29th Annual FOUR STATES AG EXPO Mar. 17-20, 2011

posted in Blog, Events, FSHR Horses, Mission | Monday, February 14th, 2011

Star, a.k.a. Mustang Sally, in “Rescued to Ride” program at the 2010 Ag Expo

Rescued to Ride was a success! Of the six horses that participated (ground trained and started or re-started under saddle by Jason Patrick and his team) four are adopted and two are still adoptable. The Ag Expo also provided excellent exposure for the other FSHR adoptable horses. Adoption applications are currently being accepted and reviewed on all adoptable horses.

Adoptable Rescued to Ride horses:

ADOPTED: Cheyenne, Rescued to Ride graduate

ADOPTED!! Cheyenne, age 9, is a “really nice horse,” according to Jason. She did very well for being a retired brood mare who had not been ridden in many years, if at all. The only time she bucked was when Scott and Star ran up too close to her…the high energy and close contact set her off. By the last day she seemed comfortable in a snaffle bit. At FSHR we are ground working her, desensitizing her to all kinds of “scary” situations and keeping her going with the new things we learned from Jason. We hope to be riding her also. The best thing for Annie would be to be adopted soon into a forever home!

Adoptable: Comet, Rescued to Ride graduate!

Comet, age 2, needs time to grow some more. Follow-up training should consist mainly of groundwork and ponying until he’s had time to mature some more. He is very talented and will be a terrific reining/cutting horse. He has the ideal size and temperament to be a kid’s performance horse someday! He requires turnout, a buddy or two, and regular exercise for his body and mind. By the last day of the Expo he seemed comfortable in a snaffle bit.

Adoptable: Star, Rescued to Ride graduate!

Star, age 6, needs an experienced rider right now. She did not buck on her last ride at the Expo. Though she thought about it while loping, her learning side of her brain was beginning to take over and she was able to control the impulse. At FSHR we are continuing to work her on the ground with and without the saddle and will be riding her again soon. Star wants to belong to her own human and will make a happy forever partner with someone who cares to give her the time she deserves.

You can find background and additional information about these horses and Rescued to Ride by continuing to read the older part of this post (below) and by checking out the links to the individual horses’ profiles. Violet and Twix are continuing with training in their forever homes. Little Dude is now a gelding and will be going to his forever home soon. We would also like to thank our volunteers for their help at the Expo. We had a wonderful turnout and could not have had nearly as good a weekend as we did without you!

Older post:

The following horses are scheduled to participate in “Rescued to Ride,” an event put on by trainer Jason Patrick of Whispering Willows Ranch. Jason and his team do saddle starting (or re-starting) demonstrations with rescue horses, to train and promote the horses to facilitate adoptability. These demonstrations can be very exciting, as was the case with “Mustang Sally” last year. Sally, a.k.a. Star, will participate again this year, hopefully to make it through to Graduation, and adoption into her forever home. Rescued to Ride is a nonprofit organization.

Also participating in Rescued to Ride, will be Little Dude, Cheyenne, Comet (maybe), Twix and Violet.

FSHR will share a booth with Four Corners Equine Rescue, of Aztec, NM, in the Horse Event Pavilion. Outside the pavilion we will have a couple more horses who are ready for adoption.

We are asking for all our volunteers-and some new ones!- to come out of the woodwork and help at the Expo, with manning the booth, caring for horses, help with set-up and tear-down of booth & stall cards, transporting and settling the horses into their pens, etc. Your help will enable FSHR and FCER personnel to be free to view their rescue horses in the Rescued to Ride events, instead of stuck at the booth the whole time.

Diane Panetta evaluates a potential colt

Diane Panetta visited FSHR on Feb. 13 to evaluate potential horses and colts for Rescued to Ride.

To find out more about the Expo, visit Four States Ag Expo