I am Miss Libby, a thoroughbred who once knew the unrelenting demands of the sales arena, racetrack, and breeding sheds. My life began in Saratoga, where I was bred to race, to win, and to earn. I was born on a farm called McMahon Thoroughbreds, where my mother, Via Mizner, and my father, Desert Warrior, were celebrated for their lineage.

Before I was even two years old, I had been sold three times, my worth measured in dollars and dreams. I ran with all my heart, gracing the tracks of Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga. Forty times I raced, each stride a testament to my spirit and strength. I served four different trainers, giving everything that was asked of me. When I won, I was valued.  I had earned $66,581—it did little to secure my future.

When my racing days ended, my life took a different turn. I was sent to the breeding shed, the same place where I had been conceived. I was no longer a competitor but a mother, tasked with nurturing new life. I gave everything to my foals, loving them with the same devotion I had once given to racing. But motherhood, like racing, was a fleeting role. After delivering four foals, my worth dwindled to the flesh on my bones, and I found myself cast aside.

My journey then took a dark and terrifying turn. I was sold to a breeder in West Virginia, where I gave birth to a colt named Angela’s Romeo. He became a success, winning over $71,000, but my contributions were forgotten. No longer wanted, I was priced by the pound and sold to a horse meat broker. I was shuffled from place to place, my life hanging by a thread. Fear and starvation became my constant companions, and I began to believe that my story would end in a place of shadows and despair.

But on the eve of Christmas in 2023, something miraculous happened. Unbridled Sanctuary stepped in, pulling me from the brink of oblivion. I was weak, terrified, and scarred, both inside and out. The chaos and cruelty of the slaughter pipeline had left me broken, and as I arrived at Unbridled, I braced myself for more of the same hardship I had come to expect.

Yet, as the days passed, something began to change. The people at Unbridled were different. They treated me with kindness, spoke to me in soft tones, and offered me nourishment that revived my weakened body. Slowly, the terror that had clouded my mind began to lift. I realized that I was no longer in a place of danger but in a sanctuary where my life was valued for more than what I could produce or win.

Here at Unbridled, I found something I hadn’t felt in a long time—peace. I began to trust again, to let down my guard, and to allow myself to believe that I was safe. My gentle and sweet nature, long buried under the weight of survival, started to emerge. The anxiety that once haunted my every step began to fade, replaced by a softness in my eyes that reflected the care and compassion surrounding me.

I’ve made friends here, too—others like me who have faced their own battles and found refuge at Unbridled. Marrazano, another soul saved from a similar fate, has become a close companion. Together, we find solace in each other’s company, our shared experiences forging a bond that speaks louder than words.

My story, however, is not just about survival. It’s a reminder of what happens when we are seen only for what we can provide, rather than for who we are. When I was racing, my value was tied to the money I could earn. When I was a mother, it was about the foals I could produce. But here, at Unbridled, I’ve learned that my life has worth simply because I exist. I am more than a commodity; I am a living, breathing being with thoughts, emotions, and a deep capacity for connection.

As I reflect on my journey, I realize how fragile life can be, how easily we can be discarded when we are no longer seen as useful. But I also see how powerful love and compassion can be in transforming a life. I am no longer just Miss Libby, the racehorse, or Miss Libby, the broodmare. I am Miss Libby, a cherished companion, a soul who has found a place where I am valued for who I am, not what I can do.

I hope my story gives you pause, a moment to consider the lives of horses like me. We feel deeply, we think, we understand, and we experience our lives in ways that are often overlooked. Our journey is not just about the roles we play but about the beings we are. I am grateful to be at Unbridled, where I am finally seen, heard, and loved for the individual I am.

If you can, please support Unbridled Sanctuary. There are many more horses like me, waiting for their chance to be saved, to find a place where they are cherished, and to live out their days in peace and safety. We all deserve a life of love, dignity, and protection, and with your help, we can ensure that no horse is ever forgotten or discarded again.      smoozzles, Libby

​​Registered Name: Miss Libby

Born in New York on March 8, 2009

Sired by Desert Warrior out of Via Mizner by Forty Niner