15hh estimate.
Sovereign is in training for 110+ days with Vania Carr and will be available for adoption to approved applicants at the ATFO event in August 2025. Follow his progress at #hopteamsovereign
30 days with Sovereign and I’m so pleased with the amount of progress he has made.
Going into this competition, I knew the baggage that Sovereign carried, and that I would be the one to help unpack it for him . This sweet boy has been scarred for life by the ignorance of past owners trying to make a quick buck. But his willingness to forgive is starting to shine through.
 The amount of forgiveness and trust this horse has given me in the past 30 days has completely exceeded my expectations.
Sovereign is a pretty laid-back guy for the most part. He’s not overly spooky. He’s very inquisitive. From the get-go tight spaces have been an issue. Even opening and closing gates if the gate would swing too close to his body, he would bolt sideways to get away. I’m sure this has originated from having a saddle strapped on his back for three days loose on the farm and then roped and tied down to get it off. He has every reason in the world to not trust people being close to his body.
The sweet boy loves people, but in the same respect, is so very guarded towards people.
We’ve been working through his heightened awareness of personal space, uneasy hind quarters and me learning how to ease his worry and to let go of the fear he has of humans in close quarters. At same time ,as I slowly teach him how to self regulate and control his reactions, he’s becoming more comfortable in situations where he may feel guarded. This is an extremely thin line I walk with him at this point in his training. Knowing how to make him feel comfortable and trust me while putting him in situations where he must learn to self regulate. Some horses are more fight and some horses are more flight. I feel this boy is a little of both and he has learned in the past that kicking can be a way of getting out of the situation where he feels threatened . Kicking is NOT an option. And he is starting to learn this.
When it comes to willingness to work, he’s definitely more comfortable to work freely at a distance. He will willingly and freely move off of voice commands with no pressure. extremely smart and he’s very good at reading my body language. I’m hoping this will  translate into under saddle work in the future. 
It’s going to take time, but the progress we’ve made in the last 30 days I’ve given me hope that this sweet, beautiful boy will, once again, trust us humans again. Keep your eye out on the sweet boy he’
Appalachian Trainer Face Offorse in time.
Appalachian Trainer Face Off
Horses are typically located in the Appalachian area, but please inquire about a horse's specific location when you apply!
We are looking to adopt to safe homes.
A history of good horsemanship, the ability to provide sufficient care with good vet, farrier and peer references are important. If you are a first-time horse owner, we will require you to board at a facility for the first year while you learn more about care. We encourage everyone to take advantage of riding lessons.
Foal adoptions require previous, established experience with youngsters.
Our adoption process makes sure you get the right horse for you – it is a no-fail process for finding the right match.
Apply at https://www.wvhorserescue.org/adopt
