This EquiTheory episode is a heavier one, because I’m talking through Rory’s “world debut” — our Andalusian x Lusitano colt — and the reality behind how he came into our lives. His dam, Reina, wasn’t just a broodmare… she was a neglected founder case, and that combination is exactly where things get complicated fast. I walk you guys through what we know, what we don’t, and why this situation has been so emotionally loaded from the start. I also get into the difficult decision-making that comes with rescue-adjacent breeding situations: what’s fair to the mare, what’s ethical long-term, and how you weigh hope against quality of life when founder is involved. This isn’t a neat, feel-good story where everything magically resolves — it’s honest barn-life, and it’s the kind of thing horse people end up facing more often than anyone wants to admit. My biggest takeaway is that doing the “right” thing can still feel awful, and you’re allowed to hold both at the same time while you make the next best choice for the horse in front of you.