Colbie Westbrook rides Cinch at the Washington County Fair on Labor Day. Cinch is a 7-year-old American Quarter Horse. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

MARIETTA — It’s been nearly a year since Washington County resident Gina Batten rescued and nursed back to life an American Quarter Horse named Cinch.

Cinch was among the horses shown at the Washington County Fair during Labor Day weekend.

Batten said that she attended the Winter Series horse show at Stonegate Farms with her granddaughter Colbie Westbrook, 12, last December.

“It’s to raise funds for their foster horses, and the family takes horses in and Cinch was one of the rescues,” she said.

Cinch is a 7-year-old quarter horse that was surrendered by his owners from Arizona.

For the costume category at the Ohio State Fair, Gina Batten, granddaughter Colbie Westbrook and their horse Cinch dressed up as the Wizard of Oz in July. (Photo provided by Gina Batten)

Batten said during the horse show at Stonegate Farms, Westbrook’s showmanship horse went lame and was unable to compete. The announcers made the decision to saddle up Cinch so that Westbrook could ride in the show.

“They brought him over and I thought ‘he looks so skinny’ and it was pitiful with his saddle on,” she said.

Batten said they fell in love with him and since he was being sold, she made the decision to take him home.

She said that over the next few months they fed him, loved on him and let him roam the fields. The owners who surrendered him had claimed he was aggressive towards other horses but she found that he was actually very friendly and had a great personality.

She said they put nearly 700 pounds back on him so he would be healthy again.

Colbie Westbrook and her horse Cinch qualified in four categories at the Ohio State Fair in July. (Photo provided by Gina Batten)

Westbrook took Cinch to the tryouts for the Ohio State Fair this summer and ended up qualifying in four categories.

“Cinch isn’t a showmanship horse but she (Westbrook) did well, she was in the top 15 at the state fair,” said Batten.

Batten said they dressed up as the Wizard of Oz for the costume category and that because of Cinch’s courage, he was the lion.

“He didn’t need courage because he already had all the courage he needed to withstand what he had been through,” she said.

Batten has been raising horses and showing horses her whole life and many of her kids and grandkids have gotten involved in 4-H. She said she had nine horses in the field on her property at one point.

Colbie Westbrook rides Cinch at the Washington County Fair on Labor Day. Cinch is a 7-year-old American Quarter Horse. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Westbrook has been riding since she was 2 months old and won her first trophy at the Washington County Fair.

“He (Cinch) is just special and he’s safe and sound and happy,” said Batten.

She said that it’s overwhelming at times to see Cinch riding out there with the other horses. Cinch is still recovering but has won numerous titles at the shows he competed in over the winter and summer.

“His whole persona has really perked up,” said Batten.