Buttercup

Gray Percheron-X Mare, Foaled May 2002

Arrived 3/9/14 - Passed Away 4/26/16

 Goodbye to Butters

Buttercup is a relative youngster for The Golden Carrot, at only 12 years old, but she has a number of health and lameness issues which make her our newest resident. Farriers and vet agree she has some definite issues with her left stifle.  The family who saved her from death and tried hard to resolve her issues tell me their vet had suggested a possible calcium deficiency, causing a condition called "thumps". (Blood work looked normal) I'm not sure that was an issue, or if perhaps the spasming in the flank might have been response to overuse of that stifle, but will be watching.  My vet believes she needs to lose weight, and has set forth a diet designed to avoid development of Insulin Resistance - "Easy Keeper" might be Butters other name!

 

She was "rescued" by Animali Farms from the Premarin industry (I have no information about whether she was actually inpregnanted for her urine, or if she was a foal of one of those tormented souls); and they adopted her to a stable owner who immediately used her as a recipient mare twice (impregnated her with sperm and egg from other horses). When she returned from the second pregnancy with lameness issues, the stable owner was going to put her down but Tracy and her family stepped in.  She worked HARD to help Butters be better, and is continue to help support her here at TGC.

This is a sweet sweet people-oriented mare. She likes the donkeys and Ronan, all smaller than she is.  Basky has tried repeatedly to befriend her but a big TB mare is more than she can handle just yet.  I hope we can keep her healthy and allow her a life with horses and people who don't expect to profit from her for some golden years!