Hi Jennifer & Cheryl,

Oh My Gosh. What a great experience. We were ready with the trailer and cell phone in hand for Wednesday night/Thursday morning delivery. When the hauler called, he was just unloading the trailer. We were there within 15 minutes and it was just getting dusky. They were very nice people.

Robin walked quietly out of her pen, into the chute. She headed for the new trailer and then chose to abandon that idea, turned around and headed the other way. She tried this form of avoidance twice. Although you had advised to drive her into the trailer, she was so quiet and gentle, we opted to try leading her instead. It worked like a charm and she loaded right in with out a fuse and was greeted by some hay as her reward.

She allowed us to pet her and lead her, so we decided to unload her into the regulation size arena with the trailer parked in it and open for shelter. She was a real trooper and came out of the trailer and trotted around to check her new enclosure. She has a bit of a feisty streak and found the barrels that we use for racing. She quickly decided on her course of action. She tipped over the barrel and picked it up in her mouth to throw it in the air and then chase it around by kicking it with her front feet. Now this is nothing new to me as my 4 year old “Wrangler Hylines” also finds this a fun game and will entertain himself with this game for a 45 minute stretch before he gives up. It was fun to see that she was not depressed nor fearful of her new situation.

Next she thought she would rally up the troops and starting whinnying to our other three quarter horses. She loved talking to them and I wish I was the horse whisperer to know what was being said. She was not prepared though for the “whiny” of the 5 miniature donkeys that echoed back to her. This is affectionately known as our “Morning Song” and is a bray. She perked her ears and took a few steps back even though she could not see them nor was near them. They are a third her size, but do tend to rule the pasture. Two of the donkeys will be foaling about the same time she will and I can’t wait to see the foals playing together.

She spent the night – of her own accord – in the horse trailer nibbling and getting in and out. You can tell she is from cold weather as she knew this morning to push through the frozen top layer of the water trough. It’s probably a lot less than what she is used to.

Today, after less than 24 hours, she is coming up to us in the large arena, allows us to lead and pet her and gives her front feet when asked.

She is beautiful, and you were right, that I did not recognize her. She is a “bay” looking horse with faint hints of white underneath when you are close. She has soft, gentle eyes and the stockiness of the Belgian. She also looks like she will have some good gaits on her.

I can’t wait to get to work with her this weekend in the round pen. Thank you so much for helping us to rescue this mare. She will make a great addition to our herd. She’s the first of three rescues coming this week and they will be pastured together until I can introduce them to the existing herd. The two others are local quarter horses. They are both bays and our of racing horse stock.

Keep up informed if we can help with anything else, including foster or another person who is willing to rescue.

Thank you again.

Leslie