Silver and Smoke has started to train under saddle for a possible show career. She’s building up her fitness in 20-minute workouts, and is ridden by Brooks Chernisky.
A young, gray mare who nearly died while confined in a shoddy stall in Miami-Dade Florida two years ago has blossomed with the help of her original breeder into a budding lesson pony.
After battling back from starvation that nearly claimed her life, Silver and Smoke, 6, began training two weeks ago with Long Island instructor/trainer Eileen Tobie Delgaudio, and is showing every sign of being a natural show horse.
Silver and Smoke
Sire: Mountbrook
Dam: Quiddich
Foal date: March 5, 2010“This horse has been through a lot, but she’s damned amazing!” Delgaudio says. “I have personally rehabbed 74 Thoroughbreds off the track myself, and she is one of four who is this quiet. She falls into my hands and sit in my pocket. It took her 20 minutes to figure out what her new job is, and she picked it up immediately. I taught a beginner on her, which is almost unheard of.”
Silver and Smoke came to her new life with the help of her original breeder Danzel Brendemuel.
Silver and Smoke was rescued in 2014 from squalor in Miami-Dade Florida. Shortly after the South Florida SPCA took her in, however, her original breeder swooped in to take her back and return her to health.
The Florida-based horseman made it her mission to restore the mare to health and find a new career for her after the animal was rescued two years ago.
Smoke was seized along with two other Thoroughbreds by the Miami-Dade police, and transported to the South Florida SPCA. Though the mare was not expected to survive, Brendemeul accepted the challenge and the responsibility. In 2014, she told Off-TrackThoroughbreds.com she was devastated the mare wound up in such a horrible situation, and she vowed the horse would be forever protected.
After regaining 300 pounds and recuperating in a paddock in front of Brendemeul’s house at Classic Bloodstock Farm, the mare’s life has turned around. In January, she gave birth to her first and only foal, Breakfast in Bed, and now she is well on her way to becoming a show horse.
“Our hope is to have her in the show ring by early spring,” Delgaudio says. “She has a home for life. She’s never going anywhere. She will never be sold. Danzel just gave her a new purpose.”
Brendemeul adds, “If it gets to the point where she’s no longer wanted, I’ll take her back. But, everyone just adores her. It’s a good ending to this story. And she looks wonderful.”
So glad this mare was saved and hopefully she’ll find a genuine forever home.
Each and every racing thoroughbred breeder is fully aware that there’s a good chance that every foal they purposely breed for financial gain will suffer inexcusable animal abuse as Silver And Smoke did.
Carolyn, you are so right. These breeders are money hungry. They should be ashamed of themselves. They don’t care about these beautiful animals. I would love to see if any animal is harmed, their owner or in the case of the horses bred for this purpose, is charged as if the animal was a human. Our justice system is not charging animals get the justice they deserve. The worst thing God put on this earth is the human being
I’m so happy for her. I save a few horses and if she ever needs a home, I would love to have her. I keep my horses at a friend’s place in San Diego County. No horse, donkey, mule, burro, dog, or cat of our animal family members deserve to be treated in a cruel fashion. This disgusts me. I just rescued a cat that the owner tossed out of her home. Human being are the worst thing God put on this earth. Their cruelty to animals and other humans can never be explained. God Bless this animal and wishes for greatness are sent her way.