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Rescues & Rehabilitations
Ask me sometime about the beautiful
blind Arabian stallion that screamed any yelled in his pen until I walked
up and spoke softly to him. He actually put his head through the bars and
laid it on my shoulder. Everyone else was afraid of this "Wild mean
horse". His punctured eye was so far gone I knew he was in terrible pain,
he was young, in pain and knew he was going to die among strangers. He
still haunts me to his day. What did I whisper to this terrified animal?,
"I am with you and it will be over soon". I touched that soft velvet nose
and it seemed to calm him. He will be in my heart always as one I could
not save. The meat buyers have unlimited funds, I do not and sometime the
choice I make is based on gut feeling as well as the chance of
survival......
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Sunny and Tank
Two geldings, we call Sunny and Tank,
were slowly starving to death. Their owner was not able to
buy enough feed for these two big boys. Both horses had
been together for eight years and during that time they
underwent Parelli training.
I was called to please take them, as he
could no longer afford to keep them. He was doing his best,
but changes in his life was affecting the horses. I was
helped in paying for both these gelding through the
contributions of the "Friends of Barbaro", who have helped
saved many a life of horses in need. 
Both Sunny and Tank were underweight hundreds of
pounds, but it is hard to tell from the pictures. The larger the
horse the
 more
weight they can be down before it shows. Sunny was the more
dominant of the two, so he was not as thin as Tank. Tank,
also, suffered from a large lipoma type growth, that later
disappeared with good nutrition. It was sadder yet, that
these two boys had been worked with on a daily basis, and
they had grown accustomed to the challenge and daily
affection and interaction. 
We brought them home and started them on
high calorie feeds and beet pulp.
Sunny has since been adopted, where he is
spoiled rotten and continues to put on weight. He is
becoming quite a ranch horse.
Tank is still looking for his forever home.
Please see under FOR ADOPTION for more about Tank.
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Preacher
Preacher is a black, registered Polish
Arabian Stallion that fell on hard times, after the death of
his owner. He is underweight, but has a calm, sweet
disposition. He was trained by a teenager and ridden for some
time. Preacher needs to put on some weight, but if you are
interested in this horse, please let me know and I can tell
you his lines.
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Rosette Two
Rosette Two was a pregnant
mare we bought out of a kill auction. Rose is a sweet mare
that loves hugs. Ricky T. Rose is her full brother, you see
him under
success stories.
Rosette's new foal
Maverick
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Kansas 5
Money was raised at the
2007 Nebraska Horse Expo to help keep these yearling from
slaughter. Their time had run out. These horses are all
out of Quarantine and up for adoption. Both Timmy and
Black Hawk will be gelded before leaving the Ranch for new
homes.
Rain
Rain is growing into a
beautiful gal. She is learning that humans
aren't all that bad after all. She would be a
good project horse.
UPDATE
Rain needs to be a
horse for awhile. Something in her past traumatized
her, but she is coming around slowly. There are no
plans to push training this year. She has many years
ahead of her. If someone is willing and patient, Rain
will respond. Although she has not shed out to her
true color, we are all betting on the final color - with her
beautiful head and build she will bloom into a beautiful
filly.
$500.00
Black
Hawk
Probably a long yearling.
He is a beautiful black and white paint with, what looks to me
like a bird on one side and whatever your imagination calls
the other. He is a stud colt that will need to be gelded
before he leaves Break Heart.
No uncut stud colts need
to add to the over breeding situation. His price will reflect
the gelding fee and must be paid in advance of pick up so
there is time for the surgery and healing. Black Hawk
has had some halter work, but we are just starting to work
with him again. The rain has delayed this. He has
been wormed, Coggins and had his first set of injections.
Black Hawk will be a nice sized horse and very flashy.
With the right training and patience he will be a wonderful
companion.
UPDATE
Black Hawk will soon be
gelded. He is a quiet boy and somewhat shy, but don't
let that fool you. He just needs patience and someone
willing to work with him and he could be the horse of your
dreams.
$750
Timmy
Timmy has not been
treated well by humans. He was sold to a kill buyer,
bought back and then we got him. He is a little shy, but
really wants affection. He is halter broke and would
make someone a lovely companion. Timmy is a short
yearling and I have no idea at this time how big he will get.
He has large brown eyes that are always searching for his
forever home. Timmy has not shed out in this picture.
He has put on weight and is beginning to fill out.
Timmy has
found his forever home with "his" boy Trace, in Colorado.
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Jet "The Outlaw"
I wrote an article for the Panorama
called 'Jet, "The Outlaw"'. It is the story of my
appaloosa, Jet, and the abuse he went through. It tells
the story of our bonding.
My
poor battered, beautiful boy. He was deemed "untrainable", mean and even
called a "man killer". They had tried to train him at two years and had
given up, after considerable abuse. Then when he was a little over 3, I
was told about him and that if I didn't buy him he would go for meat. When
we first looked into each others eyes we connected. Against all advice I
purchased him. I worked and worked with him trying to earn his trust, he
hated everyone for good reasons. He was also one heck of a bucking horse
- no one could stay on him if he didn't want them to, not even the so
called tough bull riders. I was told the best thing to do was shoot him in
the head. But we had a connection. I was warned he would hurt or kill me
several times, but they never understood. I did something, that everyone
thought I should be committed for: I put a halter on him, took him into a
large arena, mounted him bareback, wearing moccasins so as not to
inadvertently kick him and put my trust on the line. He has never let me
down since. He may become upset, or buddy sour, or scared - but he trusts
me and that is worth more than the $2000.00 I have been offered for him as
a bucking horse. He has only been ridden by one other person than myself
and he hated every minute of it. I think he only did it for me.
You can't imagine how proud I was to
ride him in the 2003 Minden, Nebraska homecoming parade. Not only had he
never seen or heard all those scary noises, but I had wrapped him in
patriotic colors too. I have been offered money for him several times and
as much as I always need it, I cannot betray the trust we have built
between us.
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I heard about Misty before I ever saw her, but I was not prepared for
what I saw. A horribly skeletal mare trying desperately to eat the dry
grass around her as her owner, "Trish", made excuse after excuse why she
looked that way. She would not give her up so she could be helped, she
demanded money. I looked around the barnyard and saw another horse, Misty's daughter, fat and sleek. It was a clear cut case of starvation. Why, I will never know. What had she done to deserve this? We can only
imagine what she thought after 20 years with this family. The cold
bloodiness was staggering and left one thought in my mind-get her out of
here. I could not believe "Trish" signing the Bill of Sale, asking for
the option to buy her back. What nerve? I heard from town, that her
former owner was telling everyone how she was going to get Misty back
when she was back to health and even open a horse rescue operation! NO
WAY IN HELL! was the words that first came to mind. Never would I
release that sweet, old girl to such horrible, heartless starvation.
She was a sweet, kind and gentle mare. She had an adorable face and
was a beauty in her prime. We started the long road to recovery. Teeth
floated, hooves trimmed, a special diet and Misty, now named Misty Rose,
seemed to bloom and began to put on weight. We were thrilled. In the
meantime, her former owner, was telling everyone how she was going to
get Misty Rose back, once she was recovered. Sweet Misty Rose began to
decline and the vet was called out to find out why. The news hit hard.
Her starvation by her "so called family" had destroyed her liver and
kidneys and she way dying. There was nothing we could do. We watched her
get thinner and thinner. We
tried to keep children around her, as she loved them so. She was just a
big babysitter, kind and gentle with the little ones.
She spent the last few months with a small girl, and when it became
apparent she was failing, we brought her home. I awoke two weeks later
to see her bright red blanket on the ground. She had slipped away,
during the night. Her head looking toward the house, as if saying her
goodbyes and thanking us for the last few months of her life. She had
fought hard for 8 months, but the starvation, that was so cruel and
inhumane, had claimed her.
Misty Rose didn't have to die. She could have had many good years
left, if only she would have been cared for. If they didn't want her,
there were so many places that would have taken her. That sweet, kind
soul was killed in the most insidious way.
As I laid my head upon her cold body, it came to mind, did she ever
wonder what she had done, that her humans would not feed her? The hunger
pains tearing across her empty stomach as she smelled the hay the other
horse was fed. A once loved member of the family, dying in front of a
picture window, while the hay tractor went by her every day. Why had
they stopped loving her? Why did they watch this sweet girl die inch by
inch just across the driveway? If you know the answer, please tell me.
I mourn that sweet girl and all the others like her. I hope Misty
Rose is waiting at Heavens gate, when her former owners arrive. I would
hope she would turn them away, but I know better. She has a bigger heart
than they ever had or will have.
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Bless You Misty Rose,
you taught me so much in
your short time with us. |
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Max's Barfly Blues....
 My
stallion was a rescue. A friend called me and said if you don't help
this horse he will die. How do you answer that one? You just jump in
the truck and go see. I was appalled. He was in a small round pen, no
water, moldy black hay, no shade and covered with blood sucking flies.
A divorce situation, this comes up more than you know. When the owner
showed up, I made her an offer she could not refuse and he was mine. I
almost lost three weeks later when he tried to go into kidney failure
but you would never know it now. He does have starvation complex so is
very proprietary with his food, except when he is courting.
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Spirit & Lakota Moon....
I bought these two beautiful
Mustangs off the meat line. Spirit, even though I gained her trust
over the years, had been too abused by humans to ever be comfortable
with human touch. I was told I would never be able to ride Lakota,
but by establishing trust, she allowed me to saddle and ride her. I
felt
 Lakota
had paid her dues and in her best interest she should be retired to
the lifestyle she would love best, the open prairies. Both of these
beautiful horses have been released in the Black Hills Wild Horse
Sanctuary in South Dakota. The are running with the herd on 11,000
acres of open land.
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Nymawae....
Bought at auction,
Nymawae is a gorgeous little miniature. She was terrified when we got
her, but has since settled down. She has shed out and is turning into
quite a lovely lady, a Palomino with a lovely white mane. Her and her
friend Twinkle love to tease Star.
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 Hope
. . .
Hope was bought
from a sale by another person. In October of 06, she fell and
injured her knee and shoulder. She was left without medical
care. I was asked to come and get her or she was to be destroyed.
This poor little
filly was terrified, as we loaded her in the trailer. She was in
such deep muck, I had no idea how bad she was until we got her home.
Hope's front leg was deformed and her shoulder was injured. The
original knee injury had caused damage the other leg as well.
When we opened the trailer and saw her poor twisted legs and spine, I
knew in my heart there was no miracle for Hope. We put her in a
small stall and I worked with her to gain her trust. This smart
girl was
wearing a halter and following me around in less than an hour. I
brushed her and felt her atrophied shoulders. It was then I saw
the curve in her spine from pulling her damaged legs backwards.
She could only lie down with both legs in front of her. This
poor little girl had only one option, but I could not make
that decision until I took her to a specialist. He confirmed my
worst fears. There was no Summer for Hope, nor playing or
running in the pasture. She was in pain and her legs would just
get worse. 
Hope walked calmly behind me, as I lead her to a little grassy spot.
The wind was blowing and you
could smell the coming of Spring. Hope was willing to follow
where I led. I looked into those soft brown eyes, and stroked
her soft forehead. "Trust me Hope. Trust me, for you are
going to a wonderful place." She looked right into my eyes and never
flinched as the needle entered her vein. She crumpled slowly to
the ground. NO terror, pain, or fear. Just a peaceful
passing with me and John at her side. I really think she
understood. For the first time in a very long time she was
without pain. In the soft evening twilight her legs appeared
straight and strong. Only a trick of the light, but
for a moment I could see the beautiful horse she would have become, if
someone had only cared enough to help her.
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Chinook....
 A
32 year old blue-eyed appaloosa stallion pony. He has a wonderful
disposition and is totally blind. He is one of the smartest horses I
have been around. You would never know he is blind. He is not for
adoption as I have promised his family he would live out his life here
at the Break Heart Ranch, but a sponsor to help with his care would be
wonderful.
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Our newest rescues
Six
horses were going to slaughter. A small colt was going to be
killed, as the owner thought no one would want him. Through the
efforts of many wonderful people these horses were rescued. They will
be evaluated, treated, wormed, gelded and quarantined. If anyone is
interested in adopting these horses, please let me know. The paint
mare and stud colt will stay with us until he is weaned. We DO
NOT split off babies from their mamas before they are fully weaned.
NO exceptions. There is a young Palomino Stud and a younger
Overo stud, and AQHA buckskin mare, a 3 year old APHA paint filly a
APHA Gray Overo stud and then the Overo mare and little cremello
colt. The younger studs will be gelded as soon as they can be
handled. It is fairly certain that all mares are bred due to
running with the two younger studs. That will, also, be
determined.
 
Fobe and his Mom
Click on Fobe's photo
for a page dedicated to
his rescue and progress
 
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Thank you for
visiting Break Heart Ranch's web site.
Please feel free to look around and see
the wonderful things happening here
and contact us for any additional information.
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