Chubbs—From Zero to Hero

During a trip to Fallon, Nevada, in September of 2008, Marlene Dodge of Valley View Ranch Equine Rescue saved the life of yet another horse bound for slaughter in Canada or Mexico. Chubbs, as he is affectionately named, came from a ranch where he was used as a pony horse and packhorse in the mountains. On one pack trip Chubbs was walking along the trail and the ground gave out underneath him causing him to fall off the mountain. As he fell down the hill he knocked out trees and his owner was sure he would not live through the fall. When his owner got to the bottom of the hill Chubbs was standing and grazing like nothing had ever happened! However, as a result of the accident Chubbs was sent to a feedlot auction where he caught the eye of Marlene.

After his rescue from the feedlot and during his time at Valley View Ranch, Chubbs was assessed, ridden, and put up for adoption. Mike Holt from Pleasanton, California came to the ranch, saw Chubbs and had to have him. Mike wanted to give Chubbs the best home he possibly could and intended to ride him on the trail and compete in team sorting. But not long after Mike took him home, Chubbs began limping on his left front foot. He had minor discomfort at Valley View but his shoes had just been pulled so that was the suspected cause of soreness. Mike decided to call in his vet for X-rays after Chubbs didn’t get any better, revealing a fracture on his coffin bone with possible infection. Surgery was suggested as the only possible way to treat the injury. At $2500 just for the surgery, not including aftercare, Mike was saddened to realize he couldn’t afford to give Chubbs the treatment he needed. Marlene agreed to take Chubbs back to Valley View Ranch and try to have him treated.

Marlene needed help to raise the funds to help Chubbs, so she contacted Redwings. Redwings felt the request came under their mission of helping horses in need. Through Redwings’ “Helping Hooves” program, Redwings was able to assist with some of the funds needed to help Chubbs go into surgery. Marlene says, “Redwings was of great support and donated towards his surgery and treatment.” The donations went directly to the veterinary hospital that did the surgery, and then Chubbs was relocated to California Equine Podiatry Clinic in Santa Ynez for some of his after care.

Chubbs had a hospital-plate shoe on his hoof that bolts on and off so that his medicine can be put on the healing wound. The prognosis for Chubbs is very bright, he’s completely sound, and he should be able to partner with Mike in the near future. In fact, the hardest part of his recovery was keeping him quiet in his stall. Marlene and Mike wish to thank Redwings supporters and the veterinarians who have helped Chubbs have a future.

Valley View Ranch has been posting updates about Chubbs on their Web site at www.valleyviewranchequinerescue.webs.com.