As a long legged, well built yearling Claudia was entered in an Oklahoma TB sale. She was purchased by a man from Texas. He took her back with him and immediately put her in training. She spent her days on the hot walker, being ground driven, and having cactus cloth rub downs.
Claudia raced as a two year old and boy did she run hard: she was a claimer. She was bred to run, her grand daddy being the great Blade. Claudia did very well bringing in about $26.000 in a few months time. Of course, she was never owned by the same individual.
She probably didn't realize, because most were not in it for the relationship, just the investment. Claimed late in the season after numerous tracks and appearances, Claudia waited for the last run of he season before going to the new winter training track. Claudia stood in her stall wheezing and huffing. TClaudia was coming down with strangles.
This brave mare, ran despite her condition, and she gave her all to finish and be reclaimed once again. Transferred to yet another track, she did not pass the vet inspection. The owner wasn't too concerned,someone would pick her up. (probably the killers).
Instead, a woman passing through decided to buy this wonderful mare. There was, of course, no legal paperwork, no money transferred, and no knowledge of the departure. Unfortunately, the owner didn't care, now someone else would fix her strangles.
Claudia was then taken to a sale where she did not sell due to her health. The woman then talked a hauler into bringing the mare to Michigan, the woman's new destination. Once here, she contacted an old friend whom she owed a favor. He was in the horse business,supplying broodmares to farms, supplying the killer market, running sales, and throwing horses into the rodeo circuit. This woman took Claudia, fever and all ,over to her new home.
Claudia stayed there for maybe a few weeks before being shipped once again to a destination in West Virginia. She was to be put in a race as soon as possible. The man had connections ,and could enter anything. Claudia met her new best friend there, a mare named Donna May. Claudia ran as hard as she could for her new owner, but her lungs just couldn't keep up. She was thrown off the track after the first race, when a steward noticed the snot draining from her nose.
Claudia was then shipped once again,back to Michigan with Donna May. There she was thrown into a field with no shelter and forced to fight amongst about a hundred head of strangers. She remained there being bred to a stallion running loose. Many horses died out in this field, and the time came when this man was arrested.
Unfortunately, he was not arrested for the neglect of his horses (whom most were stolen),but for tax evasion. He is now in jail. The horses were left there for the birds - to say the least. The woman, who started this whole mess after stealing her, came forward swearing that this man owed her thousands of dollars. The court system said ok and gave her all the horses. She took them and turned them loose in another field. All clay, no pasture, and once again these horses had no shelter. Claudia and Donna May stayed very close and raised their babies together. And again, they were left for the birds. The woman would thin out the herd every couple months.
You see, there was a slaughter house across the road, and she would tell them to come and load their trailer for a small fee. They herded in as many as possible without a care of whom they were taking to their deaths. I found the herd thanks to a dear friend who asked for advice on what to do with the situation.
The local Humane Associations were to busy to bother with this case. (so tell me...what is their purpose?) I will never forget driving up on this farm. It had the stench of death, and you could see the bony creatures from a mile away. Driving up and past remains in the driveway and seeing a dead foal half under the fence. This was the most disgusting moment in my life. I cried, but it took a long time to cry because I was in shock.
I did, however, throw up as soon as I stepped out of the car. There were dead animals everywhere and those that were alive were so close to death. their hind ends were covered in diahrea and hooves over 18" long. Claudia was no exception. She was covered with every kind of fungus and bacteria that could be diagnosed. She had huge open, oozing wounds. There were dried up worms on her hind legs from being passed out her liquid stools. Her ankles were open down to cartilage. Some of her cuts didn't bleed: the flesh was dried up and a hard yellow color - it was dead.
The foal by her side, we named him Badger, he leaned against her for support. He couldn't stand on his own. He was weak and Claudia had no milk. Badger appeared every bit as bad as mother and worse yet, his eyes were dull. Claudia was scared to death of my purpose and yet she made her way to me. (dragging her hip to support her baby - and also due to her abscesses) I sent my friend back to get a trailer and we took as many as we could that day. Claudia came to stay with me and Donna May too. They were pastured together until I gave them to Dot.
Sadly,Badger died shortly after we adopted him. He had no immune system and his little body just literally dried up and died. The tears are hard to hold back even now. It was the woman who had them ,that abused them so badly. She loved her whips and chains and used them whenever she had the time. It was sad that someone could not only, "not give a darn" ,but also had to cause harm in so many ways.
Claudia came to us with open wounds around her lips and on her tongue and gums. (Donna May came "bleeding on the brain" because the woman hit her over the head with a baseball bat when she wouldn't load on the killer trailer.) It was a long hard battle to bring Claudia back to health, but once again she gave her all. She has more courage, strength, humbleness, nobleness, love, and forgiveness than anyone I know. She has taught me so much. I thank her, and she will always have my heart and soul. -Kendra
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