At Palomino Ridge Ranch Horse Rescue, we have a huge soft spot for the youngsters! While it is horrible that any horse gets dumped at auctions and kill pens, we feel it is absolutely awful that human beings would dump the very young ones in such awful places. We try to rescue as many as donations will allow. We love to be a part of their story - to love them, to nurture them, to meet their needs and to teach them that there are nice humans in this world. In return for all that we do for these young ones, they bring us joy watching them grow and develop into happy, well adjusted, content young horses. Hugs from the little ones are the best! Each young horse will stay with us until we feel they are ready to go on to loving homes. Please follow their progress and watch them grow!
Update on Rio.
12-15-2021
We are happy to report that Rio is doing so well, she is even leading on a halter and lead rope now! Sean was able to cut the flap of flesh off her chest and give the whole punctured and cut up area a good flushing medicated bath. We are so happy that Rio is learning to put her trust in Sean and is accepting the wound treatments well. Sean said she has a very kind eye and all this girl wants is to be loved.
12-14-2021
Today Rio was picked up from the vet hospital. The bill was $1,338.08.
Jingles turned out to be just what Rio needed. Rio rode quietly for the 9 hour drive from Oklahoma with little Jingles standing quietly up against Rio. As we had hoped, they bonded right away, both girls being recently weaned from their moms.
When our trusted hauler took one look at Rio, he asked us if we knew just how bad her wounds were. He said they were much worse in person. Sean offered to take Rio to his place and give her the wound care and love she needs. When Sean said that he felt like Rio needed him and that Rio might just be what he needed too, we realized this was God working in Sean and Rio both. Sean went to vet school and he has many years experience caring for injuries of very expensive Thoroughbred racehorses at the racetrack and at home. He comes from multi generations of horsemen. with more knowledge and abilities than most.
Rio and Jingles unloaded off the trailer and settled into their small pen quickly. Sean was able to clean her wounds and pet her some. He said Rio did not even think about running through the fence surround or jumping it and she was not crazy like the people responsible for her injuries had said. Sean said this filly wants to be friends and is looking for love. We are so happy she is in his expert hands right now.
12-13-2021
Today we decided that it might be a very good idea to save from the Oklahoma kill pen, a quiet, well adjusted, very friendly mini to keep Rio company on the long drive home from Oklahoma and the entire time Rio is in quarantine and receiving wound care. The vet agreed that would help Rio. We asked the advice of a fellow rescuer to help us select the right mini. We saved little Jingles, a champagne paint that was said to be a boy, but ended up being a girl - all the better! Thank you everyone who helped us save Jingles. She turned out to be just what Rio needed.
12-10-2021
Rio's wounds are continuing to be cared for by the vet. She is getting a little better about being touched on the muzzle and lips so sedating her orally has been working.
12-8-2021
Rio is still traumatized over what has happened to her at the negligence of the quarantine/transport people. She will need a lot of time to overcome this. It is taking several vet techs to help restrain her and clean the wounds.
The vet has given us the okay to pick her up on Tuesday morning. We are currently fundraising for the remainder of the vet bill and for transport to central Texas from the Oklahoma City Equine Hospital. If you can help with this expense, we would really appreciate it.
12-6-2021
Today the vet was able to get Rio sedated enough to clean and examine her wounds. There is a 6 inch gash that is full thickness three centimeters deep on the right side of her abdomen. a puncture in the left side of her neck from a t-post, a puncture on her right rear leg, and a deep t-post impalement puncture in her chest along with shredded flesh on her chest. Her legs. body and face are covered in wounds, many of them full thickness wounds. We are disgusted with the blatant disregard, negligence and resulting trauma of those responsible for what happened to Rio. They have no business offering quarantine for horses. Rio will need to stay at the vet hospital a few more days for wound treatment.
12-5-2021, 11pm
She arrived at the equine hospital a little while ago. The vet called us a few minutes ago to give her observation. Rio is very stressed, her adrenaline is spiked and trying to touch her now could cause a stroke. Observing her from outside the exam stall, the vet can tell there are full thickness lacerations and many partial thickness lacerations from what appears to be barbed wire, and a possible t-post injury to the front of her from sometime earlier today. The vet can't see underneath Rio right now, and she can't tell from outside the stall if there are any cut tendons or ligaments, but initial thoughts are that the full thickness wounds appear in areas with no tendons or ligaments. They are going to try and get Rio to eat some grain with sedation in it to take her edge off and get close enough to give more sedation and take care of her wounds. Our saving grace is that Rio is at a vet hospital receiving care. She will need to be there a few days. We have no idea how high the vet bill will be at this time. If you are willing to help us with the vet care costs, we would be most appreciative.
Update! Please keep baby Rio in your prayers.💥🆘We have been informed that our new weanling filly Rio, who was picked up today from the kill pen and taken to quarantine, somehow got out of the place they put her in, ran and clearly got cut up by a barbed wire fence. She is unhandled and extremely scared. 😥 We will need vet care funds. Poor little girl! 😭 Will you help please? Any help is greatly appreciated. Updates will be shared as we know more.
We found this baby girl at Stroud Kill Pen in Oklahoma on December 5, 2021 and knew we needed to help her. No babies should EVER be taken to a kill pen. With the approaching cold front we knew we needed to get her out of there soon. Today, December 6, 2021, you all helped us to get her bail paid and her transport paid to an Oklahoma quarantine facility. Thankfully with the current temperatures being 29 degrees with the wind chill and falling, our transporter was able to get her picked up right away and brought to his quarantine facility in Oklahoma. We really appreciate all of our donors who help us save horses that others have thrown away. This is a true labor of love, nursing them back to health, helping them overcome what trauma has happened to them and then finding them forever homes or accepting them into our sanctuary for continued care. When this little girl is done with her quarantine stay, baby Zephyr who is her age, will be here waiting for her. Thank you donors for making this all possible.
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We found Wonder at Kaufman Kill Pen in August 2021. He was terrified, running the pen looking for a way out. He tried to go under the fence, over the fence and through the fence - anything to evade the cruel man at the kill pen. As soon as we saw him, our founder immediately purchased him and called Melanie to get him out of there. How a breeder can dump a beautiful newly weaned colt like this, we do not know. He was said to be about 10 months old and a gelding, but our vet has aged him at 6 months old as of September, and he is still a stallion.
Thankfully he did not get sick in quarantine and was able to come to the rescue after 30 days. He arrived frightened, but curious. It did not take too long before he was letting us touch him. He did not do what most untouched horses do, which is try to evade at all costs and attempt to jump out of the corral. Instead he would watch and freeze, and once we touch him, he is submissive and licks his lips. He is proving to be very smart and quite willing! We are looking forward to seeing what we can teach this pretty boy.
11-27-2021
Baby Zephyr is still doing really well. Back in September, she was chased down by a mini horse and got her back right pastern stuck under the fence. She had a small cut, but had also injured her tendon. After 6 weeks of stall rest and hand walking rehab and little Zephyr has healed up good as new. This sweet girl is smart, willing and has a fun personality. She does not know she is a large horse, she thinks she is a mini! Lol. Zephyr spends her days with the mini horse herd, with her favorite friends being Violet, Milo, Azalea and Freesia. At night, Zephyr enjoys one of the large 12'x20' stalls with her best friend Azalea for company. The two girls are very bonded and enjoy sleeping curled up next to each other. Zephyr's training is going well. She is learning to be a good citizen. She is growing tall, and looks like she may be a Thorooughbred cross. It is our guess that she wil be close to 16 hands when full grown. Had she not been abandoned before her second month of life.
8-25-2021
Baby Zephyr is doing wonderfully! She looks great, she is healthy and she is happy. Tulip is still with Zephyr, and follows her around. Zephyr and Tulip are now enjoying turnout with all the miniature horses during the day and Tulip and Zephyr go back to their oversized stall when they have had enough play for the day and want to rest.
7-11-2021
This precious little sweetheart continues to do very well. She is growing like a weed! Zephyr has a great appetite and she is healthy and happy. Tulip continues to be a great buddy for Zephyr, we are so happy we chose the right horse to be with Zephyr for comfort.
6-6-2021
Today baby Zephyr was seen by Dr.'s Rachel and Alec. She was examined and found to be in good health and weight.
6-4-2021
Baby Zephyr Update. Sadly our baby girl is developing a cough & has goop in her eye. This is why we worry so much when we see a baby in a kill pen.They do not have the immune system to fight the horrible germs at the kill pen. Please keep Zephyr in your thoughts and prayers.
6-3-2021
Baby Zephyr Update, Sadly our baby girl is developing a cough & has goop in her eye. This is why we worry so much when we see a baby in a kill pen.They do not have the immune system to fight the horrible germs at the kill pen. Please keep Zephyr in your thoughts and prayers.
6/2/2021
Here she is! Baby Zephyr She is so tiny and precious!! Other than some manure stains on her legs and a scuff on her forehead, she is perfect! We have placed our starved down rescued miniature horse filly, Tulip, in with baby Zephyr for company. Zephyr is unhandled and frightened, poor baby girl! Tulip will help her. They are sharing a 12 × 20 quarantine stall. Thank you Village, for helping make it possible for us to rescue this baby! Now we watch closely for signs of illness from being exposed to the nasty bugs in the kill pen. We hope and pray she stays healthy. Our vet comes out to examine her today. If you would like to help with milk replacer, supplements, foal feed, stall shavings, vet care, etc., we would appreciate it.
6-2-2021
SAFE!! Baby girl is SAFE with our transporter! Such a huge relief! THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this rescue possible! Updates & more pictures asap. She has a 4+ hour trailer ride ahead of her with frequent stops so she can rest her legs.
6-1-2021
HELP!! HELP!! This is ♦️A BABY♦️ pulled from its mother, in a kill pen! She is ♦️TOO YOUNG♦️ to be without milk replacer!! We have to get her out NOW!! Who can help? We need donations fast!! $475 is her price. & $350 to get her transported to the rescue tonight! HELP PLEASE if you can!