Here’s where we stand: With just a few hours to go, we’re falling short of our our $100,000 goal.
If we don’t hit that goal by midnight, we’ll lose the chance to have those gifts MATCHED – and that means we won’t be able to fight back against all of the threats facing wild horses.
Because of your support, we were able to help one more. LoneStar is AAE’s last intake of 2018. LoneStar came from an elderly owner whose health was declining, and he was having a difficult time managing his care. LoneStar was his wife’s horse; she passed about three to four years ago.
He is a hefty, well-fed guy, but his hooves and teeth hadn’t been tended in quite some time. First stop was the farrier. Much improved!
He’ll be the first vet check of 2019 this week, his teeth will be floated, and it looks like we’ll do a little blood work.
Soon, this guy will be back in tip top shape.
LoneStar is a mid-20’s Morgan gelding about 15.1 hh. This guy is a big, sweet love bug. He is under evaluation, and more info will be available soon. Stay tuned.
2 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
AmazonSmile donates to All About Equine Animal Rescue, Inc.
AAE’S QUARTERLY MEETING
AAE’s Quarterly All Volunteer Meeting is an opportunity for all volunteers to come together for an update on current happenings, upcoming events, and updated volunteer needs. It’s also a good time for anyone interested in getting involved to learn more about AAE. Bring family or bring anyone interested in volunteering or otherwise supporting our cause.
As we say goodbye to 2018, we wanted one last tribute to honor three very special horses we lost this year,
three of AAE program horses: Marshmallow, Kasey, and Kaya.
Marshmallow
Our amazing little Marshmallow was helped across the rainbow bridge after a sudden decline with his health. When he came to AAE in March 2014, he had been sick, and past owner’s efforts to help him failed. After a plethora of diagnostics, he was diagnosed with either stomach cancer or irritable bowel disease. He responded tremendously well to medication (steroids), and he recovered quite well. He had a fabulous four and a half years with us at AAE, and he brought smiles and happiness to SOOO many people. Sadly, he started having occasional bouts of colic over the summer, and in November, he declined rapidly. It was quite obvious he was not going to get better this time. He made his last trip to Loomis Basin in the back of “his” van. It was his first trip in “Marshy’s Van”, a mini van we’d just acquired for transporting him and other mini’s to retirement homes, youth events, and outreach activities. We miss this little man so much!
Kasey came to AAE with his buddies Angus and Daisy in April of 2016. Kasey was another magically gentle giant that befriended another herd of humans while at AAE. His kind nature and gentle soul put everyone at ease in his massive presence. Kasey battled hoof abscesses off and on almost the entire time he was here. Usually, they’d resolve relatively quickly. Until the last one. Kasey fought valiantly. After what was looking to be a long, successful battle; inexplicably, his coffin bone rotated severely in a matter of days. As uncomfortable as he was, he gave his all. His pain was simply too much to ask him to endure any longer.
Kaya was another wonderful resident at AAE. She was the go to girl for kids, parties, camps, and any time we needed a calm, quiet, and trustworthy horse. Kaya came to AAE in February 2014 through another organization after she was saved from an auction. She was lame. She had served someone well for years, then she was dumped at an auction where known kill buyers shop. Fortunately, she was saved, and with time and good hoof care, her lameness resolved. Sadly, she colicked in January, then again in February, when we learned she also had a diaphragmatic hernia. A portion of her intestines had pushed into her chest cavity. It would have been quite a surgery to repair both issues, and there was also a stone in her intestines that complicated things further. It was simply too much to put her through and not the best of chances for recovery. We had to say good bye.
Thanks to your support, Marshy, Kasey, and Kaya were able to live out their lives at AAE with lots of love, and so many youth and adults were able to share the wonder of horses.
3 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
AmazonSmile donates to All About Equine Animal Rescue, Inc.
AAE’S QUARTERLY MEETING
AAE’s Quarterly All Volunteer Meeting is an opportunity for all volunteers to come together for an update on current happenings, upcoming events, and updated volunteer needs. It’s also a good time for anyone interested in getting involved to learn more about AAE. Bring family or bring anyone interested in volunteering or otherwise supporting our cause.
PLEASE MAKE THIS A HAPPY NEW YEAR for 7 MORE BABIES?????
We have a 24 HOUR DEADLINE , and the clock is ticking. We need to SAVE the remaining SEVEN (7) McDermitt babies. Just got the call minutes ago. We knew there might be more, but now it’s GO TIME! once again.
These babies desperately need your help to stay out of the slaughter pipeline.
IT’S THE LAST HURRAH FOR 2018. PLEASE LET’S FINISH THE YEAR WITH ONE MORE SUCCESSFUL STORY FOR THESE LAST 7 BABIES!
Please skip that 2nd bottle of champagne if you have to, and SAVE THE 7!
Thank you for your help as always. Y’all are truly amazing.
God bless and Happy New Year!
Below – the kids, loving life instead of squished into a slaughter truck!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
We’re down to the wire. Our end of year fundraising deadline is only 48 hours away — and we haven’t yet heard from you.
If you’ve been holding off, here are five reasons to give now:
#1 The fate of wild horses is at stake now more than ever. Just this year we’ve seen some of the worst roundups yet, and we had to fight back attempts in Congress to legalize slaughter. We’ll have to continue the fight in 2019 to defeat the powerful special interests seeking to overturn protections for wild horses and burros against slaughter and mass sterilization. Help us win on Capitol Hill.
#2 We’re the most effective advocates for wild horses and burros in the country. We were party to seven lawsuits against the federal government this year — and we’re listed as one of the 30 Great Animal Organizations Worth Your Donations. We have to keep up the fight.
#3 We must unleash a massive grassroots and PR campaign to save the most visible and visited mustang population in the West — the famed Onaqui wild horses in Utah — and defeat a BLM plan to remove 91% of the herd in the Spring 2019. Please support us today.
#4 We must defeat the U.S. Forest Service’s plan to sell federally-protected wild horses in California for $1 a piece by the truckload for slaughter, and we must help rescue, when necessary and possible, wild horses facing this horrific fate. Help us keep wild horses out of the slaughter pipeline.
Happy Holidays to all of our friends and supporters!
There are only a few days left for us to reach our goal-won’t you please consider a donation?
At SYALER, ALL of your donated funds go directly toward the care of the donkeys, mules, and hinnies, as they wait for their forever homes. We only have one full time paid employee, the rest of the work (and it’s a lot!) is done by a dedicated team of volunteers. Your support is essential to continue our mission!
Please consider a donation of any amount. Even $5 will buy a bale of hay, $35.00 will pay for a hoof trim, and $70 will cover a farm call by one of our wonderful veterinarians.
And now, with our fearless leader Ann Firestone out of commission with a broken leg, funds are also needed to hire temporary barn help until she gets back on her feet.
We wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and send a heartful thank you for your continued support ️
These two boys came to AAE after the unexpected death of their owner left them alone, and family was strained by providing care because they lived an hour away. Jesse and Jengo are two younger mustang geldings that are currently under evaluation.
Jesse and Jengo recently finished quarantine,
and we’re still getting to know them.
They’ve scheduled for hoof and dental care, as well as vaccines, deworming, and microchips. Stay tuned for more info about these guys.
Sadly, too often we get calls from families who have lost a loved one, and they’ve left a horse(s) behind. Often times, family doesn’t have the resources or experience to care for a horse(s), and they are burdened by physical and financial responsibilities.
Do you know what would happen to your horse(s) if something happened to you? Have you set aside some funding to assure they’ll be taken care of? It’s important to have those hard discussions, and make plans for unexpected emergencies.
Thanks to your support and foster care, two more horses in need have been helped.
4 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
AmazonSmile donates to All About Equine Animal Rescue, Inc.
AAE’S QUARTERLY MEETING
AAE’s Quarterly All Volunteer Meeting is an opportunity for all volunteers to come together for an update on current happenings, upcoming events, and updated volunteer needs. It’s also a good time for anyone interested in getting involved to learn more about AAE. Bring family or bring anyone interested in volunteering or otherwise supporting our cause.
Horses have always been special to me — you can see a photo of my mustang Leroy and I below. And when I saw how many threats wild horses like him are facing, from slaughter to mass capture and sterilization, I knew I had to do something. I had to be their voice.
There’s a big difference between rescue and prevention. Although rescue is important, it’s like trying to keep an empty bucket under a faucet that never stops flowing. We need to turn off the faucet — which is why AWHC focuses our work on sustainable, humane management that keeps wild horses and burros wild and free and on our public lands.
I know of no other nonprofit as efficient, dedicated, and impactful as AWHC. The team runs a lean operation, activates a powerful movement, and fights aggressively in every arena — from the range to the courtroom. I’ve become a board member because I trust that my time and money is going to go as far as it can to protect wild horses, and you can trust that too.
It’s a season of giving — and what better way to celebrate than by giving to America’s wild horses and burros?
This year has been a challenging one for our cause, with attacks on all fronts. But from the courtroom to the halls of Congress, we have won repeatedly against some of the most powerful special interests. And it’s all thanks to you and this grassroots movement we’ve built together. We’re hoping you can step up one more time before the end of the year.
This little Rascal faced a lot of challenges from her first moments on Earth! AAE’s call for help with Rascal came on April 5, 2017. DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary was in transition after the long illness and passing of their Executive Director, Barbara Clarke, in November of 2016. We are so happy they reached out for this little gal!
She is as special as they come.
Rascal was just hours old when her mom scaled a six foot paddock and left her behind. She was located over five hours away, so we mobilized and met in the middle in Reno to pick her up. She was very weak, and couldn’t get up on her own, so our first stop was Loomis Basin Equine Medical Center. She was hospitalized.
The initial outlook was good until her blood values took a dive in the night. Fortunately, by morning, she was fighting back.
As it turns out, she was fighting a severe selenium deficiency that caused white muscle disease, which also put her kidneys in distress.
This sweet little filly could not stand up on her own for the first 26 days of her life.
She’d wait patiently for a “boost”. (This pic is after 26 days, but this is how she’d wait).
Thanks to your support, the excellent care of the staff at LBEMC for 13 days of her life and 24/7 care of dedicated volunteers at AAE for another 13 days, she Rascal was finally able to STAND on her own.
Rascal had several more hurdles along the way including two bouts with c. diff bacteria causing nasty diarrhea, a large umbilical hernia surgically repaired (after the c. diff resolved), a massive hoof abscess, and a month after hernia repair surgery, chronic diarrhea that lasted for nearly a year. A plethora of diagnostics were done to rule out the bad guys (it was not another bout of c. diff ), a variety of feed changes, a variety of supplements, a few changes in housing and locations, and various other efforts didn’t resolve the mystery or the runs. Eventually, pasture life did.
Thanks to her umbilical hernia, she was often confused for a gelding.
This was surgically repaired.
Massive hoof abscess that rattled everyone, but we were all grateful
when it finally exposed it’s ugly self.
Chronic diarrhea, blood tests, abdominal ultrasound, and a variety of diagnostics couldn’t get to the “bottom” of it.
Looking gorgeous as ever, and still hiding the chronic diarrhea very well. She had an adoption pending resolution of the diarrhea that never resolved. Adoption fell through, but adopter fell madly in love with another cutie pie. Rascal just wasn’t ready to leave.
Today, she is healthy and thriving, and most significantly, she passes normal poop.
For Rascal (and all of us), that’s reason to celebrate.
That being said, due to her history of white muscle disease, there is potential her muscles were compromised, so she is not considered a prospect for hard work (e.g. endurance, performance work, competition, or anything that might be too demanding on her systems). Though she is very active in the herd and she runs up and down the sloped pasture at AAE, she is looking for a home where she can learn to become a casual, easy going trail horse or some other lighter activity.
Rascal is a gorgeous gal. She loves people, is a bit spoiled, and she will need a confident handler to maintain boundaries. She halters, leads, and is good with her feet, but can be a little impatient with the farrier. She is ready for her own bff in her forever home.
Click here to learn more about selenium deficiency?
6 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
AmazonSmile donates to All About Equine Animal Rescue, Inc.
AAE’S QUARTERLY MEETING
AAE’s Quarterly All Volunteer Meeting is an opportunity for all volunteers to come together for an update on current happenings, upcoming events, and updated volunteer needs. It’s also a good time for anyone interested in getting involved to learn more about AAE. Bring family or bring anyone interested in volunteering or otherwise supporting our cause.
In August of this year, a photo of an unnamed foal went viral after our documentation of the Bureau of Land Management’s Red Desert roundup in Wyoming. We showed the world the cruelty of BLM helicopter roundups up-close.
The tiny foal was chased for miles with his mother and the rest of his band. As they neared the trap, his mother tried to save him, bravely putting herself between her baby and the helicopter. But ultimately, she was no match for the terrifying machine in the sky. She and her foal were captured. Her baby, pictured below collapsed in a holding pen, died overnight due to “capture shock,” ie. being run to death.Help us fight back.
Sadly, the foal was just one of ten horses who died during the roundup. At least four young foals were run to death; a fifth was euthanized after breaking his leg. A sixth foal was euthanized due to a previously broken fetlock, meaning he was chased for miles on an injured leg.
We document these cruelties to shine a light on the horrible, cruel practices of the BLM. And we fight each and every day through court battles, public awareness and legislation – to change the BLM policy so that our wild horses and burros can remain safe, wild, and free.
We fought many battles in 2018 – and saved many lives. But wild horses and burros still need our help.
AmazonSmile donates to All About Equine Animal Rescue, Inc.
AAE’S QUARTERLY MEETING
AAE’s Quarterly All Volunteer Meeting is an opportunity for all volunteers to come together for an update on current happenings, upcoming events, and updated volunteer needs. It’s also a good time for anyone interested in getting involved to learn more about AAE. Bring family or bring anyone interested in volunteering or otherwise supporting our cause.
Earlier this year our team captured these images of Sage, a wild mare from the Warm Springs Herd Management Area (HMA) in Oregon.
Sage lived her life amidst the sagebrush, junipers and wide-open spaces of Oregon’s high desert. But then, on October 3, 2018, the helicopters descended.
She was captured along with hundreds of other wild horses and put in a small holding pen – set to become a subject of a gruesome, invasive, and potentially fatal BLM sterilization experiment.*
This year, we filed seven lawsuits to defend the freedom, safety and welfare of wild horses like Sage. Our litigation has been highly successful, but it’s not cheap.
Brieanah Schwartz, Esq., AWHC Government Relations & Policy Counsel
*WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAIL: An “ovariectomy via colpotomy” involves a veterinarian making an incision in a mare’s vaginal wall, placing their hand and arm through the vagina into the abdominal cavity, manually (and blindly) locating the ovaries, and then severing them with a rod-like chain tool known as an “ecraseur.”
What a glorious Christmas knowing YOU SAVED THEM ALL!
Thank you for you wonderful donation. We so appreciate all of it. The donations save their lives, the prayers keep us going and sharing the news also helps.
So thank you again for saving these kids. We have them at our WA nursery and will be heading up in the next few days to get them vetted and home.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
Beau came to AAE in mid-July when his aging owner was no longer able to care for him, and his family caretaker was moving out of state. Beau is a 1990 Arabian gelding. He was a truly beloved companion to the family, he had been with them his entire life, and he had carried many a rider on his back. Still, his condition was saddening.
It was a bit eye-opening when Beau arrived. He was a bit on the emaciated side, and he was “empty”. Dr Stolba came to check him out and drew blood to evaluate his “systems”. His diet had been four scoops of senior pellets (AM and PM), about 20-25 pounds a day. You would think plenty for this lil guy, right? You could tell immediately simply eating was a challenge. He chewed very gingerly, and food fell all over around the trough.
Sadly, when Dr. Stolba opened his mouth, the exasperated sigh was palpable. Beau did not have many teeth, and the ones he had were much overgrown, some loose and one so long it was pushing into the roof of his mouth causing an ulcer. He could not close his mouth to chew. It’s no wonder the poor ol’ guy looked like he did; he couldn’t eat. Four larger teeth were extracted, one so sharp it could cut paper. The few remaining back teeth were floated, and he was finally able to eat comfortably.
Boy, did he enjoy it. Now it seems he’s eating for two.
Moving on to the other end, Beau’s sheath got some much needed attention, and he was beyond relief when a rock sized bean was removed. It didn’t take long to see the brightness return to Beau’s eyes and a little pep in his step.
Beau recovered very well and slowly redeveloping his svelte lil’ bod!
Well, does svelte have fat pads? Beau is a lovely ol’ guy. He loves attention and really enjoys a long grooming session. He was ridden a lot in his younger days. His last riding relationship was a couple years ago with a 12 year old girl in a lease situation. We were told it was a great relationship, but not much more about his girl’s experience or what activities they did, only that he rode very well for his age.
In his younger years, Beau was part of a three horse team that rode across the US on the Pony Express Trail. He rode about 800 of the 2000 miles. About seven years ago, he had a bout of laminitis/founder, but thankfully, he recovered very well. Dr. Stolba provided care for this guy back then, but unfortunately, when he arrived at AAE, she hadn’t seen him for a few years. His hooves didn’t appear to have been trimmed for a while. Updated radiographs showed no obvious changes in his hooves since his episode seven years ago. He had thin soles, and he was a tad tender footed, so he had shoes placed on his fronts.
Beau is current with vaccines, deworming, and hoof and dental care. He has a microchip in place. He has very good ground manners, he ties and stands for the farrier. With a long history of riding, he should load and trailer fine, but hasn’t yet been loaded since he arrived. He was tested for Cushing’s and results were negative. Because he has only a few teeth left, he needs a strictly pelleted diet and a diet that is appropriate for a horse that has foundered. His future housing should not be in a green, grassy pasture.
Beau is looking for a new home where he will be doted on and pampered like the good ol’ guy that he is. He might have some light riding with a light rider in his future, but priority should be a solid companion home, and the riding should be a bonus (not a requirement). Beau should NOT be an only horse. During his time with AAE, he has bonded tightly to his neighbors, so a home with at least a couple other horses might be best. He gets anxious when he is in his paddocks and his buddies leave, are taken out/away or wander away from him. He does fine when he is taken away from his paddock.
8 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
Skye is a beautiful Arabian mare that came to All About Equine from a former Arabian breeding ranch in March of 2015 after the last member of the family passed away. She is estimated to be about 16 years old (per teeth). She lived her entire life in large, grassy pastures that backed up to the Cosumnes River. It didn’t seem she’d had any care for several years. Skye was living with three other mares when we got the call.
She was social, but timid.
As a result of Skye’s neglect prior to coming to AAE, she experienced chronic laminitis. She was not lame when she came in, but she had very long toes. Radiographs showed she had developed a very slight tipping (ski tip) of her coffin bone. She has not shown any signs of lameness while at AAE. She was cleared for light/casual riding by vet, with the caveat that she might need shoes.
Skye spent several weeks at the Monty Roberts International Learning Center (MRILC) where she participated as a project horse during MRILC courses. She was socialized, learned basic groundwork, and she was introduced to ground driving and started under saddle (light work, no rider).
Not long after she returned to AAE from MRILC, Skye was adopted (August 2015). She came back to AAE earlier this year, in July 2018, after her adopter felt she wasn’t getting what she needed. Though he loved her, he felt she deserved more. While away, Skye got a ton of groundwork, and she was ridden a handful of times in an arena. Per prior owner, she did better with an experienced, smaller rider. He also thought he might be too heavy for her and worried about her hooves, but he said she never showed any signs of lameness.
Skye has grown into a very sweet, willing, mild-mannered mare (with humans), and she loves grooming and attention. She is mare-ish in a herd environment.
Skye is up to date with vaccinations, deworming, and hoof and dental care. She had a micro-chip in place. Skye recently (July 2018) tested positive for insulin resistance, and she is given a daily supplement (ThryoVet) with her feed.
She is on an orchard grass only diet.
9 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
It’s been an honor to work with you this year to protect the magnificent wild horses and burros that grace our public lands. Together, we’ve made significant strides, and much work lies ahead.
For now, we enjoy the holiday season and the spirit of compassion, generosity and joy that it inspires.
Wishing you and your family peace, love and freedom over the holidays and in the New Year!
Clancey is a 25-ish year old Quarter/Arab mare that came to AAE through no fault of her own. Her owner was moving and she was taken in by another family on an impulse to help, but her new family’s other horses were not accepting her.
Clancey has a pretty face and really loves attention and grooming. Her previous owner rode her in all types of events: trail riding, gymkhana, high school rodeo barrel racing, polebending, and parades. Clancey has very good ground manners other than being a little pushy with her head. She follows along by your side, turns both directions easily, stops and backs up on command. She loads into trailer with no problem.
She stands for farrier with no fuss. Pictured here riding in a halter with a lead rope.
Clancey is swaybacked, but recent vet exam indicated she was in good health cleared for light riding. That being said, she’s an older mare and swaybacked, so a lighter rider is most appropriate. We were told she is great for kids. Her back teeth are worn to the gums, so she needs a diet of soaked pellets or soaked cubes. She is a very nice little horse — a bit spoiled and pushy right now, but responds well to signals and training. She is people oriented, lovable. She’d be a super horse for a child or teenager.
This sweet ol’ girl needs a home. Do you have room? Clancey is current with hoof and dental care, vaccines, and deworming. She tested borderline insulin resistant and should get a daily thyroid supplement
This is the time of year we are overwhelmed with requests for help with horses. If you’re interested in adopting or fostering, please contact AAE.
10 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
Shelby came to AAE in April 2017. She had basically been abandoned, then given to a neighbor after they found her roaming the neighborhood with a rope around her neck and contacted her owner. Her new owners contacted AAE after they realized they did not know enough about horses to provide proper care. Although they fed her, she was thin. Her new owners were unable to catch her or even touch her, let alone remove the rope. When we arrived to pick her up, she was on 80-acres of open land. It took about two and one-half hours to earn her trust and place a halter on her, and finally remove the rope. She was fearful and reactive, and acted as if she’d been mishandled.
She also seemed terrified to come out of the thickets.
Of course, poison oak was everywhere.
While at AAE, Shelby learned to trust and appreciate human interaction. Underneath the fear was a very sweet, sensitive and social mare. Eventually, she sought attention and enjoyed grooming. However, if she felt too much pressure, she was defensive/protective. No previous handling/training history was available.
Shelby spent her last months with AAE with a foster. Throughout her stay with AAE, she gained a lot of confidence with new situations. She learned to look to her person for assurance, and she was willing to trust and follow her handler. Her moments of anxiety became fewer and further between. She was not a spooky horse, but had a busy mind, so the key was to get and keep her focus without her feeling too much pressure.
She was always thinking and tried hard to understand what was being asked. A slow, calm approach to new things worked well, and not letting her escalate. Once she got over any initial anxiety, she was good to go.
Shelby learned her groundwork quickly, and she was saddled successfully. She was working on consistent forward movement with a plan to graduate to ground driving when her person came along.
11 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
I learned pretty early on in this rescue game there are certain words to avoid at all costs… Always and Never… as soon as the words “this donkey has never” come out of my mouth the donkey makes a liar out of me! Another phrase that has become indelibly marked in my brain is to “expect the unexpected.” This phrase came to mind about two weeks ago when a midnight call from the state police awakened Jeff and me. There was a stray horse in the yard of a woman in town! She took the horse into her barn for safe keeping and called the state police who called the rescue asking for our help.
Of course I said we would take this animal in. A few minutes later I get a call from the trooper asking if we have a truck and trailer to get the horse here! We do, but I am not mobile due to having a broken leg and messed up ankle and wearing a cast. I called one of our amazing volunteers shortly after midnight. He said he would be over ASAP and would go with Jeff to pick up the horse.
Fortunately the horse was very agreeable to walking right on to the trailer with only a lead rope around his neck. He was too weak to protest!! This poor horse was a walking skeleton. He has rain rot all over his body, an abscess on his face and hooves so long that they are affecting his posture. Due to our willingness to take him in we were now legally bound to hold on to him until his owner goes to court to face cruelty charges!
He has been seen by the State Veterinarian, who gave him a body condition score of 1.08. One being emaciated. Due to the legality of things we were unable to have our vet treat him other than doing what would keep him comfortable until we got the go ahead.
I know that Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue is for donkeys and mules in need, but there is no way I could say no to a short ear in need, especially at this time of year when generosity of spirit is in the forefront. I do realize that by taking this animal in and getting it started on a good nutrition program and having his medical issues addressed I have added more of a burden to the rescue’s financial status. Expect the unexpected.
We so appreciate the kindness and generosity of our loyal supporters and hope the fact that this animal is not a donkey or a mule does not upset anyone.
This is the second time in the history of the rescue that we have taken in a horse.
ChEARS,
Ann
P.S. — We were happily surprised yesterday to have the soon to be new state vet, his assistant, another wonderful state trooper, and a representative from a well-known horse rescue in the state come to pick up the little horse yesterday. We wish you well Sweet Sisu!
