Imagine finding yourself in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by strangers who are just as lost and confused as you are. Some angry and aggressive, others trying to stand in a corner be invisible. 
Then imagine that you are in excruciating pain. You can barely walk and almost fall when trying to flee. You are hungry, thirsty, and because you can’t move normally, you can’t stand your ground to get to the meager food and water that is available. You are in a constant state of stress for days until you either succumb to disease and die or you are crowded onto a truck, packed in so tight you can barely breath, and you begin the long journey to the hell that is waiting for you at the end.
This is the predicament our Lady Diva found herself in in September 2019. There are many theories as to where Diva came from and how she was injured but in the end, none of that mattered. The awesome angels who saw her plight and took action to get her off that awful lot knew all that mattered was to get her to the safety of DreamCatchers, where we could assess her injuries, get her the vet care she needed and give her a chance to rest and heal.
Diva got her freedom ride on Thursday, September 5, 2019. She was settled into a stall with lots of soft bedding. Food and water easily within reach. She could finally rest.
We contacted the vet to come the next morning to see what we were dealing with. We prayed for a simple abscess, possibly ringbone or maybe navicular. These conditions could be treated and managed. We didn’t want to think of the worst case scenario.
Sadly, it was not the news we were hoping for. X-ray’s revealed that her pastern bone was shattered. Our hearts sank. The prognosis for a horse with a broken leg, especially one that was as severely broken as Diva’s, is grim at best. We sent her x-rays to CSU to see if there were the slimmest chance she could be fixed. It was their opinion that the bone was in too many pieces to be pinned and surgery would not be an option.
We, sadly, knew what needed to be done.
To have all the food she could eat, the ability to rest in comfort when she was tired and enjoy all the loving attention our awesome volunteers could give her.
Diva soaked in the love. In spite of the ordeal and the obvious pain she was in, she was gentle, loving and we could really see she appreciated the attention. We gave her medication to help her tolerate pain in her leg but all in all, she did not seem too much bothered by it. She was happy to stand and be brushed. She could lay down when she needed and had no problem getting up, had a great appetite and attitude.
Basically by the end of the weekend, Diva had convinced us that she was not ready to cross that bridge. She wanted a chance. We consulted with our vet on a treatment plan and it was agreed that as long as her other 3 legs held up, we could try.
Diva was put on stall rest for a minimum of 6 months, only allowed out of her stall while it was being cleaned or she was getting a new wrap, farrier care or a treatment on her broken leg.
It was a long six months. As you might imagine, as Diva began to heal, her Arabian nature sometimes got the better of her and she would kick up her feet. We held our breath each time praying the silly girl would not further injure her leg or set back the progress she was making.
Fast forward to April of 2020. It was time to see where we were at.
Diva could begin to have light exercise, mostly hand walking, and she could be allowed out of her stall and into the outside run. This amazing mare now could get on with the business of living.
Today Diva is a happy healthy girl with just the very slightest sign that she ever suffered a potentially life ending injury.
She spends most of her days hanging out with the babies, protecting them and teaching them manners like only a mare can do.
We feel very blessed to have had this amazing mare come into our lives and hearts and are forever grateful to the wonderful people who saw her struggle and entrusted her to DreamCatchers.