News! Irena is showing progress and her hair is starting to grow back, see last picture. I recently helped to rescue a 16-year-old Percheron draft horse mare who was at extreme risk of being shipped to slaughter after a hard life with very little gentle handling as a plow horse and then a broodmare bred over and over until she could no longer have babies. Used and abused she was discarded into the horse slaughter pipeline. Her sad eyes stayed with me. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, so I helped to save her from a kill pen sale lot in Texas and had her shipped to New Mexico—a very stressful journey, and she was so frightened coming off the trailer. I could see she had a mark on her forehead, as if she’d hit her head in the trailer, poor girl. I am so grateful her story is changing now, we can truly transform her life and help her to blossom.

I believed she had only minor issues from the video I saw of her online, but when she arrived, it became clear she had endured much more. She got off the trailer with a painful skin condition with large patches of hair loss, an eye infection, and numerous wounds that need medical attention. Because she is still frightened, I can’t even get a halter on her yet—but she’s not mean, just scared. One day at a time we’ll build trust until she knows she’s safe.

I want to give her the peace and care she deserves, but right now she has urgent medical needs. I need a veterinarian to come out to safely examine and treat her. I secured her rescue and transport, but the veterinary costs and ongoing medical care are more than I can manage alone. To be honest, I’m overwhelmed and I was probably pretty naïve, but in my heart, I knew I just had to help her. My goal is to get her comfortable, healthy, and living a life where she is the priority. I believe with proper nutrition and veterinary care and lots of love that she will blossom into a beautiful much loved horse.

Any amount truly makes a difference—toward vet care, medications, or basic needs while she recovers. Thank you for being part of her second chance.