Breed and Color: Dark Bay (Graying) Thoroughbred Cross
Age: 20
Height: 16.2 hh
Gender: Gelding
It isn’t uncommon to find heartbreaking faces in the pens at the auction house. We tragically run across angry, fearful, confused, and sad eyes on an almost weekly basis there. But it isn’t that frequent (and gratefully so) that we run across devastating depression, utter defeat, and a snuffed-out spark. All in the same horse. This is what we encountered with Tobin. Life seems to have dealt him blow after blow; from mistreatment to starvation, lack of love to loneliness. And essentially stole his will to live. We thank whatever higher powers that be that we were at the auction that day and that we were able to save this gentle soul. And we are determined to turn things around for him and make his last chapter of life a truly happy one.
Coming into rescue, Tobin was a quiet horse made of nothing but skin and bones. He looked to be very old, with a hunched build, stiff movements, and a grizzled gray face. His teeth and body were in terrible shape, making it hard to determine his true age. Eventually, our vet and team were able to sort out that Tobin is actually around 18-20 years old, likely looking around a decade older due to his hard life. We quickly set to work getting him the best care possible, and we are happy to say that he is improving nearly every day.
Tobin is slowly blossoming with love and proper care and is finally allowing parts of his personality to come through. He is a quiet, mellow soul, with not a single ounce of hate or anger in him. He is as sweet as the sugar-gray coating on his bay face and body, and our trainer couldn’t think of a single behavioral quirk or issue that he has. Tobin is laid back and enjoys watching the goings-on around the property and with the other animals. He soaks up every second of attention showered upon him and is an in-your-pocket kind of horse. If given the opportunity, we think he would like nothing better than to follow his favorite person around and enjoy the often-overlooked beauty of a normal safe, happy, sunny day.
Mr. Tobin has a mysterious background, however, our trainer anticipates that he might be a very broke personal horse and sweet under saddle. He has been too thin to be worked, but we have discovered that he stands tied, is easy to catch, provides no fuss with grooming, and is a gentleman for the vet and farrier.
Tobin is up-to-date on vaccines, worming, teeth float, farrier, and vetting.
Recommended Rider: Due to the extremely rough condition that Tobin was in when he was rescued, he is still working on improving his health before undergoing any work or evaluations. Depending on how he recovers and what our trainer uncovers, he may eventually be approved for light riding with a kid or a very small adult. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to nurse Tobin back to health!
Adoption Requirements: Tobin is an easygoing, peaceful boy that gets along with just about everyone. He sits at the lower end of the herd pecking order, so he may not be a match for an overly bossy or aggressive horse. It seems that Tobin enjoys company and currently lives well with Belle the beautiful blue eyed paint mare!
Ailments/Limitations: Tobin’s teeth have been ground down to nubs by excessive wear and tear, making it difficult for him to eat hay. He does enjoy giving it some nibbles, though, and he enjoys it in addition to hay stretcher pellets and grain-free feed to help with his digestion. He is also quite stiff in his movements, though we have not determined yet that this is due to pain.
TOBIN IS STILL CURRENTLY UNDERGOING TRAINING AND EVALUATION AT BELIEVE RANCH & RESCUE AND IS NOT CURRENTLY UP FOR ADOPTION. HOWEVER, HE WILL BE AVAILABLE AND LOOKING FOR HIS FOREVER HOME SOON!
