I will be changing this page to honor my beloved Arabian mare Firefly.  and to help educate those that may be in the same hopeless situation.. Metabolic Founder.. lots of our Equine friends founder, mostly due to rich and fatty diets. but if your friend suddenly develops a fat roll along their neck you must MUST take caution, with Diet changes , and corrective shoes and medications you can buy time, but that is all you will be doing.. borrowing time. if your beloved horse is diagnosed with Metabolic problems , in the end , diet , shoes , medications do nothing.. as with horses who are plain foundering and in most cases with shoes and time can come back from it , so long as you knock off the alfalfa and rich grains.. those with Metabolic problems founder all the time.. even if they are denied their yummy goodies like apples and carrots and anything sweet , and put on a flat bermuda only diet, no grain , no grazing, NO NOTHING..they live in a constant state of founder.. i didnt know this , and 3 years ago for the 1st time ever i saw her limping but no other signs of pain, my farrier and HIS vet came , they did xrays and yes she had signifigant coffin bone rotation.. she was given a tranq to settle her as the work would be long and tiring for her and the farrier . she was sore for a day.. one day.. and she was back to her normal zany funny faced self.. this year 2016 towards the end of january i saw her standing extremely oddly . and my heart stopped cold.. i had a sick and scared feeling that our time .. Time what a funny word... but i suddenly knew that our time was over. the Farrier came .. and the vet came .. they did xrays and everyone went home.. for 3 more days i was in agony , i could be selfish , demand better shoes , meds to keep her from hurting. but once i saw the xrays i knew i would never do that, because with the metabolic disorder, there was no stopping the founder as her body was lying to its self saying she was getting all that yummy fat rich food.. i didnt want to come out and see her unable to rise and struggle or be in the agony of having her coffin bone punch thru the sole of her hoof ..so on friday the 26th of Feb. 2016 , the vet came back, and we talked but i had spent hours with my beloved girl, she got all her favorites , apples carrots grain an alfalfa birthday cake.. and Time.. by 9am it was over and my heart still feels dead inside.. if you rescue a horse or even are breeding them you MUST be aware of the fact that any horse with Metabolic disorders , will founder . no matter what .. its going to happen.. and if thats something you are willing to put your horse thru , that is your decision.. but be fair about it.. ive had many horses in my life , rescues and those that i saw wanted and bought.. but this lil Arabian princess.. she was something amazing , she touched alot of lives, and if you were truly good of heart, she gave you her most precious gifts , her love and trust. not many had that, i can tell you there were only 5.. 5 lucky people who received those gifts and let me tell you ..they were earned.. no shortcuts with her.. i miss her .. i cant function right .. i cant eat , sleep and its so hard now to breathe , outside is a hell for me as the joyous calls from her are gone and the silence is ... it beats on me.. she was the last of a big herd of mismatched , outcast, rescues and today.. i cant say if ill ever do another.. there are so many out there that need someone ..  but this special girl seems to have taken my heart with her , forgot to leave it behind before she crossed Rainbow Bridge.. maybe shes keeping it safe for me , maybe she knew she was going to see all her old stable mates and just forgot to leave my heart .. no matter , its in good safe company .. just dont know how to live without my heart now.. please please check your beloved equine for metabolic disorders and do whats needed to either slow the inevitable or give them the kindness and let them go before they suffer needlessly...this is what it is to own a special needs horse. you lose your heart... and suffer the pain of deciding when enough is enough .. never be harsh.. you will regret it later , always use a kind hand and quiet voice , dance with your horse.. lay in meadows and read a book, take a nap with your horse, make Time Count