A few simple photographs posted online saved Seven Mile Bridge’s life. When Elizabeth Loziuk first saw the pictures of the deserted bay gelding standing in a LA kill pen, her compassion and heart took over. Unbeknownst to her, she found him just in time and pulled him from the lot within an hour of his scheduled departure to Mexico, where he would have been slaughtered. This was the second time he dodged that horrific ending. Only three days prior, he missed that same ride due to a delayed connection. It seemed as though fate was on his side.
Due to poor nutrition, lack of hoof care and a serious leg wound, Seven Mile Bridge (now fondly known as “7Up”) was in very poor condition upon his arrival to the quarantine facility. What was supposed to be a short layover turned into a much longer stay. Eventually, he made the trip to Elizabeth’s farm in North Carolina. He was suffering from chronic abscessing, likely due to severe bruising after his shoes had been removed, and poor weight continued to plague him. Despite a special diet and a small weight gain, he was not progressing as the vets had hoped. Further diagnostics determined he had ulcers that required treatment.
Perpetual fall rain saturated the ground and exacerbated “7Up’s” hoof condition; so much so that Elizabeth decided to move him to the veterinarian’s facility. Although the prognosis was good, it was becoming more apparent that his future rehabilitation requirements would be more than she could take on. It was during this time that she reached out to The Exceller Fund.
“Seven Mile Bridge may not be a ‘Racing Warrior’ by our definition of 50 or more lifetime starts, but with 49 starts and a fighting spirit, he is definitely a warrior,” said Nicole Smith, Executive Director of The Exceller Fund. “He fought and won one more race, the 50th and most important one, the race for his life.”
“7Up” recently arrived at one of The Exceller Fund’s Oklahoma facilities where he will continue his recovery under the careful watch of a veterinarian/podiatrist. Given his wonderful disposition, he may eventually be an excellent candidate for one of the therapy programs The Exceller Fund partners with. For now, he will enjoy some much needed and well deserved R&R with his new pasture mates for as long as he needs.
P.O. Box 4237
Lexington, KY 40544
