ZEUS

Hello my name is Zeus. The people at Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue gave me that name to protect me. I was once a famous race horse and had a registered name. But, I like the name Zeus because it represents the mystical gods and portrays my strength and power.

I am 17hh (hands high) and bay (brown and black) in colour. I am a 7 year old thoroughbred gelding and have been with Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue for one year. I may give you the impression that I am confident and not afraid of you, but I am only pretending.   I am really very much afraid and find myself not trusting anyone. My past experience of travelling and having many different owners has made me feel very uneasy with my life. My career as a race horse has taken away the joy that life can bring.

When I first came to Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue I was very thin and very angry.   I was really mad at the world.  “Where am I now?  What do you want from me now?” But, Brenda was not afraid of me.  She knew I was hurting emotionally and that I just needed some time to relax; to feel loved; to feel secure; to be fed; to be given a shelter; to be given a coat for the winter and to not be asked to work – to just be a horse.

What is that like to 'just be a horse'? Before coming to WHHR, I spent most of my life in a box stall and was told to run and run fast. I had no social skills with other horses because I was not given the opportunity to make friends.

I did have a nice owner at one time in my life. I made him $800,000.  But we lost contact with each other when I was claimed by another person during a race. My nice owner was worried about me over the years. He searched for me and found me in the United States.  He brought me back to Canada to live with Brenda at WHHR.

I consider myself very lucky. I am much happier since I came to Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue. Due to my trust issues and an chronic injury to my stifle (that's like you having a damaged knee), Brenda feels that I am best suited as a companion horse.  That means that I should not be asked to work. I am still trying to figure out what it means to just be a horse, but with time, patience and love (which I am given at WHHR) I am sure I will find what I have missed out on for so long.