DAVIE, Fla. – The owner of Double Flush Stables in Davie said a horse was abandoned at her property this week. She said it is the fourth time a horse has been abandoned at her stables.
Christie Wales said the horse dumped at her stables this week was in worse condition than the others.
Wales is now nursing the gelding back to health as he is exhausted and in pain while fighting a major infection.
"He's got a copious amount of bug bites over him, and then, because he's itchy, he bites himself," Wales said. "Because he's an animal, he lives in the dirt. Infection is super common."
Wales said she was feeding her other animals Monday morning when she saw the horse wandering aimlessly in her driveway, and a woman with a trailer in the street, crying.
"(She said) that she's sorry and she didn't know where else to go and that I was her only hope for fixing him," Wales said.
Wales agreed to take the horse, which was bruised and malnourished.
She said she now needs the community’s help to take care of him.
"They can call my vet and help pay the vet bill that's racking up. I've had this horse for a day and I'm near $2,000 now," Wales said.
Wales named the horse Neptune.
She said he's doing better now that he's been showered, fed and given antibiotics, but his mouth is still bleeding, he's urinating blood and his fever is high.
"What's the proper thing someone should do if they have a horse they can't take care of?" Local 10 News reporter Madeleine Wright asked Wales.
"Call your vet. Don't get something you're not committed to," Wales said. "Because these guys, they live for 30 years if you take care of them, and this guy's 12 and fighting for his life."
Neptune currently weighs about 1,100 pounds, but for his size, he should weigh 1,800 pounds, Wales said.
Neptune is Wales' 39th horse on her farm. She also has a porcupine, prairie dog, parrots, ponies, fish and multiple dogs.
Wales is accepting donations to pay for Neptune's veterinarian bills and medication, as well as hay to feed him.
Anyone wanting to help Wales with Neptune's costs can call her at 954-815-8459.