A: Not really sure. I don't usually plan too far ahead. I'm a wicked procrastinator. Might try and get to the library.
On to the pictures.
Since I haven't posted these on this blog (or at least not as far as I can tell, the pics are on my facebook though) I'm going to today. With the story first.
Lilly is an ex racehorse. My mom happened upon her one day while visiting a friend at a farm about 30 minutes away. The friend had her own horse at the farm, and was looking for someone to take him, buy him, adopt him, WHATEVER. While visiting, my mom noticed a horse seperated from the others. This horse was so skinny it was obvious she was starving. Why the owners of the farm didn't do something, why no one else fed her, I don't know. It makes me angry just to think about it.
My mom came home and told me about Lilly (who's actual name is Blythewood, but my 3 year old named her Silly Lilly Picadilly, and that was cuter so that's what we say) and I immediately found all of the information I could about what to do for the horse in this particular situation. We went back out to the farm and took pictures of the condition of the horse, the fact that it had no water, and the fact that after my mom had left the first time, the owner (who lived across the street so he was practically WATCHING the horse starve) had filled her bucket full of CINNAMON RAISIN BAGELS.
Animal control had already been called, but the owner still wasn't doing what was right for the horse. So we took it upon ourselves to start bringing her hay. And water. We'd bring 1 or 2 bales maybe 2 to 3 times a week for her. So she'd always have something to eat. Even if it wasn't grain. And we made sure she always had enough water.
After a while, we offered to buy the horse. Now, the "owner" had gotten this horse for free somehow, but was demanding 600 dollars from us for her. It would have been a struggle, but we were going to do it. We knew she'd be better off if he had nothing to do with her, so we told him we'd bring him the money that week. My sister, nephew, and my sister's au pair went with me to pay him his money. He wanted to meet at a 7-11 about five minutes away from the farm. We looked, there was no such 7-11 anywhere close to where he claimed, and he'd never even left his house. So attempt number 2... my mother went up to meet him at the farm after typing up a bill of sale that all he had to do was sign. She waited for him for an hour and a half. Went to his house and knocked on the door several times. He was home. But wouldn't answer.
Unfortunately, there were some issues following that day that made it so we couldn't attempt the purchase again, but we still took her hay. And because we had started buying her grain when we were under the impression the sale was going to go through, she kept getting that as well. She EVEN jumped the fense into the other pasture so she was with the other horses being boarded at the barn. So she had friends. She wasn't isolated and alone anymore. And she was being fed.
We haven't been able to go see Lilly for a while, but my mother's friend who has her horses there tells us she's beautiful. The "owner" is actually buying her grain now but leaves the task of actually giving it to Lilly to my mom's friend. No matter. She's eating. She's putting on weight. We helped her. No matter that we couldn't buy her and take care of her ourselves... what we did got HIM to take care of her.
She's gained 150 pounds since I met her.
I don't have any current pictures of her unfortunately. But I can show you what she looked like for the few months that we were able to get out a few days a week to see her and love her.
I miss her. But she's happy. And that's what we wanted.
This weeks post is a part of Camera Critters. I know I'm almost a week late putting this up, but.... it's been a stressful week.
That poor horse! You and your family are wonderful people to take care of her and try and help her. There should be more people like you. Shame on the owner for treating her so badly!
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