Sendero: Adopted 12/ /2021

Sendero, Spanish for ‘path’, is one of the most stoic and introverted horses I have ever met. Perhaps that is his innate personality, maybe it is a function of his life before he made it to us, but either way, we have opened our hearts and our herd to this gentle boy. If you ever want to feel grounded, need a moment of calm and serenity in your day, just being in this horse’s company will do that for you. 

He is also a horse that found his way, by unknown trails, to the direct ship pen at the auction in Texas. His past a total secret. He does have what appears to be an ear notch on his right ear. Those notches are used to mark possession of livestock, to indicate ownership of a cow, pig or apparently a horse. While this may sound strange, horses are still classified as ‘livestock’ (like sheep, pigs, cows, goats), and are in turn granted the same, very limited protections under our legal system. Maybe Sendero was a trail horse, a work horse, a cow herding horse… but whatever he was before, he was thrown away when he was no longer useful to his previous ‘owners’. Worth maybe a couple hundred dollars, based on his weight. 

Casey saw a picture of Sendero online and was immediately drawn to him. We even made a trip to California to meet him, ride him, get to know him. But it was his honest energy, the look in his eyes, his kindness, buried deep down in there somewhere, that made the decision for us. 

It has taken Sendy a long time to settle in, while he was accepted as part of the misfit herd much quicker, he has taken his time to open up to us humans. We never rush any of our equines. They can take whatever time they need to learn to trust. But we believe some of his stoicism is a wall he has up, one that has most likely been erected to protect him from pain. And part of me thinks he might have been through a lot. 

It brings tears to my eyes now, even thinking about that, the thought of anything but beautiful things happening to this wonderful horse is quite unthinkable. But I do see it. His personality emerging, his trust growing and his enduring nature beginning to shine right on through. 

Our love for him only deepens day in and day out. Our herd would be incomplete without him.