Having been a previous adopter for This Old Horse, I was contacted by them to see if I could temporarily house two horses that were in a bad situation and needed immediate help. I had a horse farm that was unoccupied and given the desperate need, agreed. In short order, the two horses arrived at my home. They appeared disoriented, lost, and very sad. And, not so willing to trust humans again.

After a few months of feed, good grass, medical and hoof attention, and a lot of quiet handling, two grand horses emerged. As their health improved, their personalities blossomed and they became as tame as puppy dogs. They often inhabit the yard, follow us into the garden, come when called, and have perfect manners. As an extra surprise, they are both easily ridden on trails and learned to trailer in a just a week. Once we pronounced them “recovered” and ready for adoption, after seeing the evolution via photos and our affection for these two, This Old Horse contacted me to ask, “have they found their forever home?” Yes, they had, and we are so blessed to have them.

Life for “our girls” and us is to enjoy each other and maintain their health as they continue to age. Because one has an old injury that sometimes makes her lame and unable to ride, we continue to work together by learning tricks. She’s becoming an ace at giving visitors a welcome bow.

Our advice for those looking to adopt is to work with a reputable adoption or rescue agency and rely on their knowledge to select the horse(s) for you. Every horse is a great horse, the key is to find a great alignment–between your needs and facilities and the horse’s needs and abilities. Look for the good match.