by Charlie Burdge, Adoptor

Having Lila and Layla here is a hoot, a high, heavenly, hilarious, and hard. Our story is similar to every other story about Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue adoption; and though each horse and each experience has differences, we hold fast to Dr. Golub’s mission.

We’ve come at it from the perspective of “equine gerontology” -- 20 years of caring for elderly horses until they die. Our farm is small, 2 ½ acres-- zoning here in Killingworth allows two horses at a time. When a companion dies, the one left behind mourns deeply. None of our elderly horses were technically rescued—not considered survivors of horrendous conditions and treatment.

Lila, a 20-year-old Shetland pony, came to us from CDHR after having been rescued with Oliver and Spencer from deplorable, unspeakable conditions.

Lila rescued our Penny— a 36-year-old thoroughbred who was in deep, sorrowful mourning at the passing of her longtime companion Harmony. Lila’s kindness and life experience brought Penny to life, uplifted her will to live.

Lila became Penny’s protector, and then nurse as Penny dealt with medical issues. They cared for each other. We’ve a photo posted in the barn—an unusually warm March day, snow on the ground. Penny standing, her old bones soaking up the warm sun—Lila lying on the ground beside her in her heavy winter coat, cooled by Penny’s shade/shadow. Emblematic of their relationship. Considering other circumstances, I think either strong characters would have been the dominant one but they had a discussion and came to an agreement. They respected each other.

Penny was near death a few times, so I visited CDHR-- a companion for Lila in mind. It was suggested I consider Layla, an 18-year-old Percheron cross. Brenda Vynalek introduced me to Layla in a paddock—I don’t think I saw Layla’s face the whole time I was there—her head deep into a slow feeder box.

Lila and Penny were together for a year and a half. Penny died on a cold morning, March 11, 2017. I brought Lila in to say goodbye but she seemed more confused than anything. She called and searched during the day.

We brought Layla in on March 13th. The wind chill was below 10. When I took her off the trailer, she was sopping wet, scared to death— another trailer taking her who knows where. She’d been to auction twice- CDHR rescued her from slaughter. We don’t have separate turn out, so I put Layla into her stall and dried her. Lila in the paddock. Layla hung her head out the half door, Lila a few feet away.

They’d get to know each other in adjoining stalls the next day during a blizzard. When they finally got together there was no discussion, no coming to an agreement— Layla was the boss. Lila understood and was fine. She knew Layla would not hurt her. The story of their relationship and escapades is too long for the purpose of this post. Suffice to say, they get along and care for each other. They’ve been together nearly 3 ½ years.

Layla “shoos” Lila away from hay and Lila scoots away. The relationship works.

Layla’s laminitis flared up in April, 2019-- her shooing has become slow motion, so Lila strolls away. Lila’s right eye has become opaque from cataracts so now positions herself to keep one eye on Layla while they are eating. Layla is high strung-- when she gets spooky, she’ll simply look to Lila who tells her to “be cool.”

The courage Layla summons each morning is breathtaking—after getting a boot onto her painful right front, she needs to place her weight onto that painful hoof in order to have a left front boot installed. Some mornings, she can barely put weight on her right front but tries and tries and tries so hard to lift until she does enough to get the boot on. All the while, Lila is with her- standing at her stall guard watching to make sure Layla is OK.

Dr. Golub, along with Joe Santos-- our talented, caring Farrier, are providing Lila and Layla a good quality of life. And for that, we could not be more grateful.

Stress and uncertain times come and go— elemental to CDHR’s mission: ”It’s all about the horses” is a certainty. And a privilege, blessing, joy, soulful, enriching……"