Thoroughbred Friends
From AlexBrownRacing
Contents |
About TB Friends
Located in Northern California, TB Friends is dedicated to the rescue and placement of horses that have been abandoned or neglected. Usually these horses arrive from the race track. At TB Friends we manage to rescue about two hundred horses every year. Sadly, we can not save them all. We are limited by the number of horses that we can care for at any one time. However, as we find homes for the horses we have rescued, we replace them by rescuing others.
A private thoroughbred rescue
Contact info:
e-mail tbfriends@aol.com or call 530-383-2120
Mailing address: TB FRIENDS, 15891 COUNTY ROAD 92C, WOODLAND, CA 95695-9217
From Joe's Daily Journal, June 8, 2007: School is out, and the summer show season is here. Dozens and dozens of our former horses with their second careers [1]. Cathy and I sit at home and wait for the videos. Sky Matt is training for the Olympics. Ridgewater can jump over the moon, and he was resold for a zillion dollars. Our friend Erin of Vacaville was offered more than a zillion dollars for Half A Decade, but Erin said no. Half A Decade once had a torn tendon, but now she jumps and also dances. From big money jumping events to small schooling shows, we love watching our former horses shine. Better than any feeling on earth.
Boston Pops did not come from our ranch. He did come from the race track with a bowed tendon and puffy knee. Holly Meeks rescued Boston Pops at a killer auction. His price was $325.00. And now Boston Pops takes Holly around her neighborhood. He eats ice cream cones. Small kids touch his nose. I saw Boston Pops last weekend, and he is the star of his street.
Thoroughbreds are versatile. They can jump and they can dance. They can sit with you under the moon on a night time trail ride. Five of our former horses are now with police departments. Members of the mounted patrol. At the race track Cat Craze was a tad crazy. As a police horse Cat Craze gives riding lessons to young officers. Give them time away from the race track, and anything becomes possible...'
From June 13th... An amazing letter in the regular mail from Pete (Pete is a girl and 17 years old) who lives in Reno. Pete went to a feed lot in a town called Fallon, and saved the life of a 22 year old thoroughbred gelding. She named him Barney, because he prefers staying inside the barn. Pete plays softball on a championship team. She has won awards as a member of the debate team. She watched as her older sister gave birth. At a concert Pete met Carrie Underwood, her idol, and they talked for 20 minutes. All that has happened to Pete in her life, and nothing compares to Barney. She would go to the barn before school. To the barn after school. And now summer vacation is here, and Pete is with Barney all day long. She wanted me to know she knows. The overwhelming joy. The giddiness she feels each morning. Barney has a racing tattoo and Pete did the research. He made $170.00 dollars as a race horse. Never finished better than fifth. We end with the following from Pete:
I would read your morning journal and think wow, this guy is a radical. No one could love horses that much. Get a life man. And then Barney became one with me, and he is my heart. The day I brought him to the barn he was thin and miserable. He wanted nothing to do with me. A lifetime of neglect, and why should I be any different? A month later, and he was gaining weight. Early in the morning, I was late for first period, and I took off his blanket and put his feed out. Gave him a kiss and said see you tonight. And Barney whimpered. I got to my car and he cried out for me. I turned to see him pacing. He was still crying. I went back to him and he layed his head on my shoulder and we stayed that way for the longest time. He would let out another whimper. I never did go to first period. He is my life. I have never loved anyone this much. And now I understand about the things you say on your morning journal. Barney makes me feel like I know the secret to life. Taking care of each other. And by the way Joe, Barney likes country on his barn radio.
MORE FROM JOE'S JOURNAL... 
Their NEW CAREERS A MUST read!
Horses (available for adoption)
Below on the right is Ericka, and she has never been available for adoption. I found Ericka at a feed lot in 2002, and it was love at first sight. Cathy says I spoil Ericka, but it is Ericka who spoils me. I could spend all day with her...
Forest Gump 
Ericka 
Forest Gump was born on our ranch in 1999, and he has never been available for adoption. This is his home. We love Forest Gump like crazy.
UNDER THREE: We have a selection of weanlings, yearlings, and two year olds. Most of our youngsters never raced, but rather were placed with, or adopted by, TB Friends to insure that they would end up with a good home.
THREE TO SEVEN: Our three to seven year olds represent our largest and continually revolving group of horses. Most are off the track with no visible signs of lameness. Others often have an injury with a good prognosis but requiring a short rehabilitation.
Logician's pedigree 
Sky Pilot's pedigree 
Logician's sire is Tabasco Cat (by Storm Cat), Mr Prospector in 3rd generation on dam's side
"Knight"
EIGHT TO FIFTEEN: Our eight to fifteen year old horses have many good years left. As older horses, they have often experienced more riding and handling then the younger horses. This maturity can facilitate a smooth transition to a useful riding mount or show horse. Below is Marbles, and he is 12 years old. Marbles is an arab quarter mix. He has the biggest eyes I have ever seen on a horse.
Katie and Marbles
Below is Sea To See, and he is 9. A classy old gentleman,
Sea To See earned big time money SeaToSee's pedigree
Great grandson of SECRETARIAT and DAMASCUS!
RETIREMENT: Many of our retirement horses have lameness issues relating to age or past injuries. Most of them are gentle however, and all of them are beautiful, making them well suited as pasture pets or companion animals for people and other horses.
Criamar came from an auction earlier this year, and now she seems to be happy. We found out Criamar was once a lesson horse for disabled kids. She is around 20 years old, and enjoying retirement in our poop on top of poop fields.
Mrs. Ed is below on the left, and she has lived with us since 1997. Animal Control brought Mrs. Ed to us after finding her starved. Mrs. Ed has navicular, and now she is probably 25 years old.
Hottie is below on the right. In 2007 the north field did not have green grass, as winter brought us little rain. Hottie is now 31 years old.
Adopted horses
NUMBER OF HORSES ADOPTED ...as of July 3rd, 2007
Foster care
Foster parents will phone and check in. Megan in Fairfield reports all is well with the 5 horses she is feeding for us. John and Laura live near Clear Lake, and on the phone Laura says High Bright is gaining weight and his bowed tendon is mostly healed. Brenda in Lodi calls to say Micro Brew is a sweetheart. Jessica in Elk Grove loves Teddy Bear, even if he does chew on her fencing all day. How Lou Doin is doing just fine with Allison in Auburn. Port Authority (they call him Porter) gives neighbor kids a ride around his ranch in Wilton. Denver Lyle eats peanut butter sandwiches in Walnut Creek. Moms The Fact hangs out in a grassy pasture in Danville, and her husband is Wayne Newton. In Stockton yesterday it was 102 degrees, but Bud Wiser was nice and cool with his very own stall fan. Our foster parents are the best. Sherri, Cassandra and Dakota, see you at the Woodland Fair. Jessica and Tim, there is a grilling contest on the 4th of July. Rachel Jeffers, you feed 3 of our horses, and then you bring us sacks of hot food from China Town. Cathy and I are blessed to be involved with the most giving people. I could go on and on and on...
We welcome Shannon of Dunnigan, and Terri of Elverta. Two new foster parents, and both own beautiful little ranches. Shannon has an off the track gelding named Peaches (yes a boy named Peaches) who jumps and does dressage. Terri is a single mom with a full time job, and 3 former race horses. Her daughter is Jena, who is 14 and she rides everyday. Jena recently competed at a show in Sacramento, and her mare Tobey racked up points for end of the season honors. Two new foster homes, and we are so grateful for your help. Keep an eye on your driveways. Needy horses will be arriving soon...
Fund raising
IMPORTANT NOTE: Joe never asks for money or help - this WIKI-page was created by an induvidual supporter, with the intention of bringing more attention to the wonderful job of TB Friends, to help doomed horses. TB Friends is NOT a non-profit organization, but that does not mean it cannot still be helped with funding, feed & hay donations and other ways of support.
The 312th Airlift Squadron & Friends of TB Friends
[2] Friends of TB Friends website
501(c)(3) Explanation from NERC (mentioning TB Friends)
Friends of TB Friends pay for fencing Many FOBs in this group!
Recognition for TB Friends
Just a note: In some of these messages, where there are pictures at the bottom, those pictures are NOT the ones that belong to the text... What will show up there are the pictures Joe posts TODAY...funny, how the computer just lets us know that we are "not in control"...LOL
Joe at TB Friends needs HELP!!! Ongoing discussion thread on ABR, started 11/28/07
Great horse rescue to consider supporting
FOBs speak highly of TB Friends ...and again...
KAMIKAZE Generator and THANKSGIVING Grain Day !
[3] Joe telling us "How it is" about horse slaughter...(from April, 2007)
Over-breeding & unwanted horses Discussion on TWR Forum starting out with one of Joe's TB Friends' Diaries...
Christmas stockings for ALL at TB Friends
TB Friends today... TWR June 24th, 2007
SLAUGHTER BLOG FROM TB FRIENDS TWR July 11, 2007
JOE @ TB Friends ABR August 12, 2007
Joe at TB friends needs our prayers ABR Sep. 10, 2007
Horses adopted from TB Friends by FOBs
TRINITY (was "Miami"), owned by Excelernancy 
"Sound and beautiful, very fine boned, 17 hds and Hershy bar bay. Came from Golden Gate Fields and saved off the KB truck from Joe at TBF's.I don't know when he was gelded - he's 5 and his tattoo is F 17346. Doesn't know what trust, love or carrots are yet..." (Nancy's description of Trinity when she first got him, back in February)
They deserve better...
A recent arrival from a feed lot, and yesterday we discovered he is a multiple stakes winner. This gelding made over 400 grand, and now he weighs less than 800 pounds. He is in desperate need of groceries, and his picture is below on the left. (6/24/07)
A thoroughbred mom with her foal, and they were sent to slaughter because the breeding farm did not like the conformation on the kid. The killer says $900.00 for both, and now they are safe in Vacaville. There is green grass, and several other broodmares and babies play in the sun. Life as it should be.
In the last few days we have bought 4 starving horses from a killer in Turlock. They are all thoroughbreds, and they have racing tattoos. One of them is just 5 years old.
see also "More from Joe's journal" under "June 30th"
A VERY GOOD DAY! 14 horses rescued from feedlot - July 30th, 2007
SONNY - Day by day...
This is Sonny, and we just bought him from a killer. 
On the day he arrived Sonny was vaccinated for flu and tetnus. The next day he was orally wormed. Tim Gee our shoer will soon begin working on his feet. We free feed starving horses. All the hay they want. Three large coffee cans of Equine Senior a day. If you want more statistics here we go. Since 1997 we have rescued 82 starving horses. 6 have died. The others all rebounded with our feeding program, and most have been adopted. 9 still live with us. There is a racing tattoo which says Sonny is only 4 years old. A baby. Sonny is kind, and whenever we come with food he paces and nickers. He allows fly spray, but is not thrilled with it. His girlfriend is Cher, and she too is in bad shape. They currently live in an old round pen together. One of them, I think it is Cher, likes to tip over their water buckets. Sonny is being treated with a fungus lotion for his bad skin. He is a quiet patient. Pony Boy visits him often. Sonny likes carrots but not apples. And he seems to enjoy music.
Every so often I will show you an updated picture of Sonny. There is no forecast for recovery. Some neglected horses take 6 or 9 months to look healthy again. Some change overnight. It is all personal.
