Nika was a rescue project of ours… When we picked her up, she was a five year old registered Jockey Club Thoroughbred in severely underweight condition. Her hooves were curling and chipping off, and she was terribly timid around people. Simply put, she looked AWFUL!

 

We put a lot of time and groceries into Nika. Gradually her attitude began to soften towards us as her frame began to fill in from years of sub-par nutrition. As we began working with her on the long line and under saddle, it became apparent that her talents would lie in the hunter/jumper arena.

After we’d owned Nika for about a year, I received a phone call from the lady I’d bought her from. She filled in me in a little back story: that Nika had flipped over while she was riding her, breaking the owner’s collarbone in the process. They just decided to ignore her at that point… a very sad story.  However, there’s a happy ending to this tale. Nika was sold to a hunter trainer, and last I heard was happily being used as a lesson mount for her students. May all horses be so lucky...

The day we picked her up.

Dull coat, lifeless attitude. A sad horse.

Nika after our rehab! Now she’s a happier girl...