Name: Isaac

    Type: Hinny

    Color: Dark Bay

    Markings: 4 white socks 

    Sex: Gelding

    Birthday: 1/1/2016

Our little hinny Isaac has quite a tale to tell. Abandoned at a Pennsylvania auction at three weeks old, mom nowhere to be found, he was sick and on his way to an early death. A rescue friend sent me the video – he was pitiful. Could she pick him up, we asked? Yes, she would – even though it was late in the day on the 3rd of July. She loaded little Isaac and called. 

She was sure he was sick. Yes, we could tell from the flopping ears and sad demeanor. Was there a vet on the way home that would take him? No – no one was open. Everyone was closed in anticipation of the Fourth of July holiday. We called our vet in Texas, sent her the video. Do you have any Doxycycline she asked? Normally, she wouldn’t prescribe anything without seeing the patient, but we were up against a wall. Fortunately, our friend had been treating a dog with Doxycycline and had some at home. Our Texas vet gave us the amount and Isaac got a dose. It probably saved his life. Fortunately, our friend had worked at a vet’s office years ago. She and the vet were still in touch. She called. Dr. Brian Burks would take him if he could come in the next morning. Get him there, we said. Our sweet friend loaded Isaac back up and drove two hours on the Fourth of July to the vet clinic. Dr. Burks who would become Isaac’s hero was waiting. 

That began the journey now know as “Saving Little Isaac”

Isaac was very sick. You name it, the poor little guy had it: pneumonia in both lungs, anemia, and the worst case of ulcers the vet had seen in 30 years of practice. There were antibiotics, sleepless nights, waiting for the phone to ring with bad news, and more antibiotics when the first ones didn’t clear up the abscesses in Isaac’s lungs. Finally, after two months of intensive care – improvement! We were so happy! Then – more ulcers (he needed a friend but was too sick to have one, so we got him a teddy bear), more treatments for his lungs, Gastroguard every day, and more antibiotics. At last – Isaac was better; the ulcers were improving and he was now a year old. We had another issue. Isaac needed to be gelded – and he needed a real friend. Step one: gelding. He was a cryptorchid. That meant surgery, so we held our breath and prayed his lungs would hold up to the anesthesia. Dr. Burks called. Success! Isaac was a gelding. A month later we saved Ellie, another hinny, and Isaac had a friend. After 14 months, it was time for Isaac and Ellie to come home. He will always need to be watched since his lungs are scarred, but his ulcers were gone and he had a friend too. It was a long journey – but worth every penny and sleepless night. Isaac’s friend Ellie has now sadly crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but Isaac has a new buddy in our Frodo and they live happily together at Critters Corner barn. 

    Name: Frodo

    Type: Haflinger Cross Pony

    Color: Strawberry Roan

    Markings: Blaze 

    Sex: Gelding

    Birthday: 12/24/2008

Frodo is a beautiful Haflinger cross pony who is as sweet as he is handsome. Adopted out to a family and meant to be a child’s first pony, Frodo was, unfortunately, not suited for the job. There were several near disasters in which Frodo would be standing quietly, but suddenly flee in terror. His adopters contacted the rescue that had placed Frodo with them and explained the situation. Understandably, Frodo just wasn’t working out; the adopters weren’t prepared to deal with a behavioral issue like this in a child’s pony. 

No one could figure out what was wrong, but the situation was dangerous. They would be forced to sell him if the rescue couldn’t take him back. That wasn’t an option anyone wanted to consider, and certainly not in Frodo’s best interest given the behavioral issues that had come to light. We were contacted – unless Frodo could be diagnosed or his behavior changed, he couldn’t safely be adopted out. Frodo is exactly the type of cute-as-a-button pony that would end up being passed around from home to home and finally to a trader because of his behavior, so we accepted him at Red Bell Run. We know that once even beautiful ponies like Frodo get on this merry-go-round, the chances are good they will end up in a bad situation. We don’t want that to happen to any equine and certainly not to sweet Frodo!

When Frodo arrived, we discovered that he is fine – as long as you’re in front of his withers. If you were any further back, he would suddenly bolt. We now believe that Frodo has a vision problem but he has learned to trust us and rarely has an issue anymore. He developed cancer in one eye that was successfully treated and we watch carefully for any reoccurrence. Frodo is now happy living at our Critters Corner shelter across from the Roadside Inn  barn. He has a young hinny named Isaac as a companion. They have become best friends and do everything together!