Submitted by Ruth Beck: Me and my IRHR gelding (Draft X) Double Dutch. He competed through 3rd level with previous owner and with a friend of mine and even took a junior rider to her very first BIG show, before we had to retire him (permanently or temporarily, it remains to be seen) due to discovering an injury and then a subsequent loss of vision in one eye. We are JUST starting him back under saddle (only walking at this point). I know he won't return to his full former glory, but I'm hoping I can at least enjoy riding him in some capacity!
In April on YourDressage, we are celebrating Rescue Horses! We recently asked our social media followers to share a photo of their rescue horses who are now thriving after having found their soft landing. We got an incredible outpouring of stories and photos in response, and look forward to sharing them here all month long!
Did you know that dressage riders who choose rescue horses as their mounts are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as the International Rescue Horse Registry, LLC is a participating organization?
I met Newton in 2016 through Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation trainers challenge. He was my assigned horse for training. I ended up adopting him and we are now working on second level dressage. We qualified for and attended area 4 regionals and did our first freestyle in 2022. – Rochelle W.West Ely, adopted from Friends of Ferdinand, competes in western dressage. – Kiley O.Kyff and I at USDF Nationals- a year and a half after I rescued him from New Holland auction in PA where he was preparing to load on a truck to Mexico for slaughter. He tries his hardest for me everyday. We’ve shown to second level before Lymes disease made things difficult. He is my heart and we are always up for a challenge ❤️❤️ – Denise W.I rescued Cash as a two week old orphaned nurse mare foal from Last Chance Corral. – Kara C.Last year he was started under saddle and had a fantastic experience at Intro, both at Recognized and Schooling shows. We’re aiming for Training level this year! Love my rescue and so do the judges ❤️ – Kara C.My pretty rescue by way of Rowley Rescue Ranch. looking forward to a show ring debut this summer. – Barb G.IRHR registered Silver Lining ❤️ – Ashley A.the love of my life and greatest partner, Uno🖤 – Emily B.Buddy my 1995 pinto pony stallion. He was my first horse and the one who really built me as a trainer. Barely halter broke when I got him indirectly from Woods auction as a 2yro. At that time he was under weight, had a nasty respiratory infection and periodic aggression. 12yro me was in love. I went on to show him competitively through I2, did several natural horsemanship demos with him and he ended up being a fab schoolmaster who several of my students even earned medal scores on. He retired sound from the show ring at 23 and just does the occasional trail ride now but he’s still just as cheeky as ever. – Erika-West N. NOTE: USDF strongly recommends all riders wear protective headgear when mounted.Penny’s Worth, aka Nugget, graduate of Last Chance Corral. 2022 MDA Reserve Champion TL Novice Horse. I’ve owned her since she was three weeks old. She was a milk mare baby. – Karen S.“Bucky” was rescued from a Texas kill pen. He won All-Breeds for American Mustang & Burro Association in Training Level last year. – Sharpe DressageGot my beautiful mare Persephone two years ago from Yvonne Barteau at horses without humans rescue organization. She was untouched when I got her so we are still a work in progress at the lower levels. – Maria H.From a sick little unbroke 2 yr old to USEF Festival of Champions, Children’s Dressage National Championships! Twist of Fate “Oliver”, registered with the IRHR, has been a member of our family since he was rescued in 2011. My daughter Sophie has been riding Oliver since she was 10. This year, at 13 yrs old, she even earned her bronze medal on him! – Natasha R.Imaginative, or Starfoot, came to us in 2019 as a skinny, unimpressive OTTB. All we wanted was a companion horse. With gradual work he has turned into a very nice dressage horse, currently competing at First Level. Here he is at Dressage at Lexington in 2022. He has improved and is rapidly becoming my heart horse and one that will move up the levels this show season! – Kelli W.I’ll Have Another Cosmo, rescued as a premarin foal. Percheron x TB. First and second level AA All Breeds IRHR champion 2022. – Lindsey M.Calabash, a purebred Arabian gelding shows Training Level at schooling shows and aiming for First Level soon! We’ve been a member of the IRHR for several years💜 – Stephanie B.Destiny was a 2002 PMU foal. She and I have been together ever since. She is retired now, but here she is after a first level test. My best girl! – Elizabeth T.This is my rescue half arabian GG Daisy Duke… we showed in February at Scottsdale and won our Dressage … she’s 18 now I’ve had her for 4 years …..she had never been ridden and was unhandled when I adopted her at 14 …. She’s my greatest teacher and partner. – Ashlee P.This my very handsome rescue Phoenix. He came from very undesirable home and situation. He is 26 years old . We’re only up to training level. He really did rise from the ashes and I love him with all my heart ❤️ – Antonia A.This pony originally came from a kill pen in Texas. He is now a barn favorite at a competitive dressage barn, and he is as cute as they come. Developed by an AA!!! A wee 5yo who is schooling 1st level movements, jumping courses like a hunter, and showing off the best brain you could ask for (not said lightly). “He’s My Romeo” (Romeo) has a bright future ahead as a show ring pony in both dressage and low level eventing. – Sarabeth L.Just So, aka Sofi, graduate of Last Chance Corral. 2021 MDA Champion Intro and Region 2 Reserve Champion Intro. I’ve had her since she was two weeks old. The rescue trained her to drink milk from a pail. She was a milk mare baby. – Karen S.Witt’s Way my gorgeous OTTB, working training level schooling 1st. Currently recovering from kissing spine surgery. It’s been a journey but, he is a Dressage Diva for sure! – Roxanne M.Mr.P my halflinger rescue doing intro dressage and loving it! ❤️He was with a horse trader on the boarder, didn’t know how to steer at all, leg pressure terrified him. Now just excelling, has won several Championships already! Even the national pony cup high point. He is learning to canter, taking everything slowly. He needs alot of reassuring and love! But, so willing with a great dressage career ahead of him! ❤️🐴❤️ – Roxanne M.Yay for rescue horses and International Rescue Horse Registry, LLC! My daughter is the Youth Ambassador for IRHR and loves her kill pen rescue beyond words. They were the USDF Regional Schooling Show Champions at 3rd Level in 2022! Over the past 5 years, my daughter trained Redeemed Lace from Intro to Third Level! Lacey is a one-of-a-kind horse with quite the story! They even have their own Facebook Page and my daughter, Ella Escobar, also received the USDF Youth Sportsmanship Award Nomination in 2022! – Heather E.This was taken at the Region 1 Great American Insurance Group Championships. They have always been in the top 8 and able to make the victory lap! – Heather E.My daughter and her love, As You Wish (Buttercup). The scars the mare carries all over her body are daily reminders of her difficult past. But the love on her rider’s face as she thanks her for a wonderful ride shows that she’s safe, and loved, and HOME forever. They literally dance off into the sunset. ❤️ Photo by MADSnap Studio. – Catherine S.My wonder pony, Logan, is a 9 yr old mustang pulled from the kill pens of Strout Oklahoma by Evanescence Mustang Rescue. It would be amazing to be featured and show the world how far this pony has come. – Samantha B.
