Shiloh Horse Thoroughbred Northford, CT

Thoroughbred lovers, meet Shiloh!


Shiloh is a kill pen survivor. She’s approximately 10 years old and 15.3 hands tall. She was rescued, emaciated and lame, in November 2021, from a North Carolina feedlot. With rest, good nutrition and excellent farrier care, she is now a vibrant, healthy young mare ready to find her forever home.


Shiloh has been restarted under saddle by the amazing Sam VanFleet, an award-winning trainer known for her compassionate approach, and specializing in starting, liberty clinics, gentling and training mustangs and PMU foals.


We suspect that Shiloh had a rough/unkind original start, but she is relaxed, engaged and perky in her current training environment! We’re looking for a kind, compassionate, patient new home with someone who will take the time to make sure she is comfortable, not just compliant, in future training.


She has a lovely walk/trot, and though she displayed some resistance transitioning to canter at first, it appears she’s worked through it and is progressing beautifully. We are unsure if the resistance was due to discomfort or just a habit caused by prior painful training tactics. She needs the right person to continue patiently exploring what is possible for this beautiful mare! Shiloh would also be terrific for Liberty work, or as a companion horse. She has the capacity to bond closely with her human, once her trust is earned. She does best with a gentle hand and a lot of positive reinforcement.


Shiloh leads, grooms and stands for the farrier. She could use some work on cooperative care, and that’s something Sam is continuing to work on with her. At present, she does not do well with needles, but with time and positive reinforcement training, we feel this can be overcome. She’s good with other horses, has been safe in group turnout, and is an easy keeper (rare for a thoroughbred!) She is currently on Regumate and we’ve found that to be helpful, but it will be up to her adopter to choose whether or not to continue it.


It has been an absolute joy to witness Shiloh’s transition from a broken, starved, despondent horse to the sassy, sweet, beautiful chestnut mare she is today. We feel Shiloh would do best in a home with prior horse experience.


**Please note: Shiloh will be placed in her new home under an adoption contract that specifies that she may not be sold or rehomed. If for some reason the placement doesn’t work out, no matter how long she has been there - 2 months, 2 years or 20 years - she MUST be returned to us, without exception. We do take legal action over violations of this clause.**