Now, in her new forever home, this gorgeous Hanoverian bay mare is known by all who loveand adore her as Jo.

To this day the sad fact remains that shelter animals are labeled as second-rate or even damaged goods, and rescued horses are no exception. Of course many of us know that nothing is further from the truth. Josie was simply misunderstood and a victim of circumstance. She was surrendered to Red Bucket by her previous owners because of their unrealistic expectations. Specifically, they wanted to turn her into a jumper, which not only scared Josie half to death, but also caused her a great deal of pain. Had her owners taken the time and patience to understand their horse and figure out what was causing her supposed behavioral issues and stubborn refusal to jump, they would have quickly determined that she had an injury to her stifle. We don’t know if this happened many years ago or if it was the result of her being overworked and over-trained in a desperate attempt to make her jump. Regardless of the root cause, this poor mare was hurting! But instead of applying empathy along with the proper tools and methods available to diagnose her condition, they simply got rid of her. Sadly, this is an all-too-common fate for horses and certainly other companion animals as well.

With a horse like Josie, Susan Peirce knew that it wouldn’t be long before we would be able to place her. Yet, once she came to the Ranch, we gave this precious mare all the time and care she needed to physically heal and to convince her that her jumping days were over for good. Then we slowly but regularly started training and exercising her to strengthen her stifle and re-build her confidence. Cassandra is an experienced and talented rider who was kind enough to volunteer her time and skills at Red Bucket, helping us to exercise our horses. When she was first introduced to Josie by our head trainer Shona Barnthouse, she was instantly attracted to her physical beauty, elegance and kind eyes. But it was the mare’s “inquisitive personality with a touch of goodness” that made Cassandra fall in love with her very quickly. Cassandra states that Josie is very loving, but not with everyone, and that the two very much chose each other as companions and soul mates. Seeing that Josie obviously needed a home where she would never be forced to jump over an obstacle, and simultaneously Cassandra having no interest in a jumping horse, Susan was delighted to facilitate Josie’s adoption in July 2015. The adoption process for Cassandra was nothing but positive: “Red Bucket really allows you to take your time, which I think is good. They also really make you feel like you are never alone. They are always available for advice, feedback and a pleasant hello. Shona has become a dear friend and I couldn’t imagine my life without her! Also, they put the horses first. They really want to make sure that this is a forever home.”

Today, at her new barn in Glendale, California, Josie’s daily routine is pretty structured. At roughly 7 years old she is a young horse and now that she’s healthy and healed she absolutely loves to stay active, according to Cassandra. Currently the two are working on getting Josie’s natural cadence and balance back to her gait while being softly collected and nimble through her transitions. They do four days of arena work, two days of lunge work and a day of rest, which still consists of long walks and maybe a bareback ride to the park to munch on grass. Cassandra will usually mix in a trail ride after the arena sessions to give Josie some time to decompress and enjoy the scenery. She says she has noticed that her mare feels best when she’s busy every day. It’s good for her mind and body, and they really just enjoy spending time together. Cassandra’s greatest joy has been to witness her horse become stronger and more fit, more confident and in tune with her body. Josie had a lot of pain and fear in her when she first came to Red Bucket which kept her from really working and using her body to its full potential. Today there is absolutely POSITIVELY no trace of that! She is a total athlete, strong and running circles around other horses without breaking a sweat. Cassandra’s favorite thing is to take Josie to a large turnout by their barn and let her run as fast as she can; she just gallops around and around at full speed. It is likely that she was never really able to do that in her previous life and Cassandra loves seeing her in her element that way. When Josie is finally done running, she’ll trot over to Cassandra, happily exhausted and utterly content, and take a big breath, showing her person her deep appreciation for the newfound joy in her life.

When asked about potential challenges they’ve had to overcome, Cassandra can’t think of any. She gushes: “Josephine is perfect in every way. She’s such a gift. I really try to allow her to be who she is: not only a horse but a spirit with a personality. I’m just honored I can give that to her.” The two share an undeniable bond, but there is another family member to whom Josie has become quite attached: her best four-legged friend, Cassandra’s golden retriever/Aussie mix Sophia Jane. They actually play, kiss, and nap together! And she’s made even more new friends at her barn: her new Aunt Deborah who feeds her carrots and anything else she wants, and then there’s Uncle Tim and Aunt Lorna, who check in on her daily and spoil her with treats and kisses. Says Cassandra: “She’s a very lovable horse but certainly picks her people (and canines).”

For Susan Peirce, a wildly successful adoption like Josie’s is her payday. It reminds her and all the dedicated team at Red Bucket why we work tirelessly and extra hard, not only to find forever homes for all our adoptable horses and donkeys, but for each the exact right forever home. It may take longer and require more effort, but it’s what gives horses like Josie the chance to be loved, cherished, spoiled and cared for beyond words until the day they take their last peaceful breath.