Sadly, horses end up at auction for a variety of reasons. And while we don’t know the reason Sapphire, Kenny, and Lacey were at an auction in Nevada, we do know they deserved to be
saved. And it took the efforts of four rescue organizations working
together to do it. Sapphire and Kenny are just youngsters, only four months old. And it’s shocking to consider what they’ve already endured in their short lives. They were sent to auction alongside their moms and had already been purchased and loaded onto a trailer when our
partner rescue found them. The buyer was headed south, possibly to Mexico. And while he refused to sell their mothers, the rescue
organization was able to convince him to let them buy the young foals. Not only were Sapphire and Kenny thin and undernourished,
they had shipping fever (a respiratory issue associated with transporting horses). To make matters worse, they had huge, hot iron brands that were sore and peeling, covering the entire top of their rumps on both sides. They didn’t know it yet, but as scared as they were being separated from their moms, it was the beginning of a better life for both of them. Lacey, a small pony, was also at the auction that day. With the exception of blindness in one eye and suffering from shipping fever, she was in pretty good health overall. Seeing how scared she was with all the loud sounds and activity at the auction, our partner rescue just couldn’t leave her behind. So, Sapphire, Kenny, and Lacey were loaded onto a trailer
and taken to a rescue in Northern California, where they got lots of love and attention. When they were feeling better and more comfortable with people and handling, they made their journey south to Redwings. As with most rescue efforts, it takes a village. Working together with Lost Hearts and Souls Rescue, Pregnant Mare
Rescue and Angels for Minis – and, of course, with the
generous support we get from you -- Sapphire, Kenny, and Lacey are now living the lives they deserve. Their brands have healed and no longer cause them pain, they’ve gained a lot of
weight, and their trust in people is getting stronger every day.