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When Midnight came to us in late March 2005, he could barely stand. Our
farrier had been asked to trim him, as she is a specialist in foundered horses,
but the treating vet finally decided that he could not recover and the decision
was made to put him down. The farrier asked if Founder Rehab Ranch could
give him a final chance, and the owner agreed.

Upon arrival, Midnight spent most of his time laying down in the stall. We did
set up a stall guard so he could see the ponies that shared his paddock. For
the past year or so he had been inside without even a window, and you could
see the "light" in his eyes as he could watch the outside and feel the sunshine.

We first clipped off all his long hair and gave him a couple of baths. The
farrier began aggressive trims to get his hoofs back into a proper shape. We
treated him with pain medicine for a few days. Lab work confirmed that he has
Cushing’s disease, and that his medication dose needed to be increased.

Treatment for founder is a long treatment. Many times the horse’s feet have
been inflamed for so long that they develop internal abscesses. We see this
often once the feet begin to get proper blood flow and work with the ground
properly. These abscesses must drain in order for the foot to heal, but are quite
painful

Update: Early in February 2006, Midnight was totally sound, well adjusted to his
diet to keep his insulin under control, and stabilized on his Cushings
medications. It was clear he was ready for a new life. Midnight now lives near
Petaluma, CA and is being prepared for a future as a therapy pony. A perfect
job for a pony that defeated tremendous odds to live.

We'll miss you, Midnight, but you remind us every day that time and effort can
make a difference. Enjoy your new life!