Cross-posted from The Blood Horse
WHEN WINDSWEPT LADY arrived at Shannon Hahn’s Argyle, N.Y-based Double L Stable Equine Rescue and Sanctuary near Saratoga Springs with her newborn foal, the outlook looked grim for the granddaughter of Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.
Emaciated and weak, the mare had abscesses in both front feet, and her four-month-old colt was more than 100 pounds underweight and suffering from pneumonia. Hahn acted quickly, calling her veterinarian to provide the necessary care for the injured and starving horses, never thinking at the time that their story would someday educate others via a display in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.
“Our goal is for (Windswept Lady’s foal) to make a personal appearance at the museum this year,” said Hahn of the colt, who was later named Willie. “Here is this Thoroughbred baby that was supposed to be a big moneymaker (he was a maternal great grandson of Seattle Slew and a paternal grandson of Conquistador Cielo), he almost dies, and ends up here—nobody’s sure if he’s going to live, and now he’s working with at-risk youth and handicapped kids. We’re hoping he will be an ambassador to show people that Thoroughbreds can do anything, especially when they’re done racing.”
Unfortunately, after two years, Windswept Lady’s condition deteriorated and she had to be euthanized. The silver lining is that her situation is now being further studied to help future horses with her same condition.
“(Windswept Lady) is missed everyday here,” said Hahn. “I never met a stronger mare with so much determination in my 10 years of rescue work. She had a true mother’s love as she was fighting to stay alive for her foal.”
Full story at BloodHorse.com >>
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