Monday, March 14, 2011

Welcome Home Miracle

Today Miracle had an ending and a beginning. Her time at Sunkissed Acres came to an end today. Lori, the founder of Sunkissed Acres Rescue, did an amazing job of rehabilitating Miracle and getting her healthy and strong enough to move on to her new life. When one chapter ends a new one begins, and today was the beginning of Miracle's new life with us.


The big question Jason and I wrestled with was which trailer to take? The Featherlite stock trailer or the 2 horse straight load? There were certainly pros and cons to each one. In the end we took the stock trailer and I'm glad we did as she seemed to travel well in it.


Jason and Miracle meeting each other today
This morning Jason and I had the pleasure of meeting Miracle in person for the first time. Lori had told us she was turning into quite the little diva and boy was she right. Miracle assumes that everyone who drives into Sunkissed Acres is there to see her, and as soon as we got out of the truck she was at the gate whinnying and trying to get our attention. Of course we obliged her and immediately went over to say hello. Miracle is quickly forgetting her humble beginnings and trotted and pranced around her paddock, tossing her head and showing off. Then she would come over to Lori, Jason and I and demand more scratches. Lori has already spoiled her rotten!

One of the other residents at Sunkissed, Heart, wandered over and hung out with Miracle on the other side of the gate. They mouthed each other and exchanged hellos, and then hung out together for awhile. Heart then wandered away and Miracle went back to strutting her stuff in the paddock.

As we watched her it was hard to believe that a couple of months ago she was so starved, weak and abused she could not stand up on her own. This was the horse that had to be drug onto a piece of plywood and then slid onto the trailer. I remember Lori posting on her website that they were going to give Miracle two days to make a significant turnaround or she would be euthanized. She wanted to give her a shot at life but also not make her suffer for nothing.

Miracle is a fighter and she chose life. Thank you to Mr. Gurley for responding to the ad for a "kid broke" horse for $150. He was the one who started Miracle on her road from hell to heaven. When he saw Miracle he convinced the owners to just give her to him so he could give her a decent burial. Then he slid her onto the board and onto his trailer.

Endless thank yous to Lori, not only for nursing Miracle back to life but for saving so many others. So many heartbreaking stories are walking around at Sunkissed Acres. Where would these animals be if Lori had not been there willing to give them a chance?

Although we don't know exactly how old Miracle is she is very young, Lori's vet guesses about 10 months. It is possible she may have spinal cord damage since she has already been ridden literally into the ground. But then again she might not. Thanks to her rough start in life early onset arthritis is certainly a possibility as well. Her growth may be stunted due to her extreme starvation. Or she may be lucky and have no lasting effects from her horrendous start in life. Only time will tell. For now her job is to enjoy life and have fun.

Welcome home Miracle!

Below is a collection of pictures, starting with Miracle's life in the stock trailer, unable to stand, and ending with pictures from today. Enjoy!

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The beginning. Miracle lived in the stock trailer for two days before Lori and Mr. Gurley felt comfortable trying to get her out. She could not stand on her own.

Starved and abused with horrible wounds and so close to death
A couple of days later in her makeshift sling courtesy of the engine hoist in Mr. Gurley's garage.

Mr. Gurley and Miracle at Sunkissed Acres. She was able to move from the Gurley's garage to Sunkissed Acres after a couple of weeks.
In a stall at Sunkissed Acres
Enjoying some turnout at Sunkissed Acres
Napping at Sunkissed Acres
Miracle still had a lot of recovering to do. She was so weak and atrophied that there were still days where she could not get up on her own and needed help.
One day some nice guys from the Chattooga County Water Dept. came to Sunkissed to help Lori get Miracle on her feet. Lori said they came saying they didn't know anything about horses and they left saying "you can do it Miracle, and we'll be back to help you anytime."
Taken this morning at Sunkissed Acres. Miracle making her pointy-nosed "I like scratches" face
Heart the Hinney, a resident at Sunkissed since 2008, was one of Miracle's self appointed babysitters. Jason and I watched as she went over to hang out with Miracle and provide her with some company. Heart is another sad story. She was left chained to a tree in the woods and abandoned without food or water. When she became to weak to stand or defend herself some dogs started to eat her while she was still alive. She was covered in maggots. Three years later Heart has the run of Sunkissed Acres, and she lets newcomers like Miracle know that she has finally made it to a good place.
Miracle loaded on the trailer and ready to travel today in her new Quillin's halter and a fly mask
Jason and Lori are fellow Canadians so we paused for some "Oh Canada" pictures. One in front of the Canadian flag on our truck . . .
. . . and one in front of Lori's golf cart that sports a Canadian flag
Lori giving Miracle a last pat goodbye
We stopped for a quick bite to eat at Burger King about halfway home. We ate by the trailer with Miracle and Jason shared some of his french fries with her. She ate each one he offered her. After the third one I told him not to feed her any more french fries!
Miracle stretching her legs in a paddock after her trip home today

27 comments:

Lauren said...

I'm not crying. Really. Nope. No tears over here.

I may be over to visit before the end of the week. :)

Lori said...

Wow, a refresher course for me Melissa. I had forgotten just how bad she looked. And seeing her in your paddock now, I cant believe how much weight she has gained. Thankyou for homing a rescue, she wont let you down.

Gillian F said...

Welcome home darling girl! I am so happy to have helped even in a small way when Melissa introduced you to us.

You have no idea just how wonderful your life is about to be :)

Much love to you all,
Gillian

Lara said...

Crying with joy! You guys are the best. This makes me so happy. She couldn't have a better home than with you.

CG said...

I am so happy to read this post, I followed Miracle's story on COTH. She is going to have such a good life now!

Seindria said...

So happy to see this!!!

It's amazing to see her turn around. Here's to many, many happy years for her!

Funder said...

I'm so happy for you and Jason and Miracle! TWHs can be tough as nails - I would not be at all surprised if she turns out totally sound.

summersmom said...

What a great end to what could have been such a tragic story. You guys are fantastic and Miracle couldn't have found a better home. I look forward to seeing and hearing about her more!

cheyenne jones said...

Now thats a real Miracle! She sure has come on, how can people be so cruel and ignorant?

But good luck and best wishes to Miracle and Paradigm Farms. I wish you well!

Mare said...

Oh my, i'm glad Miracle had finally found her way home. Such a sweetheart. Look how much weight she's gained, that's amazing!

Susan Auten said...

Totally teary eyed and choked up. Bless you for taking her on her next journey... toward growth, an ever-full tummy and lotsa french fries! LOL

Laura said...

That's so wonderful that she has a home with you guys! We'll need weekly updates - with photos...!! :-)

East Bound said...

Melissa, you made me cry so hard! Thank you for homing her and Thank you Lori for giving her a chance! you are wonderful people!!!!! With all the wrong in the world it's great to know there are people out there with good hearts.

Unknown said...

Been following the story on COTH too, and SO happy to read that she's got such a wonderful home with you! Totally made me tear up, gave me goosebumps, the whole nine. Better get to work now!

Mrs. Mom said...

Hot dayum! Miracle landed in Gravy with you guys! Hats off to Lori for doing such an amazing job, Mr Gurley for stepping up, and you guys for bringing her HOME!!

Cant wait to see how she grows up.

Anonymous said...

She looks like a real personality! Welcome home, pretty girl!

Jill said...

Oh gosh, tears of joy for sure here. What a miracle, that's for sure!

EvenSong said...

I can't wait to see how she looks once she sheds out that awful scraggly coat and muscles up a little to match that new belly she gained at SunKissed. She has definitely made a turnaround, and I hope she will recover completely. It was a long journey, but Mr. Gurley, Lori and her volunteers, and now you guys have provided her the help she needed to be on her way!

Jenny said...

I'm so glad you have Miracle! I wish i lived closer i'd love to visit her. Western NY is just a bit to far. I'll be looking forward to the pics.

raphycassens said...

Good for you guys!!!! How long before she can join one of the families?

Calm, Forward, Straight said...

Happy, happy, happy :) You can tell she's a special gal!

Anastasia said...

I can't imagine a better home! Congratulations everyone!

Vivian, Apollo's Mom said...

That is so exciting that she is with you guys already. I can't wait to see her progress and maybe come up and see her sometime! Many thanks to you and Lori and the kind man who took her away from that torture!

Nancy said...

Sweet little gal. I'm so glad she gets a forever home with you guys. And being the baby of the bunch, she'll have lots of elders to watch over her! Miracle won the lottery for sure!

Anonymous said...

oh, wow, I can hardly believe that is the same horse! Sunkissed Acres did an amazing job, & you & Jason are amazing people to give her a home for the rest of her life!

What a lucky girl. :)

Jamie

jane augenstein said...

So glad Miracle is doing so well and that she has such a wonderful home, you guys are GREAT!!!

My Gilly had a very bad start in life too. When the rescue people got him he was in pretty bad shape too. Thin, weak and starving at 8 months old. I got him when he was 11 months old and he was still pretty thin. I too thought he might be stunted or have something wrong with him. But this year he will be 8 years old and I don't think he is stunted...at 15.3 hh and 1,200 lbs, I think he came out of it!

I hope that Miracle grows and grows in her new and most wonderful home!!! :-)
blessings to all!
jane

amy324 said...

I've been following Miracle since you first mentioned her. Back when it was uncertain where she would go if she made it through those first days, I was hoping and praying that no one else would speak up, because I wanted her to come to you. The selfish reason was so that I could continue to watch her progress, but the real reason is, there isn't a better place on this Earth for her than in your loving care at Paradigm. This act of altruism will come back to you ten-fold.