Plato's Story

Plato as 2 year old

Many of my friends have seen my Facebook Birthday Fundraiser for S.A.V.E.R., an equine rescue in Tucson.  SAVER concentrates on giving a second chance, one horse at a time. But like almost any "barn" there's always room for another.
There are actually a several excellent equine rescue groups in the Tucson and Southern Arizona area - what makes SAVER special is the location at Pegasus Veterinary Center and the direct involvement of Dr. Michael Hutchison.

I brought Plato (CCF Platero) home in 2001. He was a year older than my Peruvian mare.  But where Choli was laid back and pretty easy going, Plato was hyper vigilant and convinced everything in his world was out to eat him.  Despite some conformation faults he was incredibly athletic and one of the smoothest gaited horses I'd ever seen.  If one of his barn mates was out of sight he would pace and work himself into a frenzy. If I rode from the property he would still be calling two hours later when we returned.
Plato was in excellent health with no identifiable physical issues. His diet was balanced and optimized. Two well qualified trainers, after patiently working with him,  felt he was unsafe to the point of suggesting he be put down.  I had a discussion with Plato and decided as long as I had the ability to care for him he could just live as a horse with no expectations, but that I would not pass him on to a possible situation where he might be hurt - physically or mentally.  So our agreement was I would give him the best life I could and, when I couldn't any longer, I would euthanize him.

Plato at 11 years

I've had many types of horses - from the "been there, done that" Steady Eddie to aggressive "I'm bigger and stronger than you" but Plato was an enigma.  He could be fun, wanted to please and liked people.  But he lived in his own bubble and, if something distracted him, you no longer existed.  If he decided he needed to flee he would run you over, rear, buck, pull, back away.   Hard tying him to anything risked damage to the object or his neck (I normally avoid hard tying any horse if not absolutely necessary).
When I began cancer treatment I had high hopes of returning to my BC - before cancer - life. After all I had a new hip, a new truck and plans to travel with my Morgan mare up the west coast to ride with my friends. But a second cancer followed the first, then a third.  Sometimes the cure has its own bite and, while I'm grateful to be cancer-free and able to be somewhat active, the damage from chemo/radiation and multiple surgeries left me unable to do more than the very basics for my horses - clean water, good feed, lots of room to roam and vet care when needed. But they needed more. They were all "people" horses who thrived on attention I wasn't able to give them -  it was time to find them new homes.

For Dreamer, it was important she would be with someone who understood how special Morgan horses are - their eagerness to learn and please, their ability to respond to any situation, and their warm nature.  She found that someone and is now doing what Morgans do best - being someone's perfect buddy.
The Buckmeister (aka Carl) was a horse sent to me for rehab after founder. A "been there, done that" ranch horse in a previous life, Carl found his match with a friend's adult daughter just starting her journey as a horsewoman. Together they will become both teacher and student for each other with guidance from an experienced Mom/horsewoman.
But Plato - it grieved me to think the time had finally come to finalize our agreement.  I had discussed this before with Dr. Mike and also with some friends who run a rescue and understand the issues involved.  But that was before SAVER - when it was still an "idea" that Dr. Mike wanted to pursue with some other very special folks.  So this time when I made an appointment at Pegasus to talk with Dr. Mike about Plato he suggested SAVER as an option - a chance to find a place where Plato to continue to live as a horse, with no expectations. It would have to be where his potential to cause harm would be understood - which can be difficult as he can go for a long time being just fine then, out of nowhere, with no warning signs or obvious reason he will simply "lose it".  So no kids, and no temptation to ride him despite his incredibly gorgeous, smooth gait.
I understand that when Plato went to SAVER he is gone to me. Others, maybe more qualified than me will decide his future. I have not called to see how he is doing, I find it difficult to drive by Pegasus where I caught a glimpse of him one time.  I feel as if I have betrayed him yet I hope he will be better off. The tears run even as I write this. I'm not sure if they are for Plato or for me - my whole life has been about horses but now I'm on a different path and I feel like I can't look back.



Links:

Southern Arizona Veterinary Equine Rescue
on the Web:  http://www.saver-org.com/aboutus.html
on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/pg/southernazvetequinerescue/about/?ref=page_internal

Pegasus Veterinary Center 
http://www.pegasusvetcenter.com/index.html
Michael D. Hutchison, DVM, cVMA is dedicated to providing high quallity, compassionate veterinary care for equine and small animals at your home, farm, or the clinic.