Rescue Stories

In Memory

A place to remember those who we have lost.

Bon Chance (Bo)

Bo was a thin bay gelding with a sweet but sad face, bought by SAFE at the Enumclaw Auction in April 2007. SAFE paid $150 for Bo, bidding only against the kill buyer to win his bid. Bo was in his mid-twenties, underweight, with a poor coat and overgrown, cracked hooves, one with a shoe still hanging on by a single nail.

Within days of bringing Bo home, it became obvious that Bo was not right in his hind end. He often held his right hind way off to the side, and when he wanted to change direction, he would simply pivot around the leg leaving a drag mark in the dirt. When he was evaluated by our vet, Dr. Hannah Evergreen, it was obvious that Bo had a severe and old stifle injury. More telling than his odd stance was his elevated heart rate despite the appearance of being calm, even depressed. This told Dr. Hannah that Bo was in a significant amount of pain. Therefore, the decision was made to release Bo from his pain and let him go.

While not a horse we can smile about when we look at the pictures of other rescues we have placed in their new adopted homes, we certainly take comfort in the fact that Bo never had to face the horror and cruelty of the transport and slaughter process. To read more about Bo and our April trip to the Enumclaw Auction, click here.

Fala

Fala (Dronefal) was a beautiful gray Thoroughbred mare with a severe right hind injury and wracked body. Nonetheless, she was mostly bright and curious, in that Thoroughbred way. She arrived in SAFE's hands through a series of mishaps. A friend of SAFE's with track connections had heard about a supposedly "perfectly good mare" who was in imminent danger of being put down the next day.

There was much wringing of hands, and rapid phone calls between maybe a dozen people, which yielded a place for her to stay while arrangements were made. A kind horsewoman sacrificed her time to haul Fala to her foster home.

When Fala walked off the trailer, her foster was surprised and appalled—her right hind hoof was virtually gone and there was almost nothing left but curled horn. She was essentially walking on her joint, and the horn of her hoof acted like a big callous. She did not bear weight on it when standing, and used it like a pitiful cane when she walked or trotted.

Her compensating hind leg had a sunken pastern, sometimes only inches from the ground, and she stood with her right hip twisted so that the gaskin pointed almost at her tail. Her whole musculature was misformed, and she moved laboriously at times. Mechanical founder was a certainty. Both vets involved felt strongly that it would be the humane thing to do to end her pain - and all parties involved agreed to let her go.

We later learned that she'd been injured in a pasture; she was found 3-legged lame, but literally missing her hoof, which was found embedded in the fence. Her owner loved her and, as the story goes, did not want to hear a vet tell her to put her horse down. So she doctored Fala herself, and brought her to the point that Fala could bear weight on it enough to get around in a fashion.

When her owner passed away, her kids didn't know what to do with this sad girl, and were going to put her down. We suspect whoever first went to bat for Fala had not seen her in person, and didn't know how badly she was injured.

Fala was very sweet and "in your pocket"; obviously she had been a pet. In the week she was with her, her foster "mom" treated her royalty, as she deserved. Godspeed, Fala! May you run pain-free and fast.

Mary's Serenity

written by Jaime Taft
In June 2005, I made my second trip to the feedlot, to pick up 6 horses sponsored by our COTH group. At that time, there were probably 30 or more horses on the lot. We spent some time looking at all the horses and taking pictures.

One mare caught my eye. She was way in the back in a corner. She kept her head hung low. As I approached, her dull eyes didn't acknowledge my presence but her ears went back to let me know she wanted to be left alone. I came up to her and then realized why she wasn't moving. Her left hind leg was cocked at a horrible unnatural angle. Broken at the fetlock. Due to the way that her hoof had grown, she had obviously been like this for a long time, maybe years. As the horror of it sunk in, I just remember saying "Oh my God, Oh my God" over and over again. I looked closer, she was dripping milk. She had been used as a broodmare, had just had a foal weaned from her.

She became my mission that day. I returned home to tell our group of the plight of this mare, and to beg that we purchase her only to put her down. We agreed as a group to do so, but first, this pretty bay TB mare needed a name. "Serenity" was suggested, and I do hope that by putting her to rest that serenity could be her gift from us. The day she was laid to rest, one of our country's leading activist's against horse slaughter, Mary Nash, passed away. Serenity's name was changed to Mary's Serenity, as a tribute to this amazing woman.

Rest in Peace, Mary's Serenity. You touched us all and will never be forgotten.

Ernie

Ernie was humanely euthanized in August 2005 due to an advanced case of HERDA. He was a 13-15 year old black stud pony that was rescued from a feedlot in Eastern WA. HERDA is a genetic skin disorder, most common in certain QH bloodlines, that causes the skin to literally detach from the body. Ernie was covered in old scars and recent open, infected wounds. Most HERDA horses are put down upon diagnosis at around 2 years of age, as there is no cure. That Ernie was allowed to suffer as long as 15 years, and the fact that he was possibly used as a breeding animal, is truly unthinkable. He also appeared to have never had his teeth or his feet taken care of. A skin biopsy was taken and sent to Cornell University after he was put down in hopes that it will lead to better testing methods to identify HERDA horses and help put a stop to its continued spread. Sadly, the AQHA refuses to acknowledge the disease as a genetic QH problem (even though it almost exclusively seen in certain Poco Beuno lines), and thus these animals continued to be bred, and in Ernie's case, later discarded.

UPDATE! Dr. Nena Winand, a veterinarian at Cornell University, has identified the genetic defect that causes HERDA and has developed a test for it that is 100% accurate!! This is a HUGE breakthrough and very exciting news. Dr. Winand was a huge help to SAFE with diagnosing Ernie, which was difficult due its rarity and lack of genetic history on Ernie. The samples from Ernie and others like him played an instrumental role in helping her with her research.

Click here for more information on HERDA.

Mariah

Mariah was 15 year old QH broodmare that was rescued from a feedlot in eastern WA. Upon her arrival at her foster home, it was discovered that Mariah had a severely injured and septic stifle, most likely due to an injury sustained long ago. She was in considerable pain, and the difficult decision was made to end her suffering by humane euthanization. Mariah was a very brave and sweet mare that never should have been made to suffer like she did. She now runs free in the green pastures on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

Rest in Peace, sweet girl.

Jerry

Jerry was an elderly pony rescued from slaughter. He was adopted in Ohio and lived for over a year as a pampered and much-loved friend, before peacefully passing on in 2006.

Kona

Kona was a beautiful TB mare adopted in Ohio in 2005 after being rescued from slaughter in June, 2005. Sadly, Kona was lost due to complications from colic in 2006. Her spirit lives on in her filly born just one month before her death. RIP beautiful Kona.

Home About SAFE Latest News & Events Available SAFE Horses Rescue Stories & Memories
How We Can Help How You Can Help SAFE Message Board