Hello, I hope all is well for you, it certainly is for me. Today's post comes courtesy of one of my most beloved friends here, the The Black Star: Lady Bonessa (@LadyBonessa on twitter), or as I call her: Bonessa the Godessa. I've had my differences with her, but thankfully, due her high intelligence and innate good nature, those differences never came to much, just a cathartic hissy fit here and there. She's beyond cool.
As you read her beautiful post, you'll realize just how über cool. Enjoy. x
Dear Sir Fudge Esq
I am writing this to show all who read it ,how you can help animals in need in a practical
hands on way -in your local area as I did.
This is the story of Fudge a beautiful white and fudge colored small horse-that is how he started his life-beautiful.
I work for the animal protection society on a part time basis -when they need someone badly which is usually when they are called to the more difficult cases.
These cases usually involve the "traveling community" or gypsies as you may know them.
They also require a police presence as the community are extremely aggressive to any outside interference with their animals.
Fudge came to our attention some weeks previous as he had been tied to a tree with what looked like a rope but which was a thick piece of wire which was cutting into his leg-he was also extremely thin.
We arrived late one evening with our police escort , a horsebox ,a vet and two of us.
I will not dwell on the reception we received as this is not about us-however we managed to free Fudge and with some gentle persuasion we got him to the horsebox-and inside.
That was the first part of the rescue over.
We took him to a rescue shelter we use specially for horses and got him settled- we gave him water and the vet looked him over.
This was the first time we got to look at him closely . He had sever cuts to the bone of his leg from the wire ,his coat was patchy and matted in places, he had infected eyes and he look like he hadn't eaten in weeks. His hooves were overgrown , he wouldn't lift his head and he was very weak.
The vet dressed his wounds and gave him antibiotics Obviously the vets treatment was intense but I am am going to concentrate here on Fudge and my relationship with him from this point.
When we go in to rescue like this there are usually two of us-there is a very good reason for this. Both of us will be responsible for the emotional rescue and nurturing of the animal-with only two people the animal can learn to trust and get to know us. It is slow but oh so worth it.
At each rescue one of us gets to name the horse-this was my turn! Before I had been called out I had actually been tweeting with Sir Fudge as it happens, when you are asked to name the horse it is usually quite an immediate thing and as he was white and fudgey color I just said Fudge!! So Fudge it was!
So I took the first shift with him-so sad Fudge wouldn't lift his head-he wouldn't let me touch him or stroke him so I just stayed in a corner of his stable and hummed gently to myself (it was probably Radiohead but it didn't matter). This went on for two/three days -patience is needed here-I fed him small amounts
at this point 5/6 time daily-he only accepted food because he was so hungry-still never lifting his head.This was how it was for at least 10 days -now my humming is Radiohead and anything else I can think of!!
Then one day I arrive as usual and go into his stable-his cuts have started to heal I noticed and I take my position in the corner and begin to humm-as I am sitting humming I look at Fudge and slowly he lifts his head for the first time and he looks at me - and it was magic -I could not believe that this magnificent animal was actually connecting with me-and connecting was exactly what was happening at this moment and this was the begining of the rest of Fudges life .
The everyday aspects of his rehabilitation are fairly obvious -this story is not really about that ,it is about the magical connection between an animal and a human despite all that has gone before.As you will see from the photos Fudge has a new home with other horses and is a happy contented horse -that is what he deserves -it is his right and he is just one success story in this world of so many who suffer when they do not need to .
Fudge is now a happy free horse who comes straight over to me when I call to visit.He nuzzles me and shows off by galloping around the field-it is such a joy to see
Fudge' here is the piece I feel you will want to do some editing I am not very good at this so feel free to do what ever you want-in fact I would welcome it!
The photos are not great I am afraid !
Thank you for this as it is such a huge part of my life
love Bonnie/Valerie
As you read her beautiful post, you'll realize just how über cool. Enjoy. x
Dear Sir Fudge Esq
I am writing this to show all who read it ,how you can help animals in need in a practical
hands on way -in your local area as I did.
This is the story of Fudge a beautiful white and fudge colored small horse-that is how he started his life-beautiful.
I work for the animal protection society on a part time basis -when they need someone badly which is usually when they are called to the more difficult cases.
These cases usually involve the "traveling community" or gypsies as you may know them.
They also require a police presence as the community are extremely aggressive to any outside interference with their animals.
Fudge came to our attention some weeks previous as he had been tied to a tree with what looked like a rope but which was a thick piece of wire which was cutting into his leg-he was also extremely thin.
We arrived late one evening with our police escort , a horsebox ,a vet and two of us.
I will not dwell on the reception we received as this is not about us-however we managed to free Fudge and with some gentle persuasion we got him to the horsebox-and inside.
That was the first part of the rescue over.
We took him to a rescue shelter we use specially for horses and got him settled- we gave him water and the vet looked him over.
This was the first time we got to look at him closely . He had sever cuts to the bone of his leg from the wire ,his coat was patchy and matted in places, he had infected eyes and he look like he hadn't eaten in weeks. His hooves were overgrown , he wouldn't lift his head and he was very weak.
The vet dressed his wounds and gave him antibiotics Obviously the vets treatment was intense but I am am going to concentrate here on Fudge and my relationship with him from this point.
When we go in to rescue like this there are usually two of us-there is a very good reason for this. Both of us will be responsible for the emotional rescue and nurturing of the animal-with only two people the animal can learn to trust and get to know us. It is slow but oh so worth it.
At each rescue one of us gets to name the horse-this was my turn! Before I had been called out I had actually been tweeting with Sir Fudge as it happens, when you are asked to name the horse it is usually quite an immediate thing and as he was white and fudgey color I just said Fudge!! So Fudge it was!
So I took the first shift with him-so sad Fudge wouldn't lift his head-he wouldn't let me touch him or stroke him so I just stayed in a corner of his stable and hummed gently to myself (it was probably Radiohead but it didn't matter). This went on for two/three days -patience is needed here-I fed him small amounts
at this point 5/6 time daily-he only accepted food because he was so hungry-still never lifting his head.This was how it was for at least 10 days -now my humming is Radiohead and anything else I can think of!!
Then one day I arrive as usual and go into his stable-his cuts have started to heal I noticed and I take my position in the corner and begin to humm-as I am sitting humming I look at Fudge and slowly he lifts his head for the first time and he looks at me - and it was magic -I could not believe that this magnificent animal was actually connecting with me-and connecting was exactly what was happening at this moment and this was the begining of the rest of Fudges life .
The everyday aspects of his rehabilitation are fairly obvious -this story is not really about that ,it is about the magical connection between an animal and a human despite all that has gone before.As you will see from the photos Fudge has a new home with other horses and is a happy contented horse -that is what he deserves -it is his right and he is just one success story in this world of so many who suffer when they do not need to .
Fudge is now a happy free horse who comes straight over to me when I call to visit.He nuzzles me and shows off by galloping around the field-it is such a joy to see
Fudge' here is the piece I feel you will want to do some editing I am not very good at this so feel free to do what ever you want-in fact I would welcome it!
The photos are not great I am afraid !
Thank you for this as it is such a huge part of my life
love Bonnie/Valerie
