Shaq: adopted 09/27/2023
When we say we have a misfit crew here at Rescue Ranchito we mean it! Shaq is a huge, massive… puppy dog! Well more accurately, he is a Percheron. Perhaps you have heard of this breed? It is a type of draft horse, those large horses you see pulling carriages in cities and sleighs during winter, or even out working in agriculture, pulling heavy loads and tilling fields. Luckily we don’t believe Shaq, at only six or seven years old, did any of this hard duty. This exhausting work, day in and day out, can take a massive toll on the bodies of even the biggest draft horse. And the sad reality is once their bodies can no longer work at max capacity, they are replaced. Treated like machinery, not living, breathing beings.
Shaq was dropped at the Texas auction (same place where Sendero was rescued) by his former owner who could no longer care for him. She had brought him in along with his companion believing that sending them through this auction was a safe bet. Of course, they would find wonderful homes, while she could pocket a few thousand dollars.
While all horses at these auctions don’t necessarily find themselves in dire straights, like the direct ship pen (see FAQ section for more on this), not every ridable horse ends up with a fairytale ending. While some do, and that is amazing, some end up purchased by traders. Now a trader is a person who attends auctions and bids on horses they believe could fetch a higher dollar at the next auction. So a horse could be purchased at a Texas auction, trailered to another auction in Arizona, flipped to another trader, taken to yet another auction, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. This happened to Cholla. It can lead to such a stressful time for these horses. It can lead to injury and sickness, and of course can end with the horse finding it’s way into not so kind hands when the merry-go-round finally stops.
That was the fear with Shaq. This gorgeous, ridable Percheron would be ripe for the trader pickings. And then that terrible cycle would have begun again with yet another innocent life. Tahlia just could not stand it, so she bid on Shaq and his friend. They made their way to California to All Seated in a Barn’s headquarters where saw the vet, the farrier, had their teeth checked and were then allowed to relax. Just what they both needed.
Then one day in October I received a video message from Tahlia. In it she told me she felt compelled to send me her thoughts on Shaq. She felt very strongly that he was meant to be with me. Meant to be a part of my family. She trusted me with this particular soul and who am I to say ‘no’ to such a calling… And, needless to say, not having any experience with a draft horse did not stop me!
My first call was to my dear friend and fellow equine rescuer Barb Phillips of Saving Gracie Equine Healing Foundation. The timing couldn’t have been more aligned as she was open to and had room for Shaq (and Ernie too!) at her amazing facility. I am forever grateful for Barb for opening her heart to this big puppy dog. We have begun his under saddle training and we are just so looking forward to seeing him come into his own. He is *living* his life, and we so enjoy having his energy in our orbits.