Horse with cognitive disorder defies odds thanks to generosity of strangers – Halifax [Video]

When Easy the horse was born a month ago, she was anything but.

The little foal was born with a rare cognitive disorder and her owners at Meadow Brook Stables in Alton, N.S., weren’t sure she’d make it.

“Unfortunately during the (birthing) process, the mare stood up, and pulled Easy back in and she aspirated some fluid because of that,” said Kaila Watters, a co-owner of the stables.

“It became apparent very quickly that she was more than just an aspiration, that she actually had dummy foal syndrome or neonatal maladjustment syndrome.”

The rare disorder only occurs in about two per cent of newborn foals.

“Basically its like their brain isn’t turned on,” explained Watters.

“So she struggled with basic life skills like standing, she didn’t recognize the mare, she would get stuck in corners, bumping into the wall, she couldn’t see.”

But her owners didn’t want to give up on her, so they started giving the foal intensive treatments — …