We found who the mother really is and she is racing royalty. She’s the daughter of the 1976 KY Derby Winner, Bold Forbes and was dumped at an auction while pregnant at 21 years of age. That is appalling. They’ve been receiving much needed love and care but now the baby really needs our help. You can read what happened below. Thank God she has such a sweet temperament. She allowed us and the doctors to do what was needed yesterday. Anything will be greatly appreciated 🙂

*From the barn owner*

As most of you know tomorrow (Saturday 10/18/08) is our next scheduled fund raiser for Savannah and Delilah, the 2 horses we rescued from starvation. What some of you may not know is Delilah, the baby, had an accident sometime during the night this past Wednesday. Somehow she managed to push her foot under the stall door and got it stuck and try as she might she could not get free. (It is a very tight fitting door and seems impossible for something like this to happen). In the process of struggling to remove her foot she severely cut it in several places all the way to the bone and joints and severed some tendons. At some point she went down in her stall with the foot still stuck in the door and that is how I found her at 7:00 am Thursday morning. The vet came out on an emergency call and did what she could to clean the wounds, wrap the wounds, medicate her with antibiotics and pain medication and sent us on our way to the Horse hospital in Ocala. We spent most of the day with the doctor doing everything he could do to help her, now it is in Gods hands, so please say all the prayers you can for her. She will need to be in the hospital for at least a week; her biggest enemy right now is infection setting in her joints.

The cost is phenomenal, probably around 5,000.00 to 6,000.00 before it is over. The initial emergency vet bill here before we took her to the hospital was 590.00. The doctor says the hospital bill will reach 3000.00 in the first 3 days and ideally he would like to keep her for 2 to 3 weeks. After all is said and done, best scenario- if the joints do not get infected she could heal beautifully and go on to live the long life she deserves even being an athletic horse, possible hunter/jumper. Worst scenario – infection takes over the joints and lames her with severe pain and the choice will have to be made to try and keep her comfortable with medications the rest of her life, or let her go, put her down to stop the suffering. Obviously we are hoping for a bright future for the sweet, beautiful girl!

She was just starting to recover from her starvation and malnutrition issues, not to mention the swollen knee and numerous vet visits for that. She had a sprained front foot that had her limping for almost 3 weeks that also healed, and for the last 5 weeks we have been weaning her from her mother’s milk. She was just starting to feel good again. On Tuesday afternoon she was running across the grass and kicking out towards anything that got in her way. And now this!

So……., please include her in your prayers, and tell everyone you know about our event tomorrow (I have attached a flyer to help you spread the word). Also, if anyone has any extra money that they can donate to help pay her vet bill you can send it directly to the hospital in Ocala:

Peterson and Smith
4747 S.W. 60th Ave.
Ocala, Fl.    34474

Phone # (352) 237-6151

They accept credit cards over the phone, checks, and of course cash.

I am expecting some pictures later today of Delilah in her hospital stall, when I receive them I will forward them to all of you. I will also keep you posted on her progress.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that every one of you do for these 2 horses. You have volunteered your time and services, donated money, and supported me emotionally through some really tough times. It means more to me than you will ever know. Most of all, thank you for loving these sweet precious horses! Life sometimes deals us a really bad hand and they have been through so much.

All my love,
Trish