Ooo... I wonder what happened to ...

[Lorraine L]

The French rescue horses from a few years back ?

I know that a lot of the dgers offered homes and had them transported back.
Any news or stories / updates ?

Perhaps we can use this thread to review any old stories where we lost track of how things turned out and left you wondering what happened ?

[Deleted]

I still have Zorelle. Or I think I do... at this time of year she looks like she's been replaced by a fluffy teddy bear.

She's actually doing really well at the moment, and we even had a breakthrough yesterday. She let me put her headcollar on normally. I know that doesn't sound a lot to most people but for her it's a huge breakthrough and has taken literally years.

Her big turning point, I think was when Flossie then Toby left. Both created a lot of stress around feeding time, which is when Zorelle most wants something to do with you, of course. With either of them around, any progress I made with her was straight back to square one the following day.

We're now fully into our winter routine and she's found it much easier to settle this year. I make a point of stroking her every day and she has a long last stopped flinching. She will even just stand still next to me, neither of us doing anything, which I hadn't achieved before.

So, over the past couple of weeks, I've been concentrating on her bad side - the left, which is where you need to stand to put a headcollar on normally. We'd been targetting the headcollar for a treat for a few days, and also working on getting my hand under her jaw. When she was able to do both with confidence, I put them together and popped the headcollar over her nose.

Over the next couple of weeks we'll make that part of the feeding routine and then take it into the field. Fingers crossed, I may in the not too distant future be able to catch her normally from the field too.

We don't do feet- she keeps herself really well trimmed and leg handling has always set her back - but you never know, we might look at that again at some point, but only if she's ready.

And that's it. It's she's happy and chilled, and spends all day eating (too much!). Maybe not the freedom of the wild life she was born into but certainly better than an Italian abbatoir.

[kafee]

The rescue must have been before I joined the forum. Please tell me more about it: when was it, how many horses were brought over, what ages, and more importantly, piccies please Liz!

[dalesfan]

Yes,more info please

[stormhorse]

I've often wondered how they all are doing.

[megnum]

I bought Reole, she is my pride and joy. She was bought as a 3 year old 15.2 mare in foal, was actually 2 year old 14.2 not in foal. She was a complete untouchable, quite a challenge for me when I was just 16. I have brought her on really slowly and she is most definitely my horse, she follows me and very rarely lets anyone else catch her etc. We are working on the canter as being a trotter it doesn't come very naturally, she is lovely though and has an amazing jump and I hope to maybe do some low level eventing with her or find a younger person to ride her and hopefully do some sj. But she is very happy and lovely and the experience is so rewarding if anybody else ever fancies doing it!




She is such a kind mare and always tries her hardest for me and wants to please, she is also a character in that if she sees me riding someone else she bangs the gate and if I make her stand still for too long she chatters her teeth

[mjcssjw2]

Does anybody know what happened to Manny?

[Ally S]

Does anyone know what happened to Manny?

Yes! Me!!

Many is alive and well and living with me and my other horse Mattie in Devon. He has come a heck of a long way since I got him all those years ago. Manny continues to be the most extraordinary horse I have ever met. He is still nervous of strangers and a variety of other things! But, he just loves people and their company. It's odd. He has a huge set of 'rules' that must be abided by. Things such as 'no touching outside the stable unless I have my headcollar on'. 'No putting my headcollar on outside the stable - if you want to put it on me, just tell me to go into my stable and I will willingly do so and then you can do what you like'. It's hilarious, and while I'm sure I could overcome these things, I just gather they make him secure, and so I fully respect them! The other strange thing is that he worries himself silly about what might be about to happen. What actually happens he is generally very cool about now. So anyone new to Manny has to be told NOT to introduce themselves. If it's a vet wanting to give an injection, just walk straight up and get the needle in. Hoof trimmer, go in and grab a leg! If they stop to make friends and let him have a sniff, his negative expectations go through the roof and he just becomes agitated and backs away. As soon as they do whatever they need to, he merely raises a metaphorical eyebrow, exhales and proceeds to make friends! Physically he is a little arthritic, but it doesn't seem to really worry him. Otherwise, he is amazingly well considering what he went through and the mental, physical and dietary deprivations. I haven't got a recent photo, but will take one and post it up. I think he's looking really well, and he remains a joy!

Well done by the way to Megnum and Liz. You must be so proud of yourselves and rightly so. What a different life the rescues had in coming to you.

[Lorraine L]

Aww, we'll done and thanks for those updates ladies. Fabulous to know that they are well and did have the secure future that everyone prayed for. I have had the pleasure to meet Mannie and he is everything that Ally describes, and more. They have a beyond loving relationship and its testament to the DG that these things are possible even rescuing this poor chap from a hell hole in Spain.
From what a can remember about the French horses ( although Liz and Megnum will tell you more ) a message was placed on the DG by some British ladies living in France who witnessed horses ( lots in foal ) being 'farmed' for meat. It set up whole chain of events whereby people set up a website to gain photos and descriptions, together with trying to converse with the farmer before the horses ( and donkeys ) went off to Italy on another long journey ! It really was something to watch unfold. People were arranging sharing transport arrangements and to my knowledge, 50 + horses found their way back here to homes and a real future. A fund was set up for those who could offer the homes but not necessarily pay transport costs etc. nothing about the project was Free, or bargain horses. In fact, each of those people could probably have bought an Olympic dressage horse considering the time, money and effort each one needed. Well done to everyone involved x

[jackiedo]

The ones that came to the yard I used to be on have had varied futures. Not sure if any of them are with their original rescuers, but hopefully most of them are in good homes. 2 mares and their offspring, and also I think a stallion (not quite sure if he was included) were sold/given away to a notorious traveller dealer about a year ago.

[mjcssjw2]

oh Ally S, i would love to see a picture of him, how long is this ago now? is he ridden?

[wills]

Nice to hear that some off them are still with there original rescuers ;D ;D

[dizzy]

We rescued 2 mares, Maybelline, some of you will remember kept us waiting 8 months for her beautiful foal Tigerlily. When we got her in the August we were told she was due imminently!
She now leads the life of a Princess with a friend of mine. Lily who is now rising 5 went to a new home last year ad is also leading the life of a Princess!
Liberty the black percheron who was 18 months when we got her went to a lovely new home with someone on the DG but sadly lost her life to colic.
Are the original threads not still on somewhere for people to read?