Ruby was a racehorse. She had raced and won on several tracks in California. One day a man named Stuart came to buy her. For the next 15 years she spent her life having babies, but not much else. No one loved her or petted her or said a kind word to her. Most of the time she was barely fed, her feet were never cared for, and she never had proper shots. Stuart told everyone she was over 30 years old so they wouldn't criticize him for her lack of care, but at the true age of only 24 she became so ill from mal-nutrition she almost died. She was in a pen with 4 other horses, but there was only ever enough food and water for 2, so the oldest horses went hungry and very thirsty. She had also lost her dignity since she knew no one ever loved her.

Stuart wanted to put Ruby to sleep, and in June 2002, when Dreamor Ranch was called in to see her, she was in a sorry state, but something about her made us think she was worth taking a chance. Perhaps it was the way she would put her head on my shoulder...almost as if she were begging me to take her away from her misery. The picture above was taken on the day she arrived at the ranch.

In the first month Ruby came to live with us, she gained about 200 pounds! To be healthy, Ruby needed to gain at least another 300 pounds, but she had made a pretty good start. When she was healthy again, she was trained to take kids on rides. We hugged her and petted her and let her know we loved her, But most of all, she was able to get back her dignity and once again become the beautiful thoroughbred horse she was meant to be.

The picture at the right was taken only one month after Ruby came to Dreamor Ranch. It IS amazing what a little good food can do for a horse. It turned out that a little FOOD ...and a lot of LOVE...was all she needed.

In August of 2002, Ruby was adopted out to a wonderful family in Hollister who kept her as a companion to their 6 month old filly. They kept her well fed, and happy and loved for over a year. I was notified in September of 2003 that Ruby had passed away quietly in her sleep. We at Dreamor Ranch will forever treasure the memory of our skinny red mare who begged to be loved. We were able to make the last year and a half of her life...a happy one...and that made all our work worthwhile.