Every horse lover who has experienced the loss of an equine companion knows it is identical to losing a member of the family. That is no exception to Ruth Ellen, an AQHA judge from Frisco, Texas. Her ’91 brown Thoroughbred mare, Escapist, was euthanized on March 27th during surgery due to complications associated with intestinal blockage and toxicity.
Able only recently to talk about the loss publicly, Ruth Ellen said, “Of all the horses that have crossed my path, Escapist, was my favorite and very special to my heart.” She remembers the mare very fondly. “When I would get to the barn, I’d stand on the fence and holler her name. When she’d lift her head and cross the pasture to me, I knew I was being honored by her presence. I knew I would never sell her. I just never knew that our time together would go by so quickly. She was a gift in my life and I was lucky to have had her.”
Ruth Ellen picked the broodmare out in a pasture at Buddy Stidham’s Stonegate Ranch, and she immediately knew she had to have her. Her sire, Tejano, won $1.4 million on the race track while his get won
over $4.5 million. Her dam, Loner, was sired by Little Current who won
the Kentucky Derby.
Ellen’s instincts of the mare producing high quality offspring were spot on. Escapist had 12 foals, nine are currently of show age and eight are point earners. The only foal not to show was hurt as a yearling. The Only Escape, a 2002 brown stallion, is her most famous offspring. He was the 2006 World Champion in the Junior Hunter Under Saddle and the 2005 Congress winner in the Three Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle. The stallion also was the 2006 High Point Stallion in the nation in the Hunter Under Saddle. Her foals have amassed a total of 460 points in several different English and western events.
Escapist spent her last four years living at Danny Salsman Quarter Horses located in Pilot Point, Texas. “She was the only Thoroughbred there, Ellen said. “All the rest are halter mares–mostly great halter mares that belong to Rita Crundwell. She was a ‘social’ mare and always had a favorite friend. It was quite a sight to see 16-3 hand Escapist side by side with one of the 15-1 world champion halter divas.”
Escapist is buried in the broodmare pasture under a huge oak tree at the ranch belonging to Ruth’s friend, Jay McLennan.”I loved her and have mourned her beyond words,” Ellen said. “I think that’s what happens when you don’t have children.”
