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success picture on her web site and no more.

In the next week, a vet and two farriers would simply exclaim "what a mess!" when they saw the mare's feet. She was an 18-year-old horse and there are no conventional solutions. Trying to be positive, the vet offered that I "might be able to keep her going for a couple weeks" to allow the filly more time before she had to be weaned. All expected that she would be euthanized within the month. And, of course, all asked me that question that I can never really answer, "Why did you take this mare on?"

After the professionals had weighed in, we were left with one possibility, ingenuity. The mare maintained a good attitude as I worked out a support system for her feet. As the days passed, she explored her new surroundings, nickering a chipper greeting each time she caught sight of me. The filly forgave me and began to follow me everywhere, facinated with everything I did. Over the next six months, the mare gained weight. Her hoof walls grew painfully slow until they finally reached the ground to support her. Since she had severe rotation in both front feet, it will take at least nine more months for her feet to be normal; but there is real hope that they will get there.

During a visit last month, the vet confirmed what I had suspected since November. The mare had smuggled an additional horse onto the farm. Perhaps that is why the straight face on the trailer. She didn't want to give away that there were actually three on board. For now, we will keep training new skills. I will keep praying that the foal is healthy and that the mare will give me some clue when she is close to foaling. And even though a small part of me will always ask why do I do this?, I know that I couldn't live my life any other way.

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