Ulysses came to Hanaeleh from Riverside Animal Shelter. He was slated to be put down because he was neurological; he had been severely abused and his abusers had abandoned him in the riverbed to starve to death. Ulysses was covered in scars across his body, with so much scar tissue on his legs he most likely had several bowed tendons. He is unable to stand still on three feet (he loses his balance and moves forward), but with daily turnout he has kept his feet trimmed. One of the complications of his neurological issues is the fact that his vision is slightly compromised, so we do have to be careful around him as he doesn’t know exactly where people are. Over the past few years, Ulysses has gained his weight back and his much healthier, but he will never be able to be ridden.
One of the most wonderful things about Ulysses, however, is the fact that he is one of the sweetest horses ever. Even after all of the abuse he suffered, he shows no malice towards humans. He enjoys running around the arena, and one of the games I like to play with him is to call to him from the opposite side of the arena- it takes him a few moments to understand that I am not at the arena gate (because of his vision, he cannot see across the arena unless there is movement). He usually comes running when I call to him, and will follow me back to the gate.