06/11/2026
We have taken all types of horses into the rescue over the years, but this was one for the books. Filly came to us last year through a neighboring animal control agency. She was in her late 20’s and had very little handling. We taught her to pick up her feet for cleaning, but when it came to the farrier trimming her feet, she would lean down all the way to the ground and shift her weight forward to get away from him, despite being sedated. She had been examined by our veterinarian and there were no physical issues. This is where you always need to be thinking outside the box, so we put the horse in the box;-). Using a sling suspended from stocks, Filly was sedated and walked into the stocks, sling secured, and trimmed. When she tried to lean down, the sling kept her up. The stocks kept her from moving forward. When she was done, the sling was disconnected and she quietly walked out and was led back to her stall. At no point was she agitated or distressed. Rescue takes work, dedication, and a lot of ingenuity.
