Give Big Red & Elvis a Chance
Donation protected
We rescued two horses from a known kill buyer on June 2nd.
Today, June 13th, we had them evaluated at Mountain View Equine Hospital for rehabilitation. We were not expecting it to cost as much as we were quoted but we do not want to send them back.
Before we go on - a little about these horses:
“Little Big Sime” AKA “Big Red” is a 2011 Thoroughbred gelding who ran over 70 races during his career, earning over $300,000. His breeder passed away in 2020 and he was retired. He was restarted for life after the track and adopted out - his connections call him a “unicorn” in every way, citing his excellent attitude and gentle nature as notable attributes making this giant guy pretty darn special. Shortly after being adopted, the people who loved Big Red lost track of him.
“Elvis” is a 4yo Belgian gelding who was born in Amish community in Missouri. He was purchased by a reputable horseman in Arkansas and trained to ride and drive. He was sold because of the man’s commitments elsewhere which led to Elvis being bought and sold half a dozen times. According to the man in Arkansas, who loved Elvis dearly, this horse is dog gentle and broke to ride and drive single and double. Elvis has a large tumor on his right eye and another small tumor starting on his left.
Big Red has urine scald all over him from where he stood in a stall in his own waste for months. His feet are falling to pieces from thrush and abscesses, deteriorated from at least 60 days in sewage. We had to bathe him four times before his skin could breathe again. Our farrier has been out to put shoes on him and we had X-rays done today to make sure he didn’t have anything more serious going on. His feet and legs look totally clean and Dr. Reiners loves this big guy! He said he can be comfortable again, but he does need injections in his hind end (SI joint) to restore him to soundness and give him a purpose in the many years he has left.
Elvis’s tumors can be lasered off and the vet is confident that he will have a good quality of life after the procedure. There is a chance that the tumors will recur over the course of his lifetime, but with close tabs on his health, any future procedures will be a non-event. It’s because these tumors have been allowed to grow without treatment that the cost of treatment is so high.
We do not want to send these guys back.. but we cannot bear the burden alone. If we can get even a little bit of help towards the total cost, we will be able to keep these horses from being fed back into the pipeline, drugged, mishandled, traded, and handed off for years to come. Good horses are worth it.. and we believe these guys deserve a chance.
Breaking down costs —
$4,500 to bail Red out
$2,500 for Elvis’s bail
Red’s care will be (conservatively) $2,500 for injections and farrier care
Elvis’s surgery will be $3,500
Today’s evaluation cost $1,000
Today, June 13th, we had them evaluated at Mountain View Equine Hospital for rehabilitation. We were not expecting it to cost as much as we were quoted but we do not want to send them back.
Before we go on - a little about these horses:
“Little Big Sime” AKA “Big Red” is a 2011 Thoroughbred gelding who ran over 70 races during his career, earning over $300,000. His breeder passed away in 2020 and he was retired. He was restarted for life after the track and adopted out - his connections call him a “unicorn” in every way, citing his excellent attitude and gentle nature as notable attributes making this giant guy pretty darn special. Shortly after being adopted, the people who loved Big Red lost track of him.
“Elvis” is a 4yo Belgian gelding who was born in Amish community in Missouri. He was purchased by a reputable horseman in Arkansas and trained to ride and drive. He was sold because of the man’s commitments elsewhere which led to Elvis being bought and sold half a dozen times. According to the man in Arkansas, who loved Elvis dearly, this horse is dog gentle and broke to ride and drive single and double. Elvis has a large tumor on his right eye and another small tumor starting on his left.
Big Red has urine scald all over him from where he stood in a stall in his own waste for months. His feet are falling to pieces from thrush and abscesses, deteriorated from at least 60 days in sewage. We had to bathe him four times before his skin could breathe again. Our farrier has been out to put shoes on him and we had X-rays done today to make sure he didn’t have anything more serious going on. His feet and legs look totally clean and Dr. Reiners loves this big guy! He said he can be comfortable again, but he does need injections in his hind end (SI joint) to restore him to soundness and give him a purpose in the many years he has left.
Elvis’s tumors can be lasered off and the vet is confident that he will have a good quality of life after the procedure. There is a chance that the tumors will recur over the course of his lifetime, but with close tabs on his health, any future procedures will be a non-event. It’s because these tumors have been allowed to grow without treatment that the cost of treatment is so high.
We do not want to send these guys back.. but we cannot bear the burden alone. If we can get even a little bit of help towards the total cost, we will be able to keep these horses from being fed back into the pipeline, drugged, mishandled, traded, and handed off for years to come. Good horses are worth it.. and we believe these guys deserve a chance.
Breaking down costs —
$4,500 to bail Red out
$2,500 for Elvis’s bail
Red’s care will be (conservatively) $2,500 for injections and farrier care
Elvis’s surgery will be $3,500
Today’s evaluation cost $1,000
Organizer
MICHELLE SIMMONS
Organizer
Beechwood Shores, VA