Invested.in

In 2008, I went to court to have a horse returned to me that was wrongly seized by animal control. After my horse had been returned, mismanagement by animal control caused my horse to colic and I lost him the next day. It was this time, that I learned that the other horse that had been seized along with mine had been returned to her owner. This horse was underweight, underfed, and had old injuries to her leg that would keep her from being anything other than a pleasure riding horse. I bought this horse. I didn't think it was fair that my horse, that was taken care of, have to be euthanized, and this sick horse was so easily returned to her owners.

This horse is named Noonie. She is a thoroughbred ex-race horse with more care in her than I've ever met in a horse before. I was a sophomore in college when I took her in. I'd known only how to ride back then. So I used the money from my job to put weight on her, since she was quite skinny. She gained nearly a hundred pounds, and then, she stopped gaining weight.

That same summer, in 2008, a horse that I was working with bucked me off. It was my first real injury with horses and it had left me shaken. I could clean stalls and do ground work, but the moment I put a saddle on a horse, my fear would get to me. It wasn't until October of that year that Noonie had put on enough weight that I felt comfortable placing a saddle on her back. When I did, her eyes lit up. She was excited. Her nostrils flared like she was back in her 3 and 4 year old years on the track. I took her into the round pen and, after a bit of ground work, I pulled myself into the saddle. Magic. She took care of me. I had given her a second chance, and she gave me mine.

Because of Noonie, I have been able to get back into the saddle and learn to break, train, and breed horses. She restored my confidence in myself. She became my legs when I could hardly stand on my own because of fear. And now, it's time for me to be her legs.

I noticed last summer that she was developing a knot in her knee and a severe limp. I was finally able to raise the $400 needed for the x-rays of her leg and my veterinarian informed me what I was fearing. At some point, in her past racing and terrible owners, Noonie's front left ankle had fused improperly. This explained her stiffness when riding. He then told me that, because of this improper fusion, there was still movement in the ankle, and this caused bone chips to break off and cause her limp.

Determined to do what I could, I asked about the options. "Pain meds," he said. I asked about surgery. He told me that, to remove the bone chips alone would be a $1200 surgery. The surgery to properly fuse the bone so that no chips would happen in the future? $12,000. My heart stopped. With either surgery, it wouldn't matter, she would never be able to be ridden again. However, with either surgery, she would be comfortable enough to put on and carry her full weight, and she would be able to carry and deliver a foal. I have one year left that I would feel comfortable breeding Noonie. She's getting too close to a risky age, and I would love to have a piece of her left behind to remember her by and to take care of me like she did (and still does, even though she can't be ridden).

The $1500 is the estimated cost to take care of the veterinary bill and the cost of gas to Lamesa, Texas for the surgery. I have a friend who can haul her there in a more comfortable trailer than my own. First class treatment for a first class princess.

Noonie has been taking care of people, even though they never cared about her. It's time someone showed her just exactly how much they loved her.

Please help me save the horse that so generously saved me.

If you do decide to contribute, please send an email to amanda.l.almaraz@gmail.com with an address that I can sent your letter and photo. I am still doing whatever I can to raise the money for this surgery. We will achieve this goal.

Thank you.