Our miniature horse Bonsai has been in and out of the hospital now for about three months. Initially, he had a very painful impaction and over time caused an infection in his intestines. This took a very long time to heal. Horses have bacteria in their gut, including salmonella, which is dormant when they’re healthy and strong, but when they have an elongated illness that bacteria can take over. Bonsai was diagnosed with salmonella last week, which has caused a lack of appetite, severe diarrhea, and extreme weight loss. There is no way to directly treat the salmonella, however with supportive care, like Sun Chlorella, acupuncture, massage therapy, energy work, fluids, tube feeding, probiotics, daily visits and love, and great vet care, Bonsai is finally getting better, slowly.

There was a time where Bonsai had lost so much weight, was so uncomfortable, and was feeling so weak, that I was wondering if he had had enough and wanted to transition...

Sasha was terribly afraid of humans. She had been started under saddle in a very cruel way and had lost all confidence in people, afraid that any mistake or hesitation would bring harsh retaliation. And I had an irrational fear of horses then. Sasha and I worked every day to heal each other. I would spend hours petting her and exploring her body with my fingers, uncovering all her sweet itchy spots. I would bury my face in her mane and her warmth and the floral scent would fill me with pure joy. I would brush her tail for hours, feeling like a kid with a new doll...