On a rainy day in January, Redwings received a call about two Arabian horses in need. Charlie and Winston had enjoyed a great life with their owner for almost 20 years. They had been wonderful trail horses and were loved by everyone in the neighborhood. The residents of the street they lived on looked forward to seeing the horses walking down the road to go to the riverbed for a nice trail ride every week. Many of the neighbors would come to visit the horses and bring them carrots and apples. Unfortunately, Charlie and Winston’s owner became ill and passed away without leaving any money or instructions for the care of his beloved horses. The man’s daughter viewed the horses as worthless and quickly decided that if no one took the horses, she would have them shot. Luckily a neighboring couple decided not to let anything happen to these wonderful horses. They had no knowledge of horse care, but they refused to stand by and watch the daughter dispose of the man’s beloved companions.

The daughter signed the horses over to the kind neighbors, and they led them down the street to their property. Once the horses were safely on the neighbor’s land, the couple realized that they had a lot to learn and quickly called out a local veterinarian to assess the condition of the horses. After a thorough health inspection, the vet found that the gelding, Winston, was in great health other than needing dental care and being overweight. The mare, Charlie, was also in good health other than being underweight and in bad need of a dental. Her teeth were so bad that her lips quivered when she tried to eat. Both of the horses received dental work, deworming, and vaccinations. The vet also instructed the couple on what to feed the horses and how often they needed hoof care, deworming, and vaccinations.

The wonderful couple was dedicated to helping these horses, but they knew they could not keep them forever. When they called Redwings on that cold and wet day, there was something about their story that intrigued the staff. Consequently, the equine care supervisor was sent to evaluate the horses. What she found when she arrived were two of the kindest and most gentle little Arabians that you can imagine. Both horses greeted her at the gate and stood calm and patient while she looked them over. The rest of the staff agreed that Charlie and Winston deserved a happy ending, and in March, Charlie and Winston came home to Redwings. We thank the wonderful neighbors for their dedication that gave Charlie and Winston a second chance. Winston is now happily adopted.