Roxanne

Roxanne arrived at Horses of Tir Na Nog in September 2012.

She had once had a loving, caring owner who wanted to be sure Roxanne would be cared for, forever. When her owner died, Roxanne was left in the care of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Due to her age and condition, HSUS elected not to transport her the distance to one of the HSUS owned and operated equine facilities in Texas or Oregon. They chose Horses of Tir Na Nog. We were chosen based on excellent recommendations and because our sanctuary location will allow HSUS staff in San Diego to remain connected with Roxanne's needs.

She arrived with a reputation of being a bit of a challenge. That proved to be false. She was a sweetheart and quickly became a favorite among our volunteers. She immediately befriended Chief Joseph, who was only a year or two older than she was. As two “senior citizens,” they made an adorable couple. When the time came to say farewell to Chief Joseph, Roxanne seemed to connect even more strongly with our volunteers.

During her time with us, Roxanne defied her age. No one that met her guessed that she was over thirty years old. She lived a pain free, active life. Her one medical condition was a number of melanomas. Melanomas are benign growth common among older grey horses.

On February 1, she showed signs of colic, intestinal discomfort, when she wasn't interested in breakfast. She was normally a very good eater, so our veterinarian came out immediately. Oil was passed into her stomach to help lubricate any blockage. By Sunday her appetite had not returned, so our veterinarian came back out to administer IV fluids and additional pain medication. Monday morning she was still not interested in food. Fortunately, her pain level remained very moderate all three days. But it was clear that further treatment would only prolong her decline and cause her pain. We suspect that one of her melanomas may have grown in such a way that it impacted her ability to digest food.

Roxanne will be missed by all of us. She held a special place in our hearts as a gentle girl who loved being brushed. We were proud to work with HSUS to provide her with the best life possible. Since she never showed her age, we can only imagine how young she is now that she has passed over the Rainbow Bridge and we know that she and Chief Joseph are flying across lush, green fields together.