Charmeon

description: 1997 Percheron cross mare
type of rescue: owner surrender
intake date: 9/15/2012
adoption date: 4/9/2013
length of time with SAFE: 6 months

ADOPTED by Helga R of Arlington WA

Charmeon was rescued from a PMU farm by her original owner, who had her for five years before a severe financial upheaval caused her to have to give up her horses. Charmeon’s owner cared a great deal for this mare, and even sold her furniture and other possessions to pay for two months of training to get her started under saddle. As a SAFE horse, Char was initially placed into a home as a “husband horse” to a man who wanted to do competitive trail riding with her. Unfortunately, Char had shown a tendency to use her size to bolt away when being led, and she escalated that behavior in her new home. Heartbroken, her adoptive family asked to return her to SAFE, and because we had experienced the bolting ourselves, we elected to take her back. She was immediately sent back into training for a refresher course with Andrea Lucianna, and Char soon figured out that she could not pull that particular trick on an experienced handler!

Char passed her retraining with flying colors. Then an amazing opportunity came her way. Helga Roberts, owner and head trainer at Dutch Mills Farm, offered to foster Char and continue her training. Char moved to Dutch Mills Farm in October 2012, and Helga began singing her praises since the day she arrived. Char was given an amazing opportunity to be part of a barn family, and even carry one of Helga’s students to victory in a dressage schooling show. When Helga came to the realization that her life would not be the same without Char in it and asked to adopt her, we were overjoyed. Sadly, Helga and Char would only enjoy a short time together. In 2013, Char was lost to colic; a heartbreaking end to her story. We are comforted knowing that she left this world surrounded by people who loved her dearly. But it was too soon to say goodbye.