A horse that was abandoned by the side of the road after collapsing while pulling a cart has been adopted and has found a life worth living with a young horse rider. The pair have now made waves at their first horse show together.
Seven-year-old standard-bred horse, Woody, was found by Garda Andrew Kiely of the Irish National Police in the town of Clonmel, County Tipperary, after a public report that the horse had collapsed on the road. Garda Kiely reached out to My Lovely Horse Rescue (MLHR) of County Cork, who rushed to pick him up.
Sulky racing is illegal on public roads in Ireland.
Woody spent the night at an emergency foster home to recover before heading to the MLHR rescue and rehab center on Oct. 16, 2022. The vet report was sobering: visible ribs, distended abdomen, swollen hind legs, and a “significant lack of muscle development” along the back, loins, and hind quarters.
“Woody was put on a re-feeding program and ad-lib hay,” the MLHR representative told the paper. “He was hand-walked every day for exercise, and to help reduce the swelling in his back legs. Woody gained body condition and his energy levels increased.”
On Nov. 19, he was strong enough to be castrated.
Woody was then at the center for ten weeks. During that time he soaked up the attention of volunteers and amused them by being “very vocal” at meal times. When horse fosterer Kelsie Montague met Woody, something clicked. Montague knew a 13-year-old horse-riding newbie, Orianna, who she thought would match well with the gentle, friendly horse.
“Kelsie brought Orianna to the farm and she spent ages grooming him,” the representative said. “It was love at first sight. ... Woody is such a kind horse, they immediately formed a partnership. It was truly beautiful.
“We knew this was the family of his dreams.”
In December, Woody was ready to go home with his new adoptive family, who continued his feeding program and started a training regime to build up his fitness. Woody took to it like a duck to water, and soon he and Orianna became inseparable.
At Cork Summer Show in Ireland on June 17, Orianna and Woody proudly entered a horse show for the very first time as part of the in-hand rescue pony class. They took home second place.
“We were delighted to see him looking so well, and Orianna’s smile showing him off was a fantastic feeling. We are so proud of Woody,” the MLHR representative said. The mission of the organization is to provide a safe haven for abused and neglected animals at its three center locations through rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming, and to reinforce the message that animal abuse will not be tolerated.
