I have decided to name her "Velvet Willow". And I will call her Willow. Velvet, because she is beautiful, feminine, and soft... especially now in her winter coat. And Willow because while she seems fragile and to be weeping on the outside, I know she is strong and resilient on the inside. I received over a thousand name suggestions and so many beautiful thoughts on my Florabella Facebook page when I posted about her. As her past is a mystery to us, so is her name; and I needed something beautiful and meaningful to call her. Here are just a couple comments that spoke to my heart (there were so many)... Thank you to everyone for such thoughtful words...
"She's pretty, and she looks like a Willow. And after the care and love she's going to be getting for you and the team, it won't be long before she looks like a real willow in the summer - standing in her pasture, strong, healthy, regal and beautiful!" Joules Palmurak
"Willow is pretty, and her mane and tail remind me of the long flowing branches of the willow tree. And those trees have DEEP roots, they grow fast once they are planted..." Julie Barnes Ferenzi
I just love the way it sounds when I say her name very softly, almost like "whisper"... and she seems to love it too. ♥
She is just so beautiful, and her name is perfect. I know she is loved, and there is no better medicine than that!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful girl...so so sweet <3
ReplyDeleteI loe what you are doing, I hope someday I can do the same!!! She is a lucky little mare to have you!!!
ReplyDeleteShe is gorgeous now....can't wait to see herself your love heals her:)
ReplyDeleteLove it...so true...
ReplyDeleteWillow's story breaks my heart and brings tears to my eyes. I'm so happy she found her way to you; you're a source of inspiration and love. I hope the two of you have a life changing journey that shows just how strong the bond between animals and humans can be when love is freely given. I look forward to following Willow's future in your respectful hands. God Bless and Good Luck!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for Willow and for you - she's lovely and she will bless your lives for sure. I've worked as a trainer in the horse department of the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary for almost 15 years and this is a very familiar sight for us. (We've actually seen A LOT worse.) It never ceases to be heartbreaking, but it's also so wonderful to be part of the solution.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to quickly mention, we have had several horses over the years that are chronic "chokers" and our best bet for them - diet wise, especially as they are getting up to weight - is soaked timothy and alfalfa hay pellets and stabilized rice bran (plus vitamin supplements). When we have new horses in this condition they get very frequent soaked bowls throughout the day. This may be something that your vet has already prescribed, but I didn't want to not mention it as it is so helpful for our horses with this condition or horses with less than great teeth. Because the pellets are already masticated, the horse gets 100% of the nutrition from them and there is no risk of choking. Then, once they are up to speed, and if their esophagus can handle it, we feed free choice hay out of a slow feeder hay bag to discourage choking, with a supplemental soaked pellet bowl or two per day.
Here's my favorite "choker", my boy Felix during one of the weekly demonstrations he and I put on for our visitors. He is shiny and healthy these days on his mush diet. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=509745002378609
Best of luck and all good wishes to you and Willow. And as always, your photos are breathtaking! ~ Ann Hepworth
Ann, thank you so much! We have been trying different things with her... alfalfa pellets & soaked food included... I will forward this to Martha too. I just watched Felix.. amazing training there! I also liked your page. Where are you located? xo
DeleteWe are located in southern Utah, the Sanctuary is in Kanab, UT (this is the main Sanctuary site: http://www.bestfriends.org/ ). Thanks for your kind words. It sounds to me like Willow is in the best possible hands. Please let me know if there's anything I can do, and in my professional opinion, keep giving her lots of treats! :)
DeleteVelvet Willow is such a beautiful name and a beautiful horse. I am so thankful and grateful to you and your husband for taking this sweet animal in to love and care for her as she heals. I think heaven has a special place for those compassionate souls like yourselves whose love and compassion compels them to help the helpless. May God continue to bless you and heal Willow!
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