Fabio has a lot of unknowns in his past. One of our Board Members found him in a kill pen in Arkansas. He was only 16 hours from death and, by our estimate, is only about 15 years old. It is heartbreaking to think he would have died, having lived only half his life (typically, healthy horses can live upwards of 30-plus years).

After he was purchased, our Board Member had him trailered from Arkansas to us in California. When we got him, it was clear that he had been neglected. By who, we don’t know for sure. He was skinny, and his hooves were very overgrown. Horses are like people; their hooves grow and need regular trimming and care. If you do not trim them regularly, they look like elf shoes. In his case, he was at the point where walking was not an easy or comfortable task.

With the help of our incredible farrier Michael Hastings, we got his feet trimmed and adequately cared for. After his trimming, he was able to walk around comfortably. You could tell he felt better.

It’s been a year, and we are happy to report that Fabio is thriving. While we may never know his complete history, we know his future is bright.