Layla was sent to us by our friends at South Florida SPCA. A veterinarian who passed by the farm where she lived saw her standing in the same place every time he went by and thought that something didn't look right. He stopped and talked to her owners who told him that she had been injured in a training accident and that they couldn't afford medical care for her. Also, she was pregnant. The owners were persuaded to surrender her to SFSPCA so she could receive care she needed. SFSPCA's facilities had recently been devastated by Hurricane Wilma and they had no place to keep Layla so we agreed to bring her to Windhorse Sanctuary. A vet check revealed that Layla's hip socket and pelvis were fractured. She also had a very bad bladder infection. She had been living in terrible pain for weeks since the accident with no help or relief. She needed to remain on stall rest until the baby was born to ensure that her bones would heal well enough to withstand the birth process. As the months ticked by, we ultrasounded Layla to make sure the baby was doing well. Every time we had a peek, the baby was rolling and moving around. We laughed that we should name him Elvis because he rocked and rolled. Meanwhile, as her due date approached, we either checked her every few hours through the night or slept in the barn to make sure that if she went into labor she was not in danger or distress. Our veterinarian, Dr. Hammock was prepared to do an emergency caesarian section if there was trouble. As it worked out, Layla was able to deliver the baby herself and when we saw the beautiful little palomino colt we decided he looked more like Jerry Lee Lewis than Elvis, and so he had the perfect name.
Layla was still recovering from her injuries, and miniature horse, Rhiannon stepped in to help keep Jerry Lee in line. He would nurse with mom and then Rhiannon would keep an eye on him and chase him down if he strayed too far away. She was a tremendous "mother's helper" for Layla. Baby
Jerry Lee and the Vet Baby
Jerry Lee (left) and the Rhiannon (right). It has been two and a half years since Layla's accident and she continues to improve. Just a few months ago she was able to run on all four legs instead of hiking up the injured hip and going on three and she enjoys running and playing with the rest of her herd. She has been a wonderful mother to Jerry Lee who is a handful, but is a sweet and loving little fellow. Nov
2008 - Jerry Lee is all grown up and happy in his environment.
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