Rudy was a criminal case from Shawano county, brought to our attention in August of 2013. A retired breeder who had already surrendered 60 plus horses to authorities in February (all shipped to slaughter), discovered Rudy on August 16. He had somehow been left behind on the 300+ acre farm. Somehow he had survived on his own. When the breeder discovered him, he immediately contacted authorities and threatened to shoot him if they didn't remove him immediately. Shawano Cty contacted AGES, and thus began one of the most dramatic rescues we have ever been involved in. Rudy was barely a body score of 1, and was standing inside a dilapidated barn in muck up to his knees, which is probably what kept him upright. He was terrified of people, but somehow AGES managed to get him on the trailer, where he promptly collapsed. To this day, it is a miracle he survived, as AGES was still in its early years and ill-prepared to care for a horse with such severe health issues. Rudy was in a sling for the first few weeks with us. Each time we removed the sling, he would collapse and it would take a skidsteer and 6 people to get him back up. He carries scars on his left side as a reminder of this time in his life. He had pneumonia, massive worm counts, and vomited anything we tried to administer orally. During those months of recovery, we learned to be mindful of flying hooves and teeth. Several of us have scars and broken bones as a result of his desperate need to protect himself, despite his poor condition. He was adopted out for a few years to one of the only people he ever truly bonded with, however his training did not continue, and he was allowed to behave as he chose. Due to his adopter's health issues, he was returned to AGES. Rudy is a fighter, and intended for great things. He also loves to jump, which is something our trainer discovered when we first began working with him. We would love to see Rudy achieve his true potential and find a forever home with someone he loves.