OUR HORSES

ABCD Goldfish was a harness racing horse; he raced in Florida, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Here's he's shown in the winners circle and winning at Pompano Park, Fl. Goldie was adopted by Lori Starnes of Yadkinville, NC

Aztec came to us from Ri-Arm Farm at Franklin Lakes, NJ. An Oldenburg gelding used for Grand prix show jumping, trained by Mark Leone, US Equestrian Team for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA. Aztec began to have problems with his hock and could no longer handle the level of competition with Mark. Here are 2 wonderful pictures of Mark and Aztec.

Mark and Jane Leone donated Aztec and BB, a Selle Francais gelding in hopes of finding them the good home that they deserved. Aztec was adopted by Bob and Di Boyle of Bridgeport, WV and now used for everything from pleasure and trail to light low level jumping. BB was adopted by the Wolbolt family of So. Charleston, Ohio.

Tropic Knight "Knighty" is a Standardbred gelding donated by Phil and Cindy Goldwater of Elkton, MD. Knighty, a harness racing horse was raced successfully in Delaware, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania but his right stifle joint became a problem and he could not hold up to the riggers of racing. The Second Wind Adoption Program put Knighty under saddle and he was adopted by Jan Coen of Bruceton Mills, WV for pleasure riding/driving and to be a family horse.

Pin High, a Hanoverian x mare came to us from Paul Long of Mahwah, NJ. Pin High was trained by Mark Leone for Amateur show jumping and was ridden by Paul and was the leading show jumper at one time. Her claim to fame was in timed events, she couldn't be beaten. Paul retired Pin High as she became older but after years of her service, he was convinced to she deserved a good home and knew that she could go on to do something else. Pin High was adopted by Donna Burdick of Fairmont, WV. Donna had been looking in our program for months for "her horse" and she fell in love after one ride on Pin High. She is a family horse in which both Donna and her husband ride her for both western pleasure and English pleasure with some light jumping.

Trade Mark McQue "Mac", an Appendix Quarter Horse gelding, had a long career as a police horse with the Lancaster Police Department, Lancaster, PA and was finally retired after years of faithful service. The mounted police wanted the best for Mac sent them to Second Wind in hopes of finding him a life that would be rewarding but less demanding than police work. Mac was adopted by the Mane Event Therapeutic Riding Program in Lawrenceville, VA as a therapeutic riding horse with handicapped kids where he gets lots of attention, carrots and acres of lush pasture land to graze.

Ukee Ha Bukie and Waiting Maiden, both Thoroughbred broodmares came to us from Barbara Davidson in Lexington, KY. Ron and Barb had both mares for several years but they were getting older and running a large breeding farm was taking its toll, needing to down size their breeding farm but being so attached to both mares, they called Second Wind, knowing they would be both go to good homes. Ukee, a beautiful gray mare was adopted by Jon and Jackie Huls of Manchester, TN as a family horse and Maiden, probably one of the sweetest horses ever in the program was adopted by Marion Pitts, also of Lexington, KY to be a family horse, pleasure mount and is now doing 2 foot jumps consistently with her daughter. Maiden is not a half hour from where she was raised in Lexington.

Ali, a thoroughbred yearling, daughter of the famous race horse and sire, Alysheba came to us with her own interesting tale to tell. Her Dam was being boarded at Sun Valley Farm in Lexington, KY when she foaled but her board bill and stud fee was never paid and Sun Valley farm took possession of the mare and young filly that still remained unregistered because of an unpaid stud fee. Sun Valley Farms contacted us in hopes that we being non-profit could get Lanes End, Alysheba's owner, to release the documents for less so that we could get little Ali registered and a chance at a full and wonderful life. After contacting Lane's End, they agreed to release the servicing documents for only $3500. which was greatly reduced from Alysheba's stud fee that was once nearly 40k. The young copper chestnut filly was adopted by the Vonderheide family of Batavia, Ohio where she will be used as a 4-H project, English pleasure, jumping and someday maybe even have a foal or two of her own.

Applegate's Sultan Lady Heir "Apple" was donated by Steve and Becky Connor of Alum Creek, WV when they realized that Apple could no longer handle the miles of trails that Steve did each week for pleasure riding. Being very attached to Apple, Steve was hopeful that Apple could have an easier life doing light riding, breeding or just being a companion horse for someone or another horse. Second Wind had Apple listed in the WV Horseman's Report in hopes of finding her a home, and Angie Hughart saw her ad. Angie immediately realized that Apple was the same horse that she had grown up on, shown for years and had to sell when she was going off to college. Angie, now a grown woman with children of her own, knew she had to give her childhood friend the home and life of leisure she deserved. Apple now lives as a retired show and trail horse with Angie and her family in Ripley, WV (The picture is of the young Angie and Apple dressed to impress in a local WV show). Now is that a happy ending or what?

Badger's April Breeze "Kabuki" a beautiful black and white pinto mare was donated by Anne Thompson of Coatesville, PA after years of successful eventing on the east coast. Much to Anne's dismay, Kabuki had developed a case of ringbone and could no longer compete. Heart broken that she could no longer keep her baby, she had to know Kabuki was in an excellent home and could possibly have a second career. Craig and Allison, he a farrier and she a graduate of Meredith Manor run a small breeding farm in which they stand a Black and White Paint stallion producing some beautiful colored babies for the hunter- jumper community. Craig and Allison have long been adopters and supporters of the Second Wind Program, wanted to see Kabuki as soon as she came in. It took all of about 2 seconds to realize that Kabuki would make a wonderful addition to their farm in Ellenboro, WV. Besides her duties as broodmare, Kabuki enjoys an occasional light trail ride from Allison on their thousand acre farm, lots of carrots and miles and miles of lush pasture land to run on. The pictures below are of Anne and Kabuki and of Kabuki and her first foal at her new home.

Renaissance Runner "Rene" in the Winner's Circle at Delaware Park was donated by Mary Jane Thompson, a TB owner and trainer at Penn Nationals. Rene could no longer win enough to pay her racing bills so Mary Jane put her into the program to find her a second career. Rene was the first horse of many that Mary Jane placed into homes using SWAP. Allison Rasmussen of Northern Kentucky adopted Rene for pleasure, showing and a family horse, all of which she could easily do.

Horses with Histories

"Our" horses have had some pretty interesting lives before coming to Second Wind. Most were not rescued from a slaughterhouse auction, but merely are finished with their first careers and their owners want to know they are going to good homes for life...

ABCD Goldfish was a harness racing horse; he raced in Florida, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Here's he's shown in the winners circle and winning at Pompano Park, Fl. Goldie was adopted by Lori Starnes of Yadkinville, NC