Early one August morning 2007, Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue loaded 44 starved and neglected horses on trailers to begin rehabilitation. Maddie was one of those horses. She was found in the back pasture covered in rain rot and severely malnourished. There were others in her pasture that had been euthanized the previous evening so as not to be used as evidence in this crime. It was intended for Maddie to be euthanized that morning, but help had arrived.

A few weeks later my family and I visited Blaze’s. We were taken into an area with horses that had already been rehabilitated. On the way, we walked through an area full of starved, sad looking creatures. Much to our surprise one of them kept following us. We went through the gate to look at the others. I turned to look back and there she was….waiting. This horse was gaunt, tired, yet hopeful. She knew we were the family for her. She was waiting for us to figure it out. We gravitated to her and were rewarded with quizzical looks and gentle nudges. Maddie was the one. We patiently waited until the day she would be healthy enough to bring home.

Maddie has turned into an animal as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. Good nutrition has made her hair turn the blackest black. Bones are no longer her most prominent feature. Her head is high, she has a future. It has been a gift to bring Maddie into our family. There are many animals in need of hope. If you would like more information on how you can help, click on a link below. Keep checking this page for updates on Maddie’s progress.

December 2007 - Maddie has continued to surprise me in her progress. She’s so eager to learn and has put on good weight very easily. After doing ground work in the round pen, the day came when she had her first ride. She did great! She’s a little unsure of herself, but who’s not in a new situation? We are now on ride #24. She has shown no malicious tendencies, however her spirit and some defiance are completely intact. She likes to play games such as pitch-my-rider, take-my-rider-through-the-trees, and oh-did-I-step-on-your-foot. The last game is my personal favorite. That one leaves me thinking about her with every step.

Maddie’s personality continues to bloom. She loves my son, but doesn’t much care for pouting as you can see in the picture. Maddie is already very integrated into our family. My ultimate goal for her future is to train her well enough that others can safely ride her. She has changed so much since we brought her home in October. I look forward to seeing more changes in the coming months. She will put on the muscle that was lost due to her situation and gain the confidence needed to be the best equine companion.

February 2008 - We did it! Maddie has had 30 + rides! She has even been out on the roads! Together we’ve traveled as much as 6 miles in one afternoon. She continues to put on good muscle. The cold weather slowed her training progress a bit, but we’ve kept on track for the most part. For as long as she has been a part of our family she never would let any of us touch her ears. Yesterday we had a breakthrough. She finally let me touch and hold her ears without pulling away. I hope that’s a sign she trusts me more. Maddie will need to be under saddle at least 30 more times before she will be ready for me to trust her with another rider.

In the near future it is my hope to teach Maddie to go into a trailer so we can try out some trails. There are still many horses at Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue that need loving homes. If you or someone you know would like to adopt or make a donation, please click on the link below.

April 2008 - Maddie isn’t ready to load in a trailer, but we have found some trails to explore close to home. We’re on ride number 40! The last ten rides have tested Maddie’s trust in me as well as mine in her. We came to a ravine on our first trail ride. I looked down and thought, “Maybe this is for another day.” Just as I was moving to turn Maddie away, she took a step forward, put her nose to the ground, and gave me the signals that she was indeed ready to take us both across. I stroked her neck and let her go. On the way down I could feel her legs starting to shake and realized I was holding my breath. Slowly, carefully she chose her footing. Phew, we made it down! We needed to make it to the top of the other side. No worries! Maddie pulled and climbed, with me on her back, until we conquered the day! I’m so proud of her for being so brave. Since that ride we’ve been over fallen trees, through brush, across bridges, and through running water. Only one terrifying, enormous creature can scare our brave Maddie……A cow! Yup, fearless Maddie is sure that cows are going to eat her. We’ll be working on making some bovine friends on the next few rides. Please consider clicking on one of the links below and making a donation. There are recent additions to the rescued horses at Blaze’s as well as many dogs and cats at the Stillwater Humane Society and Tiny Paws that need your help. Keep checking for more Maddie updates!