Hi my name is Rebecca and I have created this fundraiser to assist Ann with the devastating expenses for Howie the horse’s veterinary medical bills from an accident that resulted in the loss of Howie's life. Ann is a very hard working equestrian coach in London Ontario area in Canada who has dedicated countless hours to the equestrian Industry for almost 50 years. She selflessly volunteers many hours to Pony Club,4H and riding students as well as donating many of her horses to the pony club and 4H as well as Charity Fundraisers/University competitions and Pan Am games qualifiers. I met Ann many years ago when she accompanied one of her former students to look at a horse at my farm.

An accident happened that landed her horse Howie in the Ontario Vet College for surgery and an extended stay. Complication after complication resulted in the terrible decision that Howie had to be euthanized. He originally had 5 feet of his small intestines removed that he twisted in the process of trying to get out of a hole he was stuck in. He then contracted Clostridium difficile in his gut and then laminitis. Ann posted on social media to spread awareness and learn from this terrible preventable accident.

The people who own the facility she boards Howie at moved his round bale hay feeder but did not realize a large hole was left. The hole was about 2 1/2 feet deep, 3 feet wide and 5-6 feet long. Howie decided to roll on the dry hay left behind, presumably to dry himself since it had been raining most of the night, and somehow he slid into the hole and could not get himself out. He was trapped on his back for close to two and half hours.

For horses when they are stuck on their backs for any length of time it becomes severely life threatening and in their struggles they can twist their internal organs cutting off blood supply and those twisted organs die in a very short period of time. He was seen in the paddock at 6:45am and a a student found him at 9:30 am trapped in the hole.

Ann and others managed to pull his front end out enough that he could get himself up. The vet was called and he was monitored for most of the day. The vet checked back in later in the afternoon at which time the decision had to be made to rush him into Guelph Ontario Veterinary hospital for surgery.

Any type of abdominal surgery is severely life threatening for horses as they are highly susceptible to complications, including perotinitis and infection.. After the surgery he developed additional complications that required incredibly expensive medications that were costing $2500 per day to try and get his stomach and internal organs functioning.

His owner would not normally ask for help but this is a massive life changing bill and any help would be greatly appreciated!! If you feel you could/would like to help Ann cope with the expenses incurred in trying to save Howie any amount is most welcome.