In mid-January we received an emergency call from another rescue to see if we had the room and resources to take on this little old lady. The worst body score condition we had ever laid eyes on… From a front yard in downtown Sacramento stood an emaciated older sorrel mare, tied to a tree with a piece of what looked like Romex (yes the kind of wire one would use for wiring a house…) let that sink in. She had been there a week before a neighbor (thank you good neighbor 🙏🏽) had called animal control for some help on this issue of neglect.

The Wild Heart board members had an emergency vote and unanimously we were all in. We picked her up last night at 9 pm from Animal Control in Sacramento. After a very slow drive home and a few stops to check on her, within 6 hours of getting the initial call, we got her tucked in to our barn for some major TLC. This sweet angel of a skeleton, perked up, ate some soaked alfalfa, had some clean water and lots of love. With a couple of vets on board with her case, in addition to our favorite local vet clinic, we’ve got a plan and a recheck scheduled in one week to see how she is holding up and if she’s got a chance. This refeeding syndrome is real and hard to not throw all the food you want her way. But it’s not that simple, her food has to be carefully regimented weighed out and soaked. One day at a time we will see how she feels.

Even with her emaciated body, she’s wearing a set of fronts, oh wait, no just one shoe… somewhere along the line she lost the other one… her shoe is ready to be pulled, in serious need of a trim and some help from one of our rad farriers to address her wicked sad feet.

Wild what 24 hours can do for a rescue mission…

We ask for your support, prayers and wishes for this old lady “Starlight”.

If she is up for it, it will be a long road ahead to get her back to a healthy weight, a much needed dental, likely a few teeth need to be removed, worming, feet, and who knows what else she may need to have done once she can withstand being poked and prodded, to then have a shot at being a pasture pony to Iive out her days.

If you’d like to help, please check out our website and hit the donate button. Whether its days, months, or years for Ms. Starlight to be around, she’s got a long road ahead to be healthy in her body.

Thank you to all of those Wild Hearts out there who believe in miracles and old ponies who deserve so much more then being tied to a tree with an electric cord, while trying to hold up her skeleton body. The power of healing begins now.

We are excited to share that Wild Heart Restart Ranch, has been awarded a grant for $1000, by Friends of Front Street Shelter. These funds will be used to help care for Ms. Starlight while she is here with us in this life. We appreciate the support of Friends in our mission to promote the welfare of animals in our community!