Help two horses after a mountain lion attack

Last month two horses at Body N Soul Equestrian (an eventing lesson barn and therapeutic barn) were horrifically attacked by a mountain lion in the area. When the first horse, beloved rescue lesson Oink, was attacked it was unimaginable that a mountain lion had come onto the property and attacked a full-grown horse. His wounds were awful -- stretching across his leg (degloved), abdomen, and face. Without an obvious explanation, we had assumed he had a freak accident with a fence and walked the field looking for evidence.

Then two weeks later Sunny, another horse in the field, came in with similar injuries. This time the claw marks were apparent. Colorado Parks and Wildlife was called out to the barn and searched the whole field for evidence of a mountain lion but couldn't find any more conclusive evidence beyond Sunny and Oink's wounds. CPW's best guess is that the mountain lion was a juvenile passing through on a search for new territory but regardless Brittany and Ellie, owners of Body N Soul, are being more vigilant than ever to keep horses in and away from danger.

Oink has required daily vet visits to help fight potential infection from extensive open wounds while Sunny has required surgery and hospitalization at CSU for a partial fracture and joint infection in one of her legs. As you can imagine they are facing a mountain of vet bills already and both horses still have a long way to come.

Words cannot express how caring Brittany and Ellie are for all the horses on the property, not just their own. I have seen first hand Brittany and Ellie provide the best care for their horses. Please consider donating to help them continue to provide the best care to Sunny and Oink, and to show support for these wonderful sisters who are an active part of the Colorado eventing community in the face of these challenging circumstances.

This fundraiser is on behalf of Brittany and Ellie Foust. Any money collected will go towards the vet bills incurred by Sunny and Oink.

UPDATE 8/9/23: My baby girl came home today!

She’s not out of the woods by far yet, but we’re hopefully fingers crossed trending in the right direction as far as the infection in her carpal joint goes.

It’s now a waiting game. See if the infection gets kicked. See if/how the fracture heals. See if the infection causes more sequestrum or damage that we won’t know for another 3-6 weeks or even months down the road.

But for now, she’s home. And happy to be here with us. Sunnys not the most over affectionate mare, but she kept calling to Ellie when she picked her up and kept nuzzling and snuggling with me when she got home.

I’m so beyond grateful she’s back with us for the waiting game.