# Ugly Ducklings to Beautiful Swans!



## MindyLee (Apr 15, 2011)

SOOO I was thinking about my mare today on how far she came in looks, health, and personality from the day I purchased her to now currently 6 yrs later. I want to share with all of you and would also enjjoy your stories and pics of you horses that came from possibly poor conditons and what they are today!

My Misty was in very poor condition whan I 1st saw her at the farm I bought her from. From the second I seen her I know I had to have her cause there was just something about her that I seen so much potential and knew she was a ugly duckling that was once and could be again a beautiful swan. Anyway, I paid a large amount for her knowing she was in very poor conditions and my friends who helped with transporting her for me said I got ripped off. Well maybe but I was determind anyway. Misty was 7 yrs old, had 3 foals that died for whatever reasons (seller could'nt get her stories straight) outdated registrations A/R and was still in previous owners name and not the seller to me, NO HAIR whatso ever on her head and neck (it was April at the time) bloted belly full of worms, super long teeth (hooks) where she could'nt even shut her mouth properly, long over grown hoofs, and to top it off, did'nt even know what color she was.

Well long story short, I put a lot of time and money into her, got papers in order and all up to date in my name, got her healthy and almost lost her too due to poor health. And today them same folks who said I got ripped off LOVE her! I LOVE her and she is one of the most striking horses I have ever seen let alone own. I today am so greatful I listened to my heart and knew that this ugly little sick mare was going to be everything I ever dreamed for in a horse that I own. Oh by the way she is a drop dead beautiful silver dapple with HUGE dapples all over and pure white mane/tail/ eyelashes!

This is my Misty today and was worth every penny! And is my ugly duckiling who turned into a beautiful swan...

Who else has a story to share?


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## D W 2 (Apr 15, 2011)

she is truly a beautiful swan!! love her color!


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## Blackwater Farm (Apr 15, 2011)

I have a story. I bought my now gelding almost three years ago when he was a stallion. I had just lost my TB mare of 10 years just two weeks prior when I agreed to go on a consult with a friend of mine for a pony for his step son. We looked at the pony and he decided to buy it and as we were chatting I noticed this tiny little mini in this paddock. I watched him for a bit and decided to ask about him. The guy said that he had just picked him up at auction in the same load as the pony. Around this same time I watched this guys teenage grandchildren go out into this paddock and start to torment this little stallion. First they tried to catch him, he was running around the paddock all wild eyed stepping all over the lead rope that was still attached to his halter. They catch him and start to try and ride him. He's 31"....they're teenage boys...He was losing his footing in his back end and collapsing due to the weight. Everyone thought it was so very funny, except me and my husband. You could tell he was beyond scared, he looked as if he had been treated like this his whole life and just pure hated people. So we loaded him up on the trailer too. I had no intentions on ever messing with him at all. He was very mean and ill tempered and I just wanted nothing more for him than to not be treated badly anymore. Almost 6 months went by before I decided that maybe he needed something more than just the regular care. I slowly started working with him, gained his trust, got him gelded, and now he is a joy to be around! I have trained him to drive, I show him, we do parades and go to all kinds of events. He would even let my daughter ride him after having such bad experiances with people on his back. I love him to death and wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. No, his conformation isn't too purdy and he was sold at auction without his papers because they didnt want him to be bred but I love him!!!

This is him the day we brought him home:







And this is us at a show about 3 weeks ago!


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## Jill (Apr 15, 2011)

I don't think he was ever an ugly duckling and know he was never neglected or in poor condition, but *Erica's Echos of My Destiny HOF ("Destiny")* is a horse who grew up a lot more beautiful of a swan and with much bigger accomplishments than I had dreamed possible -- especially based on the first "current age" picture I saw of him when he was a real furry yearling.

Lucky for me, I was really swayed by what Erica had to tell me about this neat yearling she was offering as a show / stallion prospect. Everything she said she thought he could do, and more, he went on to do. I don't think I would have decided to get involved with him based only on those then current pictures, and I would have really missed out.

He's had a great show career and has sired some outstanding foals for both Erica and myself. The highlights of his show career include AMHR National Champion (halter), AMHR Res. National Grand Champion (driving), AMHA Halter Honor Roll, AMHR Halter HOF, and I think about 50 halter championships between the two registries. So far, he's sired some beautiful colts for Erica and four treasured fillies for me (this year's double dilute pintos, Divine & Design, and 2009's solid buckskins, Piper & Infinity).

Then:






And what he grew up to be:











BTW, neat topic!!!





There is one really, really nice horse I did rescue years ago as a wormy, starved, and sick yearling. We got him on the right track, grew him up, got him trained to drive and showed him to championships as a stallion before deciding to geld him. He now belongs to another forum member and he is a BEAUTIFUL bay roan gelding. We called him "Lonesome" when he was ours and I think that's still his barn name. He's not been my horse in years and it wouldn't be right for me to post his pictures now, but he really did go from pitiful to breathtaking


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## MBennettp (Apr 15, 2011)

I have several. I will put 2 on here. First is Little Man, he was an unhalterbroken 10 year old stallion who was in a lot worse shape than you can tell with the winter hair he had when I got him. You could literally lay your fingers between his ribs.

first day






and after






Next is Lady, she came to me full of lice and worms, with a cow tag in her ear and pregnant with her 10th foal in a row.

soon after arrival






Later






I have been in rescue for over 30 years so I have many pictures of before and afters but these 2 are still here.


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## chandab (Apr 15, 2011)

Jill said:


> I don't think he was ever an ugly duckling and know he was never neglected or in poor condition, but *Erica's Echos of My Destiny HOF ("Destiny")* is a horse who grew up a lot more beautiful of a swan and with much bigger accomplishments than I had dreamed possible -- especially based on the first "current age" picture I saw of him when he was a real furry yearling.
> 
> Then:


Oh, Jill, he was too cute as a fuzzy yearling, and he is stunning now.


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## kaykay (Apr 15, 2011)

I have a bunch but will show this one.

Jo had just been running around about 100 acres growing up and then I brought her home. I knew from the second I saw her she was special but my friends laughed at me. Many people passed her up. Her breeder begged me to get her out showing. I reluctantly agreed but there wasnt much time and she had never been handled or halter broke.




This is her first show just about 3 weeks later. She was still too thin but showed beautifully. Because she was still thin her legs look so long lol. Shes actually about 38" in this pic






By the area show she was looking awesome! Still needed a little weight but now she has bloom to her coat and shows like a pro. I have never had a horse learn to show as fast as this one especially since she was untouched when I got her. I then sold her to a wonderful home and forum member. Once she started showing I think everyone wanted her. I hated to let her go but thats horses.


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## Sixstardanes (Apr 15, 2011)

Photos say it the best in regards to our boy Saber.

He was "over -loved" in the food department.

This was him in the halter he came with






and then several months later....


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## Raine Ranch Minis (Apr 15, 2011)

Sixstardanes said:


> Photos say it the best in regards to our boy Saber.
> 
> He was "over -loved" in the food department.
> 
> ...



TELL ME!!!!!!! TELL ME!!!!!! TELL ME!!!!

How did you get him to look that!!!!!!!!!!!!



:shocked






:wub






:yeah






:shocked


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## Allure Ranch (Apr 15, 2011)

_I don't have a personal story myself. However, I just LOVE reading everyone elses. There all so touching/heart warming...._


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## Sixstardanes (Apr 15, 2011)

Raine Ranch Minis said:


> TELL ME!!!!!!! TELL ME!!!!!! TELL ME!!!!
> 
> How did you get him to look that!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> ...


Other than exercise which in the beginning was just going for walks then later doing some up and down hill work we put Saber on a diet.

When we first got Saber (almost 4yrs ago) he was pooping like a full sized riding horse





While we were giving him less food in general he was fed more regularly throughout the day.

We still feed him multiple times a day.

This is the round about feeding schedule

5:30, 9am, apple snack in the afternoon,5:30 & 8:30

Breakfast is a Alfalfa/Bermada Pellets, Platform & flaxseed

(tho fall last year we added & Purina Stragedy Health Edge to his bfast)

2nd bfast rotated between soaked Beet Pulp shreds or Oats (added to either - Red Cell & a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar w/ mother)

Dinner is Alfalfa/Bermada Pellets

Late night is Hay (such as Alfalfa/Orchard or Alfalfa/Grass but this time as we only buy 1 bale at a time we got straight Bermuda)


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## RockRiverTiff (Apr 15, 2011)

Somewhere around here I have pics of a mare that came in with her hips and spine protruding so much they looked like a shovel. After only a few months of good groceries and some TLC, she transformed into a gorgeous, healthy, heavily dappled senior mare. Sometimes all they need is love.

The filly pictured below was never a rescue, but she did show up pretty scruffy and with an ORANGE mane and tail from the Mississippi mud. I had been bragging about her for days, and when she stepped off the trailer looking like this everyone just laughed:











I gave her a few days to get comfortable, and after a bath and a rough clip this is what I ended up with:






And again the following year:






Other times all they need is shampoo.


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## Molly's Run Minis (Apr 15, 2011)

boy do i have a story! my little girl Honey, i'll never forget her the first time i saw her. her coat was as thick as a mammoths and the SMELL...oh the smell! i'll never forget the horrid smell that was coming from her coat. it was like a mix of roadkill and dog poo. needless to say i shaved her an hour after she was dropped off and blanketed her(it was late winter, but i couldnt stand the smell!) and i was met with a rack of bones with hips sticking out. i was so mad.

she was only 23" at a year old so she was TINY!

heres a pic of her about a month after i got her. she gained a few pounds but still needed some more weight






Here she is last year at a show. she was the only one in her class of course because she's so small, but it was my first three blue ribbions




















She's also quite the comedian.....






and quite the mover for one so small! she won in her first liberty class! i'm hopeing she'll keep up her winning streak in liberty this year!






ETA: Forgot to add that now, at 2yrs old, she's 27.5". she had quite the growth spurt during the winter! i'm hopeing she'll make it to 28" so i can drive her.


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## ForeverFarma (Apr 15, 2011)

ASA Egyptian Kings Talisman, own son of Hemlock Brooks Egyptian King and grandson of Rowdy- this is what he looked like when we picked him up...











And him currently- he's IR, thus the cresty neck, which we've since gotten under control...






I love his little cat ears!






He came with his band of 5 mares, and a crippled dwarf mare (that they were going to shoot after I left, so of course I didin't leave her!) All were emaciated, licy, wormy, and in bad need of some love and attention. My vet said I'd lose every single one of them, they were all that bad off. We only lost one mare to Hepatic Lipidosis, and everyone else bounced back rather well. It certianly gave me a new respect for the folks who run a rescue on a daily basis!


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## MindyLee (Apr 16, 2011)

ForeverFarma said:


> ASA Egyptian Kings Talisman, own son of Hemlock Brooks Egyptian King and grandson of Rowdy- this is what he looked like when we picked him up...
> 
> 
> 
> ...






*WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB YOU DID!!! He looks great and I bet the rest look just as good! What a wonderful and handsome/pricless man he is!*

That is about what my mare looked like as well when I got her! Great stories everyone! Keep them coming!!!


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## chandab (Apr 16, 2011)

I don't have pictures because it was before computers, long before I had one, but I had a rescue, he was part of my life for 24 years, but he wasn't a mini. I got my first horse in high school, we bought a green-broke 3 year old palomino half-Arab gelding, when we brought him home is was easily 250# underweight and had a nasty wire cut on his hind leg; he trusted no one, so doctoring his leg wasn't easy. It took time, but he became my best friend and was an awesome horse. I lost him last June, he was 27 years old. [Yes, green+green = black and Blue, but I wouldn't trade a single one of those bruises, as he turned out to be the best I've ever owned.]


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## shazzyear (Apr 16, 2011)

Here is Maria, she is not a mini, she is a 15.2 hand Arab Paint mare, she is 11 yrs old. I got her in Oct. from a dealer that got her in Ill. She has been starved 3 times now. They were going to send her out to California, I just did not think she would make it there alive. Here are the pics when i got her & what she looks like now.


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## candycar (Apr 16, 2011)

Wonderful transformations everyone




There are some very lucky horses on here!

My ugly duckling story is Lexus. When she came to us as a 4yr old we hadn't seen her since she was 2. This is what greeted us when she was off loaded 31 Mar 07.






Hubby gave a face



like put her back on the trailer! She was untrained/handled, very underweight, muddy, matted, and had a skin fungus to boot.

after a little TLC and training this is what she looked like 27 May 07.






Now she has blossomed in to a slightly pudgy doll and we love her to peices





June 2010


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## supaspot (Apr 17, 2011)

it beats me how these minis end up so thin when they only have to look at food to get fat ! they must get absolutely nothing to eat at all , Im so glad they all found love and TLC with you all


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## vvf (Apr 17, 2011)

I was very excited when I bought this stallion last year. When the shipper was 1 hr out from delivering him, she called me to to tell me that "she didn't want me to be shocked when he got off the trailer, but he is really skinny"

And yes, i was shocked.

The day he arrived.










Here he is after 30 days. You can see his color coming back, but still thin.







6o days




90 days, getting ready for fall and starting to get a winter coat.




I love this horse. He has a home with me for a long time.


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