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| Name: |
Flower
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Age: |
Ten years old
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| Gender: |
Female
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Kind: |
Morgan Horse
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| Home: |
Purcellville, Virginia, USA
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What
makes Flower special: Flower was part of one of the largest
equine rescues in the US. 31 pure breed Morgans were rescued in 1991,
Flower being the weakest... she couldn't even stand on her own, and
had to be carried from the horse trailer by her rescuers. She
recovered and became the "posterchild" for the Equine
Rescue League which had saved her. The Morgans' case was heard in
court and the man who had owned them got the harshest sentence that
had ever been given for the abuse of animals. Flower overcame her
fear and distrust of humans and is today a sweet and loving pet, and
an educator against horse abuse and neglect. She has been in
HorsePlay magazine twice and is featured in a book called The Magic
of Horses: Horses as Healers. I adopted Flower four years ago and she
has been my best friend ever since!
Her physical rehabilitation took almost a whole year. She had so
little nutrition that she had stopped growing a coat, and when she
first started getting fed on a regular basis, her old dead coat fell
out and she was bald! Luckily it was during the summer. She also
coliced very badly from suddenly getting food. By a year later
though, she looked like a totally normal three-year-old, with a beautiful
shinning coat. The emotional damage was much worse however. She was
terrified of everyone and everything! I worked with her on the ground
for a full two years before she was able to be taken into a boarding
situation. She is now completely approachable by strangers, and is
actually very friendly. I cried the first time a complete stranger
walked into her paddock and Flower went over and demanded a scratch
and/or treat!
She starting her riding training last summer and is doing very well!
She is a very good jumper, and really excels at dressage! I ride her
four to five times a week. I am amazed at the condition of her body
after such abuse - she has always been in perfect health and has
never been lame. She has the toughest hooves I've ever seen and has
never needed horseshoes. She hasn't had any problem with colic after
that first time. My only concern with her is to keep her from getting
too fat!!
Flower's favorite game is "feed Flower treats" followed
closely by "scratch Flower's bottom!" She likes jelly beans,
sugar cubes, peppermints, carrots, apples, pears, oranges... !!! She
also likes to play our version of "Simon Says." I will walk
and she will follow me, if I jog, she will trot, when I stop, she
stops, etc.
She is an excellent representative against horse abuse. (The photo I
sent is actually not the worst, she had been rescued for some time at
that point.) It makes a great impression on people to see her before
picture, and then to see her in the flesh... and to touch her. She
and I go back to the rescue league that saved her for their open
houses and I have actually used her for pony rides, where the
children can sit on her and be lead around. The effect she makes on
people is profound, and I am not exaggerating when I say that people
come up to me and hug me with tears running down their faces after
petting her. They look at her with awe, and touch her carefully, as
if she may break. Most people know me as "Flower's Mom"...
she is pretty well known in this area!!
Visit Flower's Barn on the Web
for more info and photos.
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