IMPORTANT: I do not think I can stress this enough. There are pictures below of this horse during his “prime” and they are incredibly different from what you will see. THIS IS NOT BECAUSE HE WAS A RACEHORSE THAT GOT INJURED AND THROWN AWAY !!! I have personally spoken with the original owner and she is disgusted that he ended up like this. She assured me that there are laws in place that prevent racehorses from being “discarded” and winding up like he has. So, DO NOT for one instance think the former owner did this, it has been about 17 years since she last saw him and then to see him like this is rough. I have also promised that if for whatever reason we can not take care of him, he will go back to her and her alone. Just in case some of you can’t read I’ve redacted the photos below to remove her name from them.
So we did a thing yesterday ( on the 24th ) that has totally turned things on end, in a good way mind you. I was scrolling through Facebook killing time yesterday and came across a post with this picture:
Yup that’s a horse alright, the bad part is, that’s along Interstate 10 here in Florida. This pic was taken early in the day by a passerby around 8 or 9 in the morning and put up on Facebook. Nobody was giving any definitive information about him other than he looked lame and had been there all day. Well about 2pm rolls around and I was asking if he was still there or what attempts had been made to help him. Nothing, except a gentleman posted that he had just drove by and the horse was still there. I told the wife we’re hooking up the trailer and heading over to get him. It was about an hour and a half drive.
So I want to take time and insert some new information here that we learned about from Mitzi today when she came over to see Wanderlust.
Update 4-4 3:51p: I don’t want anyone to think for an instance we did this for any other reason than to save the horse which would not have been even remotely possible if it wasn’t for Mitzi and Stephen ( hope I’m spelling his name right ). As I said below, Mitzi and her husband were there before we got there. Mitzi told us today that the guy whose property it was, wanted to shoot the horse and bury it. Mitzi got him to surrender the horse to animal control. Whole lot of changes going on there but it all works out. They were able to get it arranged to get on the property and actually on the right side of the fence, something we weren’t able to do until later on. So when it all comes down to it, much of the thanks goes to Mitzi and Stephen whom as I said below were incredible in their efforts.
But there’s someone’s part of this that isn’t being included, well wasn’t really until now…. Wanderlust, as we call him now…. but up until then his name was Ponches Glory. Ponches Glory was a racehorse with 26 starts and 2 wins and between 2003 and 2004 a whole lot of close calls. Mitzi was able to get in contact with his trainer and learned that he was retired because of an injury to his knee. So now we know a little bit more about the horse himself… but what seems to have been overlooked by me was that somehow Ponches Glory managed to get himself to that fence line along I-10, and in doing so brought a lot of people together that probably would have never met one another, in order to get him out of that place.
Kristy and I were just going off of the information we had from Facebook which really wasn’t much. I knew there was a horse in trouble and he had been there since at least 8:30 in the morning. We had no idea what had really been done up until we got there around 4ish in the afternoon. Day or two later I noticed someone mentioned that he must have gone to the fence line looking for help. How exactly he got there I don’t think we’ll ever know, but he did, and he made strangers work together to save his life. Even the guy who wanted to shoot and bury him came around and was willing to help us save him.
So we get there, animal control is already there and a vet is on the way. We talk to some of the people who were there, two of which we’re now friends with and were incredible in helping us get him in the trailer and in general caring for him while we figured out what to do. We pulled up along the interstate side of the fence, he was safe on the other side. So we had to go back through and around and follow a bumpy dirt road and trail to get to him. When we get there we’re told that the vet says to euthanize him after just glancing at him. Yeah he looked rough, here’s some pics I took:
He is emaciated and soooooo hungry and thirsty. We had to make sure to pace what we were feeding him so he didn’t get sick. The owner or the owner’s father showed up and surrendered the horse to animal control. After some talking we were able to get custody of the horse and started our attempts to load him into the trailer. He wouldn’t walk or use his back legs for anything more than a prop so in the end. The four guys lifted his back end up while the two girls pulled him into the trailer and surprisingly on the second attempt he went right in.
At this point we know nothing about this horse other than he’s a horse. The wounds looked like picker bush or barbed wire cuts and several of them were severely infected, one of which ruptured and squirted gooey juices everywhere. But anyhow… long story short, we got him in the trailer and then busted ass up to Auburn University to the miracle workers.
Now remember what I said about the vet that showed up and wanted to euthanize him ??? Check this shit out.
We got there to Auburn and they had us take him around back to the stalls so he wouldn’t have to walk very far. We get there and decided to see if he would come out on his own… and surprisingly he did… and not only did he step out of the trailer on his own but he then walked to the stalls !!! We were in so much shock that we didn’t get any pictures so we boned that part up.
Anyhow, back to the euthanizing part…. We’re heading back, they told us they would call in about an hour or so with their initial findings. So we get the call while we’re rolling down the interstate and they said there’s really nothing at all wrong with him other than some infected cuts and a bit of cellulitis on his back legs that can all be treated and he will be fine !!!
Now hold onto your hats cuz it gets even better… as they’re going over the horse they find a tattoo that the vet said makes him a registered Thoroughbred !!! Once we get some more pics of him from the team in Auburn we’ll definitely find out more about him. They believe he is a 2000 model which means he’s still got plenty of giddy up in him.
UPDATE INSERT: Tracking down his tattoo information turns up that his original name was “Ponches Glory” and he was a racehorse with 26 starts and 2 wins as a 2yo and 3yo in Florida and New York.
At no point did he look like he wanted to give up, he just need a bit of rest off his feet which he got when he fell down. Once he got back up there was a sparkle in his eyes and we knew that the was the time to get him loaded up.
During this whole ordeal, my son Allen was there feeding him hay, peppermint horse treats, and bonding with him. He decided to name the horse “Wanderlust”. So that’s where the name came from.
As of this moment Wanderlust is in the best hands possible at the Auburn University Large Animal Hospital, the same people that took care of my Samson and the only vets I will trust. Sure it’s a 3 hour drive but to me, it’s worth it knowing that those miracle workers will do everything possible.
Here are the intake pics from the vets, they did of course give him a bath and wow he’s pretty !!!
And with that folks… for right now I am crashing. I’ve been up for 28 hours now cuz I had to go to work after we got home this morning so I’m a little bit on the beat side. Look on this post for updates and information as we get it.
Special Thanks ( this will be ongoing ):
- First and foremost, Stephen and Mitzi who stayed till the end and helped load him up.
- Edmund from Jackson County Animal Control who also helped right to the end.
- Auburn University Large Animal Hospital for being so awesome.
News and Updates ( this will be ongoing as well )
- First update was to inform us that he was fine other than some infections caused by whatever he got tangled in. They did ultrasounds of his legs and there were no pockets and no broken bones. They were going to start him on IV fluids and antibiotics. This came 1 hour after delivering him at 3 in the morning.
- Presently stable and doing good, deposit for treatment made.
- Update 3-25 6:22p: It appears this boy has a past. Wanderlust’s original name was Ponches Glory, he had 26 starts all claims races with 2 wins. He was bred in Florida where he races as a 2 year old and then raced in New York as a 3 year old. Vet says he is looking considerably better and happier !!!
- Update 3-26 10:00am: Vet called with an update and he’s doing great. Wanderlust should be coming home on Wednesday. The vet wants to take him off of the antibiotics on Tuesday and then keep him for 24 hours to make sure he doesn’t spiral downhill. So excited and so in love with the team up in Auburn, they are rockstars !!!
- UPDATE 3-27 10:30am: Almost forgot since the wife wasn’t home to tell me but as soon as we got back home together she told me the vet did call ( I love how they call daily no matter what ).Wanderlust is still improving, they’re having to do some things tomorrow to try and track down anymore pockets of infection and if they can be drained, they’re going to do it. The compression boots are doing great on his lower legs but now his upper legs are swelling some and they think there’s some infections going on higher up they need to look at.Still looking like he’ll make a full recovery, I have no doubt in my mind they can save him and we did the right thing by not having him put down alongside the interstate that day.Actually made contact with Mitzi and have been chatting with her about Wanderlust. I loved how she fell in love with him and was just as determined as we were to save him no matter what. Her and her husband, Stephen, both…. gotta go back to the blog and correct spelling her name wrong. And with that my friends, I am off to get a wee bit more sleep before that ugly work monster rears its head at 3am.
- UPDATE 3-28 10:00am: So today’s update is what we expected, no news, which is good news. He’s responding well to the antibiotics and are laying out an extended plan for when he returns home. It’s not looking like Wednesday night as we hoped but perhaps Thursday. I would much rather him stay up there and be safe and sound than come home and run the risk of some sort of relapse and us having to mad scramble to get him back up there. So right now we’re pleased that he’s doing well and getting better.
- UPDATE 3-29/30 8:30am: I worked an odd shift yesterday so I wasn’t able to get the scoop until I got home around midnight so here’s where we’re at now. The vet is on the phone now, big thing is that he’s already gained about 50 pounds, the infections are under control and he’s looking a lot better. They’re going to take him off the IV antibiotics and fluids today and switch to oral and keep an eye on him for the next 24 hours. He has apparently fallen in love with his water boots and the vet and students call it his morning bubble bath. We’re looking at being able to bring him home on Sunday so I’ll have to check my work schedule and see what we can do. So in short, he’s doing great, getting better daily, and should make a full recovery.
- UPDATE 3-31 3:45pm: Just got some new pics of Wanderlust in, he’s out for a bit of exercise.
- Update 4-1 10:00am: He’s been off of IV antibiotics and fluids for 24 hours now and his blood work came back excellent. They’ve been taking his compression bandages off throughout the day to let him get some circulation and exercise. Right now we are a “go” for picking him up on Sunday. I’ve moved heaven and earth to get that day off, and although I have to go in and do paperwork we’ll be able to be on the road in the morning. Wanderlust is comin’ home !!!!
- Update 4-2/3 6:35pm: There wasn’t really much to report yesterday but today has just been an emotional roller coaster for all of us. WANDERLUST IS HOME !!! We picked him up this afternoon from Auburn University and just got in, getting him settled into his holding pen now. Kristy and Allen are out cleaning his wounds and dressing his legs which needs to be done for the next 2 weeks. He’s got some oral antibiotics and is on an alfalfa and hay diet for now until he packs on some more “natural” weight then we can start giving him grain.
So that my friends is how a horse rescue goes…. more or less. Sadly not all of them are as fortunate as Wanderlust and they don’t get a happy landing. There was just one that was rescued from an auction for the sole purpose of humanely euthanizing it, so yeah, not all of them are as fortunate.
Over the course of the next few weeks we’ll be working on getting his weight on, working on cleaning up and enhancing the backyard. The recent storms we’ve had really did a number on things but we will get it all situated. The good news is that Wanderlust is home.
Update 4-4 4:30p: Now something happened today that I wasn’t happy with because I was ashamed of how our place looks at the moment partially due to the storms and partially due to Destructo-Horse. New mission since it ultimately falls on me, is to get things straightened back out and proper housing built for the horses… all of them. No more…. no more patch jobs, no more quick fixes, no more “this SHOULD work”, NO MORE !!! Had to get a little War Doctor going on there…. No more… Yeah I work a lot, but I work a lot to have nice things and right now my nice things aren’t so nice and my nice things aren’t being taken care of the way I want them to be taken care of. So if it means going to bed without dinner or exhausted, so be it, things are going to change around here. That being said, I will try to document my work as I go through and make the needed changes, there’s going to be a lot of building and construction going on.
Update 4-5 11:30pm: I know it’s late coming in the day but I had a late shift last night and I’m just now getting home and updating this. Our friend did a bit of researching, found the original owner, contacted him, AND GOT RACE PICTURES as well as a couple of other from his “glory days”. We had a bad bit of weather last night so he remained under cover, blanketed, and checked on hourly. At one point I found Allen outside with him drenched head to to, I gave him my duster to wear so he wouldn’t get sick. Wanderlust has really sparked something in him, he actually leaves his room and is more interested in the horse than anything else. The oozing seems to have stopped in most of his wounds except for the large one on his thigh which was actually a huge abscess. He’s taking his meds like a champ, eating like… well, a horse, and steadily improving. He’ll be seen locally next week unless I get a wild hair in my bum to drive him and Samson up to Auburn. I know they’re dying to see Samson again and they fell in love with Wanderlust so yeah, we’ll see. Anyhow, here’s the pics our friend LeAndriah got from his original owner:
Update 4-6 6:30pm: So I was asked about how Wanderlust looked after the storm so I decided to show some pics of him outside after the torrential downpour yesterday and the sporadic bits of rain and wind we had this afternoon. As you can see, he’s quite dry, his wounds are clean, and the swelling in the left rear is down but we’re still working on the right rear. The wound on his upper left thigh has gone down significantly and didn’t appear to be oozing anywhere near as much as it had been. He’s doing good, his being vocal, and VERY attentive. We were told by his previous owner that he liked his Jolly Ball, so we got him one today and we’ll hang it up in his stall for him to play with for now. Once he’s got his weight back up some and is let out into the yard we’ll prolly get him another one to toss about and kick. In the meantime, here’s today pics:
Update 4-7/8 5:00p: So as I mentioned on Facebook last night I was whooped after all the work we did around the property yesterday. Couple of pics of the chute with the horse gates installed now. We now have a safe way to bring the horses in and out of the yard. Now onto the reason you’re all here, Wanderlust. I went out and gave him a good going over and he’s really up on the mend it seems. I didn’t notice any oozing from ANY of his wounds so that’s a bonus. He’s continuing to eat and has even started partaking of the community bale. Here’s some pics of the work and of course, of Wanderlust. He’s starting to look so much better already.
Update 4-9 1:42p: Well I was able to speak with the original owner for a while, think like an hour we talked, some arguing, some chatting, shooting the crap, etc.. Long story short, if we can’t take care of him for whatever reason, he is going to go live with her and I believe his stable buddy from back in the day. As for how he’s doing today… he’s perky, alert, moving around, and socializing from his stall. We’re still limiting his movement except for his walks for exercise at the moment but he seems to be wanting to walk more and more but not until we get the ok from the vet next week on what’s next for him.
Update 4-10 1:30p: HUGE DAY for Wanderlust today. He seemed to be walking really good today so we led him over to the small pasture across the road so he could check things out. He got a little bit of fresh grass to nom on and had a nice little walk. Once we got him out in the sunlight I was able to look at his wounds closer and they’re doing a lot better. Swelling on the right rear still apparent but he’s walking on it and really wanted to move faster than a walk but the vet says no and that is the rule, slow walks. And because I promised Mitzi, I even got some video but for some reason the sound didn’t record which really sucks because for the first time we heard him actually whinny to the other horses. So yeah, he took a decent stroll over to the small pasture, had some grass, and now he’s going to rest a bit, get his wounds taken care of and a dry bath.
Update 4-11 through 4-13 6:00pm: So I am honestly sorry for not updating this daily. We’re at a point now where his wounds are no longer scabbed over, no oozing whatsoever anywhere, and he is going for longer and longer walks. The reason I wasn’t able to get on here and update as much as I wanted was simply because I have been spending a LOT of time working on our property and getting things into shape the way I want them to be.
Update 4-14 6:00pm: So as I was working on the fencing and the chute and stuff in general today my wife and mother-in-law came speeding back down the road to tell me Animal Control was here. We all went out back and I walked up and asked if there was something I could help them with. They said they got a call and were there to do a wellness check on Wanderlust. I hollered back to Allen to bring him over so they could get a better look and we showed the two officers all of his injuries and how they were healing. We also provided them all of the documentation we have for him including all of the before and after pictures. Needless to say they were quite pleased with our cooperation, the condition of the horse, and our continued care because he does have a vet appointment tomorrow. They also explained to us that unless someone takes us to court, as far as they’re concerned, the horse is ours. We’ve been the one spending all the time and money for his care and rehabilitation and have the documents to prove it and the one officer stated that was excellent, he also told me to keep this blog going and keep on with the updates. So barring anymore nasty weather like we’ve had, I will get some pictures tomorrow of Wanderlust and try to get some before and afters of his wounds to show the progress on those.
Update 4-15 7:00pm: Pics tomorrow after work I promise, everything is good with Wanderlust, he’s healthy, slowly putting on weight like he should be at this point. Blood work all came back clean. Still looking to keep him on oral antibiotics for a bit longer until the sores are completely healed up especially that one on his left thigh that had the abscess. Spent a fair bit of time at the vet today as apparently several of them had seen the original post of him on Facebook and wanted to help him so we had everyone at the vets office checking him out.And no more trailer rides for a while, it’s still a bit much for his back legs and he really doesn’t like to load so we’re going to work on just chillaxing with him…. he’s still on stall rest and we’re still wrapping that leg to help with the swelling and cellulitis. For the wraps it is 12 on and 12 off with some padding and a polo wrap.Guess we’ll get the rest of the notes on Monday or at some point between now and then I suppose. All in all a good visit though. He’s not in any immediate danger and he’s stable and getting healthier like he’s supposed to be. Today just got way ahead of us and we’re just now getting in so I can even update this. All of the horses are eating and it’s just time to wind down for everyone.
Update 4-16 1:30p: Well not exactly the pictures I wanted to post but I wasn’t going to get good pictures anyhow as it’s starting to sprinkle. So what have we here ??? Hives… yup, just popped up about 2 hours ago, he is now on constant watch for even the slightest signs of distress, oddly he doesn’t seem bothered by them at all and his demeanor is just as perky as before right down to licking Allen like a puppy. Vet up in Auburn said it would most likely be an allergic reaction to a bug bite which is common and should subside in a few hours or over the course of a day or two. His wounds are looking a hell of a lot better and that wrapped ankle with the swelling, it’s well under control now. The local vet and the one up in Auburn don’t want us to give him any supplements unless they’re prescribed because his digestive system needs to ease back into him eating like a horse so we wait a while and see. One reason I’m putting the pics up, so we have a reference to a before and after which I still want to do with his wounds…. perhaps at some point tonight I’ll do that, I work a REALLY late shift tomorrow, like 11p until the sun comes up and then some. But I want it known, I am not going to hide anything regarding this horse, I want to be completely transparent so there’s no questions about anything. He has access to the best vets that can see him at a moment’s notice…. not to mention my wife was a kennel tech, we’ve got a couple of other friends who were/are vet techs, I’m good at triaging and mobilizing under duress ( there is ALWAYS a way, you just have think it through )… so we have him covered. So yeah, honesty, transparency, and respect. I wish I would have done something like this with Samson because his journey to healthy living had a rough start with not one, not two, but three emergency trips to the vet. AND WE LEARNED SO MUCH !!! And with that, I’m about to pop out and check on Wanderlust, I have a few areas I mapped out to watch for changes in.
Update 4-16 6:30pm: So most of the hives across the upper side of him have gone down, upon brushing my hand over his sides the hair is all that standing up now. So whatever it was, insect bite or something else, it does in fact seem to be passing and his temperature hasn’t spiked at all and he’s just a steady nomming on his hay. I was in contact with the vet and she said to just keep an eye on him, watch for any signs of distress, and it can take up to 72 hours for them to totally disappear but the fact they’re already going away is very good.
Update 4-17 through 4-19 8:30a: Sorry for the not so daily updates, I’ve been pulling graves lately so aside from visual checks when I get home, I’m not up for taking a lot of pics. That being said I do check him quite a bit throughout the days. Kristy and Allen both do a lot of the hard work and it’s slowly starting to show. Aside from the nasty weather over the weekend, everyone and everything is doing good. Take a few days for the yard to dry out but Wanderlust is dry, kept him blanketed and under the cover during the storms because the last thing he needs is a damned cold !!! So yeah, I went out this morning after getting home from work and there’s no sign of the hives at all. Our best guess was the UlcerGard medication he was prescribed, he had the one dose of it, broke out in hives so we didn’t give it to him again and the hives are gone. He’s eating really well, finishes all of his alfalfa and the little bit of grain he’s allowed with his meds. I noticed yesterday that his ribs are not as prominent as they had been, a sign he’s putting on some weight. Really waiting until the end of the month when I start my vacation and can do a lot more with him and for him.
Yeah yeah yeah, what happened to daily updates… work, life in general, and I would much rather work with the horses in my free time. But fret not those of you following Wanderlust’s recovery… I have pics and updates to share.
Update 4-20 and 4-21 11:00p: Given the recent bout of storms we’ve had I’ve been hesitant to rip down the old structure covering the hay and where Wanderlust can remain covered when it rains, the other horses can also but they just choose to roll around in the mud like little piggies. So that is temporarily on hold at least until my week off next week. We’ve already made some minor improvements and I have to call for a quote on some materials tomorrow so things are about to take off rather quickly once I am freed from the shackles of work.
So Wanderlust has been making himself right at home. His walks are getting longer and longer and he’s even trying to trot a bit but that’s a no no for now. In the pics below you can see how almost all of his wounds are just scars now with no proud flesh and no infections. As mentioned the other day, his blood work came back clean and clear but they are still going to keep him on antibiotics for a while longer until he’s put on enough weight and his body can regulate itself better. He’s still on stall rest but today he was allowed to roam around the yard freely while his stall was cleaned out. Allen has been taking care of him and has him eating carrots which he goes nuts over. He’s got a new halter, fly sheet of his own, and a brand new boot that he gets to wear for an hour or so at a time that gets tossed in the freezer, then strapped on him in place of hosing him down with cold water which is really the last thing he needs. Kristy picks on him about his boot and says he walks like a goober with it on. But anyhow, let’s get on with the pics from today:
So not much longer till those wounds will be all closed and fade into scars that will hopefully be covered by fresh fur and become nothing more than a bad memory. There’s still the swelling in the right rear ankle ( that’s what the boot is for ) but it has gone down a LOT and he doesn’t seem to be really bothered by it.
Something I won’t post pictures of and something we learned, Wanderlust has some melanomas on his penis and around his anus. This however did not seem odd to the vet as she explained to us that this is “common” in grey horses. As soon as she saw them on his penis she ran right around and lifted his tail and found what she was looking for. NEVER in a million years would that be something I just randomly Google, until now lol. Nothing to do for them presently except monitor them when he goes in for his checkups. And on that note, I’m going to end this update and see what tomorrow brings in the world of Wanderlust.
Actually let’s end on some before and afters, well before and up until today’s how about that?
Update 4-22 through 4-24 4p: Wanderlust continues to get better, he’s got a date with the Farrier on the 11th of May as well. He’s been wearing his fly sheet and fly mask a lot lately since he really can’t get around much we through it best to just keep the bugs away from his wounds as much as possible. Speaking of his wounds, here’s some pics I took since we had to muck out his stall today and wash his fly sheet. He didn’t really want to go for a walk today so he wandered around the yard with Nymeria for a bit. My mustang Ashildr seems to be quite fond of him and was licking his wounds and nuzzling him… which I find really odd because on any given day she’s a total pain in the butt and doesn’t want anything to do with anyone. We’re continuing with the cool boot and the swelling is getting better, at this point I think he has 2 more months of stall rest before we can get him out more for something other than just a walk around the pasture… I bet he would love the lush grasses along the nature trail. So here’s the pics:
Update 4-26 9p: Well today was rather uneventful for my first day of vacation. We went about things like we planned, working on the yard, waiting for the rain to hit to wrap up our day. I didn’t get working on the new roof because I didn’t want to take the old one off if it was going to rain… never rained more than a few sprinkles so that was a bust.
Animal Control, the officer who was going to come out got tied up in court but is planning on coming tomorrow. I sent him pics of Wanderlust that I took today, shows that he is in fact getting some groceries in him.
Wanderlust was just chilling today, he walked freely around the yard on his own, his right rear looking so much better and he doesn’t have that cankle going on and you can see the definition that supposed to be. He walked over to the corner on the yard in the sun and just stood there for a while and took a nap. So nice to not see him looking like a complete skeleton anymore…. it’s still going to be a long road but we got this.
Update 4-27 through 4-28 7p: Not a whole lot to really update. We had another visit from Animal Control and they are pleased with his health and progress and that we are in fact taking good care of him. It’s really funny because backstage is a fight going on and I’m not going to get into it on here, but at no point has anyone even bothered to ask how the horse is doing. That being said… he is doing good, he gets out for his daily walks and when we muck out his stall. When Animal Control was here he was very alert and showing his intelligence by getting me to hold a clump of grass he had found with the roots… put it in my hand then ate the grass and left me with a lump of roots. Clever boy he is. His fur is steadily growing back from his injuries, where the vet shaved him, and where neglect had rubbed him raw. He still has roughly 2 months left of stall rest so we will continue to be vigilant in his daily activities as they are important to his recovery. I think at this point it would be ok to say he is largely out of the woods, the only issue that really lingers is his right rear hoof that has some tendon damage and that is the one that was swelled up like a cankle. Cold wraps and light exercise plus massage has gotten the swelling down and it actually looks like it is supposed to, just a bit swollen and stiff still.
Update 4-30 5p: At this point I’m going to ease off on the daily updates because right now there’s just not a while lot going on to update about. I’ll make sure to get pictures and of course if anything changes I’ll post about it, but I think daily updates are past their use and now we’re looking for more improvement in the upcoming weeks and months. Pretty sure he’s out of the woods and should be able to recover nicely as did Samson, Nymeria, and Zara. So please, keep checking for updates just don’t expect them every single day unless there’s something going on and we will of course post about it… like his outbreak of hives. So did not expect that one…
Update 5-10 6p: Well now, do I go into the drama of the week or do we just get on with our lives and talk about the horse? I say we talk about the horse because ultimately, regardless of what anyone thinks of us, our property, or the lies they spread… we only care about the horse.
Today Wanderlust got a bath, tomorrow will be his first visit with our farrier and we’re eager to see what he has to say. We’re curious because he does have one hoof where he is thin soled and the toe is forward. Other than that, he is doing great and looking so much better. His wounds are fading more and more each day and his spirits going up all the time. He’s quite the character. Here are some pics I took today:
Also added a few pics of Ashildr prancing about and showing what a pretty girl she is. I made sure to zoom out so people can see the back yard, note, there is no Percheron there, he is in the front and one reason the fence in the back is still standing because Destructo-horse hasn’t gotten a hold of it.
Update 5-11 2p: Today was a great day for our three rescues, Samson, Nymeria, and Wanderlust. The farrier came out and took care of everyone’s hooves with Wanderlust being the best behaved of the lot… for some reason I didn’t expect anything but the best. The farrier was so attentive to what we had told him about Wanderlust’s previous injuries and while cautious, Wanderlust let him do his thing like it was nothing and didn’t even show any sign he had any discomfort. Learned a lot talking to the farrier this time around, things to look for, how to treat them, etc.. With all the rain and yuck we’re being vigilant with their hooves. So here’s some pics of Wanderlust getting his nails did lol.
One thing I noticed in these pictures, is now more than ever he’s holding his head up. He’s actually been getting a lot more active and even vocal, he has this low sort of chortle he does which might as well be a whisper compared to Samson when he announces his arrival anywhere. His walks around the yard and fields are getting longer and longer, still not ready to be turned loose yet but we’re getting there. He’s filling out slowly but surely which is what everyone wants him to do.
Update 5-12 1a: As of late there has been a lot of accusations made that we did not take care of the vet bills, someone else did, and that we’re receiving donations for Wanderlust. I want to be clear on this… there was ONE donation made directly to Auburn University for $50.00 which can be seen on the last page of the receipts I’ll post below. It’s listed as Credit Applied and then $50.00. We were then informed that Auburn University doesn’t normally do that so they stopped after that initial donation was made. Here are the receipts from the initial intake into Auburn University’s Large Animal Clinic ( something which was also claimed to be lie and that it never happened ):
Furthermore, I was asked to post a link so people could donate via PayPal, we received NOTHING, and to date have not received anything in the form of donations for Wanderlust’s care or any donations for that matter. I’ve downloaded every report possible from PayPal looking to see if perhaps something slipped through the cracks, but nothing turned up outside of my subscriptions to Patreon, and payments from my hosting clients. So if you have proof that a donation was made through PayPal to me, PLEASE SEND ME THE EMAIL RECEIPT OR TRANSACTION ID so I can find out what happened and why it was never posted to my account. In a recent dispute on Facebook it was said that one person donated $100.00 and that there was proof…. like Jerry Maguire says “Show me the money”. The donation link was removed about a day or two after it was posted because to be honest, as I said in the beginning, we don’t need it. As you can see from the statements above, we used our Care Credit card to pay for his treatment up there and his follow up visits from the local vet.
I honestly hate that I feel the need to defend myself because people are butthurt and aren’t getting their way. Telling people to drive to our house and see for themselves while making completely false accusations is the very definition of harassment. We have been accused of not feeding our horses hay which is an outright lie and can be seen in several of the pictures like this one here with Wanderlust’s head in the mythical hay we don’t feed our horses
or this one with that big new roll of mythical hay… and what’s that scattered on the ground ??? It couldn’t possibly be more mythical hay could it ???
It really is sad that Wanderlust can’t just enjoy being cared for… well he is honestly, it’s the crap that we ourselves are having to deal with. The lies, accusations, threats, and half-truths that are being spread in an attempt to make us look like horrible animal owners and that we’re mistreating our horses. I really am sorry that you have nothing better to do than try to bring decent people down, it’s really sad when you think of it. Be happy he is being cared for and loved… is that too much to ask ???
And with that, I’m going to close this update/rant. I have to get some sleep so I can go to work today to make the money that pays for the care of our animals. You think that hay is cheap or that farrier came out here for free, not to mention the hundreds of dollars a month spent on grain and supplements. Yeah, I work for what I have and will be getting in the very very near future. To those who are following this solely with the intent of keeping up with his recovery, I apologize for this update but I feel it is needed to keep as transparent as possible on this.
Update 5-27 730p: Well now that we appear to be done with the torrential downpour for a while it’s time to kick back and relax. Throughout the storms we were constantly checking on the horses, Wanderlust more than any as we still consider him “at risk” for something like a simple cold which in his present state could be quite bad. We’re also going out tomorrow, picking out hooves, hitting them with Thrush Buster and spraying their hooves to ensure nobody has any hoof problems as a result of the storms. Thanks to the people behind us and their nice new septic tank, it forced runoff water into the back which in turn flooded a lot more than it usually does. This means digging trenches and putting in drains over the course of the next week. The run-in shed held up despite the flooding and gave the horses a dry spot for most of the storms… it too eventually flooded but we’re also on top of that with a source for dirt that we can get into the truck and bring back and put where we need to put it.
SO yeah, I think we were about a day away from the horses sprouting gills and fins and becoming seahorses. Everyone weathered it like troopers and we’re all in the process of recovery now. I’ve got the pattern for the new roof finished and have the materials for all of the trusses needed now in hand. I also have 3 more days off in a row this coming week so while the weather is good, it will be build build build time !!!
Speaking of builds, in an attempt to get the hay off the ground and potentially save money at the same time, I made a large hay feeder that all 3 of them in the back can enjoy. Made using scrap lumber I actually had on hand in the shop so out of pocket expenses were nothing. So far they all seem to love it although Ashildr ( the mustang ) was apprehensive about the strange new thing in the yard, but like the scratching post, she came right around and last I checked a few minutes ago they were all happily nomming away.
I will definitely try to get some daylight pictures of this and Wanderlust tomorrow when I get off work. Fair warning, I would much rather work on the property than take pictures but I do owe them to people in order to keep promises. Catch ya’ll tomorrow or Sunday at the very latest.
Update 6-3-22 6:30p – Well aside from the almost daily rain, Wanderlust is doing good. We got him out and checked everything over and noticed that almost all the hair they shaved off while he was in Auburn has grown back and his tail is almost filled out as well. They all seem to love the hay feeder which serves a few purposes.
- Gets the hay up off the ground
- Reduces the amount of hay wasted
- Is visible to those who say we don’t feed out horses hay
- Gives them all a place to chill and nom on hay
- and is easily moved
So yeah. Since Wanderlust now has the full run of the yard we can get him out of the pens and let him move around more to include some short running spurts as he plays with the girls in the back. Here’s some pics of him from today, not a lot because the rain started coming in shortly afterwards. But he’s doing good, still on the recovery road but he’s eating and moving around so much better now. Just can’t wait to see him all filled out.
6-8-22 6pm: So today Wanderlust had a bath and a walk. He was doing so much better today compared to yesterday. Yesterday he was dragging his right rear and today he was full of pep and not dragging his leg at all. I was able to get out today and work with my mustang and Wanderlust was right there with us as she seems to be his girlfriend. Here’s some pics from today.
7-1-22 7pm: So it’s been almost a month since I made an update, mainly because of the weather being so bad lately. It has really taken a lot to get much of anything done around here, but we are making progress. More work on the trusses and we may have a roofer willing to come over and do the actual roof parts I think the wife said.
What made today worthy of an update was Wanderlust lunging around some. He was confused at first but after he figured it out he was all into it and really wanted to just run and run and run but I didn’t let him. Still not 100% sure on his legs but this was a major step in the right direction. We did a total of 4 sessions, each time he went a bit longer and a bit faster as he got comfortable. This is going to be something we work on for the next few weeks to help him build muscle mass back after his ordeal.
Here’s also some pics of his playmates, the mustang being his girlfriend it seems. Topped the day of with Nymeria rolling around in the dirt.
I’ll work on getting the videos we got of him lunging once I get them off the wife’s phone. At one point Yara, my newest puppy was out there running with him. Both of them did so well and I like how Yara interacts with the horses. So yeah, great day for everyone involved !!!
Update 7-29 10:00a: So I know it’s been some time since I’ve updated this but that’s not to say things haven’t been improving. Wanderlust continues to get better, the vet was out here on Monday and we got his bloodwork back and it was perfect, also learned he is a low-shedder for worms, so now it’s time to focus on packing on weight. He’s already rebuilding muscles being out in the yard with the girls and Ashildr seems to keep him on his toes. Those two are really bonding and watching them eat hay together was almost something right out of “Lady and Tramp”. Wanderlust did develop some rain rot which we’re not really surprised about given the current weather, it’s being treated with a medicated shampoo and anti-fungal spray so we’ve got that under control as well. Samson had some rain rot under his mane so I roached it giving him a truly Romanesque look that we have all decided looks REALLY good on him.
Ummmm, what else…. in other news, we’ve been working to relocate the run-in shelter to the corner of the yard that sits higher and we’re doing it in a much better, not so rushed, method that looks good and once I get it finished will be a vast improvement over what we had, the supposed “boards leaning against other” as the one woman said. I’ll try to get some pics over the weekend of things.
As promised, here’s some pics of his day with the vet, by request their faces been blurred out.
Update 10-13 8:00a: I think at this time we’re going to unpin this post and let Wanderlust fade off the front page. His progress has been nothing short of incredible and he is now happy, healthy, and being a horse. We have no intentions of riding him although he will stand and take a saddle just fine ( was curious to see how he would react ), but with his back leg still kinda messed up, his history of being retired for a knee injury, his age, and his previous neglect we’re just gonna let him chill out and be a horse with his girlfriend. He is still quite the character and loves to play in the mud with the mustangs. I will get some more pics of him before I unpin this to show how he’s looking these days… so much better and now little things keep improving and he continues to just improve.
Say whatever you want about us and our property but don’t for one minute ever under estimate us and our ability to take care of our horses and provide for them.