This page is dedicated to those horses who could not be saved or have passed on. May we remember them always.
"Romeo"
Sadly, Romeo had to be put to rest because of dangerous behavioural issues.…
He had become what he had been taught; he was a product of years of abuse.
Everything he did reflected a very abusive past. He did not know what it was to receive praise, to be told he was a good boy and to be loved by a human. Always waiting for the pain to come…….always bracing himself for it.
All humans had taught him was that they hurt. Sadly, by the time he came into our lives, he was beyond the point of convincing otherwise. Man had pushed him to his limits.
We remember Romeo as a good horse that didn’t know any different. He didn’t want to be mean or hurt anyone; he just didn’t want to be hurt anymore.
He has become the first of SAD’s angels and hopefully will watch over us, and also keep us all reminded of the price some animals have to pay for man’s abuse.
He is running free now. He is free from the torment and terror he once suffered…the pain he had to endure. Free of the fear he carried with him every second of everyday.
He is in a place where he knows what love is…… and now knows that he didn’t deserve the treatment he got while on this earth. He knows he was a good boy. He knows we loved him.
"Tiny Tim"
Sadly, Tiny Tim went peacefully on a Sunday due to complications from his spinal deformity. Despite the best efforts from his family and their Vet, he could not be saved. He was made very comfortable in his last moments and was surrounded by the people who gave him a place he could call home….the people who love him for him and thought he was perfect just the way he was.
His life was short, but he was loved and well looked after each and every day. We are very happy to have known such a sweet boy. He definitely had an impact on our lives and on many others, as we get asked about how he is doing all the time…..he is one who people remember and never stop thinking about. He just had that special something.
Quoted from his adoptive family....
"I want to thank you for the opportunity to have such a sweet soul, as he was, in our lives. He will be forever remembered and always missed..........
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away." He was breath-taking!!!"
~Julia C.
Tiny Tim with his buddy, Hank
"Tory"
May 20, 2007- June 12, 2007
This little angel was called back to heaven just 3 weeks after entering this world. Despite the great care she received by her family, she could not be saved, as her immune system did not start up. Her Mom, Lacy (aka Spirit), had been sent for meat while in foal and was in terrible condition during her first term of pregnancy. This brave little one did her best and fought as hard as she could even when the odds were against her. We are greatly saddened by this turn of events.
Quoted from Tory’s family -
“I will cherish this sweet baby girl forever in my heart. I was truly blessed that she passed through my life. Steven & I
will miss her greatly. Susan & Steven & Lacy
Sleep well my little one.”
"Princess"
25 year old Percheron Mare
R.I.P October 06, 2007
Lovingly rehabilitated at SAD, but sadly euthanized prior to adoption.
Princess has to be one of the sweetest, gentlest and friendliest mares we have had at the rescue. Tired, weak and her head hung low, I fell in love with the mare at first glance and knew she was the one that would come home with us.
We were able to track down the people who shipped her for meat, but they told us they were horse dealers so did not have any history on her, just took her and others on a trade. She was sent with a load of horses to the meat sale all the way from New Brunswick.
She had more than earned the right to have a proper retirement, but instead was trucked down to a meat sale half way across the country on a load with other unfortunate horses. We are sure many people in the area she was from would have LOVED to give her a retirement home, but sadly she ended up in the situation that she did, just as most other aged drafts do.
When Henry would get home from work, she would wait for him to come and giver her loving and scratches before she would start to eat her dinner. It was touching to see her respond so well to him, as a lot of the horses we get in have a level of fear of men. But she loved and trusted both Henry and I equally, right from the start.
In the 2 months that Princess was with us, we fell in love with her. We loved the faces she would make when she got scratches and she got them often! She was always happy and sweet to be around, definitely one of the nicest horses we have ever had here at the rescue.
We really thought she would one day be with a family and make them as happy as she made us…………. but she never got the chance to start looking for a loving adoptive home and at first we were very upset about this and angry that things had to end for her before the right family came along. Then it hit us………she already had one. She had us. We were her loving family and we gave her the retirement that she greatly deserved. We take comfort in that and we know that she did also, as she was very happy here. I guess she was always meant to be our horse and the time that we had with her was great and we have no regrets at all.
I would take that poor broken mare home again in a heart beat if I had to do it all over again. The sorrow in her passing is great but is nowhere near the joy she gave us in her life.
Bless you sweet mare for your kind heart and endless love and forgiveness for mankind. You have left your body, but your soul lives on strong.
Love your family, Andrea and Henry
Above : Princess's typical reaction to scratches!
Princess - first day home from the meat sale, already bonding with Henry.
"Apollo"
8 year old Clyde gelding
R.I.P April 2008
Apollo’s journey with us had been filled with ups and downs and it has been very difficult to see such a sweet horse hurt so badly. We decided to set him free after our attempts failed, pain meds were no longer helping him and his condition declined.
We had great progress initially with the grease heel and skin infection, which responded very well to treatment.
Our challenges had been with his right hoof, due to poor growth (caused by the infection at the coronet band), bacteria was able to enter, causing him a lot of problems. His hoof needed to be debrided to get rid of the seperations under his frog and the porous hoof wall. It was done with both our vet and farrier present. Parts of the hoof wall and much of the frog was cut out (most pics too graphic to post), exposing healthy tissue, however this left Apollo very, very sore. Since the hoof had to stay clean and dry, he was unable to be out with the other horses, adding to his stress level. He was given pain meds to help him stay comfortable while the hoof healed and the newly exposed areas grow out and harden. We made him a big stall and he had Annabel the Mammoth Donkey for a friend during his recovery and she did a great job.
X-rays of the hoof had been taken to see if the infection traveled to the cartilage, bone or joints and it appeared that it did not, however, the Veterinarian warned us that it may have, but was too early to show up on the x-rays.
Our biggest battle was keeping his spirits and appetite up and keeping his pain to a minimum while the hoof healed. Our biggest goal was to get him pasture sound so he could live out his life comfortably and be loved by a family. We could not do that for him but we did love him and did what we could to make his last days comfortable and stress free.
Apollo did not spend his last days crammed on a stock trailer, 3 legged lame, headed for slaughter, like his last owner had intended him to. Instead, he was surrounded by those who loved him, both human and equine.
Sorry we could not save you, buddy. We all did our best. Run free in Paradise.
Love A & H.
We would like to thank the following people who offered their support towards Apollo’s Veterinary expenses.
The Schneider family (Adoptive family of Troy), Julie Read, Carol King, David Grainger and Janice Stone (Adoptive family of Cody, Juan and Annabel), Christine De Geer and family (Adoptive family of Heidi), Susan and Steve Jones (Adoptive family of Lacy), Jennifer Mills, Cynthia and Tom Steele, Katherine Mutti and Heidi Bowman.