“ISRAEL’S BLUE WOLF”

by Rhonda Jackson

I want to tell you about one of the most amazing horses I know. I run a shelter for abused, abandoned, neglected and unwanted horses by the name of Begin Again Farms, Inc. in Ellerslie, Ga. I got a telephone call a few years ago from a horse farm up in Carrollton, Ga. about a young colt that had been in a pasture accident. They started weaning their foals at 3 months of age and this particular colt had been running with the rest of the herd in the pasture and had run headfirst into a telephone pole. They found him lying out in the pasture unable to stand, somehow they managed to get him to the barn and placed him in a horse trailer. They kept him in the trailer for several weeks, unable to stand and barely able to eat or drink Finally he stood but not very well. The vet said there was nothing that could be done for the little guy because of the neurological damage that had taken place. The woman who owned the farm had heard of my shelter and took a chance and called me. She said her husband wanted to put a bullet in his head and end it. I talked to my vet and explained the situation and was advised to leave the colt where he was. But when I looked at this colt my heart went out to him He was so young and sweet I had to try. So we padded a trailer with bales of hay, in case he fell on the 85-mile trip home and somehow we managed to get him on it. He rode like a champion. When we arrived at the farm and went to take him off he just tumbled right out onto the ground. We stood there looking at this little guy laid out fiat and I thought to myself what have we gotten ourselves into. But after a few minutes he struggled and got himself up. We managed to get him into a stall for the night. He soon learned that instead of having to throw himself on the ground to lie down he could slide down the stall walls and ease himself onto the ground. Getting up took more effort, but he also managed that.

I watched this little colt struggle daily as he bobbed his head and fell down repeatedly while trying to walk. I could barely stand to watch as the other horses ran past the arena where he was turned out and he would try to run, somersaulting across the arena. He looked like a crippled child trying to walk and wanting so badly to keep up with the other children. It was heart wrenching. We had a wonderful vet chiropractor who came out and gave him his first adjustment and also treated him with some holistic remedies for neurological damage.

One cold morning I got a call from the volunteers at the farm and they were panicked. They told me Izzy, which had become his barn name, was down and they thought he was dying. He had slid down the arena wall and gotten his head pinned under the bottom rail during the night and was unable to get up. It was the first time we felt that we could leave him out overnight by himself instead of putting him in his stall I thought I had made a really huge mistake. When I arrived I found that the volunteers had dragged him out from under the railing and placed a blanket on his little body to try to warm him. One of them was holding his head in their lap and stroking him. I walked over to them, Izzy wasn’t moving, I looked at his gums and to my surprise he had great color. Everything seemed normal except for the fact that he wouldn’t attempt to get up. I told the staff to wait and we would try one more thing before calling a vet. I went and got some grain, told them to put his head down and remove the blanket. I shook the grain bucket and called him by name. The little guy scrambled to his feet came over and started eating just as if nothing had happened. He had been enjoying the attention that was being lavished on him and took full advantage of the entire situation. That is when I knew this guy was a survivor and we could all learn a great deal from him and his ability to cope.

Over the next year we watched as this colt grew stronger and he learned to run, buck and rear just like the rest of the horses. Once he had accomplished those things it was time to turn him out with some of the rest of the herd so that he could learn how to be a horse. For the first month he took a lot of abuse but he learned a lot about being a horse.

Then when he was about 2 years old, again we found him down in the pasture unable to stand. We got him up and he was dragging his right front leg. We called our regular vet and got a new fellow that had never met Izzy and knew nothing about him. He told us he had damaged the radial nerve in his leg and that if it had been severed we would have to have him destroyed. He gave him some steroids and said he would be back in 2 days to see how he was doing and we could make a decision at that time about his future. Well in 2 days time Izzy had learned to swing his right leg around and forward so that he could then use it to hop on. When the vet got there and saw Izzy’s ability to find a way to compensate for his disability, he was amazed. Fortunately the nerve was not severed and he recovered fully with time.

Because of his head injury he was very slow to develop physically. He had one hip that appeared to be shorter than the other and because he is a dun and has a pronounced stripe down his back it was even more noticeable. We felt he would never be rideable but because of his wonderful bloodlines we felt he may have a future as a breeding stallion. First we had to find out if he was sterile from the injury. So we decided to place one of our mares with him in a paddock by themselves for several months. We never witnessed any activity other than the fact that he had become extremely attached to her. So we were afraid that maybe he wouldn’t be useful in that area after all. We then gave the mare an ultrasound just to see if there had been any action. Well he must have been a midnight lover, because the mare foaled in April 2001 and had the most beautiful filly. She is perfect in every way. As soon as we brought her around for Izzy to see he puffed himself up and was strutting his stuff for all the horses.

Since the arrival of his filly, Ruby Sue, he has again changed physically in ways we would have never imagined. His hip seems to be straightening out and he is building a chest and hindquarters to die for. He has a very strong jaw with an awesome color and markings. We now believe he may become rideable and are presently trying to raise funds to have him sent to a trainer. He has truly become a walking miracle and an inspiration for anyone who may have to overcome insurmountable odds. I myself look at Izzy as a role model. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis not long after receiving Izzy and was not given a very good prognosis. But after watching Izzy’s struggle to survive I too believe I can overcome anything. I hope Izzy’s story can help someone else as much as he has helped me. He is truly my hero.

Through November 30, 2011, you can help Rhonda, Izzy, and the other rescued horses at Begin Again Farms by purchasing high-quality pet products and gifts for pet lovers of all ages! 

http://beginagainfarms.shopshurepets.com/Products/Default.aspx 

Twenty-five percent of purchases made by following the link above will go directly to help this great cause!  

 Rhonda, the horses, and I thank you for your support!  :)