01/07/2026
I wish more than anything I had better news, but I wanted to share this with you all first.
The bonded paint mares made it home together, but only one of them made it through the night. The black and white mare we decided to name Jules (which symbolizes soft & gentleness), was immediately evaluated by our veterinarian. The giant tumor that engulfed her eye socket was removed within an hour of her arrival and she is expected to make a full recovery. The tumor was sent off to be tested so we can access best next steps. She will need one more procedure before we can clean up & sew her eye shut, but our hopes at a good outcome for her are very high.
The red and white paint mare we decided to name Rin (which means beautiful dignified companion), unfortunately was too far gone by the time she became a part of the Kataluna herd. Someone let her starve. Let her body shut down. Someone gave up on her, and let her give up. She was so close to knowing a life she should have had all along, and my heart and soul are just crushed that she never got to have that here. Everything was done that could have been done to give her a fighting chance, but her spirit couldnât keep up with her body.
As much as it hurts, iâm trying to look at this way⌠they got to be together until the end. Rin got to enter heaven with her best friend right by her side, and Jules made it to safety with her friend right there with her every step of the way. She truly held on until she knew her friend was safe, and she was home. They got to stay together through it all, rather than be ripped apart never to see one another again and face the fear of the unknowns alone. That is something they would have never gotten otherwise had we not said yes. Thank you everyone who helped make that happen. We will be right here to help Jules the rest of the way, just as her friend Rin did from the startâ¤ď¸âđŠš