In 2007 I was horrified to read about a trailer accident in Illinois that killed a group of horses that were being shipped to slaughter. That incident spurred me to research horse slaughter, and I found Pure Thoughts just as they were gearing up for their Home for the Holidays Rescue. The group went to the notorious Sugarcreek Auction and saved over 80 horses from the kill buyers. Over the next few months, I met an amazing group of people and horses. Many paintings have come of that fateful research. I call the series Second Chances. The painting to the left is called "Remembering Triumph" and was the very first painting in the series. Triumph, was brought to the auction sick and injured. The rescue purchased him, knowing he was near his end to spare him a horrible trip to slaughter. He was loved, named, covered with a Christmas quilt before he was gently euthanized. I will never forget his story.

There were many happy stories to come out of that rescue. Brad and Jen at Pure Thoughts (www.pthr.org) have continued to do an amazing job helping horses in need. I wanted to share with you some of the Second Chance paintings and the wonderful horses they depict. These rescued horses have truly become my muses, and I thank them.

What is a nurse mare foal?

Orphan nurse mare foals are a by-product of the so-called nurse mare industry. They are babies born from a mare that was specifically bred to provide milk for a "more wanted" foal such as a race horse or show horse. Once the call comes to lease the nurse mare, her baby own is no longer wanted or needed.
These foals are very young when intentionally separated from their mothers, sometimes only days old. Historically these foals have been killed or sent to slaughter, but recently many horse rescues are stepping up to take some of these babies and raise them. The foals must be purchased from the farmers by the rescues then shipped to the rescue location. Being so young they require a tremendous amount of care such as feeding every 4 hours - some can drink from a bucket, but others still need to be bottle fed.

So there you have it - lovely industry, isn't it! Thankfully there are rescues out there who are willing to do the work to save these little babies. Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue (www.pthr.org) has taken in a large number of nurse mare foals over the last 10 years. Because of the way they are raised and hand-fed, most of these foals are very attached to people and make wonderful companion horses. In the next few days, I hope to bring you a success story about 2 little nurse mare foals who are all grown and living a wonder

Welcome to my blog! I have been thinking about doing a blog for quite awhile and finally decided to "just do it!" I want to share my art with you....not just how I do, but why I do it. What motivates my work, what is important to me, and what inspires me to paint. On that note, I have included a little graphic self-portrait in progress that I call "The Muse." I have been lucky enough to work with several equine rescue groups, and have had the opportunity to visit with some of their horses. The little nurse mare foal in the drawing was extremely curious about my sketch book and pencil. There were actually several of the nosy, little critters "helping" me to sketch. I was visiting Pure Thoughts Horse and Foal Rescue in Florida in 2008 when they took in a group of orphan nurse mare foals. Pure Thoughts is planning another nurse mare foal rescue in the upcoming weeks, and I plan to follow the "baby train" as it makes its way from Kentucky to Florida sharing thoughts and sketches with you.

So that is a little about me. In my next entry I will answer the question that many of you may be asking to yourselves, "What is a nurse mare foal, anyway?"