BONNIE'S STORY
Bonnie's Rescue
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This is a sad story. It started in 1993, at the Central Region Lippitt Show, when I was approached by a person saying they had a mare for sale. The mare was bred and this person needed to sell the horse. Being it was a full Lippitt Morgan and I wasn't too crowded in my barn, I said I was interested and would take her, but needed a Negative Coggins. I contacted a vet in their state and paid for the farm call and test. I made arrangements with my vet to deliver the pregnant mare directly to the clinic since the horse had no immunizations, had not been dewormed, and was due any day. When the coggins was negative, I hooked up my trailer, drove three hours down with my faithful companion daughter Kelly to help me. We wondered what would become of this since the party wanted a good deal of money, but after hearing some of the details, I had not offered her anything.When we found the farm and got out, we walked back to the barn. There she was, in early labor or else just gasping to live. She was 15.1 hands, rather plain, definitely under stress, totally undernourished and she looked at me as if to say, "I hope you brought a gun". She was about 750 pounds with this big ball in her middle, that is one gross sight, I can still see her in my mind. The memory brings tears. I thought a moment, as they told me the mare had a uterine hemorrhage with her last foal, another setback, but I made them an extremely generous offer considering her condition, and a guaranteed good home for life, which could end very soon.
They turned me down, saying "So and So said the mare was priceless because she was full Lippitt", and they wanted $3,500.00. I told them politely, then you should call that person. Kelly and I left. I have to say that night I cried big time, the mare broke my heart. We tried to put this in the back of our minds, there is only so much one person can do. I never had the nerve to call and find out if either the mare or foal had made it, because I just didn't want to know at this point.
Woodstock Delilah #024811 (Donald Twilight x Meredith Lady Jane)
Photo by Stephanie Cooley Schlachter. Delilah at 13 years old, 5-3-86 and obviously in good care with Stephanie. Stephanie is not the person/people in this story.Low and behold, the first week of November, 1994, I got a phone call mid-morning from the same party, asking if I was still interested in the filly born to this mare. I said yes, and they said they would pay for the tests this year, with a slight laugh. I said okay, send me a video. The more I thought about it, last year's memory came to mind, so I asked my husband Jeff if he wanted to take a drive down to see the filly. I called the person back, asking if they would be there, got directions and we left after chores next morning. I held my breath all the way down, this could be another deal like last year, but the filly is full Lippitt Morgan and it's got to be checked out.
We arrived and went in the barn to see her. They called her "Brat" and didn't like her. We couldn't handle any part of her rear end, but she wasn't bad. We took her out to watch her move, she was off, but having never had a trim, feet never handled or cleaned, she could just be ouchy or full of stones. I took a deep breath, turned to them and made my offer, right next to the mare's grave, a hump in the middle of the corral. How sad. Yes, the big mare Delilah, died in June or July of 1994. When they tried to worm her, she got a reaction, and they put her down. I suspect colic. I stipulated which vaccines the filly had to have for this price and a negative coggins, then I'll come pick her up. I also said I would take care of registration and blood typing if they accepted my offer, and I asked if I could name her. I reminded them this is strictly business. Let's face it, I have to put the filly in with a professional to handle those feet and work with her, I have bad wrists and I can't deal with a kicker, and I hope she's not lame after she's trimmed. The filly was 15 months old and she struck with both hind feet when you even touched her with a finger on the rump. I asked them to think about my offer and we left, they still wanted a great deal of cash.
Three days later, I got that phone call saying yes to my offer. They will get the vet in and call me when arrangements are complete. Now I held my breath, hoping they wouldn't change their mind. In the mean time, I called American Morgan Horse Assoc., the mare is dead, the stallion sold and gelded, what will I do to get this baby registered. The girls at AMHA were absolutely wonderful, we made all the arrangements on the phone and they told me which signatures I needed on which papers. I didn't need the previous stallion owner, there was a stallion report filed just weeks before the lady called me. The one thing I found out that could have killed everything was that the blood typing regulations with a dead mare would have caused big problems. Since the mare had a blood type on file we were okay. I would have bought her anyway, just to save her.
We did the deal, picked her up on November 13. First we loaded, just in case she won't get on. The little filly loaded very easy, I was expecting a long situation, but it was a piece of cake. Then we took care of paperwork and signatures, shook hands and departed. The filly traveled like a dream, never heard a peep out of her, she was pre-occupied with her food. All the way home I tried to think of a name that fit her. Then I remembered in "Gone With The Wind" Rhret Butler saying to his little girl, he would buy a pony for his littie Bonnie Blue. Bonnie, it fit!! I had arrangements with a trainer to deliver her straight to the boarding stable only 8 miles from our farm.
This is Bonnie as I purchased her, 12.3H - 450 pounds - 15 months old. She is bloated, walked with head down, weighed as much as my weanling colt, and she was in very poor condition.
Within one week, the filly was picking up all fours, and on that note, she was trimmed and looked really nice. The filly was really down on her weight. I had them cut her grain from eight pounds of sweet feed and little hay daily to two pounds and more hay before I picked her up, so she was easier to change over. In a week's time on my mixed grain she was already looking better and moving great. Her rear feet were full of stones, I'm thankful it was only that and she wasn't lame. Jeff and I brought her home to Rosewater on Thanksgiving Day, she is a darling horse. We enjoyed watching her float around the field with Rosewater Taylor Ashmore. We decided to call her Rosewater Bonnie Sealect (Misty Mt Norman x Woodstock Delilah) born 8-16-93, days after I went for her dam Delilah in '93. Bonnie is the only offspring of Norman, gelded by his new owner, and the last of four fillies from Delilah.
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This is Bonnie one month after I purchased her. December 13, 1994, 550 pounds - 13 Hands - 16 months. Head up, bright eyed, no more bloated tummy. She was clean of manure in her coat. Her coat is still poor but that will get better.
She has a very balanced and floating trot, the biggest eye I've ever seen, and she was wondering what's going on. She settled in just fine. You can easily pick up all four, groom her, kiss her little face and I love her dearly.
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Bonnie on April 1, 1995 - 650 Pounds - 20 months - 13.2 Hands
No horse is priceless without proper care. I had no choice in 93 but to walk. I am extremely thankful that the party looked me up and took my offer, the loss of Bonnie would have been tragic to the Morgan world. I hope I never have to go through this again, but at least we have this precious filly to carry on Delilah's line, which goes back to Sealect and Cornwall Lass. Kelly and I will never forget Delilah, but Bonnie is delightful, we play with her and spoil her. I should have called her "Lucky" but somehow I would always have to explain and Bonnie deserves much better than that. She will blossom into a beautiful mare, I just have that feeling.
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Bonnie in late April flagging in the pasture, what a sight to behold!
Bonnie's story doesn't end here. It was spring of 1995 that I noticed Bonnie having troubles eating. I always had to stall her to work with her, she was timid outside. I looked in her mouth to find all her top teeth gone in the front. I had my vet out to look, he said somebody must have knocked them all out. We realize Bonnie was terrified of men. Once Jeff went in her stall with a baseball hat on and he could not catch her with her halter on in a 10 x 10. She had fear written all over her face. We figure somebody hit her with a baseball bat or 2 x 4 to have teeth missing and terroristic fear of men. I could go in with her, but not a man, she would panic with vets. I could handle her feet, but my farrier couldn't if he were in a not so good mood. If anybody yelled, she was flighty. It was becoming more of a problem to treat her. Then later that summer '95, she started with diarrea. It was terrible. We tested her for thyroid, did bloodwork, sand test for ingesting dirt. Nothing came back with any results, always negative. But we figured her system was upset because when she ate in the pasture she literally ripped the grass, roots and all because of no teeth to chomp it off at ground level.
I finally ordered some all probiotic in granular form, and fed her large amounts to get this under control. It was at this time, Sherri was interested in leasing Paulina, we struck a deal to lease Bonnie also since Tom was a vet & farrier. This arrangement has worked very well. But every time they move Bonnie, she is upset again. I decided to sell Bonnie to Sherri and lease her back but not move her when I wanted a foal from her. I have a lot of time and effort into this lovely mare and moving her is not an option, but I still would like a foal from her. Perhaps years down the pike she will trust life. Bonnie is very happy now, and when I visit, she recognizes me right off. She is getting big and is still the nicest flagging Morgan you could ask for. She floats. I will be sorry for letting her go, she is precious. It was a decision to better her health. It worked, she doesn't have to deal with men anymore other than Tom, whom she loves.
My precious Bonnie, what a doll. She was so tiny and sweet with that pretty little face and those big trusting eyes. She has grown up and is one georgous mare producing splendid foals, check her out: Windrise Morgans
