A Trail of Tears by Leslie Shanks

In early September of 2017, I was looking online through various videos of Morgan Horses that were going to auction, or had already been through the auction and were now at a kill pen.

I already have 3 horses and I really didn’t need another one, but you know how that goes… I have often watched these videos and have been stirred enough several times to ALMOST pick up the phone and say “I’ll take that one,” but something always stopped me.

Many times, the horse would already have a safe place to land and I would be relieved that it wasn’t My place. But this particular horse called to me, and I could tell that he was a good horse, and by good, I don’t necessarily mean conformation wise, ( even though he is a cute typy Morgan ) I mean behaviour wise.

Here was a stallion, and mind you, I need a stallion like I need a hole in my head, that was doing exactly what the handler was asking, in a strange place with other horses calling out behind him. I watched it, and, watched it and watched it.

After several days I said to my husband, I think I want another horse. And of course his answer was, “you don’t need another horse,” But, later that same day he emailed me and said, “well if you want another horse, I guess I can build you another barn” (I do have an exceptional husband by the way).

By this time Forever Morgan’s had stepped into the picture and had purchased him. I called Forever Morgan’s and said: “I’ll take that one.” So, I filled out the adoption application, sent in the $ and waited until they approved my adoption.

So, you should know that I am in CT. and “Tolder” as he was called at the time was in Louisiana at the Stanley Brothers Kill pen. Forever Morgan’s would handle the first hurdle of getting him transported from the kill pen into quarantine.

He and two of his sons, were then sent to a quarantine in Alabama. He was to stay there for 30 days and then be transported to CT.

On day 26 of the quarantine, I was informed that the woman who owned and ran the quarantine had allowed him and the other horses to visit, so guess what? She had broken protocol and he was now going to have to be shipped to another quarantine and spend another 30 days.

Please note that rescue is not as neat and tidy as we wish it could be. Should you decide to rescue a horse your first lessons might be in patience and perseverance.

The next 30 days crept slowly by as I waited for Tolder to be shipped to CT, however it did give my husband time to build Tolder’s Cottage.

Finally, the day arrived ( Nov. 17th ) when I would meet the transport company in PA, to pick up my new boy.

My cousin Carrie agreed to come with me as my wingman and we literally met the transport company in a Walmart parking lot to make the transfer.

 I am sure you are thinking, “WHAT!, YOU ARE GOING TO OFFLOAD A STRANGE STALLION IN A WALMART PARKING LOT AFTER TRAVEL FROM AL., AND EXPECT HIM TO GET ON YOUR TRAILER WITHOUT ISSUE!?” YUP, that is exactly what we did. Believe it or not, that is how good he is.

He came off their trailer and walked onto mine for the final, uneventful, 4 hour trip home. I would like to add that when he came off the transport trailer Carrie and I were shocked to see his poor condition.

Guesstimated at about only 700 – 725 lbs. Carrie and I still joke, that we felt like screaming “START THE CAR!, START THE CAR! and get the heck outta here.

But we didn’t, and I brought the poor boy home. He was skin and bones, looked sad and I’m sure was very confused. Keep in mind that at this time we still didn’t have any information on him, as to who he was, or where he had come from or how old he was. The Stanley Bros. said that he was over ten….. Well, I’m over 10, I’m over 60.

This is Tater on his first day in CT, after spending the last two months in quarantine. A sad bag of bones. His rehab has just begun.

Forever Morgan’s had already sent in some hair to be DNA’d, turns out, he is a registered Morgan.

His registered name is BR Lady’s Beam Of Lite… His sire was Beamagain and his grandsire was a grand old Morgan horse named Beamington! And he was 24!

Well that was certainly older than I had hoped for, but, remember that rescue is not as neat and tidy as we wish it could be.

I eventually called the registered owner, to find out more about him.

Come to find out he had been bred, born and raised in Wisconsin, she had had him all his life, and had run into medical issues last May.

She shipped her horses off with someone who had told her that they would be re-homed… And yet, he and his two sons found themselves in a kill pen 4 months later.

The Stanley Brothers also advertised that he was 14-2 – 15 hands tall had been trained to ride and work. Work?, that was an odd way to put it, but OK.. Come to find out, he was NEVER trained at all… Nothing… and yet here he was, maybe 13-2 hands tall, as good as gold, no bite, no kick, never laid an ear back.

Interested in everything, good with the barn cat that had decided to befriend him. He will come to me, and I can easily put the halter on out in the pasture, can throw a blanket on him, like he had worn one all his life, trim him, and trust him with my young grandchildren.

So far, I have been happy with what I have been feeding him. He loves it and it certainly has done what I wanted it to do. I mix equal amounts of Timothy pellets, Orchard Grass pellets, Alfalfa pellets , beet pulp shreds, Poulin E-Tec Balancer and Poulin E-Tec Senior Carb Safe. (about 1⁄2 lg. coffee can before soaking ) I soak it before feeding 4 x per day for the first 6 weeks and now 3 x per day.

Plus, a nice soft 1st cutting hay is available 24-7. I was also sure to keep him warm and By January 9th, he was in good enough condition to be gelded.

My wingman and I loaded him in the trailer and brought him up to Tufts in Grafton, MA. Tufts weighed him at 810 lbs. YEA!

After a two day stay he was back home, never skipped a beat, healed well with no setbacks. He has continued to gain weight and now at the end of March, we probably only have a few lbs. more to go before he is at the perfect weight.

I’ve decided to name him Tater Tot, it fits him. He was one of the lucky ones and his trail of tears has led him to a safe, loving home. My hope for him is that he will be a steady mount for my Grandchildren while accompanying me on trail rides with the mares. We will see… the best is yet to be.