Sweet Diesel was a 15 year old, 26 inch tall, miniature horse we rescued from our local livestock auction in January of 2021. When we arrived to the auction that day we did not think we would be taking home this little guy whole stole the hearts of many while he was with us but it was love at first sight!
He wasn't in the group with the rest of the horses going through the ring that day so I asked the ladies working the front desk what his story was. They proceeded to tell me someone purchased him from their online auction but when they came to pick him up took one look at him and decided to walk away. He was left abandoned at the sale yard by himself. The employees told me he would stay there until someone decided to take him home so of course how could we leave him behind. We paid for him right then and there and took him home along with Wynonna.
The poor guy was in really rough shape, most likely a one out of ten on the body scale. He was in horrible physical condition and probably one of the most emaciated horses id ever seen. It broke my heart for many reasons but the thing that struck me the most was the fact this little guy couldn't have weight more than 100lbs. It takes VERY little to keep weight on a horse that size so he had clearly been starved for quite some time.
A mutual friend had come out to help with work around the farm and instantly fell in love when she first met him. She had approached me with the idea of wanting to adopt him and usually we would never let a horse in his condition go to a new home so quickly, however we knew this woman and how well she cared for her horses on her farm. She had dealt with horses of all kinds before and knew the correct way to help Diesel recover so we agreed and off he went to his new home! Boy was he the most spoiled little pony in the time he was there.
Unfortunately, it is with heavy heart that I have to write about a week after Diesel left he became very sick. He had seen the emergency vet multiple times and they stressed all possible options to help him recover. They came to the conclusion that little Diesel had been starved for so long, his body started to shut down from the inside out. Even though he always came to greet you with a happy go lucky personality, he was fighting a battle we had no idea the extent of. Diesel was loved immensely until the end and passed away peacefully in his sleep surround in love. As heart breaking as his story is to tell, I am so grateful he was able to pass knowing he was loved and not left behind in cold bars. Rest in peace sweet boy.
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