I went to the
Barbers Point Riding Stable
just to see all the horses. I walked up to a horse, a thoroughbred
mare that was very skinny and emaciated looking. When I looked into
her eyes, I saw a spirit that looked and felt so familiar. I really
felt sorry for her. Her coat was mangy and she was at least 400 pounds
under weight and her hooves needed trimming. When I left the stables I could not stop thinking
about that horse and had to go back to check on the skinny thoroughbred mare.
The next day I did and once again, her eyes seemed to talk to me. I found out from other
boarders there that she was a rescue horse and was only at the stables for a few
months and that she was not getting any better and only growing worse.
Immediately, I asked how to get a hold of the owners. With my expertise with
horses, I knew I could help get this horse well. Well, after a couple
of phone calls and $1200.00 later this horse became mine. Her name is
Kentucky.
Through a few vet checks I found out that
Kentucky had a hole that protrudes from one side of her neck to the other.
She also had many scars and she had bitten off 1/4 of her tongue. I
had no idea what she had been through but I was desperate to find out,
however no one
knew. During one of her vet checks we noticed she had a tattoo in her
upper lip. This meant Kentucky was a race horse! With the help
of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau,
I found out that Kentucky's real name is Kentucky's Seven, she is 17 years
old and that she raced in Canada at the
Assiniboia Downs race
track and won several times. I was also able to locate Kentucky's original owner and breeder,
Joan Edwards and spoke to her on several occasions in which she sent me
Kentucky's race photo's, race records and pedigree. I was also able to
locate her original registration papers and found that she is registered
with The Jockey Club! What a
wonderful blessing I came across. What about her injuries? I
continued to ask questions and after speaking with the several people, I
was able to find out that Kentucky was in serious horse trailer accident in
the Mainland. The trailer flipped with several horses inside and a
side panel pole of the trailer protruded Kentucky's neck. Kentucky was
the only horse that survived. Kentucky had a story after all. She
was a survivor...like me.
Her tattoo revealed that she was bred and
raced in Canada. Not sure how she ended up in Maui, Hawaii but
came to the island of Oahu where she is living life! Kentucky's Seven was a rescue horse
and what a perfect example of a rescue horse that deserves nothing but
the best care a woman can provide. I now look at her and think she
is such a perfect horse, but when I look back....she was perfect all
along.
1 year later, this is Kentucky now. Kentucky is now sound and
healthy. She is a great trail horse, barrel racer, rides english &
western, and a great champion horse to my other horses. Shown at
the left
is Miss Rodeo Hawaii, Ms. Sammi Souza riding Kentucky in the grand entry
at the Aloha State Games.
Does my story end here...not really.
Its just getting started. Since I rescued Kentucky my heart also went
out to another thoroughbred gelding named
Stetson.
Stetson was not in as bad of shape as Kentucky but he is about 100 pounds
under weight and he was 23 years old. At 16.2 hands he
is the most gentle horse I have ever owned. As with Kentucky, Stetson
had a tattoo that we researched and found out he too is an ex-race horse
from Texas but raced in Louisiana at the
Louisiana Downs race track and won many times. His original owner
and breeder is Charles Hukill. Stetson's real name, Restless Avenger. Go figure that.
Through research, I found out that Kentucky is related
to many famous race horses like Vice Regent and Northern Dancer.
EQUINE 808,
LLC 
Name:
