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Deb Brosnan
5 Central Square, Apt #1
Chelmsford, MA 01824
978-256-3527
dbro731@juno.com
This story is an actual adoption at Turtlerock Rescue in Fitzwilliam, NH. Turtlerock Rescue is an equine sanctuary and the first in the area to offer a ‘Lifetime Care Program’ for equines with special needs. Turtlerock operates on donations from private individuals, grants and through support from volunteers.
Hello, my name is Pet and this is my story.
I am a purebred Appalosa with registration papers from the Nez Perez Indian tribe (we’re called Appys for short). I was owned and ridden by a young boy who loved me very much. We spent many years together. We would go to shows and I would win blue ribbons all the time. I loved him and I knew he loved to win the shows. I would even win the Champion ribbon at the shows. It meant I was the best horse there.
One day I woke up and began to see the world was a little darker than it should be. Everything was a little blurry. I thought maybe I was getting a cold. But day after day I could see less and less. I began to bump into things and I would get scared if I didn’t see you and you touched me.
My family called in the veterinarian to see what was wrong. They gave me all different kinds of medicine but it didn’t work. I tried to not let them notice I was getting worse. I wanted my boy to know I would still carry him safely on my back so I learned to walk with confidence so no one would know I was now a blind horse.
One day, we went to a show, and I won. So we continued to go to shows and I continued to win. I knew that my boy would never let me be hurt so I let him be my eyes. One day we stood in the middle of the show ring and I was announced the winner of the championship. I could not see anyone and I could not see my pretty ribbon we had won but I heard the people cheering for us. My boy leaned over and he patted me as he told me how beautiful the ribbon was.
I was retired that day. My boy was getting better and better at riding and with my eyesight gone, I could not take him to the professional shows, blind horses were not allowed in those shows. My family decided they would find me a good home where I could retire. They tried to be very careful where I would go. A man bought me and said I would be going to a little child to ride with. My family was happy they had found me a safe home even though I heard them crying that they had to let me leave. I was sad I was leaving but I was sure that I would be happy.
One day a trailer came and it picked me up. My family was crying, they were upset and I became upset too. Something was wrong but I didn’t know what it was. I tried to make them proud and I did my best not to stumble as I walked on the trailer.
The trailer smelled bad and the floor was dirty and my feet slipped. I became afraid. My family had been tricked, I was not going to a new home like my family and I had been promised. The man lied and had sold me to a place that killed horses for food. I was afraid, I could not see, I could not get out of the trailer. What would I do? Why would he do something like this to me?
What I did not know was that my family went onto their computer and sent out a message to everyone they could think of to ask for help saving me. Finally there was someone that sent them a message back. “We will help rescue her”. These two people would buy me back from the horse killers and would make sure I would be safe forever. But they had to beat the truck to the slaughterhouse first.
A man I never met before was now racing his truck and trailer through 3 states to get to me before I was hurt. I did not know he was coming until I heard the truck stop. I heard two men talking and then I heard the door open. I was sure this was the end, I was so afraid. But this man was kind; he was gentle with me and let me take my time getting off the trailer. Then he led me onto a new trailer. This one was filled with hay, and it was clean. I knew that this person had come to take me somewhere that was safe. The truck started and I began my trip to my new home and my new life.
My new home was noisy. There were lots of horses at this place. I also met the lady that helped save me. The man and woman introduced me to a horse they called Jessie. Jessie would be my eyes for me, she would teach me the shape of the paddock and would lead me to my food when it was time to eat. Jessie told me the people were named Mary and Ken and they had saved Jessie from terrible people too.
Jessie told me what had happened while I was on the trailer. That is was my family that tried to save me and Mary and Ken had come to my rescue. That I was safe now and no one would ever try to hurt me again.
Jessie told me that not all the horses that came to Mary and Ken were rescued from being hurt. Some horses were surrendered to Mary and Ken because people could not afford to keep their horses anymore and did not want anything bad to happen to them so they came to live here. They called this place Turtlerock Rescue.
I learned a lot about the horses that lived at the rescue with us. There were old horses that were retired because they could not be ridden anymore. There were wild horses, called mustangs that Mary and Ken had rescued; Jessie was a rescued mustangs. There were horses from racetracks and something called donkeys. I’ve never seen one but they yell a lot and they’re very loud. We even had a baby horse with us for a little while until he was adopted.
One day Jessie got adopted to a very nice lady. I was sad to lose Jessie but she was happy to go to her very own home. I became very good at going around the paddock alone. Jessie was a very good teacher. A short time after Jessie left for her new home, we got a new blind horse at the rescue. His name is Sonny and it was my job to teach him how to be a horse without your eyes to guide you. Then a few months later there was another blind horse that came named Pepper. All of us are Appys. Appys are prone to eye infections and a disease called Moon Blindness more than other breeds. We all lost our sight to Moon Blindness.
Now came the move to our new land. Mary and Ken bought us lots and lots of land for all the horses to be able to live on. Not only did we get our very own paddock, we got a new friend named George.
George was really frightened when he lost his eyesight and I did my best to help him learn what he needed to know. George and I became best friends. We were always together.
Then we met Wendy. She volunteers at Turtlerock and really liked George. We got used to visiting with Wendy. She would brush us and make sure we looked pretty for anyone that might want to adopt us. Then Wendy brought her friend to meet me. Her name is Michelle. Michelle would come over every weekend and brush me and give me attention.
Then, one day Wendy and Michelle fit a bridle very carefully on my head so it was nice and comfortable like my boy used to do when we would go riding. Then Michelle got up on my back! I was being ridden again and the best part was that I was teaching Michelle how to ride. I was the first horse she had ever ridden. I was so proud that day; it was like winning a blue ribbon.
As time went on Wendy would take George out and we’d all go for trail rides together.
Wendy and Michelle decided to talk to Mary and Ken one day. They said it was time for George and I to be available for adoption. We had proven ourselves as safe horses and we could be ridden. Everyone knew that I loved children and I would be happiest being ridden by a child.
Our pictures went up on the Turtlerock website. I had people come and meet me and they were all nice but no one was just right for me. But every weekend my friends Michelle and Wendy came to brush us and ride us and talk to people that came to Turtlerock to find out about the horses that lived there.
One day, Mary took me out of the paddock and brought me up to the big barn. She asked me to stand still in the aisle while she spoke with people.
I was in the aisle when I heard little voices all around me. Then I felt someone hug my leg. I was surprised, but I realized it was a little child. Then I felt someone brushing me, no, two people brushing me, no, three! I couldn’t count how many children there were. They were wonderful. They brushed me and hugged and kissed me. Then I got to take them all out for rides. They laughed and played with me and I had such a wonderful time with them.
Then I went back to my paddock, happy with the wonderful day I had. I hoped they would come back and visit me again; we had all had such fun together.
Later that week, Ken came and took me out of my paddock. I thought we were going for a walk but Mary and Ken talked to me and brushed me and then took me out to the trailer. Mary patted me and said ‘good bye’. I did as Ken asked and walked onto the trailer. It smelled of fresh shavings and hay. I waited to hear who was coming for the ride with me but the truck started and I was traveling alone. It was a long ride like the first trip I had with but I didn’t mind.
Then the truck and trailer turned and we stopped. I heard the door and ramp open for me to come out. I listened to Ken and walked out of the trailer. Then I heard voices, I knew who it was calling my name! I heard footsteps coming toward me and then they all hugged me and patted me. I was with the children who came to visit me last week. They wanted me to live with them. I have my own home again!
Ken and I said good-bye to each other. He patted me and said good-bye. I did my best to thank him for all the wonderful things he and Mary did for me. They saved my life, they gave me love, they kept me safe and happy and they found me a home.
