Hello, my name is Amanda Steen, I am Apollo's owner and mom. Originally from Kentucky, Apollo is a 16-year-old retired racehorse. My family and I purchased Apollo on November 18th, 2024 during the peak of COVID-19. During this time I was struggling with virtual school and battling depression. I had a part-time job at a barn near my house teaching young children how to ride. Working every day with such amazing creatures ignited a passion and a goal of one day owning my very own horse. Horses have always been my passion and owning a horse was a dream since I was a little girl. When Apollo came into my life it was a dream come true and a saving grace for me. From that day on a typical day consisted of school, barn, eat, sleep repeat. Going to the barn was my therapy and owning Apollo got me out of a very dark place. I started to become a more serious equestrian, Apollo and I started full training and a consistent show schedule if his health allowed but Apollo came with some baggage when we first got him. He was extremely asthmatic and was a "non-sweater". In horses, sweating is detrimental to their health as sweating is one of the number one ways horses control their body temperature. I was told he would probably never be able to be a true athlete because of this. I didn't care, we had a connection from the first time I rode him I knew he was the one. He was the first horse I tried when searching for a horse of my own and the second I sat on him we just clicked. Within 2 weeks of me owning him, his asthma was minimal and he was able to sweat perfectly fine after working. I was his saving grace as much as he was mine. I have been lucky enough to have him in Gainesville FL with me while I continue college and we have still been able to sneak in a few shows here and there. He has been with me every step of the way, always being there for me when I needed him most. Now it is my turn to do the same for him. As many know owning a horse is NOT cheap, I have been blessed with AMAZING parents who have given me wonderful opportunities such as owning a horse. But with that comes emergencies and unexpected medical and maintenance fees. For those unaware of what colic is; Colic in horses is defined as abdominal pain, but it is a clinical symptom rather than a diagnosis. The term colic can encompass all forms of gastrointestinal conditions which cause pain as well as other causes of abdominal pain not involving the gastrointestinal tract. Left untreated colic is in most cases lethal to equines. Colic surgery is no joke, as it is very difficult and strenuous on horses mentally, physically, and emotionally. Monday morning 6/26/2024 Apollo was found thrashing in his pasture with castings all over his face, sweating, shaking, and persistently rolling on the ground. Emergency vets were called and recommended he be taken to UF's large animal hospital as soon as possible. Within 30 minutes of arrival, doctors recommended surgery as soon as they could to see exactly what was going on in Apollo's abdomen. What surgeons found was an impaction and an intestinal twist, resulting in the removal of 10 feet of Apollo's small intestine. Thankfully he made it out of surgery, just to be put back under 2 days later because something was still not right. Doctors took a look but found nothing wrong during their second procedure. After decompressing and flushing his intestinal tract we must wait as Apollo's intestines must start on their own. Colic surgery is not a joke and neither is the price tag that comes along with it. My family and I started this go fund me to help raise funds for Apollo's surgery and recovery costs as they are large, but any donation will help us reach our goal. All funds will go directly to the University of Florida Equine teaching hospital located in Gainesville Florida. Biggest thanks to all doctors and surgeons working on Apollo's case. Thank you all for the prayers and support through this unprecedented time for us. We appreciate everything, let's do this for Apollo! Links: What is colic in horses UF large animal hospital 
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