ANGEL HORSES

LEROY

Leroy was a hospice case we rescued from Bowie in February 2022. He had severe osteoarthritis in his left knee & hind right pastern. We knew our time was short, but with injections & orthopedic shoeing we were able to give him a comfortable, loved 6 months. We euthanized him this past August when his arthritis became unmanageable. Leroy was such a kind soul. He could open any latch or gate & was always in the trash. We called him the trash panda. He is missed everyday.

STUART

Stuart was one of the most influential horses. He was an ex Amish horse who was worked until cancer had eaten nearly half his face. He was so stoic & he was worth his weight in gold. He was happy & overall healthy apart from the cancerous tumor in his sinus. After multiple opinions, we hauled him 1,000 miles to Colorado State where he underwent surgery to remove the tumor. The tumor was successfully removed, however he suffered a complication from surgery that he did not overcome. The skin at the surgery site died & a skin graft would not hold. This left him with a hole in his head into the sinus that would likely never close. After much discussion, we made the choice to euthanize him. I flew back to Colorado & spent the day giving him watermelon before saying goodbye.

STUMPY

Stumpy was an ex Amish Haflinger that was dumped to slaughter completely lame. We rescued him in October 2021. He had a severely necroses stifle. After consulting with radiologists & surgeons, there were few studies on his condition & even fewer treatment options. We tried a few injections with no luck. He was overall happy & bright, so we decided to bring him home to give him a few months of love. Incredibly, Stumpy's lameness improved drastically over time. However, Stumpy colicked in January of 2023. He was taken immediately to A&M when symptoms presented. The following day he was taken to surgery for an ileal impaction. 3 days after surgery his reflux increased & he was taken back to surgery where they found adhesions on his small intestine. This is a complication that isn't uncommon with colic surgery. We did all we could for him, but there was nothing else that could've been done. He was euthanized on the table & he passed peacefully under anesthesia. We loved him so incredibly much & he left with a huge whole in our hearts.

SQUIRREL

Squirrel was the first rescue from the dude ranch near Fort Davis, TX. He was extremely emaciated & starving to death. The camp took him to the vet & denied the dental care recommended because "he was not worth it". I agreed to pay meat weight to save him. He passed on my way to the camp to pick him up. He starved TO DEATH. I rescued Thunder that trip then all the others headed to slaughter following. What I would have given to give Squirrel the life he deserved.

THUNDER

SQUIRREL

Thunder was rescued from a dude ranch near Fort Davis, TX. He was extremely lame from improper care at the camp. At age 17 they were dumping him at slaughter for lameness. We rescued him for meat weight. Radiographs showed progressed ring bone in both front pasterns. Fusion and any treatment would have caused excruciating pain for months if not years. Even on pain medications & with special shoes walking was painful for him. He laid down most of the day & with the heaviest hearts we euthanized him to end his suffering. He died loved & pain free. He was spared a horrific death at a Mexican slaughter plant & we know he was thankful.

DOC

MYSTERY

Doc was a 25+ year old gelding we rescued from the Stanley Bros slaughter operation. After rescue, we discovered Doc had pleuropneumonia. He was admitted into ICU & despite weeks of treatment his lungs continued to fill with fluid & become necrotic. No amount of money could have saved Doc. The only peace I have is that he died loved & peacefully. Despite being with us for less than 2 months Doc was my heart horse & always will be.

MYSTERY

Mystery was our first rescue & the reason we started Freedom Reins. We found her in April 2016 on an abandoned lot in the inner city of Houston. She had no food or water & was a body score 1/10. After 3 days with no water, we decided to take actions into our own hands & take her. She was 23 years old at the time of rescue & underwent multiple sinus surgeries & dental procedures. She gained over 300 lbs. She was with us 3 wonderful years before we euthanized her due to age related decline.