UPDATE: Lily’s cause of death: A broken neck
Lily, the horse who gained national attention after getting shot up with a paintball gun, apparently died from a fall, causing her neck to break.
Dr. Rose Nolen-Walston, associate professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine at New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, tends to this 20-year-old Arabian horse who was shot with 130 rounds from a paintball gun earlier this year. Lily died Monday. Submitted photo
Tracey Stewart, who with her TV personality husband Jon adopted the horse last month, said she had grown to love the horse and spent much time with her at their 12-acre Bufflehead Farm in Colts Neck, New Jersey.
“Lily loved her time in the paddock munching on grass,” Tracey Stewart said. “During the day Lily got massages, baths and lots and lots of hugs. She slept soundly in her barn listening to soft music. Her favorite Pandora channel was Ray Lamontagne. “
Stewart said although they took very good care of the 20-year old Appaloosa/Arabian mix, it had health issues, some of them relating to the abuse she suffered at the hands of the person or persons who pelted her with paintballs while she was at the New Holland Sales Stables in Lancaster County earlier this year.
“Her bones were very frail,” Stewart said. “ She stumbled and fell hard on her neck causing a break. When we knew there was nothing more we could do for her we covered her in kisses and kind words and said our good-byes. Our hearts are aching we had so many more fun plans for her. She was beyond special and beyond loved.”
Stewart said she has no regrets adopting Lily, and she said she feels comforted she and her husband were able to treat the horse well in its final days.
“The hardest part of adopting animals that have suffered neglect is that you often don’t get to spend as much time as your heart would have liked,” she said.
The person or persons responsible for Lily’s injuries from the paintball gun still have not been caught. A reward of $10,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those who shot Lily. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is contributing $4,000 toward the reward, the Humane Society another $5,000, and Omega Horse Rescue is chipping in $1,000.
http://www.dailylocal.com/article/DL/20160620/NEWS/160629978
Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse Health, Horse News
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
At least Lily spent her last days in comfort and with loving people. Thank you to the Stewarts and everyone who helped them.
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Sad. It is not sad that Lily passed on because everyone and everything passes on but the abuse that she suffered (and many more animals suffer every single day) is the part that is sad. Lily, at least, did have good care and friends at the end of her life and that is a blessing.
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RIP, Lilly, and prayers and positive energy for your kind adopters at this difficult time.
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Lily was a purebred Arabian mare and was closer to 30+ years not 20, she was owned by a lady who had her for 15 years as a lesson horse and when she was no longer able to generate money for her she called the kill buyer to dispose of her, not only that she is an USEF steward who is to protect the welfare of the horses at a show
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Animals are just a commodity for some heartless humans aren’t they:(! Poor Lily who was used up as a lesson horse; she must have been a sweetheart to endure countless inexperienced mounts year after year. What kind of person dumps a horse with a kill buyer, especially after being of such service to so many people?! She didn’t even have a heart to find Lily a safe loving forever home to live out her life. Thankfully she was adopted; loved and cared for in her final days. RIP Lily. 🕊
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RIP, Lily.. At least she was loved & cared for by the Stewarts & everyone else involved who truly cared about her. She spent her last days with people who truly cared about her. Too many of our beloved equines do not experience the same result here. They are just tossed away like they are nothing, & I hate the humans who have no regard or compassion for all of the innocent horses & wild burros, or any other creatures who have a right to exist. I just cannot comprehend what some humans do to the innocent ones.
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RIP Lily
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How sad. But at least she was rescued and knew kindness and, I hope, some happiness. She may have had internal injuries from that unbelievably vicious paintball incident too. 😦 Thanks to the Stewarts and others involved in her rescue and care.
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Lily’s story can help shine a much needed spotlight into a very dark place
ANIMALS’ ANGELS INVESTIGATIONS
New Holland Auction, PA; 3/21/16
http://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horses/new-holland-auction-pa-3-21-16
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