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SEPRONA found this mare in very poor condition cast away at the rivers edge. Various neighbours confirmed that the mare was of no use to her owner so he had got rid of her. She could hardly stand up, but she tried to get on the centre's van. Once examined by the veterinarian he confirmed that she had acute laminitis, paralysis of the facial nerve and lumbago, among other complications. It was decided that she have corrective shoeing and that she undergo daily rehabilitation with the objective of strengthening her top line. She has a very pretty face, with infinitely long eye lashes. That’s why since appearing on numerous occasions in the media she has received a couple of “owners” that wanted to take her home but that once asked for the mare’s documentation and informed that legal action would be taken against the real owner, they soon changed their minds. It’s very unlikely for Roca to ever leave this centre. She’s strong although she doesn’t look it at first sight due to the conditions she has had to endure. She has a lot of character and we’re looking for a sponsor for her or an adoptive family that’s able to return to her a trust in humans. Whilst we search for that family we ask for sponsors for her to help us at least with the cost of her orthopaedic shoes and that wants to visit her or to know more about this animal, an example of strength and courage for all of us.  Roca is very dignified, they were determined to make her think that she was ugly, that she was of no use but she never really believed it which is what kept her alive. Strong but apart from her apparent weakness was independent. She likes people to care about her, for the serious illness in her legs but she needs freedom and independence. She’s not a “Barbie” mare, she’s a survivor and as an ugly duckling she’s the centre's swan. She’s also the prettiest for a Group of students from the Colegio Huertas Viejas in Coín. After meeting her children have decided to remind everyone (friends, family members, even teachers…) that animals are to be cared for and protected. Roca, who doesn’t particularly appreciate human company normally, loves “her children” visiting her. Roca was operated on by a surgeon – friend of ours and above all else of the animals - Nani Muñoz in the Hospital Clinic Veterinarian de Córdoba. Our objective with this operation was to save Roca from pain and to accomplish that she be able to walk without pain again for the time she’s got left. We never received any help with this little mare, nobody wanted to help us with her orthopaedic shoeing, only a few wonderful sponsors that cared for her and the rest of the animals we help through this project helped at all. We want to inform you through this page that we no longer need help for Roca. For those of you that did help her and love her a thousand thanks above all to you, the students of the Colegio Huertas Viejas for the letters that you wrote to her that made her feel stronger during her illness. Roca no Langer suffers, she’s happy and calm, as light as a feather at last, she goes for long walks around the centre, without having to worry about her legs, she observes us and now it’s her that cares for us instead of the other way around.

 Roca was put to sleep 9^th June 2008 .

Little Torrente is great. A hairy goblin. A horse that is like a little boy his droopy eyes and his good natured way of behaving can only inspire tenderness. The woman who was his owner left him on a finca so that he’d be looked after and that she could enjoy her freedom. The owners of the land though said they didn’t have sufficient money to feed him. Slowly but surely Torrente deteriorated until he was severely malnourished which was when we collected him. When he arrived at the centre he was so pleased to eat again that he didn’t stop neighing at us all as if to thank us. He continues to be content, happy that life has given him a second chance but day by day he loses eye sight for which reason he has become inseparable from The Duke. He has a sponsor Cristina that helps us with his expenses and who always chooses him as the main character in her articles, as she’s a journalist.  A journalist and a friend she’s a great professional that has always treated our activity with great respect. In any case in the past few months she has transformed Torrente into a star but Cris a great journalist that is very allergic and her visits aren’t as frequent as she would like. As Torrente is El Duque’s best friend, Milly cares for both horses in the morning but we need someone, a child that wants to come in the afternoons to learn how to care for these great animals with this endearing horse who wouldn’t harm a fly.

Torrente died suddenly on the 8^th August 2008

Snowball was at risk of death when we rescued her. Everybody thinks that she’s very pretty but as son as they hear that she has melanomas, cancer, as if by magic they start to think of her as ugly. Her owner was very worried about her as snowy suffered from colic nearly every day. You have to be very careful with her feed because effectively any change can cause her colic. This mare is a good example of how an animal’s quality of life can be improved if it receives the correct attention. Her character has made a 180º turn, now she seems happy, content, and attentive to all that’s going on around her at the centre and more calm.  Her character has sweetened. Daily when we watch her we remember all the horses that could continue to be “of use” to their owners, that could enjoy a good life if only they took the time and effort to offer their animals minimum care, attention and love. We take advantage of Snowball’s story to ask of you to be responsible owners that you try to enjoy with your animals the longest time possible. If you have any doubts as to illness or injury consult us or ask a veterinarian but never, ever abandon them. If there’s no solution be decent enough to offer your animal a dignified death and not a painful one. If you don’t do it for old times sake, for the happy moments you spent together, simply if you don’t do it out of love remember that nowadays animals have a law that protects them and that can cause you a big upset.  Snowball. She is not like Roca a “Barbie” mare. She’s certain of her beauty but she knows that she’s ill and needs to be cared for aside from liking to be pampered i.e. Having her long snow White tail brushed. She has a very good character and she likes to relate to people. She has found a good friend in Roca a shoulder for her to lean on but not a human to make her happy. She needs a sponsor to think of her and that wants to dedicate some time to her.  The months have passed… And Snowy doesn’t seem to have very long left now… Is there really nobody out there that wants to come and see her, take her for walks, brush her? Please help us write a happy ending to this beautiful mare’s tale…

 Sadly this mare passed away 4^th July 2008

From all the animals that have passed through the centre we have learnt something. Aragorn showed us to love life above pain and sickness. Manzanita, the calm mule and Aragorn were collected on the same day and a special friendship blossomed between the two of them, so special that it continued until Aragorn’s death. Aragorn’s neck was injured and his vertebrae displaced. Manzanita carried weight until she fell to her knees, then she was of no use to anybody. There is an anecdote that we keep in our memory like a small treasure. Last summer Manzanita was very unwell, she could hardly stand up alone.  One day, in the middle of summer at around about two in the afternoon, two of the centre's people passed various minutes trying to  get the mule up but due to the heat and the effort it took they stopped for a couple of seconds so as to recover some strength, Aragorn  understood their behaviour as though they had given up and were going to leave Manzanita on the floor and with all his strength (not much really…) he started imitating what Concordia and Viki had been doing up until that moment, in other words one pulled on the rope from the front… The colt took the rope in his teeth desperately and pulled trying to get the mule up. The other girl pushed from behind and he with his head did the same and looked at them as if to say don’t give up. Between the three of them they managed to get the mule up. Aragorn died a few months later with the veterinarians help. Each time that we see the tree that shows the spot that Aragorn’s buried we remember that living is victory.

 

Celosa was during her whole life the perfect mare for beginners. A noble mare, Calm and trusting. Generally a good all rounder.  For many years she was a little schoolmaster that gave her all. The head of the association, Concordia, saved her from the clutches of a riding club that wanted to continue exploiting her eternally. She was at the centre for a long time without a “special” being sponsor until Jade came along. They became inseparable; Celosa smiled again and was delighted to participate in the girl’s games. It was fun to watch them running around the centre together. Last November on a stormy day Celosa collapsed and after various hours surrounded by her family and all the members of the association, she stopped breathing. She died how she had lived, with elegance. Celosa showed us what it means to be generous. To  give all without wanting something in return.  The day that Celosa died in Málaga it rained non stop for hours. It took more than seven of us to move her from the paddock where she collapsed to the shower area that we immediately prepared for her so that she were as comfortable as possible. However that day we realized that it should one of the centre's priorities to raise money to facilitate a clinic. Every day horses in poorer conditions arrive at the centre and we should have an appropriate space where to offer them our help and also to avoid putting the professionals who treat these animals daily’s lives at risk.  Celosia's family helps us with this job. They have become examples for other volunteers to follow. At first they helped out cleaning and caring for the horses but slowly but surely their love to the animals has made them involve and commit themselves to the project just as they did with Celosa. This mare was very happy for the last years of her life thanks to their generosity and devotion. For this reason we thank them from our heart here for the trust and help they give us daily.

           Manzanita

Manzanita played the leading role in a bet. The bet consisted of placing bets as to how much the mule could withstand before dropping to the floor, it was “emotional”: according to various witnesses Manzanita managed to carry up to 1.800 kilos, before falling to her knees. She arrived at the Centro CYD accompanied by Aragorn, who we rescued on the same day. She was exhausted, tired but strangely enough she wasn’t scared of us hurting her it was as if now at her age nothing could scare her. After being examined we discovered that she had various cracked vertebrae, disuse of the hindquarters and multiple wounds caused by being hobbled (something that is now forbidden by law). For various months, it took a lot of us to get her up. With the help of homoeopathy and lots of care, we have helped her recover and convinced her that life is worth living. This is a magnificent example that things slowly but surely are changing for the better here in  Andalucía, as the person that reported said case is a horse merchant that sold horses for a living, but that doesn’t want to see them suffer and is aware that caring for them is the only thing that can make his market blossom and improve day by day. Abandoning or ill treating an animal damages us all and our society and as we’ve said before it is punished by the law. She is the grandma who we all go to when we have problems. Calm, she has seen all shorts throughout her long life and she knows that she wont get anywhere through rushing. She enjoys the centre, wandering calmly through the daisies. But however she is not a solitary figure sooner or later she’ll always be accompanied by someone. She likes to lie in the paddock and play dead… She’s the one who helps us when new animals that have been ill treated arrive because she is one of the first to show them that all is well, that they can now relax, they are safe. If you see her less than three meters away from you though, do not stop, she will force you to give her a massage and then you’ll never get away. Manzanita sadly was put to sleep early hours of 31^st October 2008. She will be greatly missed by all as she was a very special lady.

                   Star

Star is a lovely, good tempered little mare, that for years participated in various competitions, winning them and showing her rider that he could trust his horse. Later she helped many children lose their fear and enjoy riding but then she fell ill and all her apparent physical beauty disappeared. Star suffers a serious skin problem that for some years maintained her away from people that when they saw her –and due to lack of knowledge- thought that she had a contagious illness. In the past two years, Milly has cared for her restoring her into a beautiful lady. However her problem will never completely disappear and as son as we relax our vigilance she hurts herself again. All our horses need rugs to protect them from the cold or the sun and the flies in summer but star needs to constantly be covered so that her condition doesn’t worsen.  This entails us having to buy rugs or more to the point snuggy hoods very frequently so we would be grateful for a sponsor that liked star and wanted to help her. . Star is a very sensitive “lady”. Caring, kind and lovely she needs lots of physical and psychological attention, she couldn’t stand to feel or to be alone. She likes to be the centre of attention but because of Milly she can’t be as she’s rugged up all the time, Milly says it’s so that Star doesn’t scratch but we know that it’s because when they walk out together Star gets all the attention and she’s blonder than Milly is…  This beautiful mare had to be put to sleep on the 3^rd February 2009, it started with colic but went into much more and it was kinder to put her to sleep.

 Bubu

We always say that there a two types of abandonment. One is the kind where the animal has always suffered, born into bad hands only receiving ill treatment until one day it gets sick or injured and is left to fend for itself in the countryside. When these horses arrive at Centro CYD Santa María they recover quickly, all of a sudden they find themselves protected, they eat well and there are people that care for them… The other kind is competition animals. Animals that give their all in the arenas but that sooner or later everyone forgets, once their glory days have passed… Then if they’re lucky, very lucky they end up at our shelter. The deteriorated state that they come to us in is terrible. You have to remember that they are horses that have had it all, constant attention, the most expensive products and above all else people around them that considered them the be all and end all. Once taken from that world what usually happens is the following: the first owner sells them to a family with a daughter that’s learning to ride and that’s going to look after them very well and that much is true but when the horse is 15 or 16 years old and the girl has competed with it and wants to participate in more challenging competitions or other interests take over her adolescent mind, that’s when a second sale takes place, that more often than not isn’t such a good one. That’s how they get pushed from pillar to post, deteriorating more and more in the process.  Bubu was a competition horse, his recovery is very slow because somehow he cannot understand why there isn’t anybody that cares for him and spoils him continually. One fortunate day we put Bubu in the paddock with Moonlight. Hazel, Moonlight’s sponsor, comes on a daily basis to look after him. When Bubu realised this he started to demand this wonderful volunteers (who we can only speak well of) attention. She herself, without us saying a word to her offered to also care for Bubu. Even then though we would like Bubu to have his own sponsor to help pay for his keep and veterinary bills etc so if anyone knows of anyone prepared to love him who will not abandon him at the first sign of trouble please bring them to this shelter to meet this incredible horse. He’s strong but you don’t notice it due to his kind nature. He never goes against you because all he wants is to find someone to share his last years with. He’s Moonlight’s best friend and they are nearly always together. He’s very classy and remembers that he was once much admired. He does know that but all the same needs someone to remind him every day. We’re looking for that special someone to sponsor him.

This beautiful horse was laid to rest on the 8^th September 2009, it was very sad for us all but his now running around having fun with the rest of them.  For me he was the gentle  giant and l loved him , to hear him in the morning when l got to the centre calling out to me, l miss this big boy for me he was the best.

Valor one of our very slim horses lost his fight to live, he was put to sleep on the 13^th December 2009, his girlfriend Promesa is still doing very well.

                 Indiana

Indi is a very pretty mare that changes colour each season. There are moments in the year that she’s very dark and others that she’s completely white. In her hay day she was a schoolmaster. They abused her as she’s very tall and in theory could weight bare. All the hefty riders were for her… Indiana suffers from a deformation of the hip that causes her a lot of pain especially if she’s to withstand a heavy weight on her back. This mare has been like so many others the victim of ignorance for many years. With Indiana the typical idea of “the bigger the better” was applied. Really Indi’s back is too long to carry very tall and/or heavy people. Indiana is a relatively Young mare (especially if we compare her to other animals that we care for at the centre…), she has a good temperament and she may still be ridden by children or be lightly backed by learners that want to feel safe. Unfortunately recently we thought that we’d found the right person for her, a kind of soul mate. We must now recognize our lack of foresight when handing her heart over to this family, we look out for her, we have to protect her but however we failed her. This family that promised to never abandon her and that they would care for her come what may when it came down to it, at the first opportunity left her without as much as a goodbye. They literally broke her heart and she was very sad for months. However if we’ve learnt one thing over the years it’s that love heals all ills. Indiana’s smiling again and has regained the will to live thanks to Prisca. Many voluntary workers come to the Centro CYD Santa María out of curiosity but slowly but surely lose interest and leave. It’s hard work. Prisca’s arrival was one of those small miracles that occur every day and we don’t even realize at least at first anyway. For Indiana it meant, as we said before regaining the will to live. Its incredible how the mare has changed this last year, her hierarchy within the group has also changed, now she’s the “Queen”. She’s much stronger now that she has someone to call her own and that gives her an unstoppable inner strength. For us, Prisca’s arrival has meant that from that moment forth we’ve had a hard working, faithful, confident and dedicated hand with the horses. We know that lots of the people she knows do not understand why she spends so much of her time on this recovery centre but maybe if they saw her with Indiana or how strong she is in complicated situations or the respect and gratefulness with which all the animals look at her with, then maybe they’d understand and they would be proud of the work she does when helping us.  Indiana is a beautiful mare with a great stance. Mistrustful (she has reason to be so), but very sweet when she finally does trust someone. They broke her heart, but that’s in the past now. Now with Prisca she’s smiling again and we hope they’re very happy together and that life lets them continue to share experiences as friends forever. Please sponsor so that we can continue to give other animals a second chance.  Sadly in July 2010 she fell ill with colic and passed away.