Lilla
Lilla was left behind with three other horses in January 2021 when their owner passed away. The horses had been surviving neglect before that (starvation and/or injuries/illness). Without the compassion and hay given by a neighbor, these horses could easily have died as two other horses and a mule living on the large farm had at some point.
Lilla is trained to drive according what the manager of the former owner’s trust was able to learn. At some point she had been malnourished in previous years as the owner did not give her horses hay. Upon notification about the horses, Lilla had been laying down (around February 2021). It was determined she had foundered. No hoof care had been provided by their owner. Since the owner had died in January, a highly concerned neighbor who had been doing his best to keep the horses fed helped get Lilla some initial care.
The person listed in the former owner’s trust to take the horses had predeceased the owner. As a last resort, Front Range Equine Rescue was contacted. We were able to have it arranged for a vet to see Lilla, then a farrier (as well as for the other horses). Appropriate care was provided given the difficult circumstances. X-rays showed significant rotation of Lilla’s coffin bones in both front hooves; and the vet indicated she had foundered before.
It took months to get the horses to Colorado as winter weather, veterinary and farrier care, and arranging safe transport all took time to coordinate. Two of the horses also were not capable of immediate transport even if it had been available which it was not. In May 2021, Lilla and her three companions traveled safely to CO. Lilla is living out her life with the rescue and will continue her rehabilitation evaluation during June 2021.
Update (September 2021): Lilla moved with her companion “Red” in August for training assessment to see how the mares might hold up for possible light duty driving or being ridden lightly under saddle. Before coming to the rescue, Lilla had foundered and our vet felt she had abscessed in her front hooves as well. After receiving proper hoof care and with time, Lilla seems “sound.” She is being assessed for any training as a driving horse or to be able to do light rides under saddle to increase chances for placement in a qualified home. If this option does not work out, both mares will remain with the rescue in retirement as they are a bonded pair and it would be unlikely they could place together as companion only horses.
UPDATE (Dec 2021): Lilla will remain with her companion Red at the ranch where their trainer lives for the winter. Weather related and other events have kept their training assessment interrupted at times. Once she has a more comprehensive overview, it is expected she and Red will become available to a qualified home after Spring 2022.
UPDATE (2023): After additional evaluation in 2022, it was determined that Lilla had physical limitations due to past neglect. She retired to live out her life at a private farm in CO where many of FRER’s rescue horses are kept.
More About Lilla
- Retired
- Bay Tobiano
- Mare
- 2006
- Draft cross
- Colorado