Looking down at the pasture, watching the three horses run, you can hardly tell that the little brown filly has a minor limp. Just 6 months ago, two veterinarians recommended euthanasia.

But luckily for Twinkle, a third thought she was worth trying to help.

Twinkle was emaciated and barely able to walk when Susannah Jones first found her at a ranch in Oregon. The foal had suffered some sort of blunt force trauma that shattered her shoulder. After transporting Twinkle back to California, the long process of recovery began.

“We let her get over the journey and then had to get her feet trimmed, as the (hoof on the) good front leg she was using was grown out a couple of inches and had curled round under her sole and was beginning to grow into it,” Jones said at the time. “The other leg was withered.”

“When I first met Twinkle in the fall of 2010, she had sustained an old shoulder injury that made it almost impossible for her to walk,” said Penn Valley veterinarian Linda Reznicek. “She had no muscle over her right shoulder, could hardly put weight on that leg, and had a very small club foot on that side. All had given up hope that she would ever have quality of life. However, I saw a spark in her eye that made me believe she wanted to live. So I decided to treat her and see if her body would respond. It did.

“After only one acupuncture treatment, Twinkle started putting muscle on her right shoulder,” Reznicek said. “Slowly, over the course of several monthly acupuncture treatments, Twinkle can now run and play like other horses, with just a slight limp. Her right shoulder muscles are equal to her left, and her hoof is almost normal. She has responded amazingly. She is an awesome example of the miracles that can happen with good care and love, and ancient Chinese medicine.”

Reznicek is continuing to treat Twinkle and thus far, she's seen amazing improvement.

The sweet filly is now available for adoption, Jones said; interested parties can contact Jones' daughter, Kristina, at Kristina@sammiesfriends.org.

“After all Twinkle has been through, it's amazing to see how happy she is and how much she loves the company of people,” Jones said. “We are excited about the idea of her going to a loving forever home. That way, we can rescue more in need; there are just so many homeless horses.”

Sammie's Friends helped Jones raise almost $1,000 back in October, but that money has already been spent on vet bills, food, a new blanket and more.

“Cheryl Wicks is an amazing woman,” Jones said. “I wouldn't have been able to afford to get Twinkle all of the care she has received without Cheryl and the wonderful people in our community that were willing

to help.”