Sunshine, rainbows, puppies, kittens, sunshine, rainbows...

OK, after yesterday, we really do need to look at something better (and possibly bleach out our brains, yuck, yuck, yuck...) so I'm going to spotlight some more of your much-loved fugly horses and rescues. To all of you who are great homes for your horses, fugly or not, hooray for you. Thank you for all of your stories and pics, whether or not they make the blog, I appreciate them all!




"I have a rescued TB jumper who eats double a normal horse (he's 17 hands and VERY large boned). His left fetlock sags on a leg that's over at the knee. When it's cold, he limps and I give him a tiny bit of bute. The polo pony TB is 22 and was going to a guy who starves them and puts 225 lumps of human flesh on them. He says if they're starved, they won't dump the lump of s___. This pony is 14.2 hands. Yes, 225 lbs. That's how I got him. They put a 225 lb man on him and ran him for two chukkers (7 min. each) at full speed turning and stopping. He tore a tendon. Since he wasn't even the guy's horse who put the fat blob on him, I contacted the owner and got the horse. She had gone to have a baby and had no idea they were using her horse. The third rescue was my baby when he was 3. He came from the track because his trainer loved him. She had begged the owner not to run him in his last race because he had an unhealed suspensory torn on one front leg. The owner made her run him and he tore the other one. He would have gone to be a French steak, and he is a grandson of Mr. Prospector!!!!"





"I just wanted to show you one of my horses that have come from an auction. i have 6 horses and have got them all as abused, starved, or slaughterhouse bound. here is my 8 Year old Standardbred GELDING. who was sent to auction as an unmanageable stud. he is now being used for trails, lessons and for mentally challenged riders. he is an amazing horse and very glad to have him. what scares me is the the asshat owner that had him previously to me, was terrified of him, so let him go in whatever paddocks he wanted, breed whatever he wanted, etc. the day after i had him he was gelded, and now he is amazing. here are some photos. he doesnt have terrible conformation but is not worthy of being bred, especially where there is "such a HUGE demand" for unaccomplished standardbreds."












"This is a picture of my 3 yr old grandson, and my 37 year old horse. He was the 4th generation of my family to ride her. I bought her when I got my first job straight out of High School in 1972. She was 4.. My parents both ride her a few times. I went to school for some training, got a job in Atlanta, and moved her south with me from Pennsylvania. I met my husband while he was attending school there, we married when he graduated, and moved to Texas, taking her with us. Almost as soon as I moved here, I got the hunter- jumper bug, and switched from western trail riding, to hunter over fences. She taught all three of my children to ride, and I bred her at 21, to a friends Arab Stallion. My daughter and I have trained her son, gelded at 18 months, in several different disciplines. He drives, jumps, hunter limit only, rides western, a little dressage, and jousts. My daughter broke the old mare to drive at 25. She developed some arthritis in her hocks over the years, but was fine for easy riding well into her 30s. When I became a grandma, my daughter introduced her son to horses at a very early age. He was riding the old mare by himself at 2, with someone close by, and a hay string tied from crown piece to saddle horn, so she couldn't put her head down to eat grass while he was riding her. She was 36. I had to put her down at 38, when she wasn't eating enough to hold her weight, no matter what we tried, to peak her appetite. The hardest part of this decision was taking my grandson's horse away. He was there when the vet gave her the injection, and pulled the tarp over her when it started to rain after she was gone. He still includes her in his bedtime prayers, but is now, at 4 1/2 , riding a friends 22 yr old 1/2 QH 1/2 Welsh pony. Her son is now 17, and I ride him as a mounted patrol officer, as well as jousting and SCA games. I still miss the old girl as I owned her most of my life."









FHOTD in: I love a good before and after!

"This is about Buckley, a standardbred gelding i acquired 2 years ago, as a skinny little 3yr old. He is now 5 and has grown over a hand since i got him, now just under 16hh. He recently did his first ODE for the year and came 2nd in a field of 22 non-fuglies hehe. He's nothing special looks wise but has THE BEST temperament ever and is such a fun horse to have around! So here's a pic of him when i got him."











"Here he is at dressage club."

FHOTD back in: This is what I like to see! Her hard work and attention to proper nutrition has turned this horse from a typical $50 at auction, headed for the Mexico Express horse to a competitive dressage horse who has a great chance of finding another good home even if she cannot keep him for life. This is what I mean when I talk about setting horses up for success. It's like teaching your kids to read early and helping them with their homework. It's putting someone on the right track to a great life - and yes, it takes time and effort. Kudos to all of you who take the time and put in the effort!