Penny Lane Foal Rescue

Support network for orphaned foals. Integrating EAL to build transformative human-equine connections. In 2009, a tiny, four-day old, orphaned foal was brought to my home in a Jeep Cherokee. She was carried across the paddock looking more like a medium sized dog than a foal. Her body was so swollen that she had tiny slits for eyes and her limbs looked like tree trunks. She had spent nearly her entire days on Earth at the vet's office getting stabilized enough to find her forever home. Days earlier, this little filly was found in an arroyo shortly after birth. Her dam had left her behind and a hiker came upon her awaiting for the mare's return. Fearing coyotes and imminent death, this hiker gathered his neighbors to rescue the foal. While their attempts saved her life, she became deathly ill the following day. She was taken to the emergency vet's office for colostrum and plasma transfusions, and IV antibiotics. Three days later, she had stabilized enough to be released. But who would want to take on an orphan foal who needed feedings every two hours and intramuscular injections twice daily for nearly two weeks? My wonderful neighbors agreed to help feed this little foal while I was work so I could take her in. I slept on the couch, setting the oven timer every two hours, for months to give her feedings. We were not out of the woods when it came to her health. For three weeks, she went without a name. At six weeks old, she got pneumonia, a few bouts of colic, ulcers, and enemas. She was given the name Penny Lane, after my favorite Beatle's song. Soon, she got her partner, Judey Jude, a soon-to-be 250 pound Boer goat, who also made his way to my home in the back of a passenger vehicle. Over time, Penny Lane continued to build strength and weight with the help of her Judey Jude. It took a neighborhood and an ornery goat to raise her to the heights of a medium sized pony at nearly 800 pounds. So, here we go again with our next adventure of taking in orphaned foals. Penny's vet and farrier requested that we go slow and only take in a few at a time. This time, I'm inviting youth to become part of this awesome experience. Through the Apprentice Horse Trainer Program, youth, 10-16 years old, will learn how to train horses from the ground while socializing our little foals.Together, we will give these foals a second chance at having a wonderful life and finding their forever homes.