June 2020 Issue

The News East Coast Horse Owners Need To Know OUR TH YEAR 1993 - PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 280 LANC., PA 17604 Vol. 27 No. 5 June 2020 (Continued on page 12) By Amy Worden Last summer a Maryland veterinarian recommended euthanizing a 10-year-old quarter horse cross mare named Delilah for aggression. She was unable to be handled, rearing and striking out at anyone who came near her. The toll of a life fighting for food and water, with no medical care or human contact had been too much. But a rescue that lived up to its name and a talented trainer took a chance on Delilah and in March the pair took home the reserve champion trophy in the Rescued to Stardom competi- tion at the Horse World Expo in Harrisburg. In 2018, Delilah was one of 107 horses removed in the so-called Quantico rescue, one of the largest horse rescues and animal cruelty cases in Maryland history. She was sent to an equine rescue on the Eastern Shore where she delivered a healthy foal but operators there were unable to care for her because of her behavior. As a last resort she was sent to Last Chance Animal Rescue’s equine facility in Mechanics- ville. Enter trainer Jimmy Wagner. He had taken another difficult horse from the Quantico seizure, Mr. Natural, to the Rescued to Stardom competition in 2019 where the pair won fifth place. Last fall, Wagner was travel- ing 200 miles round trip between Frederick and Mechanicsville to work with other Quantico horses when he was asked to see what he could do with Delilah. Last summer Delilah “wanted to kill people,” rearing and striking at anyone who tried to approach her. Trainer Jimmy Wagner brought her to the point where she could perform bridleless, winning the reserve championship at Horse World Expo’s 2020 Rescued to Stardom challenge. In the process he lost 50 pounds so he could ride her. Photo credit: Melissa Clabaugh A Vet Recommended Euthanasia She Instead Became a Star “The vet thought we should euthanize her because she wanted to kill people,” said Cynthia Sharpley, executive director of Last Chance. Wagner said he viewed Delilah as a challenge but not an insurmountable one. “There actually was never a thought in my mind that she couldn’t be trained,” he said. “My thought was more like how long will it take for everything to click with her. Consistency was the key.” The first day of training he spent two hours trying to coax Delilah to allow him to approach her in her pasture. “The first time I put a lead rope on her she went ballistic and tried to get away,” he said. “Once I showed her that I wasn’t scared and meant no harm, that’s how the bond started. “ He moved from leading to touching her head and neck, and in short order was able to pick up her foot, a critical hurdle to over- come because she hadn’t seen a farrier, nor had a Coggins test or her teeth done. “They say she was my job interview,” said Wagner, who now works fulltime for Last Chance. In October Wagner suggested entering Delilah in Rescued to Stardom. “Everyone looked at me like I had two heads,” he recalled. Inside... Pastures & Fencing feature!…pgs. 14-23 Chincoteague foal in your future? Read this before pony penning…pg. 13 EQUITANA returns to the USA this fall after a 19 year hiatus … pg. 4 …and much more!