One of the hardest things about doing what I do with A Pinch of Luck is having to turn away horses that I would like to help.  Unfortunately, though our program is growing, it's small, nonetheless, and is, at this point, funded by the boarding and training that goes on at the farm, as well as by the graduates themselves.  Whether they know it or not, each and every horse that comes through the farm helps to "pay it forward" for the next group, a heavy responsibility.  Because the horses, in a sense promote each other, it's sadly essential that each horse who joins the program be one who will find its way to a new home, helping to pave the way for the next resident to take his stall.  

I received a call from my friend who drives The Truck earlier this week, and he told me of two young horses who will be heading north in the next week or so (one of them is pictured above).  He is hoping that they will be able to stay here with me rather than continuing the drive north.  Though I would desperately like to take them both in, I have to think about the big picture and am hoping that one of you "out there" may be able to take a chance on a youngster that needs more time than racing would give him, and in so doing, give him a second chance at life.

The first youngster, pictured above, is a two year old gelding who had only one start before developing a hairline crack of a front cannon bone.  He was prescribed nothing other than rest as a cure for his troubles--sixty days of stall rest (he's already served forty five) and another thirty in a small paddock before returning to work.  After that point, he will be cleared for race training again.  His connections, however, have already decided that the investment isn't worth the trouble, and he's now found himself in a tight spot.  He's around 15.3 hands tall  (and is most definitely still growing), a bright coppery chestnut, and according to my friend, a personable fellow who works well in tack, is easy to handle under saddle, and is an all around good guy, just one who, unfortunately, developed a very common ailment that made continuing his training not worth his connections' investment.

The second youngster (who I unfortunately don't have a picture of) is only a yearling, already around 15.2 hands tall, black, and either strongly marked with the rabicano gene (he has white hairs everywhere) or very slowly going grey.  Since I haven't seen him in person yet, I am not sure which is the case.  He's already been in race training, but has developed a breathing problem that won't interfere with his civillian life, but will pose a problem for him if he has to sustain a gallop for a mile or more for training and racing.  He, too, is said to be a model citizen, is still a colt but will be a gelding by the time he gets here, and is ready to finish up kindergarten and focus on growing up and becoming a horse.  His legs are clean and sound, he's simply not strong enough of wind to make a good race horse.  Since he has his trouble, his connections' plans for him to go to a two year old in training sale have been cast aside--he won't pass inspection at the sale, and thus is not even a candidate worthy of sending.

What is unfortunate for both of these boys is that their ailments in no way take away from their serviceability as pleasure or performance horses.  They simply no longer match the criteria needed to be racing performance horses.  All of this said, I am making an appeal to those of you who follow the site to give these guys a hand if you can.  I makes me very sad to know that they'll be passing through the farm on my friend's next visit, and more than likely will be heading on down the road unless I have families already lined up for them. 

If you think that you may be the right person to help one of them out, please don't hesitate to get in touch--they are both on borrowed time, and though I will do my best to be able to accomodate them, I must also keep in mind that every horse who comes to the farm  and "gets stuck" for one reason or another is a horse who is stopping at least one if not several others from finding a home and  thus a way out of a potenetially bad  situation.   You can  reach  me  anytime  by  phone at
404-267-3398 or by email at heather@apinchofluck.com.