Warmed by Windchill: A Tiny Colt’s Fight for Life

One bitterly cold winter afternoon, a nine-month-old colt―extremely weak, starving, left to die―was frozen to the rock-hard white landscape of a northern Wisconsin pasture. His whinny for help barely carried through thirty-mile-an-hour winds lashing snow and ice against his thin coat. But somewhere inside him a light refused to go out.

The colt's call for help was answered, and that light inspired a worldwide response to his story. The struggle of the little colt, called Windchill by his rescuers, was reported widely, and soon 1.2 million people were following Windchill's progress on a blog and webcam.

Warmed by Windchill tells how Jeffrey L. Tucker, owner of nearby Raindance Farms, and Kathi Davis, owner of a horse training operation co-located at Raindance, rescued and cared for the colt, aided by an outpouring of assistance. Donations of money, feed, blankets, and other supplies streamed in as round-the-clock volunteers tried to save Windchill. Warmed by Windchill is both heartening and heartbreaking.

Jeffrey L. Tucker, an equine and animal enthusiast, is a healthcare executive by day. He is committed to the work of the Windchill Legacy Ltd., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting equine rescue and education and serves on several non-profit cultural and children's welfare organizations. He lives in Cental Wisconsin.