Update 9/26/24

Laxi (formerly Tiny) continues to do well with gaining weight and integrating into the herd of larger horses. Unfortunately, he's not doing great on the medical front and we don't have any answers yet. A couple of weeks ago, x-rays showed a large mass had pushed into his teeth and deviated his septum. The next step was a CT scan and biopsy to determine more information about the extent and type of the mass.

What we know right now: The CT scan showed the mass is very large and is pressing into his teeth, his eye, and even encroaching on his brain. He has one tooth that desperately needs to be removed and others that are questionable.

What we still don't know: We were able to get a little bit of tissue to biopsy, so hopefully lab results will tell us something about the nature of the mass. We'll receive a report from radiology tomorrow with their interpretation of what the mass is likely to be based on its density and other factors.

At the moment, the most likely causes are cancer, a cystic infection, or defective healing after a facial injury. Regardless of the cause, the current state is that this mass has continued to grow and push his facial anatomy into worse condition, and it can't be left alone - or rather, if left alone - he'll lose vision and potentially his entire right eye, along with continuing to have more and worse infected teeth.

Our next step is likely to be a sinus flap surgery to clear out as much of the mass as possible, extract the tooth that needs it most, and collect enough tissue for an accurate biopsy. Today's needle biopsy may, but is unlikely to, provide any information.

This is way more than I bargained for when I rescued him, but I don't want to give up if there's still a chance he can recover and lead a long life. His total expenses are now over $6,000, with an estimated $2,000 more if we proceed with any type of surgery.

Every little bit helps and I appreciate everyone even just sharing this post to help spread the word.

Meet "Tiny Horse"

"Tiny" is a 38 inch tall horse who was on his way to slaughter from a kill-pen in Texas when I saw him and he captured my heart. He's now safely rescued, but suffers from a severely infected and impacted tooth, which has caused the swelling to the right side of his face. He's likely been living with it for some time already, and the cost of treating it could be the reason he was dumped by his last family in the first place.

This sweet boy is only 5-7 years old and has a long life ahead of him, as horses his size can easily live into their 30s.

Upon being rescued:

Where is "Tiny" now?

Tiny is currently spending his remaining quarantine period at a rescue in Texas where he's been treated for infections and parasites. He's eating and getting stronger every day, although he has to be isolated from any other horses to prevent disease transfer.

Tiny will be on his way from Texas to Colorado once his quarantine is up on September 2nd. He's already scheduled to see an expert animal dentist at Colorado State University in mid-October, where he'll have his tooth fully treated.

Unfortunately, the estimates for his treatment run between $2,000 (absolute best case) to $5,000 (more realistic).

That's why we're hoping to raise money to treat his tooth and give him the long and healthy life he deserves.

What will become of Tiny?

Once recovered, Tiny (who will get a real name that fits his personality) will have the opportunity to be part of the program at Leg Up Learning Solutions, where he can help children and adults overcome challenges through forming powerful friendships with horses. His options are open, however, to finding a permanent home with his own family, living at a horse sanctuary, or another arrangement. One thing is certain though: he won't be abandoned or dumped with the possibility of ending up starved and bound for slaughter.

Who am I?

I'm Ellen, the founder of Leg Up Learning Solutions . I'm a certified Equine Facilitated Learning practitioner who's been serving clients in the Denver area for over 4 years. I provide both mounted and unmounted sessions to people who want to work with horses to overcome a variety of life challenges. I'm committed to helping people and horses form meaningful relationships, with a particular focus on under-resourced populations. And I've never turned away a client due to their inability to pay (although Leg Up Learning Solutions isn't a non-profit).

How can you help?

We're going to find the funds to treat Tiny's tooth so he can be healthy again, and we could really use your help! Can you donate just $5 or share this post with your friends?

In return, I'll keep you updated every step of the way along Tiny's journey and if you're in Colorado, you can even make an appointment to come see him and give him a hug yourself.

Please help us rehab Tiny so he can help so many others!