HARPER
Welcomed to the Sanctuary — October 2017
Across the Rainbow Bridge — July 2026
“Always Smiling”
The peace of this gentle mare belied her difficult years, working every day plowing fields, which was her life before being rescued. She was bred as a 3/4 Belgian and 1/4 Standardbred and inherited the build and coloring of the former, with the quiet disposition of the latter. A kinder soul you could not meet, and her former owner bragged about what a good worker she was, even as she was being sold at an auction. Her hind legs had weakened so that she could not work any more, and she could barely walk, on painful dropped pasterns. This condition is called DSLD (Dropped Suspensory Ligament Disorder) and is debilitating if left untreated or stressed further with work. This was why she was being sold. Fortunately, a kind buyer was at the auction, watching, and reached out to Rosemary Farm, who covered the cost of her rescue. When the gavel fell, the mare was lucky to get on a trailer headed to the Sanctuary, instead of one to her death.
How very lucky Harper was that night, and how deserving of some kindness to finally come her way. Thin, and going blind in one eye, and with those dropped hind legs, all we saw was the Mona Lisa smile and patient nature. A crowd favorite and very photogenic, Harper appeared in every calendar, year after year, often with friends. She became BFFs with a tiny pony mare that looked just like her, Charlotte, both blind in their right eye and equally quiet in nature. And Harper found her very own Staydopter™, who, with her monthly donation, covered Harper's general needs, and visited with extra treats. How wonderful it is to be loved.
Time passed, and Harper and Charlotte, with Andy nearby, enjoyed summer, and winter, and summer again, and the years passed, gently. Visitors all loved her calm disposition and beautiful coloring, and Harper basked in the attention. Of course as time passes, the body ages and issues develop. In a horse like Harper, a large horse with joint issues, there are complications, and eventually we could not stop the inevitable.
What a wonderful life she had here. We will miss her terribly, but we must remember how lucky she was, and we were, to share her life. And that Rosemary Farm has those who care, who keep the Sanctuary going. Because if we did not, if were not here, she would have missed out on the best part of life; being loved for who you are.
This is true Sanctuary.
Godspeed dear Harper, thank you for being you.