OK, you know a horse is big when you can sit on it and hug it, and your arms are nowhere near going around it’s neck... and that horse would be Tony. (At Right)  Big Red (Below) is right up there with him though!
  Tony and Big Red are now the official ambassadors for Happy Trails, ready to represent us at community events, special parades, will make guest appearances, and plan to be our all-around goodwill boys.
  Their story is a typical one, with a not-so-typical ending. Tony and Red, both around 18 years old, spent their life on an Amish farm in Mt. Hope, Ohio. They worked hard in the fields and pulled with an 8-horse hitch team. They were gentle giants — whenever a new, young draft needed broke to drive, they were harnessed up between Red and Tony. After many years on the farm and earning their keep, they were becoming older and a quite a bit slower (the older and slower part happens to the best of us!). It was becoming very difficult for them to keep up with the younger teams they were hitched with, and Tony and Red had to go. To continue to work them as hard as was needed would have broken them down.
  Tony and Red were in good health, well taken care of by Mr. Don Miller, and his son, Willis Miller, their owners. However, if a home and a buyer were not found soon for them, they were destined for the local auction. Here, meat buyers often purchase horses no-one else wants and transports them to one of the horse slaughterhouses in Texas. Considering these two horse’s age, limited abilities, and the time of year (not too many people are looking to add to their horse collection and their outdoor chores with Winter upon us), their chances of being picked up by the meat guys were all too good. After working hard their entire lives and earning their keep, their reward should be retirement, not to be sent through a Texas slaughterhouse.
  Happy Trails was not in a position to purchase horses at this time, but our wheels began to turn. This would be the perfect opportunity for Happy Trails to have some equine representatives, and to give us, the board members and the volunteers, a team to rally around — some horses that we could love and hug and care for, that wouldn’t be leaving us like all the rescues do when they finally find their permanent homes! We always experience such mixed emotions when a rescued animals leaves us — we’re incredibly happy for them, and always feel such a sense of loss for ourselves. This hitch team could fill that void, we would be saving them from having to go to the meat buyers, and they could stay together as the good buddies that they are as they retire.
  Becky Albright and Annette Fisher went to see Tony and Red, and they were beautiful! They are healthy and strong, and simply too old to work an eight hour day in the field with the eight-hitch team that they are a part of. The younger horses simply outworked them. Amish draft horses need to be able to earn their keep on the farms,and be able to do the heavy work required, and Red and Tony could not..
  The original asking sale price was $500 each, but Mr. Miller saw that the horses were going to the best home they could possibly have. Tony also walked out lame that morning from a hard days work the day before. Mr. Miller agreed to let us get them both for $700. Becky put down a deposit to hold the horses until we could get a trailer back to pick them up, and we began sending out emails and attempting to raise the rest of the money.
  Within a few days and a million phone calls later, we were not only able to raise enough money to bring the boys home to the sanctuary, but were able to get enough to buy their pulling harnesses as well.
  They are well broke to hitch and traffic safe, and can handle light recreational work. These boys deserve a peaceful retirement after having worked their tails off for so many years.
  We are planning on making shoeing stocks for them, so that they can have their feet trimmed easily and safely. Anyone with construction skills interested in helping to make the stocks, please give us a call at (330) 296-5914.
  Thanks to all the kind folks who have contributed toward the rescue of these two awesome creatures! Their upkeep will continue to be a challenge I’m sure, as they are amazing hay burners! We are hoping that everyone can enjoy them, so make sure to meet Big Red and Tony when you visit Happy Trails! A special fund will be set aside especially for their care, and any contributions toward their needs may be may payable to Happy Trails, with a note that the donation should help care for the rescued Belgian hitch team.