A Standardbred named Make It Kate was discovered late last week in an eastern part of Kentucky both abandoned and emaciated at an old mine shaft. It’s heartbreaking to discovered Make It Kate had once been a racehorse who lived in a comfortable stall, had plenty to eat, loved for her success and kindness and was regularly checked over by a veterinarian to maintain her good health.
Last week, the Kentucky Humane Society Equine CARE team had been conducting a welfare check in Eastern Kentucky when they found the emaciated mare struggling to stay on her feet. Getting her back to Willow Hope Farm was her best chance at survival, and once she arrived, the staff was able to trace her name and much of her story.
Make It Kate, or “Kate,” as she is now being called is a registered 17-year-old Standardbred mare who earned more than $100,000 in harness racing in the span of eight years. It had been her grandfather, Matt’s Scooter, who retired as the world’s fastest Standardbred. When Kate raced, she won over 200 races and ended up in first, second and third positions more than 80 times.
Surely this girl deserved better than to have been abandoned.
Kate’s last registered owner passed away several years ago, so there’s no way to know who last cared for her. Kate may have changed ownership many times before being abandoned on a mountaintop without the care and dignity she deserved.
When discovered, Kate had a visible indentation on her nose where a halter once had been, she was missing two horseshoes and one of the remaining shoes which had partially come off, had been causing her to walk unevenly. One of the rescuers was able to pull the loose shoe free before loading her onto to the trailer.
As to Kate’s body condition, she was covered in rain rot, which is a bacterial skin infection caused by prolonged exposure to wet and humid conditions without being properly brushed and dried. She has visual impairment with a partially detached lens in her left eye, corneal disease in her right eye and cataracts in both eyes.
It breaks our heart to watch her struggle to see right in front of her. Thankfully, her sense of smell helps her find every meal. She is lethargic, but she is eating, and she absolutely loves attention!
Somewhere beneath all of this is a horse who remembers kindness and is ready to receive it again.
It will likely take months for Kate to recover from the severe emaciation and neglect she has endured. Everyone, is however rooting for Kate’s recovery.
Donations are needed to help Kate and the other horses undergoing lifesaving rescue from the team.
https://www.kyhumane.org/equine/give/
Note: Paul and Wendy Kubitskey were so moved by her story, they are offering to match gifts up to $10,000 which means every gift will double to help ensure that horses like Kate never have to face abandonment alone.
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