Epic's Story

Epic with her two freeze marks from being captured twice. One on her neck and one on her back. First time she ended up being a brutally abused rodeo horse, next time she ended up in an illegal slaughter farm in Tampa, Florida. She was born to live wild and free as a part of America's so called 'National Treasure', the wild mustangs of America. Many people view the mustangs as horses that cannot be tamed and be good riding horses, so when captured their price in the BLM auctions is very low. And therefore they are in high risk to end up abused as rodeo horses initially and then in illegal slaughter houses. It is not legal to slaughter the 'National Treasures' within the US, so either they are sent across the borders to Mexican slaughter houses or they will end up with illegal butchers in the US - like Epic did.

Luckily for Epic her fate was intervened in 2011 when Richard 'Kuto' Couto was undercover investigating the very same illegal slaughter farm and he noticed her BLM markings. Epic was set to be slaughtered within few days but 'Kudo' convinced the butchers to instead sell her to him as a riding horse. And June 23, 2011, Kudo returned to the slaughter farm with a trailer and rescued her. When she arrived at the WILD HORSE Rescue Center ARM's veterinarian was able to see her and announced that she was in fact pregnant. And her foal was named after Richard 'Kudo' Couto. 
Read the full story here and see video of Epic's rescue, from being spotted first at the illegal Tampa slaughter farm to her recovery at the rescue center and having her foal. Be aware of very hard footage from the illegal slaughter farm!

Read more about the founder of Animal Recover Mission and Epic's rescuer Richard 'Kudo' Couto

ARM implements direct-action to investigate, document, and expose illegal activities of animal cruelty