Six-month-old Thoroughbred Filly Gets Second Chance at Life

Volunteers who do horse rescue work have learned to steel themselves to some of the circumstances they encounter while trying to help animals. However, on October 18, 2008, some of the volunteers at Beauty's Haven Equine Rescue in Florida were shocked when they first saw the horse they had come to save.

The rescue received a call about a six-month-old gray filly with severe injuries to her chest from running into a fence days earlier. However, they had no idea how shocking Silver Belle's injuries would be until they came face to face with her.

Not only did the silver thoroughbred have horrific chest wounds the owners said they had been treating, but she also had a huge injury to her left front knee, a cyst on her side and an umbilical hernia. Both the knee and chest wounds were oozing when rescuers from Beauty's Haven reached her.

Unsure of whether the filly would survive, they decided to transport her to the rescue to at least give her a few final days of loving care. When they inquired about her dam, they were told the mare had died a few months previously for no apparent reason.

Once they arrived back at Beauty's Haven, they were able to take Silver Belle's temperature, which fortunately turned out to be normal. The vet cleaned both her chest and leg wounds but was forced to lance the infected cyst on her side, which caused the filly significant discomfort. X-rays revealed no bone chips or foreign matter. Although her chest wound was deep, it stopped right before the sternum, which was a piece of luck for the horse.

Over the next few months, the filly adjusted well to life at Beauty's Haven and even managed to bond with some of the other horses there. After having her feet trimmed for the first time, she looked lovely in a pink halter.

The vet continued to check regularly on Silver Belle. By the end of October, he noted that both her leg and chest wounds looked as though they were healing. However, her knee remained swollen, which required additional antibiotics to zap any infection that might be lurking. On November 3, she was finally freed to leave her stall to navigate a small area around the barn.