Neri’s story is a very special one, a story that clearly illustrates the strong, courageous nature of the horses on Calvana.
It all started in August 2019 , when our team first sighted him on Monte Maggiore during a routine inspection... a colt a little over one year old, with a badly fractured right foreleg.

A few days later we tried to organize a rescue, but Neri had disappeared and was nowhere to be fund. We thought he must have been attacked by wolves, and must be dead by now.

But unexpectedly, on the first of December 2019, a group of hunters around the Case le Cave locality, in the vicinity of Sofignano, near Vaiano, reported having seen a thin, hungry colt with an injured leg.
Hurrying to see for ourselves, we were amazed to find that it was the same colt, accompanied by a friend, a stallion who never left his side.
After a long afternoon’s work, in collaboration with Civil Protection, the Provincial Police, the City of Vaiano and some volunteers, the colt was captured and brought to safety in a shelter, where he received X-ray examination and first aid.


After medical examinations by various specialists, it was judged possible to operate on the injured leg, although the procedure would be long and hard. The operation, unique in its kind, would be possible only if Neri managed to regain weight and energy.

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And so we began to care for him. The analyses showed that he suffered from numerous stomach ulcers, which explained in part why he was so thin. In addition, his injured leg was badly swollen and infected.
To meet the cost of the veterinaries and pharmaceuticals, we started a fund collection. In the meantime, we received the crucially important aid of vitamin supplements and special feed donated by people operating in the horse sector.
Slowly, we saw that the colt was beginning to respond to this treatment and was getting stronger. And in spite of constant pain in his leg, his spirit too seemed revitalized.

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And so we arrived at April 2020, when Neri was finally in shape to face the operation that was necessary to make him independent again.
On April 16, he was taken to the Andromeda horse clinic, where an outstanding team of veterinaries operated on him the next day.
The operation took a very long time ... nearly 5 hours, with 5 veterinaries at work. It was not entirely certain that he would reawaken from such deep anesthesia.
The veterinaries had to break the old callus over the injury, to set the bone, removing all of the excess tissue that had formed over the months, to insert two plates and a very special system for locking the plaster cast in place, consisting of pins inserted in the radius to hold it securely.
In addition, bone marrow was taken from the tibia to help a new callus to form.
​We sincerely thank the veterinaries in the operating room for their amazing achievement:  Dr. Troka, Dr. del Taglia, Dr. Losani, Dr. Del Rosso, Dr. Balderi, and the Andromeda clinic where Neri is now recovering.

 

And now comes the hardest time for Neri, the post-operatory stage.
His convalescence will be a long one. Up to the end of May we cannot tell whether the operation has been entirely successful and whether Neri will be able to live a free, independent life again.
In the meantime, we would like to ask you to continue to support this strong, courageous colt, who has fought so hard to stay alive, and has taught us never to lose hope.
​Our deepest thanks go to all those who have made a donation for Neri.

To continue to help him and to face the costs of his medication, pharmaceuticals, treatment and feed:
 

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