Crosswinds Equine Rescue

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ARRIVED	May 2003
ADOPTABILITY	available, retirement home or one-person-horse home
SPONSORED BY	Sponsorship needed
BREED/AGE	17-year old saddlebred gelding (approx 1991)

MIATA

BEFORE: (Arrival Day, May 2003)
			Don't miss MIATA RIDES video from September '08 (click text to view)
AFTER: (2 years Later, May 2005)

Later: (3 years, May 2006)

(click to enlarge pictures)

Summary: Miata arrived in 2003, roughly 300 lbs underweight, badly injured from a car wreck. Over the next several years, there were a lot of trials and hard spots trying to help this big fellow get healthy again. Miata eventually recovered physically, and is fit and healthy, looking great and looking for a life long partner. Miata needs a one-horse owner who will be his partner, who he can learn to trust and work with, before he is ready to ride with them. Be sure to see Miata's ride video, Fall 2008.

History: Miata came to us as an 13-ish year old saddlebred who had seen some terrible things in his life. Ravaged with mange, the first two photos shown above were 30 days after he came, when he was starting to grow hair and look like a horse again. Miata came home with us because Gerry correctly assessed that another month with the man who brought him to the sale would likely kill the big gelding, he was so emaciated and in such poor overall health.

Miata's body was ravaged by more than mange -- his weight was roughly a 3 on the Henke scale (7 is ideal; 1 is dead); a huge scar on his spine also suffered from rain rot, and he had a horrible case of worms. Miata's teeth were in such bad shape that his mouth bled with every bite of food he eagerly tried to consume.

To see Miata's condition in September '04, please purchase a copy of the WEIU video of Crosswinds. You will get a VERY clear idea of the big guy's condition at that time, including his back pain during the short riding clip when we were trying light riding to help build muscle tone.

	10/03 update: Having been with us for nearly 5 months now, we still have to wonder if Miata will ever make it back to life as a normal horse. Based upon the severity of his back injuries, our vet believes he was involved in a car wreck while being trailered. Doc continues chiropractic on him biweekly, and as we continue to pour in the groceries, Miata gradually gains not only weight but spirit and personality as well. Miata will not see a saddle again until spring -- attempts in September to try light work showed his spine is still in severe pain. We will continue light lunging to help build up his muscle tone, and he now has free choice quality alfalfa all day long along with 8 lbs of strategy a day. We hope one day Miata will be able to be placed, to have a normal life again. But even after 5 months the huge gelding cannot be tied or confined in any manner, and he is amazingly resistant to normal tranquilizers, as learned when we attempted to float his teeth the first time.
	11/03 update: MIATA CANTERS! Miata has been trotting on a lunge daily for exercise and to try to bring some muscle tone into his back and haunches. This past weekend, he cantered on the lunge on his own. It was sad, and nothing short of pathetic, as his body struggled and stumbled. A few days later, he tried again. In about 3 strides, he found himself. In a matter of 3 sessions since then, Miata canters with the grace and coordination of a dressage horse, and the ground eating stride of a thoroughbred! WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR MIATA!!!!
	12/03 update: Luanne Johnson (Luke's new mom) generously donated this incredibly expensive, amazingly high quality and unbelievably warm blanket for Miata. Thanks to this top quality rug, Miata continues to gain weight even through these coldest of months. Luanne also donated a Tucker saddle which, with her permission, was auctioned off, and the proceeds were sufficient to purchase a round pen for training! This tool is proving specifically invaluable to Miata's regular exercise to help rebuild his back. A picture of the roundpen can be seen below right, and in the press clippings area in The Regional article!
	March '04 Update: Miata is making superb progress. He looks like a horse again! He is now allowing doc to work on his entire back and hips, and as the weather gets better is actually so active he is over-exerting himself and tightening muscles! A GREAT SIGN! Miata also has made HUGE progress in that he now is able to stay in a stall, not just for 15 minutes to eat, but on 3/24/04 he actually stayed in over night and in the morning was well rested (although he did NOT lay down) and in good spirits, ate his breakfast and showed no anxiety or requirement to exit his stall!!! He then spent the rest of the week stalled, with just short turn outs and round pen workouts as we're hoping a little stall rest will help his back to heal.
	April '04 Update: Miata continues to make superb progress, having spent 2 weeks on stall rest with mild work, which seems to have done wonders for his mobility! MIATA IS RIDING! 5 minute intervals, only, but he is making AMAZING progress! See the 5MB video clip here of Miata free lunging!
May '04 Update: Miata is a focal point of the May 18, 2004 article in the Mattoon newspaper!
July '04 Update: Miata is also one of 3 horses that were focal points in the Eastern Illini Centerfold article on Crosswinds!
October '04 Update: Miata has been intermittently lame on the problem left shoulder for several months. After repeated seeming recoveries followed by setbacks when he gets overly excited with the other horses at pasture, Miata has been placed at a local farm with just Dollie. The two will "winter" in this lush grass pasture with no other horses to get overexcited with, no changing atmosphere or activities at home to get worked up over. We're hoping that this extended vacation will help both of them come sound and let us determine their futures.
April '05 Update: Their "winter vacation" did wonders for both Dollie and Miata. Miata has gained significant weight, but more important AND IMPRESSIVE, is the big silly guy exercises himself every day in the large pasture, and has put on a good bit of muscle tone! He canters about in the pasture all alone, having a grand time and getting in shape. We look forward to him coming home likely next month and seeing if he is finally ready to start a riding career.
	May '05 Update: Miata came home today. The only possible word for it is "Wow". Our broken, shattered, frightened "will he ever be a horse again" rescue case has more personality and spirit than most horses I've ever known, is at an ideal body weight, has worked himself into an excellent physical condition. We can hardly wait for Doc to give him his spring checkup this week and hopefully declare him ready to start to ride again!
Fall '05 update: This summer was not all smiles and roses for Miata, as we had hoped. He got himself worked up over the arrival of a new horse, and ran the fence lines to fuss at this horse for several days, until he had his back in spasms again. We spent a lot of time this summer working on easy exercises to bring his back strength up permanently, and finish getting him into shape. We hope to have some permanent answers for his issues, and to have spring 2006 be the magic time for this boy. He so loves to ride when he isn't hurting, and we so want to help him get back there again.
Winter 2005 update: Miata is doing well. He is wintering again this year with a great family over near Ogden/Homer, who are thrilled to have him back. He will have a nice, comfortable winter there, with lots of pasture space to exercise himself, and continue to build his muscle tone. With a barn to go in and out as he pleases, lots of grass, and a nice ravine, Miata & Ginger are TWO lucky babies thanks to this family's wonderful generosity! We hope spring of '06 will find the big fellow sound and strong, and ready to find his way back under saddle.
May 2006 Update: The day has finally come. Dr King says Miata is 100% pasture sound, and is in the best shape we've ever seen him; however, his arthritis and joint damage is just too severe and not recoverable. He is retired, as his neck, shoulder and poll will never handle him doing work, either under saddle or pulling. We are seeking a retirement home on a $0 lifelong adoption contract, where ownership stays with CWER, so that if anything ever happens and the adopter can no longer care for Miata, we will take responsibility for him and finding him another retirement home. (Today's new photos can be seen at the top of this page.)
June 2006 Update: Miata has fostered over in Homer the past 2 winters, and done fabulously. His foster family have fallen in love with the big guy, and have chosen to adopt him and allow him to live out his days at their wonderful farm, retired. CONGRATS, Miata, and thank you so much to the Alt family!
	Oct 2007 update: Miata's foster family took fabulous care of Miata -- and Ginger as a companion for him. Sadly, their work situation changed and they are no longer able to care for these 2, so they returned to CWER today. Miata looks the best he ever has, and Dr King returned him to work.	We are seeking a retirement home on a $0 lifelong adoption contract, where ownership stays with CWER, so that if the adopter can no longer care for Miata, we will take responsibility for him and find him another retirement home.
	Spring 2008: Miata is RIDING! He moves well under saddle. He needs a partner who will earn his trust and work slowly with him to build his confidence under saddle, or a retirement home to enjoy the rest of his life.