Hello, Bonjour and Salibonani from the donkeys ad horse sanctuary of MARESZIM in the suburbs of Bulawayo, where I am staying at since one week, as for different reasons I can’t go to Cawston yet. Making plans in Africa is not an easy thing :)!
MARESZIM is being run by Claire Einhorn who rescues horses that should be put down and donkeys that are being abused or hurt by improper harnesses. She explains to the owner how to treat a donkey and which harnesses are working properly. For this purpose she is producing harnesses that she will sell for a small fee to the donkey owner. In a case of abuse of the donkey she will call the police and fight in court all at the same time while she is running her restaurant Déjà-vu, which is just fabulous and offers very tasty food!
Merlin in the morning sun
Three donkeys that had severe wounds from improper harnesses but the owner was trained and given proper harnesses
Plenty of things have already happened in these few days. I am mainly helping with the foal at the stables called Bandi, that was injured so very badly by a gelding, who has bitten the foal in the shoulder when little Bandi was just one day old. This wound is really severe and we had to do an OP on the foal last week Friday. The vet had to cut it open and to get scattered bones out as well as bad tissue. But this wound is not the only one, he got lots and lots including 2 legs that were in splints for 3 weeks as Bandis mother stood on him when he was 3 weeks old, causing his little legs to break. Now, he is 9 weeks old and since one week the splints are off.
After the operation
Pedicure time for Bandi
We are trying to show him how he can walk, as he has lost his sense of balance and his muscles to hold him up. Since one week we are walking him and he has improved a lot already! Hopefully he will learn soon to walk alone as he is also getting heavier each day since he is drinking 12 liters of milk and eating half a bale of gras every day. Unfortunately he has some high temperatures since 2 days (about 39 degrees) that we don’t know where it comes from. This is the reason we have started to inject him painkiller, which should bring his temperature back to normal hopefully soon.
Loving his blue basket with its milk
Claire ready to flush out Bandis wound
Since a few days I am also lunging and riding some of the rescued horses, mainly a chestnut red gelding. He was supposed to be put down as his previous owner didn’t get along with him. But he has proved to be an outstanding horse in the lunging arena as well as in the riding area and on outrides. I took him for an outride today, which was his first time ever since he is at Claire’s stable. He is just gorgeous and so attentive!
Sienna waiting for his riding lesson
Sundowner while outriding
My new lessons learned while being at the sanctuary in the suburbs of Bulawayo:
- A little foal can take up lots of time during day and night– we are 3 to 4 people watching after him, taking turns during day as well as nights and sometimes we watch after him all at once if we need to walk him or flush out his wounds.
- Outrides during sunset time are fabulous – I was taking Sienna on his first outride and we both adored it!
- Taking care of a foal will put you in lots of urine – I have never sat in so much urine as now, which we need to clean, rob off the foal and hose down with water.
Cheers to wandering the world and the wonders of our lives, hope to see you see you soon again – bye bye, salut and lisale kuhle ∞
P.S.: if you want you can donate to any horse and the donkeys, they would absolutely love it! You will be given an official donation receipt by MARESZIM. Just let me know!