Back in December I wrote the first article about Bella, “Here’s your typical slaughter bound horse.”
Bella at the clinic
In that article I told you about a horse that was tied to a tree with wire that had become tangled around her foot. During her struggles, the foot was almost cut off. Bella came as close to death as possible, yet thanks to our ranch crew and the vet, she passed death and came back. Her tendon was sliced, she lost far more blood than I’ve seen in a long time, but the next day she was up – on IV’s and in a lot of pain, but alive
I wrote, “If she survives, and there is a serious chance she won’t, she will never walk normal again. I guess for a lot of folks, that makes her prime for the slaughter truck. Hell, I bet she’s bring $25 at the auction, and I’m sure someone in France would love to have her for dinner.
But through some small miracle she ended up as Case Number 11-152 on our books and, God willing, someday soon she’ll be standing by the hay stacks with Pete and Tiger and a half dozen “useless” horses, doing what horses do best.”
Bella (now Adella) today
Six months have passed and now Bella (now known as Adella) runs out of her stall in the mornings, kicking up a storm. According to the vet, the impossible has happened – the tendon has grown back and she has 85% use of her foot. Adella has been reborn!
For five months she stood in her stall, almost insane with boredom. Today she’s become the ultimate pocket pony – always wanting to be around people.
I don’t consider it a small miracle. It’s very big, so much so that our vet wants to write it up for a paper he’s submitting.
This is the last time I’ll be writing a blog at this URL. Sometime Tuesday the new and improved Habitat for Horses website will go online. Its taken six months of hard work by Shelli, our Webmistress, to get almost everything transferred to the new site and I promise, it will be beautiful. Among all the advantages will be our ability to update things without requiring any knowledge of HTML, scripts or coding, all of which have hindered us in the past.
After this, you’ll need to go to Habitat for Horses to catch up on the latest stories.
We’ve always made a commitment to not buy horses at auction. Working with law enforcement, we bring in far more than our fair share and overloading is something I refuse to do.
However….
Someone sent me a notice about two horses being auctioned off by Texas A&M, 
and that sent me over the edge. We caught them once sending horses off to slaughter and I have no doubt that destination was the future for these two. The description of one horse was “limping slightly due to her age.” She’s in her mid-20’s. The other is described as hard to handle because of a brain injury.
The best vet school around and this is the diagnosis? Sad. Very, very sad.
We can’t save them all, but these two will be safe.
Belinda Caron
June 2, 2012 at 7:30 pm
We are so Happy to hear the good news about Bella and the other two, we could jump for joy !!!
Valerie Wehmueller
June 1, 2012 at 3:26 pm
What a story! What a beautiful horse Bella, now known as Adella, is! She has a beautiful spirit, a beautiful soul, thank you so much for rescuing her, &, with the help of God, for saving her, as this miracle is proof of!! As for those idiots in France, or wherever, f- -k you for wanting to eat her or any other horse for dinner, or any other meal, period! Thank you also for rescuing those two horses from Texas A & M, I can not believe all the horrors inflicted on animals, all in the name of science, research, medical, or whatever other nonsense they want to use as excuses. Use them up, then throw them out, or send them off to slaughter, they’re “useless” now, who cares? WRONG! I wish I could just slap every single one of those foolish idiots across the face, & then some!
Debbie Stoutamire
June 1, 2012 at 6:48 pm
You go – Valerie – my sentiments exactly!
Debbie Stoutamire
June 1, 2012 at 10:15 am
I’ve always known that God has His hand on the Habitat and the horses there. This is just proof of that! Texas A&M is a joke – thus the Aggie jokes. They need to be exposed for what they are doing to the horses, and what better person that you – the “Wordsmith”. Great article, as usual.
Cindy J Sanford
June 1, 2012 at 4:19 pm
As an Aggie, I was concerned about this situation. In an effort to effect real change, I called Jeff Fountain at Texas A&M. He is head of the Recreational Sports Department. He was unaware of the controversy. The two horses were part of the A&M Polo club. A&M being a land-grant university, the vetting of auction items by A&M is established by the state. The A&M vet school was NOT involved in “horrible experiments.” I can tell you from experience that the Polo Team loves and spoils their horses.
I suspect that this is an ignorance issue. I don’t believe that anyone realized that slaughter was a reality. I will contact A&M Surplus to find out what the policy is regarding the auction of horses. I suggest that others contact vpfn-surplusproperty@tamuds.tamu.edu or better yet, contact the Texas Department of Agriculture or Texas state representatives as they are the agency/persons in a position to stop this.
Janet Ferguson
June 1, 2012 at 9:49 am
How is it that we feel a miracle has happened just because in our own ignorance we were sure it was impossible.
Those Texas A&M horses — were they used for “learning” experiences for the students. The Little Men in White Coats are alive and well, the future is here, and where it relates to our animals, the layperson could only characterize what is going on as ghoulish.
Thanks for saving those two from slaughter, or “jumping out of the frying pan into the fire,” as they say!
I pray our species will be able to go forward into the future with our scientific, emotional, and human hearts in better balance and integration as we make decision for those under our care “who have no words.”
missredreflection
June 1, 2012 at 7:55 am
How wonderful to read a happy story this morning
Sue
June 1, 2012 at 6:22 am
Texas A&M, best vet school around???? I think NOT. Brain damage on one horse you took in? I’ll bet A&M inflicted that brain damage in one of their horrible experiments!!
Penn Vet and UC, Davis are the best vet schools around, IMHO. Nothing else can compare.
Cindy J Sanford
June 1, 2012 at 8:28 pm
The Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine was not involved in “horrible experiments” on these or any other horses. The horses were owned by the A&M Polo Club; unfortunately, the horse with brain damage was hit on the head during a match. I do not know that for certain.
BlessUsAll
June 1, 2012 at 12:19 am
What a joy to hear about and see a resurrected Adella! I’m happy for the vet, too; he obviously invested his all in this girl.
I’m going to tell a little neighbor girl who is horse-crazy and who is going to make Habitat the recipient of her next fundraising. I think she’ll want to direct the money to this mare’s care — and pay a visit to the ranch as well!
jadeh22
May 31, 2012 at 9:51 pm
As always, you set the bar for the rest of us! Thanks for the story.
melba higgins
May 31, 2012 at 9:28 pm
one of the best vet schools in the country and they couldn’t put them down instead of sending to slaughter. you know that is what would have happened. thanks for buying them.
Laurie Haggard
May 31, 2012 at 9:21 pm
I am shocked, to say the least, that A & M would send horses to slaughter, knowing the horrible and gruesome death they would endure. If I didn’t know they do this, I’m sure many others don’t. What kind of pressure or public scrutiny can be directed at A&M to possibly put a stop to this. As you said, they are the best vet school around, so to even think of them doing this is just unbelievable.
Also, a wonderful story about beautiful Adella. When there is so much sadness and despair when it comes to animal welfare in general, it is always uplifting to hear the happy endings. I swear, if I lived in south Texas, I would love to work with your organization. Alas, I am in Dallas, so will just have to enjoy your posts.
polopaula
May 31, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Unfortunately, Texas A&M, is a great vet school that seems to be closely aligned with AQHA.. What is one more horse going to slaughter?? I definitely have a love/hate relationship with them, living here in Texas. thank you for reaching out for these two. So many texas horseowners are still trying to recover from last year’s drought, and what it cost to get our horses through the year. Hoping that the cost of horse ownership is more reasonable this year, and more owners will be able to “add one more”. Hope I can find your beautiful new website. I look so forward to your messages.
sherriey
May 31, 2012 at 8:48 pm
awww…Jerry….you are so good and kind!!!!! thanks for saving those two!
what kind of a Vet school is that anyway????? yes….very very sad, indeed!
Leslie Kuretzky
May 31, 2012 at 8:28 pm
Great article. Great to hear about Adella and thank goodness you saved those other two horses