Ruby...

From Jim: One surprising thing about being on a sanctuary is the really great horses that we have here. Now all horses are wonderful and deserve to be loved and cared for, but some individuals just have unbelievable stories. Ruby, not her registered name is sure one. She's a Thoroughbred. The folks that breed them would call her a chestnut. To me, she's a sorrel. She's up there is years-20 something. During her racing career, she had enough success to stay off the slaughter truck. When she aged out, which for race horses is 4 or 5 anymore, she was retrained as a polo pony. She's registered with the polo association. She had the heart and courage and athletic ability for a very demanding sport. She aged out again, probably 10 or so and became a brood mare. As she got into her late teens, she could no longer produce colts, so she was sent to the auction and ended up in the killer/buyer pen. She was rescued by a gal, who eventually was just not able to afford to keep her and she ended up with us. She currently is fostered to Lyn and Derril who love her to bits. She is Sparkle's pasture mate. He's the Saddlebred that was nearly starved to death. Ruby personifies so much that is right and wrong in our horse world. She did everything asked of her. When she was "no longer useful", she was thrown away. She was saved by a caring person and found her way to a retirement that is appropriate. The racing industry provided nothing for her. The polo sport provided nothing. Her brood mare status gave her no protection. The auctions are certainly not a safe haven. A private person stepped in where organizations had so miserably failed and finally our sanctuary brought her home, at last. When you donate to Home At Last, or volunteer, or send us a good thought, think about Ruby and her 74 herd mates. Everyone of them has a remarkable story. I'll try to share as many as I can. If we can get our hands on another digital camera, I'll try to include some pictures.