"Where Are They Now?"

Do you ever wonder what happens to our horses AFTER they find their forever home? On this page, we will highlight what life AFTER the rescue looks like for some of our treasures!

SBR Cheeky

 
Her story is told by her “human” Trixie from New Hampshire!
In her mid-60’s Cheeky’s human found herself losing her heart horse and questioning if she was too “seasoned” to start over. That is until she found SBR and Cheeky. She had been watching the Live Feeds when in the later part of 2020 we featured Cheeky and described her as a kind mare. Trixie came out to the rescue in March of 2021 to meet her and adopted her with a feeling of excitement, anticipation and anxiety. As they were “figuring each other out” she did so with a quiet and patient hand just as she saw SBR do on the Live Feeds.
Because of a big fall in August of 2020, Trixie was tentative to go on trail riding adventures, but in the fall of 2021, they spent a few days at a farm in New Hampshire working with a professional as talented as Nealia. On the obstacle course, Cheeky showed great interest in technical work and did not balk at any request – and that day she found out that Cheeky LOVES water. In their first off-property trail ride, Cheeky was a super star!
When they returned home, they began heading out to new locations for rides and each one was matched with a new goal (loading alone, crossing a busy road, meeting bicyclists, cows…) Cheeky has never backed down. At the end of May, they were challenged with their biggest obstacle. Crossing water that was 150 feed wide. Trixie was hesitant but Cheeky was not. They forged ahead even as the water was at her chest! That was the day Trixie and Cheeky really formed a bond.
Trixie says that everyone that meets Cheeky loves this sweet, kind and sensible mare. The more they ride together, the more Trixie believes that Cheeky is a magnificent partner. She credits SBR with giving her renewed excitement to ride and she is totally smitten with SBR Cheeky! 🥰

SBR Mike

Mike is loving his new life and new name! Iko, as he is now called, had a rough start upon arriving at his forever home. He had developed severe ulcers after his trip home which needed immediate treatment. Then, while playing too hard in the pasture, he ended up with curb to both hocks. 😢 With lots of rest, laser therapy, and a slow return to exercise he is now back to work! His new owner says he is a joy to have at the barn and LOVES his turnout time in a large pasture with a herd of geldings! She says he is such an easy horse to train and enjoy! 😀 The pictures show him being ridden in his very first dressage lesson!
We, at SBR, could not be happier! ❤️
*Footnote*- SBR gets horses not just from the kill pen, but also from trainers who have horses that do not fit into their program but don’t want anything bad to come to the horse. They donate them to SBR to be placed in a good home doing something that they are better suited for. Mike was from this situation. He did not come to us from a kill pen. He came to us from someone who wanted to make sure he went to a loving home and from the look of it he is well loved!

SBR Delilah

Delilah, who now goes by “Fable”, was adopted from SBR in the Summer of 2021 and stayed right here in NJ! Her new family had just lost their SBR mare to a bad bout of colic. They immediately fell in love with her sweet gentle nature, and over the past year as they have gotten to know each other better, they say her playful personality has really come out. She lives with three other saddlebred rescues, Becker, Mac, and Kahlua. She loves going out for trail rides and seems like she might make a good jumper! In the words of her adoptive mom, Emily: “We absolutely adore her and I don’t know what I would do without this amazing mare in my life. Thank you to Saddlebred Rescue for all you do, especially to Nealia, the heart and soul of the organization, who has my greatest respect.”

SBR Tinsel

SBR Tinsel, now named Demi, was adopted in 2018 by Brianna McCormick and resides in Pennsylvania. Originally adopted by Brianna to do trail riding and some slight gaming, an injury on another horse caused Brianna to be unable to ride.  Luckily Brianna’s son Billy took over the reins and now together he and Demi ride in Gymkhanas, are learning how to work cattle and even won some jackpots in barrel racing.  Demi loves “Everything Western” and has certainly won the hearts of her humans!  

SBR SINATRA

SBR Sinatra was adopted by Amy Jean Bergeron in November of 2017 and has been living in New Hampshire ever since!  In Amy’s words:  “A year and a half after my heart was broken over losing my beloved Saddlebred, Vinnie Van Gogh, at only 11 years old (and only 6 months after I got him) I intended to get another pinto Saddlebred foal when I happened to google Saddlebred and Rescue, and there he was!  SBR Sinatra looked similar to my Vinnie and of course caught my eye!  In a very short time he was loaded up and heading to New Hampshire with me to join his new brother, my Oldenburg Apollo.  I love my Apollo, but before finding Sinatra, life was less without a Saddlebred.  Sinatra has qualities I love about the breed.  Versatile, kind, athletic and game to do anything!  That’s in addition to doing everything with style!  He’s a sensitive horse and with time we’ve found the tack he approves of and have finally, with the help of my dressage instructor, a wonderful relaxed canter.  Our partnership gets stronger everyday.  We put in trail miles both solo or in company. Trail riding, and especially a good run, is by far his favorite thing.  I will be forever grateful that Saddlebred Rescue let me take this beautiful boy home.  We needed each other.