Rescue horses arrive in Loxahatchee after weathering Hurricane Irene

LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. - Many travelers are just now making their way to their destinations after Hurricane Irene; however, people weren’t the only ones stranded in the storm. Two rescue animals got stuck in Puerto Rico on their way to Palm Beach County.

"Is that one of them?" Jennifer Swanson asked, watching as a handler eased a dark bay thoroughbred out of a large horse trailer.

Swanson got her first look at Prayerful and Vivid Cat Wednesday afternoon. Prayerful, the dark bay stallion, and Vivid Cat, a grey thoroughbred with Secretariat bloodlines, are her new now twice-rescued rescue horses. They were saved the first time after ending their racing careers in the British Virgin Islands and saved a second time from Hurricane Irene. The storm hit Puerto Rico where the horses were waiting to board a plane to Florida to make their way to Swanson’s farm, Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue in Loxahatchee.

"I was very excited when the hurricane missed Florida but I had 48 hours of 'oh no what's with the horses down there?' " said Swanson. "We found the farm did lose all power and had no water, but fortunately they had filled their tanks."

Swanson and Brad Gaver are the co-founders of Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue, a farm in Loxahatchee that is housing and rehabilitating more than sixty horses. The farm is also home to other livestock. They arranged to take Prayerful and Vivid Cat from a farm in the British Virgin Islands that saves retired racehorses in the Caribbean from slaughter. The horses arrived very skinny and very dehydrated. Swanson said Prayerful is at least 400 pounds underweight, but she is thankful the animals have finally arrived.

"We know what it's like to be in a hurricane so I know how devastated Puerto Rico got,” she explained. “You're panicked, but your panic doesn’t stop when you hear they’re getting on a plane because horses on a plane flying into Miami? That’s just more panic. Are they going to be OK? So when they got off, the one thing I could say I felt was relief.”

After a bath, volunteers rubbed some liniment onto their legs to ease sore muscles until the horses are examined by a veterinarian. Both animals settled in quickly to their new stalls and started right away on dinner.

"Surprisingly they're very calm for what they've been through," remarked Swanson.

Swanson estimates veterinary care for each horse will probably be at least $4,500. Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue is a non-profit organization that accepts donations to help offset the animals’ care. Both horses could be adoptable in about a month. In three to six months, they could be ready for an entirely new career as jumper show horses, barrel racers, hunter class horses or a favorite family pet.

"They have a lot of life,” explained Brad Gaver, “and thoroughbreds always want to give and please their person. They always improve a rider because the horse wants to do a good job and it wants to learn."

"Let's see if you know what a peppermint is," said Swanson, offering Vivid Cat a red and white striped candy. The horse crunched the candy quickly, bobbing his head with enthusiasm.

“Good stuff, huh?” said Swanson with a smile.

Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue is located at 19181 Capet Creek Court in Loxahatchee, Florida. To learn more about helping Vivid Cat and Prayerful or their other animals as well as volunteering or adopting a horse, go to their website.