Sweet Pete

  • Bay Thoroughbred Gelding
  • Entry Date – August 2012 at Age 17
  • Type of Rescue – Owner Surrender
  • Reason – To keep Pete in the home he had known for 10 years.
  • Special Needs – Meds for Insulin Resistance and compromised eye sight because of developing cataracts.

Pete lived here at the sanctuary since he was 7 years of age. When circumstances in his owner’s life changed, the idea that Peter would be moved from the property and “put out to pasture” was a serious threat to Pete’s future wellbeing. “Put out to pasture” sounds romantic, but the reality is that horses do not do well when retired in that manner. As horses age, they need more care, not less care. They like routine, socializing with herd mates that they have bonded with, and the list goes on. Pete was accepted into the Foundation to spare him from this dramatic change in his environment and the quality care he was accustomed to.

For years his stall buddy, Joe, and he were inseparable until Joe passed away in January of 2023. Fortunately, Pete found a new best friend in Arlo who moved into Joe’s old stall next to Pete.

With Pete’s lameness issues and poor eyesight and because Arlo is very timid, it was difficult for them to spend the day in a large herd of horses – some of them much younger, playful, and occasionally aggressive. They found their very own daily turnout area just feet from their stalls and paddocks free from all that stress.

Since Pete’s passing, Arlo has not been the same. He called and called for Pete with no return of his whinnies. He is not devouring his special feeds with the gusto he once did – even leaving some untouched. Pete was the only horse that Arlo bonded with since his arrival in January of 2016 and only after Pete’s pal Joe died at the end of October of this year. We moved Arlo into Joe’s old stall hoping that Pete would find a new friend in Arlo. Miraculously, they bonded immediately and spent the better part of ten months together all day – every day. Finn is now in Pete’s old stall to help comfort Arlo in his time of loss. Maybe in time a sign will emerge of a special bond between them.