Last August, I brought Diamond home from Laurel Park as a retraining project. After evaluation, we found that she had a limp in her hind end. In good conscience, we could not rehome her to a place where she would be worked extensively. She might be suitable for light work in time. In November, 2024, a home was found for her in Federalsburg, MD to a woman who sought a companion for her daughter's little appaloosa pony. We gave Diamond to this woman as a companion with a signed contract that prohibited her from taking the horse to an auction and/ or kill pen. On April 3, 2024, a man texted me and said he had picked up Diamond at New Holland Livestock auction. He was seeking more information regarding this mare he picked up that he was going to use as a walk trot horse at a summer camp. He reported that Diamond was emaciated weighing about 600lbs and still had the back shoes on that we had put on her in October. As disappointed as we were to find that the buyer had breached her contract, we were happy that Diamond seemingly found a good home. The man had reached out to me several times asking questions regarding Diamond's health and vaccinations assuring me that she was doing well and he put "300lbs on her". On June 29th, both the breeder and trainer of Diamond at the track called me to inform me that she was in a kill pen in Lebanon PA. When we reached out to the man, he acted as though he was horrified and that the buyer was his best friend and the horse was hanging out in his back yard. His reason for sending her back to New Holland was that she had become mean and was bucking riders off. I called the number of the kill pen that identified themselves as "a rescue." They indicated that Diamond was in fact in a kill pen and set to be shipped out for slaughter on Tuesday, July 4th. We acted quickly setting up an impromptu quarantine area and with the help of the breeder and farm family bailed her out to bring her home. The pick up of Diamond was just as disgusting. We pulled up to a parking lot with several large pole buildings and a small grocery store. We walked around to find a person and were told that the parking lot was used for transfer only. The "Rescue" arrived and took Diamond off the trailer and handed me the lead rope. I asked the woman for documentation that the horse was in fact now mine and she turned her back to me saying "the paypal invoice was all the documentation I would get or needed." I brought Diamond to my trailer, anxious to get this malnourished beaten soul home and she walked on without hesitation. She wrapped her neck around me as if she knew she was safe. My heart broke a little more. We are heartbroken that this sweet girl had been beaten up and treated so poorly. She is significantly underweight, several superficial wounds as a result of being in a confined area with other horses, has a case of what looks to be a nasty case of conjunctivitis, a sore back, and several spots where it appears that we have fungal/ skin infections. She is currently in quarantine given her physically stable condition. Her road to rehabilitation will be long and costly and any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated.
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