Stories

JoJo is the right horse. And to think she would have taken the last trailer ride of her life, if it hadn’t been for Julie and her team doing what they do. I’m so thankful. Our barn is now full, and we are having fun camping, trail riding and making lots of memories.

We both felt like this was a sign from up above that Nevero was meant to be with me. I have used her in parades, drill team practice, trail rides and my “therapy” sessions when I’m having a bad day. Nevero has brought the joy of horses back to me that I thought I had lost.

Blue Blue Sea lived more than seven years after that diagnosis and brought me some of the best years of my life. People who have heard his story tell me that there seemed something akin to destiny to it all, that the two of us were meant to be together.

Since adopting Matty four and a half years ago, we have traveled to many shows and learned so much together. He truly is my heart horse and has taught me more than I could ever teach him.

When we went to pick him up it was one of the coldest days of the year. Savannah was so excited about her new friend she could barely stand the three hour drive. It was love at first sight and now the two of them are inseparable.

The very first time I rode him, everyone at the barn remarked that he actually looked happy. The trainer at the barn and the various other riders convinced me that if anyone was going to turn Prince’s life around, it had to be me.

My Animal Control officers will think I’m a horse hoarder, but I ended up adopting two mares – Callie, my new trail prospect, and Korra, a little mini to keep Callie and my Morgan, Kim, company as a pasture pal.

Cowboy continues to inspire and humble me. All this beautiful horse needed was a chance. How blessed and fortunate are we to have him to love, to share, to ride and to appreciate the amazing horse he is.

Gabe was one of the first horses I met at Days End Farm Horse Rescue when I first started volunteering and he had immediately caught my eye. He was too high level for me then – a brand new volunteer with no previous horse experience at all.

Cancer and turning 50 shook me into a now or never moment. My daughter was 16 and riding at least three times a week always asking me when I was going to get my own horse, so I could trail ride with her and it hit me… now was the time!

The lesson program would get a lot of “retiree” racehorses and give them a second career, however, in Mogul’s case, it was his third. He was so much fun to ride…even though he had no idea why he was no longer supposed to just go as fast as he could. I was the third person to ride him at our barn, but the first to ask to do it again…

Cicada Faith was about 1 1/2 to 2 years old in a kill pen waiting to be shipped to slaughter when I found her. A Facebook group had posted her picture online and I immediately fell in love, however, I was not looking for a second horse at the time…