![Main fundraiser photo](https://images.gofundme.com/U-zohZ86ZyG2QYUqUC5NryRjKVY=/720x405/https://2dbdd5116ffa30a49aa8-c03f075f8191fb4e60e74b907071aee8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/13888073_1473963891.1691.jpg)
Hope for Maverick
Donation protected
I rescued Maverick 3 years ago. I always seem to be attracted to animals/people/situations that are crying out for help, and Maverick was no different. I had just started riding a spunky little Arabian for a teenage girl that was scared to ride on trail, that's when I met him. Out of the 45 horses at the ranch, Maverick seemed to be forgotten. 300 lbs. under weight, his feet flat, cracked and sore, his energy so low he would barely lift his head.... But every time I would walk by he would lightly nicker at me, as if to say.... Love me.
I asked around the barn and everyone said he had been there 6 months, slowly getting worse, they hardly saw the owner, they all just stood by and watched him deteriorating, I couldn't.
I finally got in contact with the owner, I feel it was fate, and she gave him to me. She told me he was a ten year old ex race horse, who had been neglected by his previous owner after her daughter moved to college and his pasture mate died, so she thought she could learn to ride but was in over her head once she got him.
I was a little scared that first day sitting with Maverick unsure of my new obligation. But I knew first things first, he needed a good farrier and food, I moved him to my neighbors house and with the help of an amazing British farrier who brought Maverick back from founder in 6 months I had an amazing horse on my hands. I moved him to a small ranch in Rancho Santa Fe, everyone said how he had the best disposition, with kids, horses and animals. He was sound, energetic and never spooked on trail. I had a vet check him and he checked out as healthy and happy.
In the meantime my family decided to move back to Oahu. I figured every ex-race horse would love to retire in Hawaii.
I did not do my research.
Between the harsh elements of Hawaiian soil, moisture and the farriers that have never worked on this kind of horse, I found Macericks feet quickly going down hill. I went through three farriers that would look at me with blank stares when I would try to explain what my California farrier had been doing. They are great farriers for the mostly quarter horses here in the island, but they had never worked on an ex-race horses feet with previous racing damage. After the third farrier and maverick obviously being in pain I felt hopeless, but hope being on this strong horses side, I found a farrier that had worked on race horses for years, he immediately knew what we were facing, heading towards certain founder and most likely a painful death. He has been working on maverick the lady 6 months, but this last week he told me we need to take a different route, we need all the bells and whistles, certain shoes, pads, screws, glue.... Maverick needs to be on bute 24/7 for his pain. Tranquilizer for the operations. It's going to be an expensive 6 months. And I need help.
We need to do this now because maverick is losing his front hoof fast, and without the hood, he will need to be put down.
I know this horse is not ready to go fly with the Pegasus. His strong will and content demeanor is fighting for his life. So I am too.
I can not give up on him after a life of abuse. From the time he was born he was forced to run and abuse his feet in the racing world, at two years old he won every race for 6 races. He was abandoned, abused, neglected..... And he deserves more that to go out like this.
So for the next months I need to raise an extra $400/month to reconstruct his feet.
This does not seem like a lot of money but on top of normal bills, it's out of my range.
I am hoping to heal Mavericks feet with your help, and find an organization to use him for children with disabilities, he would be the perfect horse for rehabilitation, he can relate. If you can help even a little, with prayers, financially or just by spreading his story I know his story will be one of hope, faith and courage. If you want to meet Maverick, let me know. He needs all the love he can get. Or if you know any organization that can help get Maverick through this please send them my way. Thank you!!!!
![](https://2dbdd5116ffa30a49aa8-c03f075f8191fb4e60e74b907071aee8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/13888073_1471719873.2601_funddescription.jpg)
![](https://2dbdd5116ffa30a49aa8-c03f075f8191fb4e60e74b907071aee8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/13888073_1471719903.7521_funddescription.jpg)
I asked around the barn and everyone said he had been there 6 months, slowly getting worse, they hardly saw the owner, they all just stood by and watched him deteriorating, I couldn't.
I finally got in contact with the owner, I feel it was fate, and she gave him to me. She told me he was a ten year old ex race horse, who had been neglected by his previous owner after her daughter moved to college and his pasture mate died, so she thought she could learn to ride but was in over her head once she got him.
I was a little scared that first day sitting with Maverick unsure of my new obligation. But I knew first things first, he needed a good farrier and food, I moved him to my neighbors house and with the help of an amazing British farrier who brought Maverick back from founder in 6 months I had an amazing horse on my hands. I moved him to a small ranch in Rancho Santa Fe, everyone said how he had the best disposition, with kids, horses and animals. He was sound, energetic and never spooked on trail. I had a vet check him and he checked out as healthy and happy.
In the meantime my family decided to move back to Oahu. I figured every ex-race horse would love to retire in Hawaii.
I did not do my research.
Between the harsh elements of Hawaiian soil, moisture and the farriers that have never worked on this kind of horse, I found Macericks feet quickly going down hill. I went through three farriers that would look at me with blank stares when I would try to explain what my California farrier had been doing. They are great farriers for the mostly quarter horses here in the island, but they had never worked on an ex-race horses feet with previous racing damage. After the third farrier and maverick obviously being in pain I felt hopeless, but hope being on this strong horses side, I found a farrier that had worked on race horses for years, he immediately knew what we were facing, heading towards certain founder and most likely a painful death. He has been working on maverick the lady 6 months, but this last week he told me we need to take a different route, we need all the bells and whistles, certain shoes, pads, screws, glue.... Maverick needs to be on bute 24/7 for his pain. Tranquilizer for the operations. It's going to be an expensive 6 months. And I need help.
We need to do this now because maverick is losing his front hoof fast, and without the hood, he will need to be put down.
I know this horse is not ready to go fly with the Pegasus. His strong will and content demeanor is fighting for his life. So I am too.
I can not give up on him after a life of abuse. From the time he was born he was forced to run and abuse his feet in the racing world, at two years old he won every race for 6 races. He was abandoned, abused, neglected..... And he deserves more that to go out like this.
So for the next months I need to raise an extra $400/month to reconstruct his feet.
This does not seem like a lot of money but on top of normal bills, it's out of my range.
I am hoping to heal Mavericks feet with your help, and find an organization to use him for children with disabilities, he would be the perfect horse for rehabilitation, he can relate. If you can help even a little, with prayers, financially or just by spreading his story I know his story will be one of hope, faith and courage. If you want to meet Maverick, let me know. He needs all the love he can get. Or if you know any organization that can help get Maverick through this please send them my way. Thank you!!!!
![](https://2dbdd5116ffa30a49aa8-c03f075f8191fb4e60e74b907071aee8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/13888073_1471719873.2601_funddescription.jpg)
![](https://2dbdd5116ffa30a49aa8-c03f075f8191fb4e60e74b907071aee8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/13888073_1471719903.7521_funddescription.jpg)
Organiser
Ashley And-Jr Petschow
Organiser
Honolulu, HI