Birdie was sold as an unnamed “riding horse”.
We work with a local man to help us find horses in dire situations, and save them from a life of being sold on and on, not receiving the care they urgently need. For rescue standards, Birdie looked pretty good when we got a tip about her being for sale. She was not too skinny, with a shiny coat and bright eyes. But this can be a curse, as her bigger problems go unnoticed at first sight. She was sold as a riding horse, but we noticed complicated issues with her legs. Her joints were clicking, twisting and locking as she walked. She was wobbling under her weight, unable to put her heels down. Her feet were rotten and she had discomfort in her gut. So we bought her.
When Birdie arrived at our sanctuary she showed clear signs of fear of separation: she was pacing with fear, shaking and sweating as the other horses who she just met walked away. The discomfort in her gut fortunately passed, as did her fear of separation. Her bone deformations are unfortunately permanent, but Birdie has adapted to them. She walks in an unusual way, but she seemed quite comfortable and not visibly in pain.
We moved Birdie in the flat, sandy paddock, which is the easiest paddock for the horses that have trouble walking. We continue to keep a close eye on her to see if her deformations are causing her trouble. But so far, she doesn’t let it affect her. When you call her name in her paddock and jog towards the other side, she’ll cheerfully break into a run and trot right next to you. Birdie is a very lovely and easy going horse.
She can’t go on the same walks as some of the other horses, because she can’t walk at the same speed. But we take her on special slow walks. We carefully stay on top of her hoof care. Every once in a while a specialist comes to give her bodywork massages, to release tension that builds up because of her leg deformations. She is doing really well, enjoying a relaxed and comfortable life at our finca.
Donations made towards Birdie help paying for the dietary supplements she receives, her bodywork massages and her hoof care, to keep her happy and pain-free.
If you would like to sponsor Birdie monthly, you will get first hand updates about her rehabilitation, vet visits, treatment plans and progress. Every penny donated goes straight to her rehabilitation. You’ll receive your own personalised login details for our Sponsor page on the website to see the updates.
