Routine Fitting For This Elderly Pair
Shoes make the difference - don't we all know! These are a little different. They're clogs, and they're made from scratch for our elderly horses, June & Bo, who have really terrible knees. When June arrived, her front legs bowed out so much that it was difficult not to wince. We actually asked our veterinarian if she was more fragile than others and could snap easily! It was just so scary to see.
June & Bo are Besties, With the Same Problem
Both June and Bo suffer from severe carpal arthritis. So on a regular schedule, Dr. Metcalf provides steroid injections and custom clogs that wing-out on the sides. You can see that their hooves get attached to these custom pieces, and it helps so much that within a day of their new fitting, you'll see their front knees come inward with more support from that wing!
It's a pretty sophisticated setup Dr. Metcalf has. He arrives with a full arsenal of equipment, refrigerated medications and more. For several hours he whittles away at the custom shoe pieces that help both June and Bo to walk comfortably around the ranch. See how beautiful she's standing below? Disregard the white cream we paint on like cake - LOL. (We love Desitin baby diaper cream for our horses. It keeps flies from biting them better than anything else and it smells pretty!)
Coming Out of Her Shell
June is one of the most shy animals we've brought into the family. Her backstory is heartbreaking. She was sent to a sale barn, completely starved. She and Bo were saved at the sale barn from shipping to slaughter, by Rescued for Life. The hired transporter took them to Colorado, but stopped short of the final destination, leaving them for dead by the transporter in a random barn. The original rescue group knew something was wrong when they didn't hear from the transporter. By the time they found the horses, they were both barely alive. The rescue was able to get them to safe locations, but they were separated by miles. With food, water, and many ongoing veterinary visits the two gained weight and overcame so many obstacles!
We were honored to bring them into the Sanctuary after a very long drive from Colorado. The two have been inseparable and always will be. June was so shy, she trembled and nearly fell over if we approached her. She hid behind Bo. Today, she has so much more confidence! She loves being brushed, and she accepts hugs readily. We wish we could tell June that they're not leaving. She still has a worried look in her eye sometimes. But we have to continue to prove this to them both everyday. Every horse that goes for a hospital visit comes back. Every person who approaches them, brushes them, washes them, and hugs them is kind. They will know nothing else but this, and their wonderful life here is made possible because of YOU! Your love of our products pays for these incredibly important treatments for this elderly pair that were once loved by someone somewhere before being abandoned, and they are so deserving of the beautiful life they've been given with us here. XOXO
June loves her sunrises and sunsets!
