Imagine being dropped off in the middle of a country where the locals are out to get you, you don’t understand the local customs, and the food sources, water, rules and terrain are completely different. You have no map, in fact you are not even sure why you got moved here. Not a single one of your friends in your past life are with you. The first day you broke an, unknown to you, important local custom and there is a good chance you could be soup.

That’s pretty much what happened to Rio.

By horse standards Rio was raised and lived in a fairly protected world. A pretty black mare with a popular pedigree, she was destined to be a show horse. Her coat was kept smooth, soft and shiny, her mane groomed and her tail washed and braided and protected.

She was trained and had proven herself in the show world when we met her. She was loved, being cared for and shown by a very nice young man and his family. He was ready to move up. Rio was offered for sale. We bought her.

Rio found it difficult.