Peruvian Paso Rayo de Olympico CdeA (Conquistador)

Before he was sold to the people who punched out an eye, broke his nose and starved him, Peruvian Paso Conquistador was a stallion living an idyllic life with 18 mares on a ranch in Colorado. When he was 2 years old, a sudden storm came up and the lightning and thunder startled the mares and frightened them. The mares bolted out of their stalls and onto the huge acreage of the ranch. Their then Mom, Barb, was very ill and could only drag herself onto the porch to witness what happened. Barb could not believe what she saw. Conquistador leaped over a panel of his stall, ran out and herded all 18 mares back and into their correct stalls and nudged the gates shut with his nose then leaped back into his own stall. A scar on Conquistador’s leg that he sustained when he leaped back into his stall is witness to the phenomenal feat. Conquistador, blind in one eye, after his rescue, became a multiple champion and high point horse in his area and a patient teacher of horsemanship to young people with special needs.

Peruvian Paso S.H. Burlon (Beautiful Burlon):

A couple of years ago the horses’ boarding facility had a stallion who had a bad habit of charging and attacking other horses walked on leads past his stall. The stallion would run at full speed from his long paddock to the window of his stall and charge and bite at other horses. One night, my husband Bill was bringing our stallion, SH Burlon (who had been rescued from squalor, starvation and neglect in Colorado), in from turnout. With no warning, the other stallion began charging Burlon and biting at him. It startled Bill and he slipped and fell right in front of Burlon's front legs. If Burlon had moved he could have seriously injured or perhaps even killed Bill However, courageous and kind Burlon did not move an inch. Burlon stood there like a statue and let the other stallion repeatedly charge and bite him until I could get my husband to his feet, take Burlon's lead and ask him to come with me. Only then, when my husband was safe, did Burlon move with me. Today, S.H. Burlon is our wonderful boy who is so gorgeous cars of people have stopped to watch him and so kind that everyone loves him My wonderful volunteer, Paula, and Burlon have an extraordinary relationship and Paula, who was raised in Virginia with hunter/jumpers, is working Burlon to be shown in the Spring.

Conquistador & Juan Victory Lap

Peruvian Paso D.O.R. Velocipedo (Pretty Boy):

The same people who had abused Conquistador purchased beautiful and exotic, Pretty Boy. They just had to have Velocipedo for his beauty and gait, his bloodlines and his extraordinary color, literally a palomino with a black overlay coat. In the sun, Velocipedo gleams like black gold. Velocipedo did well for the people. He took championships in Colorado and in Arizona and sired champion mares. But then the people were done with him. They put Velocipedo in a small pen held together with baling twine and for years never let him out, just throwing him alfalfa. Understandably, Velocipedo got very nervous and frightened and became difficult to catch and put on a lead, so when they wanted to breed him and they were able to catch him, the people punished Pretty Boy by biting his ears and putting their fingers up his nose so he could not breathe. When we rescued Velocipedo he was so frightened of the world he could be dangerous, sometimes rearing up and lashing out with his front legs to get away. My wonderful board member, Wendy Hart, who had worked with horses her entire life and in a therapeutic horsemanship program, patiently worked with Velocipedo and taught me how to work with the frightened stallion. Our friend, master trainer (chalan) Juan Garayar, came to Arizona and worked Velocipedo and told me that the beautiful stallion had terrible things happen to him but with about a year of patience, love, care and consistency, Velocipedo would be fine. We did what Wendy and Juan taught us to do. Almost a year to the day that Juan evaluated Pretty Boy, he came around. Today Velocipedo is a beautiful and gentle stallion who has a very strong bond with our 15-year-old volunteer, Jessica. Jessica also is a girl scout working on the highest merit award a girl scout can get. Velocipedo and Jessica are an incredible team and they give exhibits of horsemanship to other volunteers and guests who come to the barn. Velocipedo also was very frightened of men but our volunteers Mike and Chris and my husband Bill have taught him that men are good guys too. Most of all, it was Velocipedo who courageously trusted us and who, now, is giving back so much.

Top of Page