TPDR DIANA

We found her at a large out of state exotic animal auction this past May. She was tied to a wall in a filthy, dark pen completely alone. Evidently she was placed there due to both her behavior and her pathetic appearance. She was little more than a skeleton covered with scars and matted hair. It was obvious that someone had very recently cut her front hooves back with no regard to doing a proper job. The hooves were pretty much hacked off.

There she stood in a large puddle of her own loose feces. She was both shaking, wringing her tail, and kicking at anyone that dared to come near her.

Several hours later she was RIDDEN into the sales ring. Her rider turned out to be the same individual that rode Butler into that same ring over a year ago.

(Check here to read all about Butler)

and make sure you read the rest of her story below...and she her NOW!

Diana came home with us that same afternoon. The next day she was de-wormed,

treated for lice and vaccinated. I also started her on Bute for painful feet and what we suspected could be a possible pelvic injury.

Please know that neither myself or either one of two veterinarians could fully examine her with her reacting violently. Even to walk behind her brought a defensive kick in our direction.

We decided it best to eliminate anything at all that caused her to be anxious. For the first month she was fed several meals a day, she rested on a soft bed of shavings by the hour, and was gently brushed and combed daily. She was put on a daily de-wormer and was taught that every time that I entered her pen I brought donkey treats and a kind touch. She slowly became secure in her pen and with me as well. Taking her out was an entirely different matter. So was introducing her to new people. Even strangers standing away and looking at her caused her to stress.

Very slowly she began to change. We gave her a kind, gentle friend named Hope that Diana immediately came to adore. (Read more about Hope HERE) Hope is also crippled and had been shot prior to coming here. Hope immediately befriended Diana. These two beat-up crippled ladies are never more than a few feet apart. How happy I am that they found each other!

The defensive kicking is a thing of the past. I now intentionally BUMP into her while she is at the hay feeder. I lean against her at will. The panic has left her face and has been replaced with a good curious interest in what is going on around her.

Her front hooves are still a problem for her. It will take many more months to see improvement. Yes, she is quite lame from time to time. On a happier note, she had her last hoof trim WITHOUT a cocktail! She also made her way to the rear of the big pasture a number of times over the last several months. I let her decide if she was up to going to pasture with the others. On those days that Hope was too lame to go to pasture, believe me Diana wouldn't go without her best friend. So they both hung around the barn and took it easy.

Diane is blossoming into a tall and elegant beauty. She will always have some lameness issues, but then so do I! She is quite the friendly gal now with the volunteers that help at TPDR.

Shown below is the great progress Diana has made!