Spotlite is our reigning King. He is 26 years old and was the first horse purchased by the stable at the age of 18 months. In a way, I guess you could say he was the first horse "rescued" by our family. Spotlite’s sire, the *Bask son Cognac, is one of *Bask’s most famous sons. His babies often sold at the prestigious Lasma sale for several million dollars. So for that reason, Spotlite was destined to live as he had the first 18 months of his life. In a stall, wrapped in blankets, under heat lamps, eating pellets.
My mom, looking to buy a sweet riding mare, instantly fell in love with the rowdy little colt. She took him to a local boarding barn, where he tried to tear down his rickety stall. My mom was told she was going to be killed by that horse, and what was she thinking?!? Many a head shook in disapproval when passing by his stall.
At a year and half years old, he had been outside 5 times. He didn't understand that grass was for eating, fences were for confinement, and being outside was normal. Introducing him to the life of a horse was a VERY long process. We took him on long walks through the woods to help him get used to birds, mud puddles, clouds, etc. And once he decided that he loved being outside, he had issues about being in! His claustrophobia got so bad that he even tried riding in the manger of the trailer one time....another story all together.
There was a time when I thought showing horses was the best thing ever. I was young and was blind to the negative elements of the sport. I took Spotlite to several shows, but he never liked glitz and glamour. He despised the show ring. He would reluctantly strut his stuff for me and he always came home the champion. But it was clear he wasn’t happy. I retired him from the show ring at the ripe age of 7 and gave him what he really wanted- trail riding, cross country jumping, teaching kids, and a few girlfriends. He is now the boss of the "100 Akre Wood", he has touched the lives of hundreds of kids, and he lives au naturel. No bridlepath, no shoes, lots of whiskers, and his tail is never wrapped. He is, quite possibly, the happiest horse on the planet.
The following stories are still under construction. Check back soon!
Aspen
Aspen was found on a truck bound for slaughter. He was a registered Arabian Stallion and impeccably bred. He couldn't lift his head about his shoulders, nor could he walk straight. This all due to a back injury. He has been with us for several years now. He has earned himself quite the reputation as the "Liberty" horse. Kids from several states away start whispering as soon as they see him..."When are we going to see him do "liberty"?" Liberty is when Aspen shows off his "snort and blow", prances around the field, and plays "stallion" with Misti. It is a beautiful performance. Aspen is the epitome of the Arabian breed. He has an amazing tail carriage, lofty trot, and immense pride.
Other horses rescued or taken in by The Spotlite Foundation:
Dusty & Apache (donated to the program by a wonderful owner, these two boys have done a great job in helping kids over come personal obstacles)
Sugar
Dancer
French Fry
Josephine
Snowflake
Paris
Stonewall's Golden Cavaliera
Magnum
MO'
Nemo
Horse Rescue
Horses are rescued by The Spotlite Foundation whenever the need arises. We get calls all the time from concerned people who inform us of under fed foals, horses at the auction labeled for slaughter, elderly horses left to pasture without the appropriate geriatric care, etc. etc. The problem is rampant. Many of the horses we take in are too old or prematurely broken down by abusive riding and can never be ridden again. We give them a home to live out their years in a loving and peaceful setting. Children visit them daily to groom them and feed them treats. If we have the room, we will take ANY horse. Once rehabilitated, each horse is slowly introduced to the herd. The horse "family" welcomes the new horse, who quickly finds a place in the heirarchy of the herd. The herd roams 100 acres of picturesque land, with rolling hills to frollick upon, beautiful tree groves that provide abundant shade in the summer, and tall grass in which to stretch out and take a nap. It truly is a horse paradise.
