"Where Are They Now?"

Do you ever wonder what happens to our horses AFTER they find their forever home? On this page, we will highlight what life AFTER the rescue looks like for some of our treasures!

SBR Cheeky

Her story is told by her “human” Trixie from New Hampshire!

In her mid-60’s Cheeky’s human found herself losing her heart horse and questioning if she was too “seasoned” to start over. That is until she found SBR and Cheeky. She had been watching the Live Feeds when in the later part of 2020 we featured Cheeky and described her as a kind mare. Trixie came out to the rescue in March of 2021 to meet her and adopted her with a feeling of excitement, anticipation and anxiety. As they were “figuring each other out” she did so with a quiet and patient hand just as she saw SBR do on the Live Feeds.

Because of a big fall in August of 2020, Trixie was tentative to go on trail riding adventures, but in the fall of 2021, they spent a few days at a farm in New Hampshire working with a professional as talented as Nealia. On the obstacle course, Cheeky showed great interest in technical work and did not balk at any request – and that day she found out that Cheeky LOVES water. In their first off-property trail ride, Cheeky was a super star!

When they returned home, they began heading out to new locations for rides and each one was matched with a new goal (loading alone, crossing a busy road, meeting bicyclists, cows…) Cheeky has never backed down. At the end of May, they were challenged with their biggest obstacle. Crossing water that was 150 feed wide. Trixie was hesitant but Cheeky was not. They forged ahead even as the water was at her chest! That was the day Trixie and Cheeky really formed a bond.

Trixie says that everyone that meets Cheeky loves this sweet, kind and sensible mare. The more they ride together, the more Trixie believes that Cheeky is a magnificent partner. She credits SBR with giving her renewed excitement to ride and she is totally smitten with SBR Cheeky!

SBR Mike

Mike is loving his new life and new name! Iko, as he is now called, had a rough start upon arriving at his forever home. He had developed severe ulcers after his trip home which needed immediate treatment. Then, while playing too hard in the pasture, he ended up with curb to both hocks.

With lots of rest, laser therapy, and a slow return to exercise he is now back to work! His new owner says he is a joy to have at the barn and LOVES his turnout time in a large pasture with a herd of geldings! She says he is such an easy horse to train and enjoy!

The pictures show him being ridden in his very first dressage lesson!

We, at SBR, could not be happier!

*Footnote*- SBR gets horses not just from the kill pen, but also from trainers who have horses that do not fit into their program but don’t want anything bad to come to the horse. They donate them to SBR to be placed in a good home doing something that they are better suited for. Mike was from this situation. He did not come to us from a kill pen. He came to us from someone who wanted to make sure he went to a loving home and from the look of it he is well loved!

SBR Delilah

Delilah, who now goes by “Fable”, was adopted from SBR in the Summer of 2021 and stayed right here in NJ! Her new family had just lost their SBR mare to a bad bout of colic. They immediately fell in love with her sweet gentle nature, and over the past year as they have gotten to know each other better, they say her playful personality has really come out. She lives with three other saddlebred rescues, Becker, Mac, and Kahlua. She loves going out for trail rides and seems like she might make a good jumper! In the words of her adoptive mom, Emily: “We absolutely adore her and I don’t know what I would do without this amazing mare in my life. Thank you to Saddlebred Rescue for all you do, especially to Nealia, the heart and soul of the organization, who has my greatest respect.”

SBR Tinsel

SBR Tinsel, now named Demi, was adopted in 2018 by Brianna McCormick and resides in Pennsylvania. Originally adopted by Brianna to do trail riding and some slight gaming, an injury on another horse caused Brianna to be unable to ride. Luckily Brianna’s son Billy took over the reins and now together he and Demi ride in Gymkhanas, are learning how to work cattle and even won some jackpots in barrel racing. Demi loves “Everything Western” and has certainly won the hearts of her humans!

SBR SINATRA

SBR Sinatra was adopted by Amy Jean Bergeron in November of 2017 and has been living in New Hampshire ever since! In Amy’s words: “A year and a half after my heart was broken over losing my beloved Saddlebred, Vinnie Van Gogh, at only 11 years old (and only 6 months after I got him) I intended to get another pinto Saddlebred foal when I happened to google Saddlebred and Rescue, and there he was! SBR Sinatra looked similar to my Vinnie and of course caught my eye! In a very short time he was loaded up and heading to New Hampshire with me to join his new brother, my Oldenburg Apollo. I love my Apollo, but before finding Sinatra, life was less without a Saddlebred. Sinatra has qualities I love about the breed. Versatile, kind, athletic and game to do anything! That’s in addition to doing everything with style! He’s a sensitive horse and with time we’ve found the tack he approves of and have finally, with the help of my dressage instructor, a wonderful relaxed canter. Our partnership gets stronger everyday. We put in trail miles both solo or in company. Trail riding, and especially a good run, is by far his favorite thing. I will be forever grateful that Saddlebred Rescue let me take this beautiful boy home. We needed each other.

SBR JIMMY KIMMEL

SBR Jimmy Kimmel was a rescue that came into Saddlebred Rescue and was having a really hard time being adopted. He didn’t really canter and he didn’t wear a full bridle very well. He was struggling to find a forever home so Nealia decided to adopt him herself and use him in her lesson program. During this time, our very own Lorna had come to Nealia wanting to compete at the Academy National Finals in Tennessee and needed a horse to show. North Wind Stables took her and Jimmy to the finals where they won both in equitation and pleasure and Lorna fell in love! After their win at the Academy Nationals, Nealia had promised that if she ever wasn’t able to use Jimmy in her program, that she would let Lorna adopt him. Lorna, of course, was in love with Jimmy after riding him in Tennessee and when she showed up at Saddlebred Rescue looking to adopt a horse to keep at home, it was an easy decision of who to adopt! Jimmy was a birthday present for Lorna and from that day on, he has been loving life in New York where Lorna rides him, loves on him, and he just gets to hand out in the pasture with her other horse! Life sure is sweet for Jimmy!

SBR SPICY

SBR Spicy, now known as Ember, was adopted in early August, 2022. Her mom, Linda writes that “even though we had 2 retired mares living with us, we decided to board her at a nearby Morgan/Saddlebred stable so I could take lessons and have the use of an indoor arena for the winter. Sadly, only 2 months later, our oldest mare passed away unexpectedly and we needed to bring Ember home to be a companion for our other mare, Juliet. I was still able to take lessons on her at home until December until the ground got too hard and the weather too cold. I am looking forward to getting back to riding with the nicer weather. I ride her hunt seat and she really enjoys going over poles. She is such a wonderful horse and we can’t thank Saddlebred Rescue enough for saving her and allowing us to adopt her. Hopefully there will be another SBR horse in our future!”

SBR SNORTY SMITH

According to his mom, Rebecca, SBR Snorty Smith was adopted in March of 2013 and took a big trailer ride to Stanley, Wisconsin. He lives on a Dairy Farm. He spends his time under saddle out on the trails as we take in lots of scenery around Wisconsin. We haul out for day rides and also do overnight camping trips to keep us entertained. He has become brave at our adventures together with lots of patience and repetition. Around home we go out for rides around the farm and also herd heifers up to the pens for vet work and vaccinations. He spends his days out in the pasture with his best bud “Steed” and in his stall over night or if mom feels it’s not nice out he also gets to stay in.

SBR COGNAC

On May 10, 2023 it was 3 years since SBR Cognac arrived at his forever home in Louisville, KY. He is absolutely loved beyond words and enjoys spending his days being spoiled by his people, which he totally deserves! He taught his new human’s daughter and many other kids so so much as an Academy lesson horse. He has a spirit and spunk about him and that, they say is what they adore! You’d never know that he turned 20 this year!