Story submitted by New Mexico Horse Rescue at Walkin N Circles Ranch
When Limit arrived at the ranch in April 2017, it tore at our heartstrings that he had such a name. Limit had certainly reached his limit with people who had failed him and basically life in general. He was severely emaciated and in need of intensive, 24-hour medical care. He was a sad shell of a horse, nothing but skin and skeleton. Weighing only 700 pounds, he had no energy for anything. He could barely lift his head because his body was shutting down so much. The little energy he could muster was going toward supporting his basic needs and keeping his vital organs running.
Limit was not just shut down physically, but emotionally too. He had no personality, and his eyes were lifeless. Even in this shape, we were amazed that he had a beautiful ebony colored coat, a thick mane and tail, and gentle eyes.
For the first few weeks with us, he was fed around the clock every 2-4 hours. After a week of feeding, he began to show some improvement. He loved to eat, savoring every bite. He even started nickering and lifting his head when caretaker Ashley or her husband walked out of their house to feed him.
Limit received a lot of attention and care from our wonderful volunteers, too. After a couple months, excitement grew as he was able to move into feeding only three times a day.
At this point, no one knew what kind of horse he would transform into. When a horse arrives starved and lethargic, personality is impossible to determine. One look into his gentle eyes though, and we knew he had a kind soul.
We are proud to say that Limit found the strength to fight and defeat a fate that would have ended in a complete lack of dignity, loneliness, and sadness. His transormation wouldn’t have been possible without ranch volunteers pouring love into his heart and giving him a reason to live. Needless to say, he has stolen our hearts!
Limit is currently receiving 2x the amount of food other horses are receiving, and is still gaining weight. He now helps new volunteers learn how to care for horses during our clinics, and he has a loving sponsor.
We now call him Sky, because for him, the “sky’s the limit!” There simply is no limit to his potential. He has been such a blessing to the ranch and is a wonderful companion to horses and people alike. We have taken great pride in his recovery and look forward to helping him find his “happily ever after.”
