Your Rescue Stories!

Here's a quick update on Faith, before we get to your stories:

She is making steady progress lately. We haven't had any major setbacks lately, knock on wood! Right now my biggest challenge is getting rid of her thrush. Each night she gets a hoof packing with a bleach solution (ordered by my vet) and during the day she is treated with one remedy or another. Between her thrush treatments, hoof packings and wrapping her legs twice each day, my lower back permanently feels like it is on fire.

Brad Erickson will be by tomorrow to trim her and put hind shoes with trailers on to lessen the strain on her suspensories. Next Thursday Dr. Brad Barnes will be out to reevaluate her and do more chiropractic work on her hind end. Hopefully he'll see an improvement since the last time!

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Onto your stories...

I've had quite a bit of response from you regarding the horses that you've rescued. Below are two of the first to arrive in my inbox. I plan on posting a new one every few days, so keep them coming!

"Hello, My name is Sam, I live in Ohio, but I'm down in Kentucky for school. I've always been a huge rescue supporter, and your work with Faith has been a wonderful journey to read. So I'll share my rescue story with you, per your blog request.

It is about my own horse, a now 9 year old 15.2HH Tennesee Walking Horse named Trotzig Storm (Jake). At the time I met him he was an unruly newly gelded horse at the age of 2 1/2. He was bought for a man who had never sat on a horse, much less broken and trained one. Also a new owner. I saw the harm in this first thing, but only being 13 I couldn't really say anything. He was boarded at a friends farm where I free leased a horse. Soon they began the process of backing him, and at first, he was an angel. But then about 5 rides in, he started bucking and rearing and just throwing everyone off he could.

The owner, apparently lost interest in him, and he was neglected for a while. He was really underweight, and had turned nasty and mean. The issue with his throwing people turned out of the be wolf teeth. Once those were removed I was told to ride him (because they put me on every rank horse, I could sit their craziness).

Jake, apparently didn't want to be a gaited Walker, I taught him how to trot and canter, and at 3, he became my first horse. When he first got to the new barn, he was ewe necked, skinny and quite frankly, no one liked him and thought he was a waste of money. Well, they certainly ate their words! We do 3 day eventing together. He and I show Novice and school Training and Prelim levels, and we show 1st level Dressage and school 2nd level moves. No one believes he's a Walker, and no one certianly believes he was once a rescue horse."

Jake, at the age of 4:

Jake posing for the camera:
Jake working under saddle:

Sam - Great job with him! He is absolutely adorable and looks great! His topline has certainly improved with proper nutrition and conditioning. I love the second picture of him - look at the expressive face on that guy! And kudos to you for showing everyone up - rescued animals are usually the best!

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And from Tammy:

"Bucky was our first rescue horse, we adopted him in August 2007 from Spring Hill Rescue in Clarendon, VT. He was initially rescued by Gina at SHHR as a starved, filthy baby with strangles, he was in rough shape, his three companions at the auction had died. She brought him back to the rescue and nursed him back to health, until we came along and he picked us! We did not intend to get a 2 year old, and certainly not a thin little buck toothed colt. We brought him home and spent a lot of time working on his teeth, feeding, and training him. He is a very trusting little horse who will do anything you ask . . . considering what he's been through I consider this nothing short of amazing. He matured into a gorgeous little buckskin, no doubt Quarter Horse, who I hope to get trail riding this summer. His before photo from SHHR and a photo of him at a clinic last summer are attached. He also has his own blog where you can read his whole story including training updates: http://sweetspotfarm.blogspot.com/

We have since added two more horses from SHHR to our herd and feel greatful to be a part of these wonderful horse's lives. "

~Tammy

Tammy - Bucky looks great! He is built nicely and looks like he'll be pretty comfortable to ride. What a great transformation - keep us updated on his progress! I wish you the best of luck with him!

I plan on posting a few of these a week - keep them coming!

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