Rolling Dog Farm Blog

This is blind Rosie, an American Quarter Horse mare who lost her eyesight to training abuse many years ago.  She arrived today.  Rosie went blind at the age of four, but her owners at the time kept her because of her sweet disposition.  But two years ago they gave her to another family in the Flathead Valley of Montana, who had her bred.

Yet Rosie comes from a troubled line of Quarter Horses who trace their lineage to a famous stallion named Impressive.  By 2003 more than 55,000 Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas carried Impressive’s bloodlines.  Unfortunately, much too late, the horse industry discovered that Impressive had a genetic mutation that causes a muscular disorder called hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, or HYPP.  Many of his offspring would turn out to be afflicted with the disease, which is commonly referred to as "Impressive Syndrome."

Although there is now genetic testing that can determine whether a horse carries the mutation — and Rosie tested negative — the market for horses with Impressive’s bloodlines has pretty much dried up.  So Rosie’s value as a broodmare diminished.  Rosie’s family also planned to move in the near future, and didn’t think they would have room for her at their new place. 

If the family couldn’t place Rosie, they planned to euthanize her.  They didn’t want to send her to the auction, where she would have ended up going to a slaughterhouse.

Rosie reminds us very much of Lena, our blind Quarter Horse mare who was our very first resident at the sanctuary.  These two mares have the same calm, easy-going personalities, they’re both chestnut colored, and both went blind from training abuse.  I think Rosie will be right at home here!

(Behind Rosie and Alayne in the photo is our employee Beth’s cabin on the left, and Widget’s House, our main dog building, on the right.  That’s Ovando Mountain in the distance.  Click on photo for larger image.)