Sparrow
2001 bay Thoroughbred gelding
Registered Name: Proud Texan
Type of Rescue: Animal Control Seizure
Intake Date: 11/28/2022
Adoption Date: 3/25/2023
Length of Time with SAFE: 4 months
Sparrow had a wonderful life at his foster home thanks to Skagit Animals In Need (SAIN). Sadly, as his arthritis worsened and, despite a variety of efforts to keep him comfortable, the decision was made to allow him a peaceful end to the pain in early April, 2024. We are grateful to SAIN for the loving care that Sparrow received.
After spending a couple of months at SAFE, Sparrow was transferred to Skagit Animals In Need and will be in their foster program as they search to find him a loving home. Sparrow was part of a 27 horse Animal Control seizure in Graham WA back in November 2022 and we thankful SAIN was able to take Sparrow along with another horse from the Graham herd, Hopper.
Hopper and Sparrow Move to SAIN
Hopper and Sparrow made their way to Skagit Animals in Need where they will enjoy life in their foster program (with new buddies!) until SAIN is able to find them a loving retirement home. We are very thankful to partner with SAIN to help find these boys homes and will continue to send qualified adopters their way!
Both geldings were part of the 27 horse Pierce County Animal Control seizure last November. Read more on the story here.
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- Hopper at intake
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- Hopper’s glamour shot
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- Sparrow at intake
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- Sparrow’s glamour shot
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- Sparrow in his new foster home
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- Hopper and his new friend, Spud
Sparrow’s Racing Past
Sparrow has a lip tattoo that denotes his past as a racehorse. However it’s odd: the letter that denotes the year of birth is missing, which made identifying who he was born as a bit more challenging. But by playing a game of trial and error with letters, we were able to find a horse who matched his physical description and had all of the numbers of his tattoo. ‘Proud Texan,’ born in 2001 in Kentucky, was most likely the name Sparrow was given at birth. His total career earnings total a whopping $20,570. He raced in 2004 and 2005, with 6 starts (4 in 2005, 2 in 2004), two firsts (one each year), a second in 2004, and a third in 2005. His pedigree is listed below:
Getting to Know Sparrow
Sparrow is the older of our two thoroughbred geldings. His lip tattoo, while a little bit difficult to read, seems to tell us he was originally called ‘Proud Texan,’ and was born in 2001, making him 22 this year.
He has a significant swayback, and though he has most certainly been a riding horse in the past (not counting his time on the track), we will adopt him out as a companion. The way we see it, Sparrow has done more than enough, and deserves to live the good retired life now in his 20s and beyond.
Sparrow is up to date on vet and farrier care. He has had a dental float, his sheath cleaned, and is up to date on his vaccines. He was also dewormed upon arrival, as he arrived with a positive worm load. He is gentle about being groomed and lifting his feet – he has been trimmed twice since arriving at SAFE, with a 6 week trim schedule set going forward. He gets daily thrush treatments to help combat the thrush all the Graham horses arrived with.
Sparrow and Jax get turn out in the big arena with their neighbor and buddy, Hopper. He is a sweet and friendly guy.
