Sweet's Story

Sweet came to Blackdawg Farm Sanctuary (BDFS)  with Sasha. She is a bay thoroughbred ex-racehorse.  Sweet began racing as a two-year old and did well on the track.    

Controversially, the horse racing industry often races two-year-old’s even though their bones have not matured and their joints are still open.  Her owners walked away with hundreds of thousands of dollars racing her. Sweet was left with a sway back and a lifetime with arthritis in her knees, shoulder, and hips.   

Sweet was claimed in her last race by a man who brought her to his cow farm in Rainier WA where another horse, Sasha, was already living. Sweet and Sasha lived there for over ten years before the owner moved to assisted living.  During those years, Sweet and Sasha were not well cared for and did not get vet or much needed hoof care.   

With the owner gone, his family abandoned both horses on the property for over a year.  The rancher who now leased the land to raise his cattle kindly gave them enough food and water to survive.  With no one living on the property, the horses lived out in the field with the cows.  Isolated and without needed care or shelter - they just had each other.  

Finally, the owner’s family reached out to find the horses a home and Sweet and Sasha were brought to BDFS.  

With only each other for so many years, Sweet and Sasha became herd bound. A herd bound horse is one that becomes nervous, anxiety ridden and even dangerous when separated from a horse friend. 

Sweet, especially at first, had a very difficult time if she could not see or be near Sasha and would colic, a life threatening condition, due to her extreme anxiety.   Given plenty of one-on-one attention and daily routines that always pair them together, Sweet and Sasha were able to settle in, relax and blossom.  

They have even become part of a trio we call the “Bay Club” with Trooper, who keeps a watchful eye on his “girls”. After years of neglect and then abandonment, Sweet and Sasha will be together for the rest of their lives at BDFS.