Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: In the Park
“Hey, Augie! Where are we going today?”
“Isn’t there a better way to go than up the steps?”
“Really Augie, do you always have to be so cooperative?”
“Okay, what’s up now?”
“Oats are always good!”
“Are you kidding me? You really think that book will help?”
“Augie, do you always have to be such a show-off?”
“If you took the time to study, Spuds, things might be a lot easier for you!”
“Maybe you’re right, Augie!”
“I like how the book says we’re different, Augie. The family that grazes together, stays together!”
What’s New with Roll? In the Park
This morning Roll had lots of fun reading Training Mules & Donkeys: A Logical Approach to Longears. He’s always up for posing and this day was no exception. We just strolled down through our longears sculpture park where we found a bench that would allow both of us to read comfortably. Roll is in good health and has almost finished shedding his winter coat. It was really too hot (in the 90’s), so any strenuous exercise was definitely out of the question.
“This looks like a wonderful idea on a hot day! Lolling around in the lush green grass with a canopy of glorious fire maple trees overhead in the sculpture park is much cooler and a peaceful place to be.”
“This looks like a nice place to relax… a nice bench for you and plenty of room for me.”
“Hmmmm…I hope she doesn’t think I can do that! I’m much too old for jumping!”
“Ah, yes! That’s more my speed! Practicing good posture while ground driving the hourglass pattern is fun and feels really good!”
“Trail obstacles? That could be fun, I guess, provided they are well built and can hold my weight!”
“We’re all done with our studies already? Do we really have to leave now?”
“Oh well, if we’re just going to the other side of the fence for turnout, I guess that’s okay!”
New Orphans at Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang
As the slaughter issues for America’s Wild (and domestic) horses continue to grow at an alarming rate, we at Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, are doing what we do best, helping save foals orphaned in the process.
However, we do realize that we are only able to do what we do by working together with the other groups that are stepping up to be part of the solution, and with the support of our extended “rescue family” – YOU!
Although we specialize in critical foal rescue, rehab and re-homing, lately we have been getting urgent calls to help some babies who simply need elevated care and a new start at life. By working together we all make a much greater difference in the lives of the horses we are trying so desperately to save.
We also specialize in abused horses and were able to pick up a very stressed and unhappy mini who needs not only to be gelded, but to learn that people are not horrible and can be trusted. We are hoping with time, love and training we will be able to incorporate him into our Community Outreach Program and he will be able to go with DaBubbles to visit battered and abused women and children, as well as to local functions to help spread the word about the plight of America’s horses.
At this moment we are supporting 7 orphan foals as well as the rest of the permanent residents of Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang. We so appreciate all the folks who are part of our family and continue to help us do what we do.
We are looking forward to permanent placement of these foals (hopefully in the very near future) as it will allow us to keep rescuing more babies.
As far as the 65 Wild Horses that were saved at the last minute from slaughter, well y’all did it for the month of June. Enough funds were raised to nearly cover the feed and pasture rent for June. THANK YOU to everyone who shared the cause or donated.
But now we need to keep going. We need to raise enough funds for feeding, transportation and their care until they find new homes. Please, if you are interested in rescuing or permanently sponsoring your own wild horse, contact us and we will “git ‘er done”. To help, you can go to the website at youcaring.com and go to:
and make any size donation. ALL donations are tax deductible and we thank you for making that sacrifice and helping us “finish the job”. It is so important that folks realize that “saving” them is just the beginning.
You can also donate via mail. Simply note on the check what your donation is for and mail to: Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, 34694 Sidebottom Rd., Shingletown, CA 96088
If you would like to come and visit our latest orphans, please call us at 530-474-5197. We so appreciate all of our visitors and enjoy making wonderful memories, while sharing these amazing babies & rescued animals.
TheHorse.com Poll: Equine Welfare Issues
In a recent poll, TheHorse.com asked readers which equine welfare issue was most concerning to them. Of 1,238 respondents, 42% said they were most concerned about unwanted horses.
Comments included:
“When they’re unwanted, they are often abused and/or neglected. They suffer tremendously.”
“There’s too much indiscriminate breeding happening and horses are thrown away when not useful anymore.”
Read the full article here.
Second Phase of USDA’s Equine 2015 Study Delayed by Bird Flu Outbreak
The US Department of Agriculture’s “Equine 2015 Study” that began in May will be delayed by the outbreak of HPAI, “bird flu,” which has been described as the largest animal-health emergency ever faced by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) announced the launch of the 2015 study some time ago. Phase I of the two-part study will be completed.
This equine study is designed to provide participants, the horse industry, and animal-health officials with information on the nation’s equine population that will serve as a basis for education, service, and research related to equine health and management. The study will also provide the horse industry with new and valuable information regarding trends in the industry for 1998, 2005, and 2015.
The Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH) with USDA-APHIS just announced the postponement of Phase II of the study. Although Phase II will be delayed, Phase I which has begun, will continue as scheduled. Phase I involves a simple questionnaire collected by NASS representatives during face to face interview that began in May and will be completed by end of July, 2015. That data will be validated and analyzed at NAHMS.
In announcing the delay of Phase II, CEAH noted that “While the equine industry is an integral element of the overall APHIS mission, there are times in which animal-health emergencies take precedent over all other activities, including our national studies.”
The delay is caused by the reassignment of the USDA staff required to initiate Phase II of the study to respond to the HPAI “bird flu” outbreak. These USDA personnel are now actively involved in the Department’s highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak response. USDA has committed hundreds of staff to deal with the outbreak and hired thousands of contractors to supplement them. To date over 50 million birds have been depopulated.
Phase II of the equine study is now scheduled to begin in Spring/Summer of 2016, assuming emergency-response obligations change and personnel are again available. CEAH is also examining the feasibility of implementing the parasite portion of Phase II, which does not require field personnel or facility visits, on schedule.
USDA will release specific information to active participants in Phase I directly and will share information on the beginning of Phase II of the equine study as it becomes available.
We won….And they don’t like it
We won and they don’t like it. Now, we need your help to stop the latest rancher attack that seeks to roundup even more wild horses and throw them into government feedlot pens…all to clear our public lands for more taxpayer-subsidized livestock grazing.
Late last Friday, we learned that Wyoming Governor Matt Mead has appealed the lower court decision we recently won dismissing his baseless, anti-mustang lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Now Gov. Mead is wasting more tax dollars in an attempt to overturn our victory to protect Wyoming’s mustangs.
They just won’t stop, so neither can we. Would you please make a tax-deductable donation today?
We’ve already successfully defended Wyoming’s wild horses in the lower court, and we’re ready to fight this battle again in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. At the same time, we’re also defending wild horses and burros in three other states from rancher-led attacks.
In addition, we’re working tirelessly in the field to develop and implement model programs to Keep Wild Horses and Burros Wild.
We can’t continue this critically important work without your support.
A generous donor is matching every donation for the rest of this month — up to $20,000. Any donation, large or small, will be doubled because of this matching grant! So please take a moment to donate whatever you can. Truly, any contribution, regardless of its size, will help us continue to fight for wild horses and burros across the West.
Thank you for all that you do to save and protect these amazing and beloved animals.
SYALER June 2015 eNewsletter
I was all set to write this newsletter about the fact that we really are in need of volunteers who are willing to help out at fundraising events, but that is going to have to wait until the next newsletter as I need to ask for your help on a different front this month. I know…it’s always something!!!
I transported our sweet curly mule Jo to her new home last weekend. It was a beautiful day for a ride and as far as I knew, everything was going fine. It was not until I arrived at her new barn and walked around the truck to let Jo out of the trailer that I noticed the trailer was missing a wheel! I remembered reading somewhere that it was ok to drive this type of trailer with one wheel missing, so – true or not, I ventured home and thankfully, managed to make it back to the rescue safely. I brought the trailer to the garage where I was informed that, not only did it need a new wheel and the parts that go with said wheel, but it needed a new axle as well. This little adventure set us back around $1200. OUCH!
$1200 would not be quite so bad if we didn’t have large draft mules in the rescue who are doing their best to eat us out of house and home. We feed hay all year ’round and our Sweet William who is looking better and better as time goes by, puts away the groceries!
If you can help out with a financial donation it would be very,very gratefully appreciated. Having to ask for help does not come easily to me, even having done it for many years now. I will do anything I can though to help my beloved long eared friends, so I force myself to “just do it” as they say.
While I’m asking for help we sure would love to find some volunteers who would like to work our merchandise booth, or help out at the booth when we do multi day events. Please contact me at awfirestone@mail.com if you have an interest in volunteering or would like more details.
I look forward to writing a more uplifting newsletter next month!
Side Passing the “T”: Look, no hands!
Side passing is an advanced lateral move that should be prefaced with extensive leading training, first on the flat ground. Your equine will be ready to move to obstacles when you can throw the lead rope over his neck and he will obediently follow at your shoulder.
Help Needed for 65 Horses
Update from Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang.
There are some new developments in our horse world. We are still looking for sponsors for the 5 Yakima Orphan Foals who were rescued from the auction yard after they were roped and held, while their moms were loaded into the slaughter trucks.
We appreciate all the folks who are stepping up to help us continue our work, and we hope that we can find homes for these five foals so we can rescue more. Please contact us at 530 474 5197 if you would like to visit or are thinking about adopting. We will transport pretty much anywhere if fuel & travel costs are covered, for a good home.
You can go to our website www.chillypepper.org and donate for their care or just follow their stories.
HOWEVER, there is an even more desperate situation that has come to light. Some of the folks that we work with, and whom have been saving wild horses for a very long time desperately need our help.
People always talk about “stopping slaughter” and how wrong it is, but once again there is an amazing opportunity to help ACTUALLY BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE. No matter where you live, in an apartment, condo or in the city, you can still make a difference.
There are 65 horses that were rescued, (40 of them LITERALLY 10 minutes before they were loaded onto slaughter trucks) and saved in the nick of time from being sent to slaughter. However, the cost to feed these horses is averaging about $2400 a month. We need to raise enough money to feed these horses until they are placed in their forever homes. Transport will also be a huge expense.
Remember, not only will you be making a difference for the horses, but donations are tax deductible.
If you can find it in your heart to skip a Latte or Cup O’ Joe, please go to YOU CARING – HELP FEED AND SAVE THE 65 HORSES RESCUED FROM SLAUGHTER
As always, we thank you for your continued support in our fight against horse slaughter and our efforts to continue rescuing those who cannot fight for themselves.
What’s New with Roll? Measuring Progress
Before and after his recent trim…
After four years of conscientious therapy and specific attention to nutrition, hoof care, appropriate core muscle exercise, chiropractic and massage, Roll has been transformed and has not spent one lame day since he arrived despite the presence of side bones and ringbone.
When Roll first arrived on December 5, 2010, he was foundered in all four feet with severe muscle asymmetry and atrophy. The founder is now grown out and his hooves balanced. The goals I set for him would be simply to be able to be ridden around the hayfield and possibly even pull a light-weight two-wheeled cart.
Roll began his therapy with a shift to our feeding regimen, regular multiple leading and ground driving exercises first without and then with the “elbow pull” and finally with work in the round pen.
Finally, after four and a half years of work and a brief introduction to the under saddle work in the arena, Roll got his chance to be ridden in the hay field and loved every minute of it!
Flash of Wisdom: Rachel Anne Ridge
Inspiration doesn’t always come when you’re expecting it, and Rachel Anne Ridge certainly wasn’t anticipating a life-changing experience when a homeless, injured donkey showed up in her driveway.
In her new book, Flash, Rachel describes the amusing and touching journey that she and her family experience with a donkey named Flash At a time of financial and personal uncertainty, the last thing Rachel needed was to take on an equine.
Flash quickly became a part of their family. “It did not take long to fall in love with him,” she said. “There was definitely an immediate bond we felt.” There were immediate lessons as well. Rachel had never owned a donkey before, though growing up she made excuses to visit her friends who had horses. “I was your typical, horse-crazy town girl,” she recalls, “but I didn’t have any day-to-day experience with keeping either donkeys or horses.” The unique personality traits of the donkey set in motion a series of discoveries that took Rachel deep within herself and her beliefs.
Rachel’s book is filled with insights inspired by Flash’s simple and honest approach to life that often left her rethinking her own perspectives. “There’s something about their demeanor that invites a quietness and a calmness,” she says, adding, “they’re gentle souls.” And it’s not just her—she’s noticed that Flash inspires smiles and chuckles from just about everyone he meets. “With donkeys, there’s this connection of joy that happens with people.”
Flash has helped inspire Rachel in a lot of ways—even in her art business. As a mural painter, she always wants to give people exactly what they want, but over the years she knows that they can sometimes have trouble articulating their true desires. Working with Flash though, she’s learned how to ask the right questions, and to get much better on picking up on cues, especially non-verbal signals like changes in body language. “Flash definitely made me a better listener,” Rachel says.
Flash has motivated Rachel to be more self-confident and assertive as a person—two qualities donkeys tend to have in spades. “Flash just is who he is. He has no pretenses. … I’ve spent a lot of time feeling insecure about who I am and doing what other people want me to do,” says Rachel, but working with Flash—and seeing his unapologetic approach to making the best of his life—has been energizing. She’s working to “let go of that need for other people’s approval, and just be okay with who I am and where I am.” There is a level of vulnerability that comes along with letting go, and as her book suggests, “we need to wear our donkey heart on our sleeve.”
Most of all, Flash’s appearance in her life awakened a fuller discovery of her faith. As a daughter of missionaries, she has always had a close relationship with God, but there was something about the deepness in Flash’s eyes, the softness of his muzzle, and the pertness of those long ears, that in challenging moments opened her heart in new ways. She notes that God can show up in people’s lives in many different ways, and to stay open to signs—don’t just wait for a perfect, clear message. “Flash came into my life at a really pivotal time,” she says. “It was exactly what I needed.”
Today, Rachel continues to write and create murals and has recently adopted a new miniature donkey companion for Flash.
Flash is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Costco and local bookstores, or visit Rachel’s website for more information.
Stop Forest Service from “Cow-towing” to Pro-Horse Slaughter Rancher
“So in my opinion, the best thing to with these [Heber wild horses] up here would be remove every one of them. Whether they go to adoption, or, you know, I hate to say it, euthanized or to a slaughter plant,” says welfare rancher Larry Gibson, Siebert Cattle Company. “I mean that sounds kind of harsh, but something has to be done with them.”
The U.S. Forest Service (FS) is asking the public to comment on the grazing permit, used by Siebert Cattle Company, in our Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona. A portion of land associated with this permit overlaps the Heber Wild Horse Territory. The FS is now considering increasing the maximum number of private cattle allowed to graze in our National Forest – and during the worst drought on record – but wants to eliminate wild horses in the same area.
Please take a minute to tell the Forest Service that they must reduce this taxpayer-subsidized grazing on our public lands in order to provide some habitat for the cherished Heber wild horses that are living in a “protected” wild horse habitat.
5 Newbies from Animal Control
Please help us welcome our newest additions!
Three (Kaliss, Sunday & Gimacomica) of these are from the OBX of NC and the other
two (Logan & Cash) are from our local area of Grayson Co VA.
“Gimacomica” is approx 17 years old, she is a chestnut Hanoverian Mare. We have reason to believe that she is a reg’d Hanoverian. AHS lists a mare with a very similar named, of the same color/markings, around the same age – that horse has DNA on file. IF someone would like to donate the funds to have Gimacomica DNA profiled we “may” be able to match her up with her Hanoverian papers!!
“Sunday” is a sweet, early 20’s, bay TWH mare that has been there and done that. Its time for her to have someone take care of her for a change! She is enjoying her new foster home!
Both of these girls were loaded with parasites, covered in lice and needing a lot of tlc and groceries! A Special THANK YOU to a foster near the OBX that offered to quarantine and foster these special girls until adoptive homes can be found!
They are receiving top notch health care and lots of love!
Gimacomica and Sunday getting their hooves trimmed…both are such sweet ladies!
Mr. Personality Plus is “Kaliss”
He also has little man syndrom in that he thinks he is bigger than he actually is….most these little ones are!
Kaliss is a beautiful silver palomino miniature stallion that came with the 2 girls mentioned above.
He has a DATE WITH A VET to be castrated but we need to find a VOLUNTEER TRANSPORT to bring him from the OBX/Corolla NC to Raleigh NC or all the way to RCAR in Mouth of Wilson VA.
We have some transport quotes but they range from $200-400 and we just cannot afford that at this time. Would be willing to cover fuel from OBX to Raleigh. Need to get him moved in the next 1-3 weeks!
This emaciated QH Stallion had been roaming free all along a rural highway for weeks when finally someone caught him and called Animal Control who brought him to us. He has been with us for several weeks and his “stray hold” is up….he now belongs to RCAR and has a date with a vet – June 3rd to become a gelding! BTW – he is now out in a grass paddock, just had to stay in this dry lot while we quarantined him and helped rid him of a large load of parasites!
Logan is already gaining weight and looking MUCH better!
And this cutie is “Cash”!
This ADORABLY cute little fella has been fending for himself and livin alone in the wild “outside” the park boundaries. Probably was a park pony sold at auction as a baby and then either turned loose or escaped. Either way he has been living feral and Animal Control was called in – and they called us. “Cash” has been with us for several weeks and he is now official OURS as he was unclaimed.
Cash is super cute! He is probably about 2 years old and has a castration appointment for Wednesday June 3rd! Please donate to help us update his vaccines and make him a lovely gelding! Cash will be available for a foster or adoptive home in a couple week after his castration. He would make a SUPER DRIVING PROSPECT!
**Remember your donations can be TAX DEDUCTIBLE!**
No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted
What a beautiful May it has been! The apple trees have been in full show-off bloom, followed by the sweet smelling lilacs and lily of the valley. Birds are singing and feeding their young, creating a lot of activity at the feeders. The mules are almost all shed out and the donkeys…well, the donkeys still have their fuzzy coats, which they seem to like to hold on to for as long as possible.
Adoptions have started to pick up a bit, which is a great thing. I so want each animal to have their own person to dote on them. Our beloved curly mule, Jo, will be going to her new home in a week or two, as will donkeys Holly and Nacho. I know their new people will be in love with these three in short order.
Sweet William, the thirty-year-old mule who came in last month as a one on the Henneke scale, has put on a substantial amount of weight and is actually starting to look GOOD!
He is one sweet mule, and his improvement is a direct result of the kind and generous donations so many of you have made. It’s not cheap to bring an animal that is emaciated back up to a healthy weight. He is now eating three meals a day, instead of four, and has a shiny, healthy new coat coming in. He is a LOVE BUG and enjoys nothing more than to be next to a person willing to rub his big ole head. I am confident there is someone out there who would like to share their life with this old man. He is in good health, has a strong ticker, no joint issues, and will make a great companion. Once he is puts on a bit more weight he will be available for adoption.
I hope you and your long ears are enjoying this beautiful weather and are able to get out on the trails to ride or walk or just spend time cuddling in the pasture.
Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Mini Grooming
“Well, Augie, it finally stopped raining! I wonder what we are doing today?”
“Ooh La La! Isn’t SHE lovely? Augie, check HER out! Nice socks, Honey!”
“She doesn’t look all that impressed with you, Spuds!”
“Maybe she’ll like ME better! She really IS kinda cute!”
“Hmmm! Stealin’ my action eh, Augie?! Well, she doesn’t look all that impressed with you either!
“Let’s just play hard to get and maybe she will change her tune, Spuds!”
“I guess two can play that game, Augie…now she’s pretending she’s asleep!”
“But she IS so cute, Spuds!”
“WOMEN! You can’t live with them and you can’t live without them, so what’s a guy to do?!”
“Where’d they go?!!!”
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
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