Sunny was rescued from a horse rental operation up in the mountains behind Chapultepec in 2019. Many of the trails there have steep and rocky climbs and seem too difficult for some horses to navigate. Sunny had a hard time keeping up with the other horses on the trail rides and we suspect he was mistreated in their efforts to coerce him to keep up (he had scars that appeared to be from a whip). He may also have been scared of other horses there, as they kept him away from his feed, preventing him from getting enough food.
Shunned, scared and skinny, Sunny had been put out with the cows. Dawn said “I knew from the minute I saw him that we had to get him out of that situation.” At TJP we were able to put some weight on him and get him comfortable with the other horses. A year or so later, Sunny was rehomed, along with Canela, to a young couple who lived nearby. Unfortunately, Sunny was bullied in his new home by Canela and again he lost weight. At one point, when Canela was in heat, she broke out to try to get to a stallion. Sunny followed her and challenged the stallion, and as a consequence got injured.
Sunny recovered from his physical injuries but began to refuse to move when the new owners attempted to ride him. Soon afterward, both Sunny and Canela were returned to the ranch. Since their return, we have been working with Sunny to rehabilitate him both physically and emotionally. He quickly resumed his healthy weight but psychological issues resulting from past traumas continue to haunt him. Sunny is coming along with love and gentle care. He enjoys interactions with people. Sunny is being considered for adoption by a local ranch as a therapy and children’s horse. We are working with him to ensure he’ll be good with children. There’s an extra special healing connection between animals that have had a difficult past and humans, especially children, who have also had more than their share of unfair life challenges.