Horse with an eye tumor to receive treatment

Meet the gentlest girl this side of anywhere. Tonta the horse probably wouldn’t have the heart to swish a fly away with her tail. (Well, okay, maybe just one swish…) And when you learn what she’s dealing with, you’ll agree she deserves extra praise for being such an upbeat and cheerful gal.

Horse with tumor on her eye

Tonta came to Best Friends because of a large tumor in her eye. In fact, ‘large’ doesn’t really describe it. It’s enormous. Poor girl! She’ll be going into the Guardian Angel program to have that eye checked out and taken care of. Because the tumor is so big, there are concerns about how best to remove it and still be able to close the wound off afterward. Depending on tests, Tonta may need to see a specialist. In the meantime, she’s playing the part of greeter to the visitors who drop by.

Jumpy horse

New friends are always welcome to say ‘hello’. She can’t see out of the eye that has the tumor, though, and so sometimes she’s a bit jumpy if anyone approaches her blind side without letting her know first by sound. Yet, she’s quick to forgive! Tonta loves a good head scratch as much as the next girl. At 20 years old, Tonta should have plenty of years ahead of her to make and meet friends, both the horse kind and the people kind. Once the tumor is all squared away and she’s back to health, you can bet her already-charming personality will only improve. For a girl who’s this nice when things are rough, it’s a safe bet Tonta will be ready for a home in no time. Welcome, Tonta!

Adopt a horse from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

Photo by Molly Wald