Cowgirl Spirit recently took in a new rescue, Kalookan Best. He is a sweet 5 year old Thoroughbred gelding who has a wonderful, willing personality, as well as rather stately bloodlines, including Secretariat and Seattle Slew.

Kal is a two-time rescue. He started as a race horse, but suffered a slab fracture before his racing career began. We were told that his race owners had made the decision to euthanize him rather than rehabilitate him, but he was able to be rehomed instead of meeting that fate. The family that adopted him gave him a year to recover from his injury, then began riding him as a pleasure horse.

His rescuers later came on hard times, and contacted Cowgirl Spirit to take possession of this sweet horse. He came to us in a severely emaciated state, but he appears to be sound otherwise. We will spend the next several months slowly bringing him back up to his proper weight, and expect to begin working with him under saddle in the spring.

When a horse is severely emaciated, as Kal is, it is important to bring them up to proper weight slowly, and under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. While a person’s first reaction may be — “Give him food!” it is vitally important to reintroduce food very slowly, with several meals of a small amount of grass hay per day. Offering an emaciated horse too much food too soon can cause him to be overwhelmed, putting undue stress on his body, and can cause his system to shut down.

Over the past four weeks, Kal’s daily food ration has slowly been increased, now up to three regular feedings of grass hay, a vitamin supplement, and a grain-free, lowcarb feed. Check out our Facebook page and http://ponybootcamp. blogspot.com/ for regular updates on Kal!

If you would like to arrange a time to meet Cowgirl Spirit’s rescues, or visit their headquarters in Carnation, please email officers@csrdt.org. Members are also available to provide educational tours at the headquarters to scout troops, home school groups and more.