Spirit Horse Equine Rescue and Education Center

Tri Jet Star's Story

While working at our booth at the Rock County 4-H Fair on Saturday, July 26th, I received a phone call from a desperate owner. Economics prevented Marcia from keeping her horse any longer.

The 23-year-old thoroughbred gelding had been given to Marcia as a 4-year-old off the track. They’d had a wonderful relationship and Marcia still loved him dearly. Lately, she told me he had been losing weight. She’d consulted her veterinarian and he advised her that given her financial situation the best course of action was to have the horse euthanized. Reluctantly Marcia made an appointment for the vet to put Jet Star down the next Tuesday, July 29th. Since making the appointment Marcia became desperate to find an alternative to putting her horse down. She found us on the Internet.

I asked Marcia to contact her vet and allow him to speak with me. I promised to call the vet on Monday and get back to her with a decision as to whether or not we could take Jet Star.

The vet told me that the thoroughbred was “a nut job” and would need a great deal of expensive feed to bring his weight back up. My concern was whether or not the horse was suffering. The vet said he did not believe he was suffering or necessarily the victim of some disease, just a “hard keeper” who would be more so as he aged.

After consulting some of our other board members, the decision was made to take Jet Star. When I called Marcia to tell her that instead of being put down the next day, we would come and pick him up, she cried.

Fellow board member Anna and I traveled an hour to the east to pick up Jet Star at a large, well-kept boarding facility. We were accompanied by Brad Chaimson of WISC Channel 3 out of Madison, Wisconsin. Brad was doing a story on our rescue organization and Marcia agreed to have her case included in the piece.

When I met Jet Star, I was impressed with how regal he was. His eyes showed a great deal of spirit and life. However, his ribs, hipbones and vertebrae were all apparent under his bay coat. He would need to add close to 400 pounds to his 17-2 frame.

In the time that we have had Jet Star, I have seen no “nutty” behavior. He does become extremely excited at feeding time, whinnying in his hoarse (no pun intended) way and shaking his head vigorously up and down. He’s had his feet trimmed and teeth floated and was excellent throughout both procedures.

He’s been built up to packing away 18 pounds of senior feed daily along with 10 pounds of alfalfa cubes. He’s already gaining weight, vertebrae are covered and hips are softened significantly.

I have not started any significant play with him, other than the “friendly game” wanting him to use his energy for gaining weight. I look forward to the day I can concentrate on his mental and emotional fitness.

If you’d like to sponsor Tri Jet Star to help with his care and feeding, we’d really appreciate it. To do so, please go to our Donation page and use paypal, or send a check to us through regular mail.

To see the story that was aired on Channel 3, please go to this link: www.channel3000.com/news/17043678/detail.html