Sugar & Spice

Sugar and her bonded friend Spice came to Sunrise in June 2023 as part of a neglect case from the Sierra foothills. Sugar was the most emaciated mare in the breeding operation there. Her condition on admission was concerning, as she had lost almost all of her fat stores and much of her muscle mass. Sugar colicked many times in her first few months with us, and it soon became apparent that there was also sand trapped in her intestines, caused by searching for food on the ground over time.

The repeated episodes of colic delayed her weight gain, but with attentive care from Sunrise staff, volunteers, and veterinarians, Sugar responded and is now living happily with Spice in the Sunrise Sanctuary. 

Sugar’s journey towards health continues as she slowly learns to trust her carers at Sunrise and is beginning to accept more touch and gentle handling. 

When we heard about  Sugar’s plight, we were told that there was another horse that needed help, albeit not quite as desperately as Sugar. Wanting to remove her from the risky situation and knowing that a bonded companion would reduce stress from the move for Sugar, we brought Spice in with her.

Spice was very thin when she came to Sunrise but not quite as thin as Sugar. She also gained slowly at first while we found ways to heal her body and provided a low-stress environment. Spice received some much-needed supplements to make up for long-term malnutrition and now is a beautiful and healthy mare, still tightly bonded to Sugar as they move together in their herd of two.