Meaghan Martin has seen a lot of long faces in her years as a horse trainer, and it was this history that allowed her to turn a potentially-sad story into a happy ending.
She was just a teenager when she met the young mare Saxy, a horse that was to be trained for racing. But having never made a name for herself, and collecting only a few thousand dollars in winnings, Saxy was sold on as a workhorse.
Retired equine athletes in America are often sold to the Amish communities, who use them to pull plows and buggies, and it was during this activity that Saxy was involved in a collision that left her marked for slaughter.
Around this time, Martin was all grown up and worked full-time at Red Lion Farm, in Gray, Maine. She was scrolling through Facebook and saw a mare with a brand on her neck that immediately jumped out at her.
“That number is actually what saved her,” Martin told the local NBC affiliate. “I recognized that brand and said ‘Oh, that’s one of the babies that I worked with.'”
Her friend and owner of Red Lion, Kendra Gorham, felt as Martin did that Saxy had to come home; that they couldn’t let her fall to such a tragic end. Agreeing to split the cost and raise money and supplies whenever possible, the two ladies set off to Pennsylvania to bring Saxy home.
Within 48 hours of reaching out to their community, they had enough money and supplies to ensure Saxy had a real chance of recovering from her accident.
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“People donated blankets, people donated brushes, people donated boots for her feet before we had shoes on her to keep her more comfortable,” Martin said. “People were so incredibly generous with their energy, with their money, with their things.”
News Center Maine details the moment when, seeing her old trainer for the first time in years, Saxy wrapped her head around Martin after she entered her paddock, bringing immediate tears.
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Once back home, it was clear that the mare would need slow and careful rehabilitation. Without shoes and with thin hooves, walking was difficult. Furthermore, she had spent her life with strict orders to run fast, or pull things. Gentle but precise maneuvering was never something she had to do, and must now learn.
Saxy now works for Martin as one of her horses for an equine-assisted psychotherapy program for humans suffering from trauma and PTSD.
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Destined for kill-pen, or an Amish workhorse? Confusing.
From article: “Retired equine athletes in America are often sold to the Amish communities, who use them to pull plows and buggies, and it was during this activity that Saxy was involved in a collision that left her marked for slaughter.” Saxy was working as an Amish workhorse when she was injured, presumably to the point that she could no longer work.