Never, Ever, Give up-- The Story of Sarah Says Go

Photo: Anne Buxton. After nine years, the halter was ready for her return, held together and fitting.

I have been remiss in my postings to this blog. It seems there just aren't enough hours in the day and yet one of the things that I do like to do is share a good story. So, as we saddle up and renew our postings, I thought the story of Sarah Says Go and Anne's love for a horse she hadn't seen (but never forgot about) in nine years time, was a fitting place to begin...(as told to me by Anne, in her own words)....

9 years ago I sold a mare that my husband bought as a yearling, and we raced successfully until she was 4. We sold her and eventually, of course, she ended up hitting the bottom at Suffolk Downs, making her final start in 2003. I always felt bad that I wasn't in a position to claim her back then, but I watched for her for a long time.

When she hadn't run for over a year, I made inquiries, but no one knew anything, or anything they would tell me. Every year I would check produce records, she was never listed as bred, or had any foals. I finally just figured she was dead, and hoped she at least didn't go to slaughter.

Fast forward to last Thursday, when I was messing around punching names into the pedigree query. I almost didn't put her name in, it was too depressing, but I finally did. Imagine my shock when the pedigree came up, and at the top of the page it said, "Rescued from Camelot killer pen 6/30/2010" I about had a heart attack. I immediately got on Facebook went to the Camelot page, and looked for the album from that week, which, of course, wasn't there.

After posting as my status, and on several people's pages, for help finding her, a woman named Sabrina came up with the Flicker photos from that week. I went through 60+ pictures and found her. No name listed, it didn't even say she was tattooed, and the age listed was off by 5 years, but I knew it was her. I asked Sabrina, "now what?, Who has a list of buyers?". She looked awhile, and then said she had read something very bad, my heart sunk. She posted a link to a girl's page, with this status update from the DAY BEFORE!

"It is with a heavy heart that my vet, barn manager and myself have decided to humanely euthanize Annie, hip # 479, who I pulled from the 6/30/2010 kill pen. I have done everything possible to save her but her blood work came back with very poor results. Please know that she was loved and viewed as a member of my family."

I almost fell over, I looked for 9 years, only to find her the DAY AFTER she was put down? I couldn't believe it. I sent Andra a message saying I was almost positive that she had my old filly, Sarah Says Go, but I wasn't sure. She messaged me back, yes it is her, please call me. With a broken heart I called her, and she told me that she WASN'T dead yet, she was scheduled for euthanasia the next day. We talked for awhile, I asked what her problem was, and could she ship?. The long and the short of it is that Sarah was just too over the top nuts for the hunter barn she had found herself in and I guess Sarah was pretty abused after we sold her, making her even more difficult.

Sarah is coming home tomorrow I am beside myself. In addition to finding her the day before she was going to be put down, and Andra calling her Annie, Andra lives in my hometown of Charlottesville, VA too!. A completely bizarre set of circumstances, to say the least. I can't wait to have Sarah back, she'll never leave us again :)


Postscript to the story....


Sarah is happily munching on hay and savoring her good fortune. The Second Race was happy to help with a portion of the shipping costs to bring Sarah home where she belongs.

And as all fairy tales say..."they lived happily ever after"....