Name: Princess Peach 

Registered name (if applicable): unknown 

Year born: ~ 2007

Color: palomino

Sex: mare

Breed: Grade quarter horse

Registered: unknown 

Height: 15.2

Training level: Well mannered, unknown riding history

Riding restrictions (if any): Companion only

Specific or special care needed: Long term care needs yet unknown

Adoption donation (tax deductible): In rehabilitation 

If ever there were a poster child for "If you see something, say something" in the animal welfare world, it would be our girl Princess Peach. There is a very good human being out there right now who made the phone call and got the ball rolling to ultimately save her life, along with two adorable geese. An agent from Animal Humane Society was quick to respond, and in less than 24 hours, we had the trailer hooked up and headed to Mille Lacs County. 

Princess Peach's damage seems to be primarily limited to what was immediately obvious: severe hoof neglect, sarcoids on her left ear, and her emaciated state. With a weight of only 775 pounds and a body condition score (BCS) of 1.5/9, she had no muscle tone and likely little to no fatty tissue surrounding her organs. By the looks of her teeth, it’s estimated that she’s in her late teens - and while she could definitely use dental care, she has decent dentition and hasn't been seen quidding or wadding up her hay. What does all that mean? Simply put, there's no reason for her to have been digesting inadequate calories other than that she just wasn't receiving them. 

The sarcoids, though unsightly, are really just cosmetic in her case. They really don't seem particularly angry, so for now, that's the least of her concerns. 

But her feet have easily more than a year of overgrowth, each with a shoe and pad, packed with rotting debris, adding to the excess weight. She had an oozing abscess draining from the coronary band of her right hind foot, building a thick crust over her hoof capsule. And yet, she complied through the pain when asked to walk forward, and she trusted us when we asked her to step up into the trailer. The whole time, she had so much hope in her eyes. 

Our first stop was to see our friends at Cleary Lake Veterinary Hospital Equine for her exams and x-rays straight away. To be honest as the staff prepped her for x-rays - none of us held out much hope. But the damage to her hind feet is nowhere near as severe as anticipated - and the damage to her front feet was shockingly minimal, given how bad it looks on the outside. So to give her the best opportunity possible, we called in a personal favor from a retired farrier friend for an emergency visit, and with her help made another change - among so many big changes that day - to this mare's life. That day, she had 7 POUNDS of hoof and shoe (and who knows how much gunk) removed from her feet.

Over the course of her first weeks after she was rescued, her body adjusted to "new" feet and regular nourishment, and responded well to pain management, but her prognosis was still very guarded. She stayed with our friends at CLVH for a while to be watched closely. 

Then, following consultations with a skilled equine podiatrist with Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Kentucky, we felt more optimistic about Peach's future. Over her first month with us she gained weight steadily, and after three careful hoof trims (guided by both x-rays and a veterinarian), she was able to stand and move much better. She has a long road ahead, but we have every reason to believe that she can achieve a life without pain. 

Note: All horses at GRG are microchipped, on a regular schedule of appropriate vaccinations, Coggins, deworming, feet trimming and dental work as advised by the veterinarians we work with. Horses who come to us with special medical, hoof care, or other needs get the diagnostic workup necessary to get them healthy and comfortable. Vet records, x-rays available upon request. Pre-purchase exams are welcome and encouraged (by your veterinarian, at your cost). 

Interested sponsoring, fostering or adopting? Contact us at grgranchhorserescue@gmail.com