Molly

My cousin in Australia sent this to me a few days ago.


Meet Molly.





She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana , USA . She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.

But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.

"This was the right horse and the right owner," Moore insists.
Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana . The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.

The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports.
And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too." And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. "It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse", she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it.

"It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life", Moore said, "She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others."
"She's not back to normal," Barca concluded, "but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself."





This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. The bottom photo shows the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind!

 

well kedigato that sure is a wonderful story of such a brave little pony, i do wish molly a great life, never heard of a horse ever fitted with an artficial limb, normally any horse that has a broken leg they normally put them to sleep, well done to the vets that saved her.thanks for sharing

 

I thought exactly the same as you, Rosa. She's a brave little pony and I'm so glad that she got the chance to live and not be put down.

 

How heart warming Kedi, it's just great that she has been given another chance, I'm almost reduced to tears. 02

 

A wonderfull story of a brave and plucky pony, a very caring and considerate owner too. Long may she reign.

 

An absolutely fantastic heart-warming story. Thank you Kedi. It is just the tonic I needed to hear and gives me back a little faith in human nature.

I actually gasped when I saw the photo - it is the first case of an equine prosthetic limb I have ever encountered. Obviously, when race horses break a limb, their career and sadly their viable use is then ended and are put to sleep as they are no further 'economical' use to the owner or trainer.

I visited a young horse who I found to have a fractured humerus - the owners thought I was going to put her to sleep but I advised time and rest and the horse did brilliantly and made a full recovery.

There are some happy ending stories for animals still out there.

Molly has even worked her magic on me all these miles away.