“Hercules”
Text Box: 6/6/09 He came to us like this. 12yr old Danish Warmblood, 17.3H, 1000 lbs Unloaded off the trailer fine after a 2 hour drive. A little wobbly. But the wobble didn’t go away. It took 20 minutes to walk him down to the donated mare motels, stopping every 5—10 feet so he could get his balance. By now, the truck and trailer were out of sight. Vet check next morning, possible “wobblers” or EPM… pray it’s EPM. Vet consult and ordered x-rays of neck to check. Everyone of our contacts have stepped up and offered money, feed, used tack to sell (You guys are awesome!!!) Vet coming back out this morning to do x-rays, we’ll keep you posted.

LATE 2008

JUNE 2009

FEED DONATIONS BEING ACCEPTED AT:

Just call it in, they’ll set it aside for pickup!

CONCORD FEED & PET SUPPLY

228 Hookston Road

Pleasant Hill, CA

Ph: 925-940-1200

Fax: 925-940-1206
Text Box: 6/7 After a wonderful week of moving horses into new forever homes… it was a short lived celebration. A new horse came in today that crashed our spirits. Beautiful pictures of what this horse used to look like were nothing compared to what came off that trailer. He could barely walk! His back legs would criss-cross underneath and he could only go about 10 feet before we had to stop and let him get his balance. His mane was matted up and in dreadlocks… His skin scarred by the bites of all the other horses. His feet looked like they haven’t been touched by a farrier for 4 or 5 months (I don’t think we could get a farrier to touch him now, he wouldn’t be able to stand there long enough). Anger… Anger that this happened to another horse. That someone would leave their horse in the care of another while they got their life back in order and that person would neglect or ignore the pain and suffering of what was once a majestic animal. Anger that will turn into pure determination to get this horse back to where he once was. We’ve been there before… Mosco was so far gone it was a choice to either hunker down and do it, or put a needle in his neck. We chose the long difficult path of saving his life. That choice happened again today. After a big bucket of grain, a bigger bucket of water, and some alfalfa (which he scarfed down in seconds!) he looked up at us and we could see it in his eyes… “Thank you!” Tomorrow the vet comes up and checks him out… We will then know more about the path we set out on. Tonight… we try to sleep… try to imagine better days.. Tonight I wipe away the tears and pray that those days are not too far away. - Jason Text Box: 6/9 I want to personally thank you all for your outpouring of love and compassion. Without your EMOTIONAL support, this would have been so very difficult. Louise has been overwhelmed with this, plus all the normal dozen of calls asking to take new horses in, I have been answering her emails and replying back, trying to lighten her load. I remind her that 1 in 60 horses is an awesome rate, one that we should be happy about. It still hurts. It wont end… unfortunately.. But just think of the ones that we did save… Time to go up to our own horses and give them a big hug. The good news: Hercules has made two wonderful barn mates, Honey and Case… both reach over the rail and nuzzle up, nibbling on his neck… it’s so cute. He is on pain meds and eating well. The not so good news: Our Dr. got the x-rays and found severe scar tissue and cartilage pressing on the spinal cord causing the neuro disorder and difficulty walking. He’s had previous basket surgery on the back of his skull and neck (possibly 5 yrs ago). Obviously this new problem was more recent, about 3 1/2 months old, and he, according to the Dr., should have been put down then (and that’s the last thing our beloved Dr. would think of) instead of spending all this time in sheer pain “bute isn’t strong enough, he should be on morphine!”, trying to get the point across and lighten the tension at the barn). The Dr. will be meeting with the board of directors of The Last Furlong this Friday and we will come to a decision then. Quality of life, our main concern… will weigh heavily in our decision. Any hope of recovery, chance of being comfortable, possibly someone’s pasture pet / pasture ornament… we will see. For now, I have to say this once again… THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH…. Without your love and support, this would have been tough. - Jason Text Box: 6/10 Thank you all for your support. With both our vets approval, we did make the painful decision. We’ve made arrangements with Pioneer and will bring him there Friday. (Transport has been donated, since my tires wont make it) Our only consolation is that for the last 4 days he’s been with us, he’s been on pain meds to ease his suffering, has a full belly of yummy alfalfa all to himself, and all the horses around him are kind and loving towards him (no more bites as before in the pasture he has been in). His final time with us is, and will be, full of love, care and compassion, both human and equine. Many of you sent money, we thank you… we could not do this without you. We still have to scrape up funds for Pioneer, but we’ll figure that out soon. (It’s tough being a start up, the financials are always upside down). Others have offered feed and supplements, we never got that far… If we haven’t picked it up, please gift them back to yourselves and your own horses… give them a big hug from Hercules. This week has been hard… A few of our close friends have had to make the same painful decision this week with their own animals… our own cat now has to take insulin injections twice a day (diagnosed last week with diabetes), and is slowly making a recovery from the partial paralysis he’s experienced. Emotionally we’ve been on a roller-coaster… again, without the outpouring of love and compassion from you, we wouldn’t have been able to do this. Louise has heard many times “You can’t save them all”… to which she quickly replies “Yeah, but damn it! I can try!”…. With that… we head back to the computer… looking for more horses… and more wonderful forever homes… With love, Jason Text Box: 6/12 Friday. For 41 years I’ve awoke on Fridays with happiness… the week is over… last day and I can go play… For the first time… I wish it wasn’t Friday. No amount of coffee can dislodge the lump in my throat. No amount of tissue can mop up the tears welling up in my eyes. I would like to share a response to our post on BAEN… “his fate was horrible... now he knows that humans can and DO love him. He now knows a full belly and no one chasing him... he knows a beautiful sleek brushed coat again and a mane and tail that can swish in the wind... and perhaps he will know the dignity of passing over the bridge swiftly and pain free... because someone SAVED him from the potential for a slow, painful death without anyone who cared. You DID save him... it isn't about saving them all and making them live... you aren't proving you can keep them alive, you are proving you know compassion and have strength to let the right decision pass... and the strength to help in the hardest decision of all... it's about quality of life, not quantity. When his bad days outnumber the good ones, it was time... his eyes tell the tale. he is trying to survive until someone loves him... enough to let him go. What a blessing you have been to this grand horse, who gave it his all... and had a blip of life where no one loved him enough... now he found a savior. fly free Hercules... jump higher, fly swifter... “ Thank you Beth… your words have given us the strength to do what we must today. Thank you all! With love, Jason Text Box: Updated: 6/16/09

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RESCUE!

These people and organizations must make this choice all too often.  Only with the support we give them can help ease the pain and suffering of the ones we can’t save,

and prevent it by finding new homes for the ones we can save!

Did you know, that for the cost of ONE LATTE a month,

An office of 25 people can feed 2 horses?

 

Can you afford $4.75
Text Box: 6/12 We just got back from Pioneer. A trip I do not wish to make again. It went as well as it could of. A dozen large carrots in his belly. Everyone stayed back at the trailer, they’ve seen this before and couldn’t see the end… I chose to be with him for two reasons: 1) to see this to the very end, 2) to the be last voice, smell and kiss he feels… he dropped quietly 3 seconds later. They sedated him first of course… I don’t know if he could feel my kiss… Attached is his last picture with me at Pioneer. Thank you all again for your support. - Jason Save a horse! Adopt a rescue!

  The story of Hercules is a sad one. One that happens all over California all too often.  It was our first, therefore hit very hard.  We’ve placed 73 horses since Jan 1 2009, and lost one.  If it wasn’t for the support of friends, family and even complete strangers we’ve never met, who all answered the call for help… we could not have done what was needed.

  We would like to personally thank:

Lisa H., Mary Lou V., Craig & Colette, Georgia A., Mike R., Kat, Leslie, Cyndi, Maureen and Joe, Audry, Donelle, Rachel, Ali, Beth, Pam, Connie, Pioneer Veterinary, Dr. Strickland, Paula and her horsie friends from work, Mrs. Pastures Cookies, Concord Feed…. For your support, donations, contributions, time, love and compassion…

  You are truly loved by both of us, and all the horses we tend….   Thank you!

 

Louise and Jason Parker,

Founders, The Last Furlong

“Traveller”,  10 yr old, Gray TB

July 2009

In Memorandum

In memory of the ones we lost…

They’ll be waiting for us on the other side of the rainbow bridge...

P.O. Box 361

Walnut Creek, CA 94597