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Eight years ago, the Standardbred Retirement Foundation (SRF) took in a group of 52 Standardbreds who were bound for slaughter. Worn down, stoic, and hungry, these horses arrived in rough shape. Within days, officers from the Newark Mounted Police visited hoping to find potential recruits for their unit. From this group, one special horse stood out—Bold Ruler.
Bold Ruler wasn’t a large horse, standing just about 15.1–15.2 hands, but something about him whispered potential. With groceries, time, and a whole lot of TLC, he began to recover. Once strong enough, he headed to Newark to continue his rehabilitation where he was eventually started under saddle and trained for duty. It only took a couple of months to get him on patrol with Officer Virgilio Cardona.
Curiously, Bold Ruler was never freeze-branded, he may have been raised in a rural area for work purposes or perhaps never officially registered. The name “Bold Ruler” was lovingly given to him by his police partner.
This gentle soul went on to serve the city with courage and grace. He patrolled neighborhoods, helped with community outreach, and even stood guard in the midst of raging fires—where photos show him peacefully dozing off amid the chaos. A true testament to his calm and trusting nature and that of the breed.
Recently, however, Bold Ruler began showing signs of discomfort on duty. Diagnosed with early laminitis, even special shoes couldn’t ease his pain on the hard city surfaces.
Fortunately, because of SRF’s “safe for life” adoption policy, he was welcomed back to SRF to ensure he’d be cared for in retirement. After consulting with his veterinarian, it was clear that he needed a special environment: no grass, a dry lot, and gentle living.
SRF turned to social media in search of the perfect home—and they found one.
His new mom, Deb Bell, went above and beyond. She had a retirement badge made just for him, gives him soothing body massage, and pampers him like a new puppy. The Newark Mounted Unit gave him a warm sendoff, a hero’s farewell.
Now, this lucky horse who came from the horrors of a slaughter line is settling into his forever home—a peaceful, loving place where he’ll be cherished for the rest of his days.
Here is a link to see his little retirement ceremony on FaceBook. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19NQENbF17/?mibextid=wwXIfr
