Rory
August 5, 2022
Lets talk Rory. This gem of a boy arrived in early June off the back of a truck. His story has some holes in it but our best guess is he came from out west, Ohio area. He was purchased at an auction in Sugar Creek and brought here. Bought by people who, according to the trucker, "should never have had a horse", he was returned within a month.
Rory's body tells his story more accurately - He was covered in open wounds and bite marks, most likely from other horses in a herd. What is more telling are the deeper scars, the knees that cant bend, the tight hind quarters that are cramped and the legs that are covered in long ago healed scars. Under all of this is a copper colored gem, a gelding that just wants to be loved. We believe he was loved before, the way he looks for his person, looks for something that he is missing. He seems to not fit in the herd, he gets pushed around by everyone, even Chester. But yet, he will brave the bites and kicks to try to make it to the gate to be the one that is chosen. Although we try not to concentrate on our rescues past and feel sorrow for them (this doesnt do them any good) we try to focus on the happy place they are now, it is hard not to mourn the loss Rory obviously has experienced. He has such good manners, with everything, being led, bug spray, hosing, feet, you name it, he does it well - He was said to have been a great riding horse, ridden through the auction and very well trained, anyone can ride him we were told, kids to grandparents. Well, no they cant because Rory will never be ridden again. His knees make it very dangerous not only for him but for anyone on his back - he stumbles a lot and it is obvious his knees (especially the right) is very painful. Because of all this, Rory will need a very special person that can recognize his needs and help him live the rest of his life looking forward to his future and at the same time helping him overcome his losses from the past. I can picture Rory, grazing in a field, a couple of other horses near by but space to live his life without fear, I picture him being loved on and brushed, talked to and listened to, I see him at the gate waiting for his person to walk him into his stall at night where he can rest in peace and quiet, safe from all the evils he has lived in the past.
Rory is between 10 -15, about 15.3 hands, barefoot and not on any special diet. He has seen the dentist and will need a tooth extraction when the weather gets cooler (we are waiting because of his knees he will need to be very sedated and in stocks for the tooth to be succussfully extacted and in this heat it could be very dangerous). If you are interested in meeting Rory, showing him there is a life to live and love, we would help with his dental needs this fall. Come meet this sweet soul and see for yourself what a loving boy he is.
Lets talk Rory. This gem of a boy arrived in early June off the back of a truck. His story has some holes in it but our best guess is he came from out west, Ohio area. He was purchased at an auction in Sugar Creek and brought here. Bought by people who, according to the trucker, "should never have had a horse", he was returned within a month.
Rory's body tells his story more accurately - He was covered in open wounds and bite marks, most likely from other horses in a herd. What is more telling are the deeper scars, the knees that cant bend, the tight hind quarters that are cramped and the legs that are covered in long ago healed scars. Under all of this is a copper colored gem, a gelding that just wants to be loved. We believe he was loved before, the way he looks for his person, looks for something that he is missing. He seems to not fit in the herd, he gets pushed around by everyone, even Chester. But yet, he will brave the bites and kicks to try to make it to the gate to be the one that is chosen. Although we try not to concentrate on our rescues past and feel sorrow for them (this doesnt do them any good) we try to focus on the happy place they are now, it is hard not to mourn the loss Rory obviously has experienced. He has such good manners, with everything, being led, bug spray, hosing, feet, you name it, he does it well - He was said to have been a great riding horse, ridden through the auction and very well trained, anyone can ride him we were told, kids to grandparents. Well, no they cant because Rory will never be ridden again. His knees make it very dangerous not only for him but for anyone on his back - he stumbles a lot and it is obvious his knees (especially the right) is very painful. Because of all this, Rory will need a very special person that can recognize his needs and help him live the rest of his life looking forward to his future and at the same time helping him overcome his losses from the past. I can picture Rory, grazing in a field, a couple of other horses near by but space to live his life without fear, I picture him being loved on and brushed, talked to and listened to, I see him at the gate waiting for his person to walk him into his stall at night where he can rest in peace and quiet, safe from all the evils he has lived in the past.
Rory is between 10 -15, about 15.3 hands, barefoot and not on any special diet. He has seen the dentist and will need a tooth extraction when the weather gets cooler (we are waiting because of his knees he will need to be very sedated and in stocks for the tooth to be succussfully extacted and in this heat it could be very dangerous). If you are interested in meeting Rory, showing him there is a life to live and love, we would help with his dental needs this fall. Come meet this sweet soul and see for yourself what a loving boy he is.
August 27 2022
Rory had an accident on Thursday, best we can figure he fell on the rocks surrounding the ring, whether he was chased or simply fell we cant tell and it really doesnt matter. What matters is this poor boy is in alot of pain. Cat, our amazing vet came yesterday and did x rays, ultrasounds, pain meds and antibiotics (hoping cellulitis doesnt set in) The next couple of days are going to be hard for Rory - she will be back on Monday to reassess - hoping there is no damage to the femur The picture below is not recent - no running for Rory today
August 28. 2022
Yesterday morning, when I walked into the barn and saw shavings all over Rory's forelock, I was very optimistic. Then I took his temperature, still 103.6 after bute and antibiotics, my heart sank. I texted Cat (our vet) and told her i would take his temp again at noon. I haltered him and led him out of his stall. The painful three-legged hobble broke my heart. We slowly made our way to the ring (the flattest spot we could find) and I let him go. I watched him all morning while i cleaned the barn. He was in so much pain, his whole side sucked up tight to hold in the pain, his muscles spasming, his head hung low. I tried to rub liniment on his good leg but he didn't want me to touch him. At lunch his temperature was still 102.8. I contacted Cat to see if there was anything else we could give him for pain - I couldn't just wait until Monday - Cat's response was we were not going to be able to manage this amount of pain at the barn - he would either need to be hospitalized or euthanized. It was not an easy decision - it never is but we decided a 2-hour trailer ride would be torture for Rory, terrifying and painful and in the end, there may be nothing they could do if the bone was broken, which was Cats best guess with that much pain. We decided to have Cat come, assess one more time to be sure but it was obvious what needed to be done. Our amazing neighbor Brad came to dig a hole - something that is the worst thing in the world to watch happen. All of the herd was put in paddocks beside the pasture - except the donkeys who somehow keep everything within perspective during difficult times. Rory ate grass while we waited for Cat, Mary and I talking about his short time with us. He never found his spot in the herd; he never found his friend. Because of that, we pushed hard to find him his family and he had one, waiting. He actually had a home that he was going to in 2 weeks - But accidents happen - in humans' lives, in horses' lives - everyday. If we could prevent every accident - well, the word would become obsolete.
By the time Cat arrived, Rory was sweating and in so much pain, his head was hanging and the decision we needed to make was obvious. Rory laid down, for the last time, with the herd on both sides of him, supporting him, the donkeys standing close by and Mary and I both telling him what a good boy he was. His person, even though he had never made it to their barn, came to say goodbye. Rory was a funny boy who loved people, he had worked hard his whole life and his body showed the the scars from all that work. His crooked knees and scared up legs had held him up until they didnt need to anymore. Loved in the past and loved at the end - Rory is running now, on strong straight legs - running beside old herd-mates from his past. Pain free and strong.
Good Boy Rory
By the time Cat arrived, Rory was sweating and in so much pain, his head was hanging and the decision we needed to make was obvious. Rory laid down, for the last time, with the herd on both sides of him, supporting him, the donkeys standing close by and Mary and I both telling him what a good boy he was. His person, even though he had never made it to their barn, came to say goodbye. Rory was a funny boy who loved people, he had worked hard his whole life and his body showed the the scars from all that work. His crooked knees and scared up legs had held him up until they didnt need to anymore. Loved in the past and loved at the end - Rory is running now, on strong straight legs - running beside old herd-mates from his past. Pain free and strong.
Good Boy Rory