Flying Horse Ranch

Last Updated
8/22/08

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Sister Sister (Hope)
Black Mare
TWH # 19911254

' A Story of "Hope"

On a cold winter day in 2006, I drove about 80 miles to see a registered TWH mare that was advertised in the local sale paper. She was touted as 16 hands, gentle, black and had a great pedigree. Most "horse people" understand that our addiction gets the best of us sometimes and I decided I would go to see yet another.  It was near dark when I arrived in town.  There was no service for my cell phone, I got lost, frustrated and it just HAD to be raining. It worked to my advantage that this town had the oldest Wal-Mart I had ever seen because they did at least still have a pay phone to call the owner.

As I followed the owner to their farm (thinking to myself as we went further back in to the hills of Kentucky that I just knew the movie Deliverance HAD to have been filmed here) my headlights fell on four or five horses that looked to be in descent shape. When the owner showed me the mare I had come to see It was obvious why this horse wasn't gracing the front of the property! The advertisement that brought me to this place had stated one thing right, the mare was big. What it had not said was that she was also emaciated and still nursing her yearling foal as well as pastured with her stud colt from the previous year! With seeing this and not helping but to notice her heavy belly I worried immediately that this mare, even in her terrible shape had the look of being in foal. As bad as I wanted to take the poor mare out of there that very night I decided to go home and think about it, I didn't have the trailer with me anyway so there was little to be done  then except worry and debate whether or not I was willing to take on such a task.

Driving the long winding trip back home in the dark I couldn't get the picture of what I had just saw out of my mind. There was something about this mare that I just couldn't forget, she looked SO sad and lost. She did seem gentle....the debate was quickly over and I knew the mare had to be given a chance.

I was excited to go get her when I was informed that a negative Coggins Test was back but was nervous because it was the furthest I'd ever driven
the horse trailer by myself  The mare seemed as anxious to leave as I was, I hated the thought of paying this man when he had neglected every aspect
of caring for this mare but reluctantly did and I was on my way with my prize new mare. Friends weren't as quick to see what my excitement was
about, they knew the long road that I was about to travel and although very helpful and accepting were quick to bring me back to the reality this
mare was in BAD SHAPE! The mare was starved and looked to be heavy in foal, possibly to her own son, anything could happen....

I knew there was no way I could turn this mare outside with my group of horses. Anytime a new horse is brought in it has to be quarantined from
the others "just in case". She also had to be up where she could be fed multiple times a day and watched closely. As afraid as I was at the thought of her being pregnant and possibly due soon I was more horrified to find out she wasn't and the huge abdomen was a result of parasites! My vet reassured me that although the mare had been severely neglected to be in the shape she now stood that with proper nutrition, care and of course time she should make a full recovery.  This mare was starting a new life, one where she would be cared for and she seemed to know it. There was no way we were calling her by the name she had previously went by, a new life needs a new name! We chose the most appropriate, HOPE. She was bought on hope and that is what her name would now be!

As spring drew near like everything else here in Kentucky Hope also began to bloom.  She had put on much weight over the winter months and since she  was in better health she was also showing us her wonderful personality.  After much thought and questioning of the vet we decided to breed Hope. We chose popular Model stallion Foolish Wolf. It has been over a year now since Hope come here and  we couldn't be more pleased with her progress. She is back to health and is due to deliver a foal this spring. Like all horses Hope deserves a place where she will be treated humanely, with kindness and respect.  We know that we can't keep them all, our space is limited. Hope has been a joy to "bring back" and she has a home here but if there is another owner out there that can appreciate what she has to offer and what she has been through and can offer her a home where she will be cared for and loved then we will let someone else enjoy her.  We have learned so much from our experience with Hope and there are SO many out there like her.