Falcon

 A registered gelding.  His registered name is Jackie Bee War Leo and he also comes from Gold Fingers.  He is changing color and is now a rose gray.  He may continue to gray out to a lighter gray.  We will just have to see.  He is a big boy and loves people.  Falcon has been gelded, Coggins, wormed and has his first injections. He is halter broke and picks up his feet nicely for the farrier.  He loads well too. 

Falcon is residing  In Colorado.  He has turned a beautiful light gray. This registered gelding has tremendous blood lines and is willing to learn.  

Good News!!

Storm 

A registered yearling filly.  Her registered name is Gee Tee Silkey Marie.  She comes from Goldfingers top and bottom line, also Jackie Bee and Gay Badger McCue.  She will shed out an iron or gunmetal gray with a beautiful blaze and one white sock. She is shy of people and needs to be worked with, but the time will be well spent.  This could be a horse of a lifetime with the right person. 

Storm is residing in Colorado with Falcon. She has turned into quite a friendly gal. Her ability is only limited by what she is taught. 

Falcon and Storm were rescued together, along with Timmy and they will be living together  in their new home.   Storm, who was so shy, has warmed up to her new family and loves attention.  All three are starting lessons on how to become good companion and working horses. 

Ranger

Ranger has found his forever home!!

 His new family says he
never shows his age.  He wants to trot everywhere he goes and is full
of energy.  He is over thirty years old, but it looks like he has many
wonderful years ahead of him.

Nevada

Nevada is a mustang who stole my heart.  He was standing in the kill  line and insisted that I come over and talk to him.  I don't know why Nevada was left to go to kill, but he has already found his forever  home.  He is a lucky boy.

 

Nevada is now with his new mom Kat.

Jasmine

This 12 year old Gray Polish Arabian mare is very loving and sweet.  She is a big girl with a big heart and just needs to add some weight to catch up.

Jasmine has now found her forever home with Natasha.

UPDATE:

Jasmine, I am very sad to report, passed away in February, due to colic. Her new owner did not understand the complications or implications of this number one killer of horses.  Please, Please for Jasmines sake, read all you can about colic, and if you think your horse might be suffering from it, do not delay, call a vet immediately.  This kind and gentle mare might be alive today, if someone had. 

 

Spirit & Lakota Moon
 

I bought these two beautiful Mustangs off the meat line.  Spirit, even though I gained her trust over the years, had been too abused by humans to ever be comfortable with human touch.  I was told I would never be able to ride Lakota, but by establishing trust, she allowed me to saddle and ride her.  I felt Lakota had paid her dues and in her best interest she should be retired to the lifestyle she would love best, the open prairies.  Both of these beautiful horses have been released in the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota.  The are running with the herd on 11,000 acres of open land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE:  

SPIRIT AND LAKOTA MOON  -  I have been in contact with the Mustang Sanctuary and these two gals are living it up and running free. 

 

Shawnee

Shawnee Dancer with her mom Gerri enjoying a bath.

Shawnee is fully recovered and with her new mom "Gerri" in Omaha. She  has made a complete recovery, and can out run any horse she races.  She will start formal training this year.

Footnote:  I was criticized severely by a  "so called horseperson", for  letting Shawnee live and not putting her down.  This person said  Shawnee would be nothing but a cripple, and I was using her for  sympathy for my rescue.  I think Shawnee answers for herself, every  time she flies across the green fields, her mane flying in the wind,  and the joy of life in her heart.

Little Katalina
 

Katalina was a starving filly from Minden, Ne.  She was weaned at about 3 months old (far too early) and unable to survive with the bigger horses she was put with.  No special attempt was made to help her and all offers of help were refused. When she came to Break Heart Ranch she was unable to eat and was very close to dying.  She was force hand fed for two day before she began to start to eat on her own.  This poor little filly was treated as disposable garbage. Charges have been filed against the man who refused to care for her and the City Police are more than reluctant to bring charges against him. I can handle death threats against me, slander and rude and unethical conduct from the Police Department.  However, what was done to this poor filly is a crime.  I will continue to pursue justice and speak up for this little girl.

 

 

12/13/05 - Here is a new photo (below) of this little starved filly.  She was weighed on 12/13/05 and has gained over one hundred pounds.  She still has a way to go, but is beginning to act like a filly.  she loves playing with the other babies and gets upset if separated.  She has lost most of her fear of being touched and responds with little nickers when you talk to her.  She comes to the fence now to visit and get her rubs and treats.  Katalina is not up for adoption due to her still tenuous health.

Janet Wheelock and her horse Cricket
are Katalina's new Sponsor family --
we so greatly appreciate this wonderful person
who has stepped forward to help bring this little girl back to health.

Update 06/12/06 - Sadly little Katalina passed away after an 8 month long fight to survive.  Her liver and kidneys were damaged beyond repair by her starvation and neglect.  She gave a good fight and at least learned that not all humans are bad.

 

Jeanny and Jeaneatte

Heading off to their new home in Kearney with Greg and Cathy.

 

Desert Dawn

 

We called her Desert Dawn. A Polish Arabian looking for a new home. After several months, it was evident that Dawn loved children. She was patient and gentle, and it was determined that Dawn would be a wonderful therapy horse. So with mixed emotions of pride and loss, we watched as Dawn headed off to her new home at the I Believe In Me Ranch in Kearney, NE.

A wonderful place, where there is ample opportunity for Dawn to wield her special magic of love and acceptance.  

Lyla

John Shares a moment with Lyla before she leaves for her new home.   Lyla was bought at auction and has turned into a wonderful talented gal. 

Calypso

Calypso was raised here at Break Heart when we got her Mother Tango. She has been adopted out to a wonderful home where she can run around and boss all the animals on the ranch. Her Mother Tango was adopted out to the same person, so they are together and enjoying their new life in Holdredge.

 

 

Cocoa

Cocoa was looking for a new home. She had been rescued by a wonderful gal, that found out Cocoa had a secret, she was pregnant. Cocoa delivered a beautiful baby and was well taken care of. However, Cocoa loves to be with children. She is calm, patient and understanding of beginners. Cocoa found a new home with lots of kids to keep her company and is doing very well. She fit right in with her new family and is enjoying being spoiled.

 

Chomper
 

They Called Him Chomper

Terrified, the stud colt, froze motionless in front of the noisy, mass of humans and strange smells. He was unsteady on his trembling legs.  He didn’t understand the moving floor was the auction scales registering his weight.  He looked, frantically, for his mother.  He was 17 months old and had never been separated from her, now she was gone.  He looked around the ring calling for his Dam.  He thought he could hear her answer through the noise that surrounded him. Humans with big sticks forced him to run around the small, cramped space.  He became angry, he was trapped!  The colt tried to run away, but the humans blocked his escape.  The humans, the noise of the auctioneer, the fear made him turn on the men who harassed him.  He snapped his teeth, hooves flying he drove them away.  They ran from the ring leaving him to run around calling for his Dam, his herd.  A 17 month old, untouched, stud colt with a seemingly bad attitude, fodder for the killer buyers.

To buyers at the auction, he was not worth a second glance.  Who wanted a wild stud colt, when there were so many more “broke” horses coming up for auction?  His mother went for a fraction of what she was worth, but she went to a family who would take care of her.  No one wanted a problem stud colt! This was not a good place to be for a confused colt.  This was a “Killer” auction.  This beautiful Appaloosa stud colt would go cheap, real cheap, a bargain, for the “killer buyer” who bid on him.

A “killer buyer”, who quickly found out, that one person, at the auction, would give this colt a chance. I knew, from the first moment the colt entered the ring, that I would buy him.  There isn’t, always, a logical reason for buying horses at auction, especially, slaughter auctions.  I spend hours watching the horses come in.  I evaluate wounds, illnesses, starvation, age, and many other factors.  I make a short list.  A non-profit lacks the funds of the killer buyers.  However, once I decide to bid, I stay with the ones I have chosen. The colt was one of the few exceptions.  I hadn’t seen him before he stepped into the ring. There was something special about this scared Appaloosa colt.  Something drew me to this young horse.  Indescribably, it is a “knowing” that his colt is meant to be with me.  The minor details of how to halter him and load him in the trailer was a small matter.  After the auction, I went to check on my colt. He was in a pen with his Mother and settled down.  However, the next morning, when we came to pick him up, she was gone and he was suffering from her loss.  He was so lost, that it was nothing to get him loaded into the trailer.  A pen rider, on a large gelding, just pushed him in.  He was so alone. I don't  think he cared.  His life had changed forever.

I contacted his previous owner.  I try to learn as much as I can about each horse I buy at an auction.  This is invaluable information into the horse's past.  She was extremely upset at the low price they had brought at the auction. "Chomper" was the stud colts name, because he had bitten everyone, who had tried to get near him.  No one had been able to get a halter on him, so he was allowed to run at will.  I assured her that both had good homes.  They could have gone to slaughter.  She didn't know it was a slaughter auction.  She'd had the colts mother for years, but was in need of money.  A sad story repeatedly played out.  Horse owners, thinking or wanting to believe that their horses will go to good homes, only to find they were slaughtered.  This can happen selling horses in classified ads too.

Chomper was taken to his new home.  He was overwhelmed by the transition.  The auction, loss of his mother, strange new people and places threw him into "flight" mode.  Chomper charged up and down the fence nickering and throwing a genuine tantrum.  I give new horses several days to adjust to their surroundings, obviously, this wasn't going to work.  He calmed down when I approached and began speaking to him.  The more I talked; the calmer he became.  He started to relax and stretch his neck out to me.  You better believe that his name, "Chomper," crossed my mind, but what he wanted, was to be touched.  Soft words and soft hands, reassuring him, comforting him.  I quietly opened the gate and stepped inside, with this poor, lonely, lost one.  At 17 months, he probably weighted about 800 pounds, but he was still a baby.  Chomper desperately needed reassurance that his world hadn't completely collapsed.  I rubbed my hand along his silvery neck, talking softly.  He relaxed and laid his head on my arm.  It was scary being alone, and a two legged human was some comfort.  I continued to talk to him and rub his neck.  I haltered him within an hour with no resistance at all.

A so called "Cowboy" came to see my new stud colt.  I mentioned he had never been haltered and was called Chomper.  Of course, this brought out the 'Big Honcho" who could tame "anything with hair!"

 I don't let people in with new horses until I have spent time with them.  However, this time, something told me to go ahead and watch the show.  Chomper would be all right.  The Cowboy pulls down his hat, opens the gate and swaggers in (testosterone on high).  No damn colt will get the best of this Cowboy! Chomper, eyes narrowing, runs up to the cowboy.  He takes a chomp out of the cowboys arm, turns, throws a little cow kick, and runs, tail up, to the other end of the pen.  The cowboy, cussing, checks he's not bleeding and swearing he will "kill that damn colt" as he makes a fast exit through the gate.

Honestly, this isn't a laughing matter, or acceptable behavior, but I almost passed out laughing. Chomper had left a perfect set of teeth marks on the underside of the cowboy's arm!  Chomper could have done much worse, if he had wanted.  It was just a warning, "don't bring that attitude in here with me!"  Chomper was looking rather pleased with himself.  I don't tolerate biting from my horses.  I don't tolerate fools either!  You do not walk up to a Grizzly Bear with a bad attitude (you, not the Grizzly) and expect him to invite you for a bite of salmon!  Cowboy's attitude was telling Chomper that he was planning to kick some serious behind.  Chomper, being male, reacted as all male animals do. Fight!

Being, calm and quiet in movement and body language, I made Chomper feel safe, part of the herd.  A herd of two. There wasn't a reason to run or fight. He was lonely, and I gave him comfort and companionship. You can build a wonderful relationship, with your horse, based on these two components. Working with your horse will continue to build trust and respect. Trust and respect doesn't just happen; they must be built over time. The more time you spend, with your horse, the more respect and trust will grow. This starts with your first contact, as it did with Chomper.  My non-aggressive behavior and calm manner took away his justification for biting. The fear and insecurity, of the unknown, was gone. The day he was gelded, I sat with his head in my lap through the procedure, and was with him when he recovered. He's not just my horse, but my friend. We take care of each other.

The gangly, stud colt has grown into a beautiful silver gray Appy.  Chomper, renamed Zeb, has never offered to bite in the 5 years I have had the honor to be with him.  He has personality plus, since he has been allowed and encouraged to develop that personality.  He is willing to learn anything I ask of him. Zeb is a clown, who loves to steal hats, cell phones and spraying you with the hose.  He'll hide your tools, pack off buckets, and slurp his tongue across your freshly washed pickup.  He loves children and chasing cows.  Occasionally, a mischievous gleam will appear in that dark Appy eye.  I just laugh and tell him not to think about being naughty!

From Chomper "The Terrible," to Zeb, my companion. His transition brought about, because we understood, and most importantly, trusted and respected each other. The horse that no one wanted, is now the most talked about horse at the Break Heart Ranch. He steals peoples hearts with a wink of his eye.

So many wonderful horses, like Zeb, go to slaughter every day. Pro-slaughter groups say the horses are old, worn out, sick, culls, outlaws. The real truth is that they are weanlings, yearlings, pregnant mares, healthy horses and unwanted horses. Horses with nothing the matter with them, other than their owners were irresponsible, ignorant, or uncaring.

This is Zeb's story. He was saved from a horrible fate. Almost 90,000 horses and other equines went to slaughter last year, most for human consumption. How many wonderful horses, like Zeb, were lost? It is time we stand up and protect Americas Icon, and all the wonderful horses like Zeb.


Valerie Hinderlider
Break Heart Ranch Horse Rescue
Minden, NE

War Eagle