By: Samantha Smith
When Tonya Chaney first began volunteering with Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, she was not looking for a horse of her own. Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue is a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredited organization located in West Virginia. At the time, she was putting two children through college and thought volunteering at a rescue would be the perfect way to get her “horse fix” without the commitment of adoption. But sometimes, the right horse, or luck, has a way of changing the plan.
Luck With a Kiss, known around the barn as “Lucky,” made an immediate impression on Tonya. From the beginning, Tonya felt a connection she could not quite talk herself out of, though she tried for nearly a year. “I fell in love with him on day one,” Tonya said. “There was just an instant bond.”
As a volunteer, Tonya knew the goal of rescue was to help horses find safe, loving homes. She celebrated when other horses were adopted, but when prospective adopters showed interest in Lucky, her reaction was different. “Every time someone showed interest in adopting him I would get so upset,” she said. “I know that is the goal of a rescue and I was always happy to see the other horses find a good home, but Lucky was not the other horses.”
Eventually, Tonya stopped trying to convince herself the timing was wrong. She adopted Lucky through Heart of Phoenix, and the adoption process went smoothly. As someone without prior Thoroughbred experience, Tonya had plenty of questions, and the Heart of Phoenix team offered support, guidance, and reassurance throughout the process. They also helped recommend boarding options, which Tonya said ended up being the most difficult part of the transition.
By the time Lucky came home with Tonya, he was not fresh off the track. He had already received training and handling through the rescue, but like any new partnership, their first year together required patience. They were learning each other, adjusting to a new environment, and finding their rhythm. “We had some struggles the first year, getting used to each other and a new place,” Tonya said. “But we have worked through that and he is doing great.”
Over the past six years, Lucky and Tonya have built a partnership rooted less in competition and more in connection. Together, they have attended workshops, explored liberty work, spent time in the arena, and enjoyed trail riding. Mostly, Tonya said, she simply loves spending time with him. “My biggest goal is to build a deep connection with him,” Tonya shared.
Lucky’s current life looks far removed from the racetrack. Tonya said it is hard to imagine him as a racehorse now. He is laid-back on the trail. His personality makes him an unforgettable presence wherever he goes. Tonya describes him as a big, beautiful goofball, snuggly, inquisitive, affectionate. “He has the personality of an oversized golden retriever and is so silly and sweet,” she said.
Around the barn, Lucky has his own habits and preferences. He loves to roll in the mud and is almost always filthy. He enjoys playing with the miniature horse, a scene made even more entertaining by the difference in their size. He also seems to have a soft spot for cats and often nuzzles the one perched in his stall window. Farm animals, however, are another matter. “He does not like other farm animals — pigs, cows, goats — and we don’t tell him that horses fit into that category,” Tonya said.
Six years after Tonya first tried to talk herself out of adopting him, Lucky is right where he was meant to be. Through Heart of Phoenix, the horse Tonya never planned to adopt became the one she feels lucky to have found.
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