Although the Fugly blog is not exactly a formal rescue (and I am not looking to make it one), we have managed to upgrade some horses in the past year through our readership. Today I want to give some updates on how those horses are doing! I am sure I am missing some, so please post to the comments if you rescued/upgraded a horse featured on the blog and have new pics and stories to share. I did not deliberately forget you, but it is early and the coffee is still kicking in.
First of all, who can forget poor Scarlet, registered name Hanks QD Too? She was ridden through the ring at the Pony Express Auction in horrible condition and sold for $35. The auctioneer gave her to Julie, who offered to rehab her for 4-H. (And unlike our friend MeSue the low-life horse dealer, Julie was telling the truth!) After her rescue, she was found to be a daughter of AQHA Champion Impressive Bar Leo out of a daughter of AQHA Champion Blondy's Dude who'd had many foals for her former owners (by incredibly poorly chosen stallions. My god. If you're gonna buy a nice mare, breed her to a nice stallion. How hard is it?) These days, Scarlet has her own blog and is packing around a beginner kid. Julie, her rescuer, has done a fabulous job rehabbing her and she is shiny, happy, and will never have to pop out a baby or wonder where her next meal is coming from ever again. I love this story. I cannot wait to see the show pictures - I know they are coming! See folks, it is NOT that damn hard to get these old broodies riding again. It is a hell of a lot easier than breaking out some wild ass young thing. Some of you re-riders could do it. Why don't you give it a try? These mares are free all over. If you're in Seattle, I can get you a free Thoroughbred any day of the week. I am not kidding. Contact me if you want one.
Then I posted a $200 pony stud that seemed to have both legs coming out of the same spot, he was so thin. Our reader NCCatnip, with the help of some others, took in Prince and another mare Cricket. That was in April and, just a few months later, both are up to weight and looking great! (Can you BELIEVE that is Prince on the left? How cute is he? He still has some filling out to do but now he looks like a normal baby in an awkward stage, not a starving Ethiopian!) Prince will still have some growing to do before he is old enough to break, but the plan is to get Cricket going this year and find her a 4-H kid of her very on. She has turned out wonderfully and I am sure someone will be very lucky to have her. Another great rehab job!Of course, no one will ever forget the drama of Colin, aka Petersburg Knight, who was given to a lady promising a good home in 4-H and immediately taken to the Enumclaw Auction where he was sold to kill. It was only some very good luck that saved him. I got an e-mail on Monday morning and the rest is history. He was quickly adopted by blog reader La Mexicana, who knew him back when he was at faux rescue Pacific Equestrian Center. He has his own web site too, so you can see how he's coming along. (Note the pictures of him happily and calmly grazing with others - this horse has NEVER shown any aggression, MeSue, you are SO full of shit.) The hoof rehab is particularly interesting to read. I am thrilled he got such a great home!
Off Colin went and from Enumclaw came Lucy. Lucy was a little black Thoroughbred mare with four white socks and a blaze, 14 years old, who had been in the kill pen and was fortunately rescued by Shannon Hendrickson of Signature West Farm. Thanks to Shannon for saving her (and I believe nine others). She needed a place to go so I took her in for a month of R&R after her traumatic experience. When I started working with her, it was apparent she needed more ground work because she had a lot of fear issues. Stephanie Korhel stepped up and she went over to the barn she trains out of a week ago. As you can see, Lucy is getting over her fear issues nicely. 
Look, she got over being afraid of having her butt touched! The first time I did this, she took off like a shot, thereby intimidating my 40 year old chickenshit re-rider self into not getting on her. She will probably always be a little headshy - someone was not nice to this mare - but with a kind and patient person, we think she is going to be great. She is available for adoption - let me know if you'd like to meet her. More things you've asked about: Dean Solomon's animal cruelty trial will be in September. You can bet I'll be posting updates! Let's hope that justice prevails and Dean gets the punishment she deserves.
I updated on Footloose, last year's auction rescue, a few days ago. She will be moving to a new barn with a great arena, jump course, etc. on August 1st and starting her new career. We'll see how sound she is and what her talents are, but are hoping some low level eventing is in her future. She is the sweetest mare ever and I'm so glad that a friend owns her and that I'll continue to hear how she is doing.
Remember Sunny, the cute, old, and scrawny Quarab? He is now with Save a Forgotten Equine and is not so scrawny anymore and doing much better. He is still seeking his forever home, so if you have room an old guy with a lot of personality, contact SAFE!
