Red Bucket Equine Rescue # 121- Miller

He was standing in what was akin to a cage having been captive for eight long months, the stall so small that his large body dwarfed it…no place to move, cramped and filthy with little room to live and no room to lie. The uneven floor covered in manure and void of bedding. His knees and front of his fetlocks scraped raw and untreated from his attempts to get to his feet once he did get down. His feet overgrown, split and misshapen….. hooves splayed from neglect, months perhaps even a year of missed trims. Instead of acting cagey, anxious or pushy, he dropped his head down for a scratch, his gentle, liquid brown eyes thanking us for the moment of kindness. We could not…would not turn our backs. Miller has joined our growing family of horses, volunteers, and donors committed to making a difference daily…and striving to provide second chances for the horses who we have the privilege of helping. Once home, we gently scrubbed him with shampoo, picked and treated his necrotic hooves and applied medication to his sores. He sighed, half closed his eyes relaxing into the tenderness ind intimacy of touch. We bedded him up to his fetlocks and tucked him in with a pile of fresh hay, regrets for the many who still need help, and gratitude that we can say “yes” to the desperate ones who are counting on us. Welcome Miller.