ALEKA

Flossie’s story:

Flossie arrived at the Habitat for Horses rescue ranch severely undernourished. Being white (grey), she actually looked like a skeleton. She came in with another mare and the two were so bonded that they were dubbed the Bobbsey Twins, Nan and Flossie. Nan, however, was so malnourished that she did not last the month. I saw Flossie just a few weeks after she came to the ranch and it was hard to believe she had survived. In addition to the weight problem, Flossie had two bad rear ankles that caused her to walk like a woman unused to wearing high heels. She also had a grapefruit-sized lump on her front knee which the vet says is from a broken bone that was never attended to. Other than that, Flossie was the picture of health when I met her. When the new barn was complete and it came time to select horses to live with us, Flossie was the first on the list.

When Flossie came home to us, she was in the last stage of her rehabilitation for weight. She is in her twenties so very little would be accomplished by trying to fix her legs. She was promoted as, and will remain, a companion horse. Per the vet’s instructions, she is now on a daily triple dose of an arthritis supplement. Flossie has a devilish look in her eyes that lets you know that she was really a mischief maker in her younger days. She sometimes feels well enough to break into a canter but usually ends up paying for it later on. She is cooperative and quiet and loves attention. When she is bathed, her speckles show but otherwise her coat is white – well, except during the muddy season.

When Joey got hurt and had to be kept in the pasture closest to the barn for a few days, we thought Flossie wouldn’t mind being company for him so we left them there together and they became attached. Joey usually finishes his meals first so he is led out to the pasture before Flossie. He waits at the entrance gate and when he sees her coming, trumpets a welcome any of us would be happy to hear. When Flossie naps daily, Joey watches over her. She looks much like a snowdrift in the pasture. Flossie had to stay overnight at the vet’s for colic this winter and Joey was beside himself with worry. When she came home, he watched the trailer arrive and called to her as she was led out. The whole elder herd came to the pasture gate to greet her. She was missed.

We hope Flossie will be with us for a long time but her physical problems make her quite fragile. She has a strong will to live, though, and we hope this will be enough to allow her to be with us for many more years.


Flossie's story As written by the Neaves
Flossie’s story: Flossie arrived at the Habitat for Horses rescue ranch severely undernourished. Being white (grey), she actually looked like a skeleton. She came in with another mare and the two were so bonded that they were dubbed the Bobbsey Twins, Nan and Flossie. Nan, however, was so malnourished that she did not last the month. I saw Flossie just a few weeks after she came to the ranch and it was hard to believe she had survived. In addition to the weight problem, Flossie had two bad rear ankles that caused her to walk like a woman unused to wearing high heels. She also had a grapefruit-sized lump on her front knee which the vet says is from a broken bone that was never attended to. Other than that, Flossie was the picture of health when I met her. When the new barn was complete and it came time to select horses to live with us, Flossie was the first on the list. When Flossie came home to us, she was in the last stage of her rehabilitation for weight. She is in her twenties so very little would be accomplished by trying to fix her legs. She was promoted as, and will remain, a companion horse. Per the vet’s instructions, she is now on a daily triple dose of an arthritis supplement. Flossie has a devilish look in her eyes that lets you know that she was really a mischief maker in her younger days. She sometimes feels well enough to break into a canter but usually ends up paying for it later on. She is cooperative and quiet and loves attention. When she is bathed, her speckles show but otherwise her coat is white – well, except during the muddy season. When Joey got hurt and had to be kept in the pasture closest to the barn for a few days, we thought Flossie wouldn’t mind being company for him so we left them there together and they became attached. Joey usually finishes his meals first so he is led out to the pasture before Flossie. He waits at the entrance gate and when he sees her coming, trumpets a welcome any of us would be happy to hear. When Flossie naps daily, Joey watches over her. She looks much like a snowdrift in the pasture. Flossie had to stay overnight at the vet’s for colic this winter and Joey was beside himself with worry. When she came home, he watched the trailer arrive and called to her as she was led out. The whole elder herd came to the pasture gate to greet her. She was missed. We hope Flossie will be with us for a long time but her physical problems make her quite fragile. She has a strong will to live, though, and we hope this will be enough to allow her to be with us for many more years.