Mojo
Mojo is a completely blind young Friesian gelding.
Click the box to check out the most current information on Mojo's progress.
Click the box to check out the most current information on Mojo's progress.
Welcome to our only Non-Feline resident!
It was a bit out of the ordinary, but we had an opportunity to help an animal in need and with encouragement from special donors, we went for it. We would never have spent money from WAC's budget for a non-feline. But when we put the word out about a blind two-year old Friesian gelding that needed help, we got an immediate response from supporters specifically for him. He was at a horse rescue facility near Seattle, WA, that also has a wolf project called Wolftown! Wolves...cats... it's a small world in the carnivore circles and one of our volunteers works there now. She recommended that they put a call in to us.
"Mojo" lost his eyesight as a yearling when he suffered from an aneurysm during a routine gelding surgery. He was well traveled, having been born in Canada, bought by a woman in Alaska, and shipped to Washington state to see specialists to possibly regain his eyesight. There was permanent damage and he is stone blind. The owner had no more money left to ship him back home to Alaska and was at a loss. She was about to have him euthanized in WA, when she found Wolftown! and sent him to their rescue facility. He had been at the horse rescue project ever since. They placed him with a loving home, but his special needs became more than they were prepared for and they asked to return him. That's where WAC stepped in. We immediately got donations for Mojo from Equine Advocates in NY and Manzagol Family Foundation to build him his own box stall, paddock, and small arena. Sundowner Horse Trailers contributed by selling us a trailer at cost--which can also now be used as a large cat transporter. Director Dawn Simas drove up to Seattle to get him and bring him to his new home. He's a sweet soul and and is thriving in the loving environment with the WAC volunteers. We see no reason that he cannot attain full potential of a sighted horse with verbal commands and trusting relationships. We like to look at what he can accomplish and not what he will never be able to do.
Thank you to author Laura Beeman, owner of Stoney Wood Friesians in California, for writing Mojo's inspiring story in a new book and donating all proceeds to his care!
"MOJO, The Blind Friesian" - A True Story About Overcoming Challenges
From the Foreward:
"Foreward"... An appropriate title for my section of this book considering that "forward" was the first voice command that I taught Mojo when he arrived. He needed to learn how to walk on a lead rope and was afraid to take a step, for fear of running me over or for fear of walking off a cliff. A true credit to his wonderful breed, in combination with his individual good sense, he adapted to his blindness by never going anywhere fast. The challenge with Mojo was getting him to go, not to stop.
Many people I've met have stated that if their horse went suddenly blind, they'd have no choice but to put them down because they'd be a danger to themselves and their caretakers. This was not so with Mojo. He is very careful and cautious. When he wants to vent some coltish energy, he happily runs and bucks in a tight circle, which he has learned is safe from obstacles.
Mojo is an outstanding student, ironically free from the distraction of looking for invisible horse monsters. At first, Mojo seemed so alone in his dark world, always reaching out to people cautiously. But, after establishing a consistent relationship, and never letting him down when he put his trust in me, I watched him blossom. Once he started to act on his trust, with confidence, he made his breakthrough. Putting his 1100 pound frame of flight-based muscle in the palm of my hand would bring tears to my eyes. As a matter of fact, that is what I find so moving about a relationship with anyl horse. And Mojo is really no different. I like to concentrate on those things he can accomplish and not those he will never be able to do.
From the day that he arrived, afraid to take a step, Mojo has been moving "forward" ever since. A brave soul, he is, and I am so blessed to have met him.
- Dawn Simas
Softback - 8"x8"
60 pages
$15.00 - All proceeds go to Mojo's care.
Buy it at our secure Paypal online store!
You can buy Mojo's book locally in Auburn, CA, at Echo Valley Ranch on Nevada Street. Thank you to Echo Valley for selling his book and also for supplying Mojo with quality feed and supplies at a discount, which helps immensely!
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