ERAF has found over 90 homes for horses since our inception in 2000. While a few of our horses have come through our system more than once, most have found loving and lasting homes, which is what we hope to find for all horses who pass through our hands. A few of our stories follow.......
A True Black Beauty Story: Shadowbug was rescued by ERAF in July 2004. His owners were moving out of the state within a few days and they had been unable to sell him; he needed to go. We were told he was a 15 year old Quarterhorse who was a great trail horse. When we arrived to pick him up we were appalled at his emaciated condition and mentioned to the owner that she was lucky nobody had called the county Animal Care and Control on her.
We took him to a foster home where he was fed well and he had his feet and teeth worked on. We learned that it was much more likely that he was in his late 20s, and he had very few teeth left. Shadowbug was moved to a second foster home where he stayed for nearly two years. Due to his age he began to require a bit more specialized care than his foster home could provide, so in January 2006 we moved him to a recently leased 20 stall barn located on 15 acres. There Shadowbug thrived. He gained weight and was shiny and happy. We even began to ride him lightly which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy.
In August of 2006 we received a call from a panicked woman in Georgia who had found Shadowbug on our website. As we waded through her incredible story we learned that he had been her childhood horse; she had grown up in Palm Beach County showing him in 4H and trail riding him. When she sold him to go off to college she lost track of him. At one point she found him, but his owner at that time was unwilling to part with him for a reasonable price. In the meantime he had spent some time as a livery trail horse at a local trail ride stable. Now she was quite distressed that he had ended up in a rescue system.
Within weeks of her call our barn manager made a 600 mile trip to meet her halfway so she could adopt her old friend. Her family met her with banners at his arrival, some even flying from Florida to Georgia to see the horse they all remembered. He is now living out his twilight years on 10 acres, teaching his former owner’s young children how to ride and keeping company with a mare who he helped to raise in his younger years. We wish this beautiful ending for all of our equine friends!
Secret Emotion has been in and out of our system several times since 2000. She came in with a group of horses, many of them Standardbreds, who were in a previous rescue system. She had been a broodmare and has foaled several winning racehorses. She was adopted out twice and spent a few years doing quite well in driving shows. But after moving to north Florida her second adopter felt that Secret was having a hard time with the cold weather. When she was returned to us we discovered that Secret had a fractured hock - no wonder she was stiff! We gave her plenty of stall rest then plenty of turnout at our facility and she came back perfectly sound.
This is a horse who loves to drive and knows her job, so when we found someone looking for horse with which to learn to drive we knew we had found the perfect home for her! Secret is very happy being the only mare in her herd with four geldings. She has been renamed Victoria, for Victoria’s Secret!
Pam, who is shown on our welcome page, was an aged quarterhorse whose owner insisted she had no appetite. Although her teeth were in very bad shape, a few months of special feeding added several hundred pounds back to her and she spent the next few years being lightly ridden around the neighborhood by the daughter of her adoptive family. Eventually one of Pam’s former owners tracked her down, met with the family and showed them pictures of Pam in her glory when she was young and shown western pleasure. Although Pam eventually succumbed to her age, she was given several wonderful years by a very caring family.
Andy and OK were two Standardbreds that were delivered to us by a concerned barn manager who had been instructed to take them both to auction. They had been purchased as a driving pair by the owner who now had moved on to a flashier pair of ponies. Andy was a handsome young gelding who, after a stint with a foster family, found a very loving home in Gainesville where he sometimes shows his driving ability off for schoolchildren. OK, (“OK I’ll Stay”) who was diagnosed with EPMS and a severe case of kidney stones, found his way into the hearts of a very loving family who has worked very hard to keep him comfortable and happy. Every horse should have a home as caring as this one!
JS and Magic were two younger quarterhorses that were referred to us by a local veterinarian who was extremely concerned about their very poor condition. At that time, they were the most severe cases ever brought to ERAF. When we went to pick them up we were surprised that they walked right on the trailer, no looking back. Luckily, although they were extremely underweight, they seemed to suffer no permanent ill-effects. Both found homes where they are well cared far and loved.
Dealer, a 13 year old Standardbred gelding, came to ERAF in 2002. He was fostered in five foster homes until his adoption by Mary and Michael Morris in February 2004. Dealer had been raced 103 times, winning $19,254. The tendons in all four legs had been injured multiple times, yet, with veterinary help, we were able to ride him lightly. Dealer holds a special place in the hearts of all who have known him as he is loaded with personality. He was renamed “Flubber” by the Morrises and he now enjoys the company of another horse, two miniature donkeys, a few pigs and several dogs and cats. Flubber runs the barnyard (and Mary and Michael too!),and is presently battling a weight problem, given his proclivity for overeating.
Rolex (“Rolly”) came to ERAF April 1, 2003 as an elderly gentleman of 28. He was supposedly a former Grand Prix jumper who had done quite well in his show career, but in his twilight years his health had declined and his weight had dropped. His case was referred to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control who called ERAF to help. Rolly was immediatley adopted by Mary and Michael Morris and was much loved. He spent his last few years in comfort, peae and companionship thanks to the care and support of the Morrises.
Fancy (“Polly”), an Appaloosa mare, came to ERAF in August 2002 at age 17. She had been a “teaser mare” for imported stallions for the previous six years. She had been found starved and had numerous ailments by the woman who gave her the “test mare” job. Fancy was fostered in Jupiter FArms until April 2003 when she was adopted by Mary and Michael Morris. She was renamed “Polly” and was a wonderful companion for Rolly until his death in 2005.
Rolly and Polly were inseparable until Rolly’s death in 2005. Rolly was much loved and spent his last few years in comfort, peace and companionship, thanks to the care and support of ERAF. Polly remain with the Morris', and now has to cope with Flubber who eats all of her food in the morning.
