This is 4-week old Cash, a blind Quarter Horse foal who came to us from Alabama. Our horse hauler, Bob Hubbard Horse Transportation, had picked him up on Saturday morning and delivered him to us late last night. I drove in to Missoula with the trailer to meet the hauler, and I got Cash back to the ranch around 11 p.m. Alayne took this photo of me with Cash this afternoon.
Cash was born on February 7 on a breeding farm in northern Alabama. The couple who run the farm contacted us when Cash was 4 days old, after they realized he was blind. Cash has a very rare eye disorder called aniridia, in which the irises don’t develop. The couple felt they could not keep the foal, and believed they had no option other than to euthanize him if we couldn’t help.
We are always very reluctant to take a foal away from the mare at such an early age — normal weaning is at 4 to 6 months. But as our vets tell us … if the foal is healthy and vigorous and has a zest for life … and if the alternative is euthanasia … then it’s a risk worth taking. We’ve had to do it before, with blind Destiny who came from South Carolina also at the age of 4 weeks.
With a contribution from the breeder and his wife, and a gift from a generous supporter in British Columbia, we were able to afford the cost of shipping Cash all the way to Montana.
So we held our breath as Cash made his big trip across the country. He received excellent care from the folks at Bob Hubbard Horse Transportation. They were understandably nervous at first about transporting such a young foal without its momma, but after we explained the circumstances and assured them we understood the risks involved, they got behind this adventure in a big way. Cash was in wonderful hands during the entire trip with drivers Chuck and Miriam.
Cash’s first day in Montana was warm and sunny, despite all the snow you see in the photos! He has a great appetite and is nibbling on hay and drinking his mare milk replacer. Alayne took this photo of me with Cash late this afternoon after he had just finished a quart of milk in his stall.
We can tell he’s one smart little boy, and he quickly figures out his environment and starts mapping his boundaries right away. He’s calm and centered, and you can see him really thinking when he encounters something he’s not sure about.
The arrival of a blind baby like Cash helps keep the "cycle of life" going for us. Having just lost our beloved old German Shepherd Pappy last Thursday, it seemed fitting that a little disabled youngster would arrive just a few days later, full of life and energy and ready to be loved.
(Click on photos for larger images.)
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