The next morning we took her to the vet. When the vet tested her IGG levels, they were about 400 instead of the 800 she should have. So she either did not get nearly enough colostrum or for some reason it wasn’t good quality or who knows what. So we set her up to get a plasma transfusion.
As the life saving plasma started to trickle into her tiny body, a drop at a time, Thumbellina started to shake and her breathing became rapid. She was having an allergic reaction to the plasma she so desperately needed. Doc Jenny was amazing and oh so very patient. We spent all day, approximately 8 hours and she managed to get about half of the bag into Lil Thumbellina. It was one of those “rock and hard places”. Without it, she would have pretty much zero chance to survive, and each tiny drop caused a reaction. So Doc decided we would go as slowly as humanly possible and get as much into her as we could so she could have a chance.
After an exhausting day, (and please remember I have been up round the clock for 2 weeks bottle feeding Velma prior to us starting this trip – so I have now officially entered my “foal coma”, where all intelligent brain function ceases lol) we brought her home. We settled her into the Rolling Foal Hospital and prayed. For several hours she would start shaking but would drink little bits of milk in between. A couple hours later and she was like a new baby.
She had “lunch” at least 10 times during the night. She would get up, “potty”, have her milk and socialize with us for a few and then she would enter a deep baby sleep. She is perky this morning and tried to buck. She is a
fighter, and is feeling so much better. Only time will tell if she will survive in the long run, or got enough of the life saving plasma, but for now she is playful and enjoying life.
PLEASE REMEMBER – these babies can crash in minutes. We have a wonderful support team and we always do our very best, but some of these angels just are not supposed to be here for long. We are hopeful Thumbellina will have a long and happy life, but for now she does have a “happy life”. We promise to do everything we can for her!
We also have 6 others, as well as Velma. We have Roman Romeo, the next smallest one. He is a cutie and seems to be doing pretty well. Dancer is a beautiful little girl who has already found her forever home. Once she is stable, she will be going to a wonderful home and have a baby (mini?) donkey to hang out with, as well as lots of other critters. Diamond, Tornado, Cheyenne, and Castle still will need their forever homes.
We have gone through a bag and a half of formula already, as well as hay etc. These kids are all great eaters!!
We were told by the shipper we could expect a call with anywhere from 30 to 50 babies all at once, but the alternative is ugly. Apparently there is a huge demand for babies for “tripping and roping” practice in the area. So we will no doubt be coming back quite often.
Good news – we have upwards of 30 places that can help with the incoming orphans. They are in OR, WA and Idaho and our great friend Kim Clark was hugely responsible for those. So once we pick up the babies and do the basics, many of them will have places to go.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the love and support. We absolutely needed it to get her and accomplish what you have made possible.
We are praying the Safe Act passes and that would simply close the borders and eliminate this mess. So please contact your folks in power and tell them we NEED the Safe Act passed.
Folks have been asking why we couldn’t save the moms. This is not an auction house. It is a shipping facility. The babies are “by products” of the Mares who have been rounded up and shipped, and although as everyone knows I do NOT SUPPORT HORSE SLAUGHTER, I am grateful these babies are not being ‘dispatched” or sold for “tripping and roping practice” and that we are allowed to find them homes and save their lives. (The shipper would actually make more more money selling them for that)
It is not an acceptable practice, but God puts these babies in front of Matt and I and we have to keep our hearts full of love and peace and be calm so we can help these babies. Horses of all ages pick up on stress and anger and these little ones would not survive more of that. This is WHY I am not focusing on the horrors of what happens to their moms. I simply coudn’t function and help the babies. It is heartbreaking, and you cry alot, but thanks to our wonderful donors and support, we are making a difference for these babies, and I feel I owe it to their moms (since we couldn’t save them) and it is actually an honor to help these babies “for their moms”.
I have to mention how awesome my hubby is. He goes without sleep for days on end, cancels life without a second thought and he spent yesterday caring for 7 babies who required milk every two hours so I could be at the vet with Thumbellina. Wendell Stockdale also stayed and helped Matt. These men are amazing and I am so grateful I have Matt at my side as we “limp’ around the country doing what God gives us to do.
Thank you to everyone who is part of this and has made it possible. It is just the beginning but I know that we can do this together. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT AND PRAYERS. WE STILL NEED YOU AND WE SO APPRECIATE YOU!
If you want to help You can go to You caring – https://www.youcaring.com/let-em-run-foundation-for-55-wild-horses-orphaned-foals-415297 to help us save these horses and you can donate here for the “orphaned foals” or
You can go to Paypal – Palominodancer@yahoo.com or go to our website
www.chillypepper.org if you would like to help these horses.
You can donate via check at Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, 34694 Sidebottom Rd., Shingletown, CA 96088
Thank you so much for the love and support and prayers for this to be a safe and successful journey!
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