"Horse Troubles!!"
At the crew meeting on Friday night before the
ride, they announced there were no entries for the 75 mile distance, only
25 and 50 mile entries. That's strange, I thought- the ride at Mt Adams
(I attended, but only observed), in May, there were plenty of 75 milers.
They also announced the start time for the 50 milers at 5:30 AM and the
25 milers at 7:30 AM. Several people moaned and requested a earlier start
time. I wanted to slap them, how could they be so selfish- the rest of
us need our sleep. I would have left at 3 AM if I had known it would be
pushing 90 degrees by 11 AM. And, if I had known why there were no entries
for the 75 miler (they wouldn't have survived), I would have pulled my
entry. I didn't see the fine print mentioning we would be climbing over
4,000 feet. The eagles were flying below us. This race... err-
I mean ride, is nicknamed the "Tevis of the NW"
(didn't know that one either). For those unfamiliar with that particular
ride, it is one of the most difficult endurance rides in the world. People
enter this ride as a practice ride for that one (that was news to me, also).
The important thing was we looked good for this ride- what I mean by that
is, I had the right equipment and accessories- or at least I thought I
did. After Rico catapulted himself as high as he could launch himself anytime
we had to cross a creek or river, whether it was three feet across or thirty,
I never landed back in the saddle in the same place. The good part about
that was I only got one black eye, still have one good elbow, and the saddle
horn didn't penetrate completely thru my abdomen, my ribs thankfully stopped
that from happening. I also learned you can still get blisters, even with
a really good pair of gloves, never thought I could post for five and a
half hours straight, and was pleasantly surprised how soon the feeling
came back to my legs after the burning/numb stage. What a blessing to not
have to worry about ourselves passing that vet check at the end- didn't
matter that we were limping and bleeding, it's all about the horses, and
that they are well taken care, as it should be. Besides, it only makes
our horses look better at the finish line. We did finish the ride.
A few must haves for the next ride:
1. A good sports bra. A REALLY good one. Those
lacy little Victoria's Secret type things just don't hold it.
2. A good GPS. Even though the trails are well
marked, you just need to know how many more hellish miles you have left
so you can quit repeating to yourself "are we there yet?"
3. Narcotics. Advil doesn't cut it. Besides there
is only drug testing on the horses in this sport, not the riders. We should
all take advantage of that rule.
As far as the next ride- where is it, Bend, Oregon? 30 miler? Can't wait.
See you later,
Rose
Case #2: A horse owner was suffering from ill health and had lost her job. The horses in her care were in good condition and the owner was being proactive in seeking assistance before the situation became critical.
Case #3: A horse owner was suffering from a serious back injury. She had no one around to assist her with her 3 horses and her son had recently been deployed over seas. She was desperate for help and her pasture was in lowland area with excessive water. There was nothing for the horses to graze on to supplement the food she was able to provide. The horses were in adequate condition but on the borderline of going down hill. A voucher was issued. The horse owner received an additional voucher after reducing the herd to only 1 horse.
Case #4: A horse owner had a spouse who had become terminally ill. He had to take over all family responsibilities. His horse suffered a significant weight loss while he was taking care of his spouses needs. There was extreme stress on the family. A voucher was issued to the horse owner. The horse began to improve in weight and health in a short time.
Case #5: A single mother was suffering financial problems. She had 2 horses that had suffered weight loss due to lack of nutrition. A voucher was issued taking the financial burden temporarily off of the horse owner. A second voucher was issued after the owner reduced the herd to 1 horse. The remaining horse had improved significantly at last visit.
Case #6: A well meaning couple got involved in horse rescue. In a short time they became overwhelmed and unable to adequately care for the 8 unique horses in their care. A Ripley’s voucher was issued taking some of the financial burden and stress off of the couple. The couple reduced their herd to 4 horses. Ripley’s also provided farrier care to 4 horses and veterinary care to 1 horse to date. This case is currently being monitored by Animal Control.
Case #7: A decorated military hero suffered a rapid decline in mental and physical health. His family was overwhelmed with his care and had difficulty keeping up with the needs of his 5 horses. A voucher was issued, taking some of the burden temporarily off of the family. This case is currently being monitored by Animal Control.
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March, 2007 The Mittens I finally arrive in late afternoon. Countless delays and obstacles would have it no other way. We have spoken on the phone several times since the night before but this will be the first time I see her. What I know for sure, is I am about to spend a couple of hours with strangers on one of their most tragic of days. I see the mare where I left her the day before. Her pasture pal of nearly two decades is making sure that all of the treats brought for the special day are not going to waste. With an expression of “we can’t have it going to waste can we?” The mare has past the point of no return. Her 32 years have shown their wear on the red horse. Her eyes are dull with pain and fatigue from her battles over the last several days. Her body is typical of an aged horse at the end of her natural life. The girl is tall, thin and with hair the exact shade as the mare. They are a match. She tells me of the her 4-H days and how the horse has been part of her life since she was a much younger child. As she shared stories of the time they shared she smiles, tears welling and then subsiding as her mind struggles with accepting the inevitable. The loss of her friend. Making the decision to end suffering is never an easy one. It is supposed to be difficult so you can remember it. These life lessons. They hurt the most. The girl is so engrossed in her memories she has forgotten the weather that has now turned her hands red with white edges. It is raining and there is a bitter wind that has a bite to it. The snow remains on the ground from previous flurries, its presence is just a reminder of what the red mare has endured. The mittens are mostly black with hints of orange and red. As the girl pulls these on over her frozen fingers, I wonder to myself if they were knitted for her by a loved one. Such care was taken to make them. They are littered with broken pieces of hay and there is obvious amounts of short-red-hair from her mare. The doctor arrives and the girl walks the horse away from the roadway. Away from the houses that set on the edge of the pasture, a few of the residence are watching from their yards. The faces they wear tell me that they understand what is about to take place on this cold day in March. They give a nod and they take one last look at the mare. With heads lowered, voices just above a whisper they disappear into their houses. The mare has finally made it to a suitable location. She is so weak, I am amazed. I know that she made the difficult journey because the girl asked her to. Not only did that girl love her horse but that horse loved her girl. Their eyes never left each other until it was time to step away to safely. I held out my arms and she stepped into them but sideways. The large black mittens held onto my arm tightly and her eyes did not have to leave her friend's. The tears fell freely. They now mixed with the broken pieces of hay and the short-red-hairs on the black mittens. The mittens were not made for their absorbency and the tears laid there for a long while. In my mind, I knew those tears would be remembered long after the mittens. For the love of the horse. |
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On December 8th, 1989; I got my horse, Gypsy. I was nearly 8 and so excited to finally have a horse of my own, and we clicked immediately. I was to be her second owner. Gypsy was a purebred Mustang mare. She was caught when she was approximately 2 years old. That was in 1977. For the previous eighteen months before I acquired her she had been solely a pasture horse. Before that she was just an English pleasure horse. My mother rode Western, so that was the plan for me also. We were to learn together. Shortly after, I enrolled in 4-H. During the next few years, Gypsy and I attended multiple 4-H events. We did everything from 4-H shows, lessons, Stanwood Fair, trail rides, camping trips, and her favorite, gaming. During some of these events, I sometimes got criticized for having an older horse, not the most expensive and this-or-that. I didn’t care. Gypsy had become more than just a horse to me. She was a best friend and an important confidant. She was one of the most versatile horses that I knew. We did everything from Huntseat to Stockseat, and from gaming to jumping. She never was much of a show horse, but she did pretty well and put up with it. Her favorite always was the gaming events. She loved to run. Stopping was sometimes a problem though! She definitely had a stubborn side to her. But then again, we both did. It must have been a redhead thing. As time went on, I wasn’t spending as much time as I should have with Gypsy. Life happened. I moved further away and had a family of my own. Whenever I went to go see her, you could tell how much she missed me. My son, Cori, took to her as well and when he was 4, he told me that Gypsy was his horse now, not mine. I agreed that we could share her. It was wonderful to see that she had not just touched one child, but two. Unfortunately, he was unable to experience no more than just pasture riding. By this time, she was unable to endure the shows and trails due to age. But he didn’t care. He got to share a bit of that special bond. That was what was truly important. As far as her health went, she was pretty much a healthy horse throughout the eighteen years that she was with me. She did have her occasional bouts like colic every other winter, sometimes a small patch of rainrot, and the like. She always pulled through. Our farrier once said that she had the best feet of any horse that he had seen. One summer, she came down with an allergy to local hay. Shortly after, I had noticed a small growth on her backside under her tail. We had the vet come and remove it. This was in 1999. Everything was fine afterwards. Towards the end of February, right around Valentine’s Day, my mother told me that Gypsy was seeming a bit uncomfortable while walking. I went and gave her a full checkout and couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. A couple of days later, she became really sunken in but still couldn’t find any reason for it. About a week later is when we found the growth had returned. All of her pains had been due to cancer. I knew that her time was up and began looking for the costs of getting her put down. This was one of the hardest things that I have had to do, but knew that it was right for her. After all, who likes to see a member of their family suffer? Anyways, after checking things out, I figured that it would be about $400-500. I did not have this kind of money. I didn’t know what to do. On March 1, 2007; I had received a call from the owners of the pasture that Gypsy and her companion, Joker (my mom’s horse), that animal control and a person named Michelle Minor had stopped by because of Gypsy’s condition. Michelle had left her number. I called her back that evening after I had received the message. I explained the situation about Gypsy’s condition and my situation financially. She explained a little about Ripley’s and that there was a program that was set up to help owners with euthanasia. We set up to meet the following afternoon at the pasture. She just needed to get papers in order and the voucher signed by Snohomish County. I was so relieved that there was something like this available. I had no idea and had not heard of the program before. The next morning, I went to the pasture to pamper Gypsy. I gave her a wonderful brushing and brought along many of her favorite treats. I was in steady contact with Michelle throughout this time. She was running around left and right to help us out. Michelle called to let me know that I would have to be on my own making arrangements. She did ask me if I would like for her to stop by anyways. I told her that I would love to meet her. I mean, who goes around from county to county just trying to help someone out? When she arrived, she told me that they would pay for the euthanasia but she was unsure about the hauling. I couldn’t believe it. After a few calls she informed that all costs would be covered. She was an angel! I have never met someone so dedicated to helping others. She stayed through it all, in the cold snow. She even shared that when it happened to make sure that the horse has a mouthful of green grass, so that they will be sure to move on to greener pastures. With such a hard thing as losing a family member, it was a true gift to have Michelle there and the support of Ripley’s. I can never thank you all enough and I know that Gypsy is running free again in those greener pastures. I hope that this story will help any others in the future and know that Ripley’s will be helping many others in similar situations.  ***
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| February 9, 2007
To Whom It May Concern: I am writing this letter to anyone who will step up and take action to aide families needing assistance in maintaining the heath and happiness to the much-loved equestrian side of the family! The “Hay 4 Horses” program with Ripley’s has been a godsend to our family in the past 4 years. First to aid in much needed education of rehabilitating a severely neglected horse. Secondly by supporting veterinary assistance along with nutritional support. Thirdly, they were able to step in about a year later and help me network ideas on finding her a home when I was unable to care for her any longer. Finally by maintaining a network of insight, support and friendship far beyond aide of tangible means! When I first contacted Ripley’s back in 2003, I was trying to gain information
on how to treat a severely neglected abused mare, “Emily”. I had been in
the local salon getting my hair trimmed when one of the workers informed
me there massage therapist had a horse she was looking to get rid of free.
I was told she was a ride-able older mare but that the woman’s daughter
never had much interest in the horse and because they themselves had rescued
the horse 3-4 years prior wanted to make sure she went to a good home.
Photo unavailable
Unfortunately, our story together does not end there…
On September 21 of 2006, I unexpectedly lost my father due to a massive heart attack he suffered at work. I had no time to prepare for the chain of events that have been and are still taking place. The loss of the higher income in the home has been and is a hard strain. The same day as he passed I made a call to Ripley’s. I knew I would be unable to care for Emily and still be able to maintain the rest of the animals; as she cost the equivalence of all the other animals combined! Not only did Michelle help get the word out about needing a safe secure home (that Emily could remain for the last few of her years of her life) she came to me the very next day with a donation that her co-workers helped gather to assist me in the first few hard weeks of my loss. Also providing information that once I was able to find Emily a suitable home she could assist me with Feed for my two remaining horses. As the program's policy indicates a one time only aide donation and if there is more need for aide with care the ""herd reduction policy" must take place. It shows with good faith you are a caring owner and have the intent on providing the horse with the best care. The following week I had to do the second hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life, physically hand over Emily to another owner. She left in great shape, the best health she has probably ever been in during her adult life and to a pampering equestrian educated owner. Though it did not help the heartache, I knew it was the right choice and enabled me to maintain all the other animals. You see Ripley’s, the Hay 4 Horses program not only assisted tangibly, and financially to my horses care, the programs assisted OUR FAMILY in living as a whole. The chain of events that was able to happen from the programs assistance, in its many forms, touched everyone in our life! The animals I speak of are the last remaining rehabilitated rescued animals my father and I have taken in over the last 20 years. We once owned a small farm with many outside buildings and had been intonated with strays...a decision was made to turn one of the five buildings into a 3-room rehabilitation area. It was set up with all the necessities to transition them into a “home environment” the building furnished, carpeted and full of toys and amusing structures. Our Pole barn had three large stalls, a lean-to along side along with a large main storage/hay area as well as a wide spacious slab leading to each area of the barn (which assisted with better weather protection). From the aide of Dr. Tim Howland I was able to at 12 year of age to be trained in things from shots to drain tubes and was trusted with helping to diagnose our shelters animals and treat accordingly. Many times without much cost as Mr. Howland trusted in our personal animals care for many years, as he knew to us, “they come first”! Over the years, we privately (and with no outside financial help) cared
for over 20 dogs and possiablly150 cats as well as 3 horses. They came
to us battered, bruised, malnourished and of broken spirit. Most left us
as happy, healthy adjusted pets. Some were unable to save because of there
abusive owners. Again, some were just un-adoptable for various health and
behavioral issues that in any other rescue that would mean either life
long rehabilitation care or death. These below are the un-adoptable. The
loves of my life. My only family and my whole joy.
Photos unavailable
Along with four adorable outside cats that never care to have a good picture taken! The need for programs like Hay for Horses is immeasurable! I am one of many cases the program has been involved with and thankfully, I am one of the lucky ones that can survive. Many cannot or should I say, many people choose not to. By providing this service, horses in need are able to have, if you will, a mediator. A voice! Individuals asking or referred to for help from such sources as the
Hay for Horses program, many times not only need educational, nutritional
and care assistance for the horses but are in need of an organized care
team to insure the animals welfare. The step-by-step approach is
an outstanding process to insure horses stay in homes that receive the
right care and in turn are able to report the horse owners that are being
neglectful. Then there may be a fully documented legal way to educated,
warn, fine and stop the mistreatment of horses through local animal control
agencies. Providing and implementing this type of program to various communities
is hands down necessary! By working with owners, animal control and Ripley’s
Hay for horses program it instills the animals right to a healthy full
life free of harm, neglect and hunger!
Warmly yours,
Amy E. Hollingsworth |
| -----Original Message-----
From: critterhaven [mailto:critterhaven@olympus.net] Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 9:43 AM To: ripleyshaf@fidalgo.net Subject: letter of appreciation To: Ripley's Horse Aid Foundation.
2-25-07
Thank you. As a non-profit farm animal rescue and rehabilitation facility, responsible for the lives of over two-hundred animals daily, and the rescue and placement of more than one- thousand animals over the past ten years, there are times when we don't know how we will have the resources to meet the daily needs of the animals in our care. Being a farm animal rescue, those needs are almost always having enough hay and feed to supply the hungry brutes...enter Ripley's! Your orginazitation has been there when we needed it most, and, your generous donations of hay made it possible to continue through difficult financial times. We appreciate the great work and compassion Ripley's provides, and the absolute commitment to the welfare of our animal charges. Keep Up The Great Work! Robert Bashaw & Susan Stahlin. Founders and Operators of Critterhaven Farm Sanctuary |
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By: Dori Burnell My first glimpse of her was through the dust her heels kicked up as she tore up the hill at the sight of my car. For me it was love at first sight. For her, it took some time longer. At that time, Kit was an 18 yr. old palomino mare who, along with three pasture mates, had had the run of 30 acres for six months. When I rented the old farmstead the care of the horses, two cows, and an eccentric old weathered goat came with it. Before I moved in, about the only time the horses were exposed to people was for long pack trips or short sessions of hard "cowboying". Thus their habit of making for the back forty, post haste at the first sight of humans. For the first several months the only way I could catch Kit was to walk up to her in a round about, rather side-ways manner with a length of baling twine up my sleeve. Once I managed to get the twine around her neck, she considered herself caught and would lead back down to the barn that way. Although emotionally aloof, she was extremely well mannered and docile once caught and would stand still for absolutely anything. Being an older mare, she was extremely wise, but had no concept of being rubbed or petted just for the comfort of it. She didn't know how to eat grain or apples out of my hand. One day when I was rubbing her down I happened to look at her tongue. It had at one time been almost severed in the middle; the middle of her tongue was about the size of my middle finger! I heard stories of old timers wrapping wire around horses' tongues as a training device and figured maybe that was how it had happened. I promised her right then and there I would never put so much as a bit in her mouth. Although not a very experienced rider at the time, I started riding her with a bareback pad and a soft old leather halter with reins. I trusted her, and she trusted me. That summer Kit and I rode so many miles together that she wore out two sets of shoes. She was half quarter-horse and half Arabian, and to this day the fastest walking horse I have ever had. Two of the best friends I've had, I met while riding that mare. Being new to the area, I was lucky to make friends with a woman who had lived there since childhood. Her and her gelding, Geldar, showed us every trail within a ten mile radius, and for Kit and Geldar it was TRUE LOVE. For months after Jenny and Geldar moved away, Kit would stop at the end of the road where we always met them and whinny and call for him. I never had a horse before or since that took care of me the way she did. We rode in the hills a lot, with me riding bareback and she never let me slide off. I could ride her backwards and she would take me around branches. Never mind how many turns in the trail or how many miles we rode, she ALWAYS knew the way back home. I never could jump on her back by myself, and she got as good as me at spotting likely stumps to use as mounting posts. I don't remember her ever stumbling. One day I needed to pony another horse down the road. As I mentioned, she was quite a fast walker and also all business on rides. Across the front of our yard was a fence that had a board across the top of the two gate posts. Just as we got to the gate the ponied horse balked, I looked backwards, and took the board across the side of my head with enough force to knock me backwards on Kit's back with my leg in the air and my shirt over my face! In true Kit fashion, she stopped short and actually balanced me on her back until I quit seeing stars, and she still kept the right amount of slack in the pony rope! Having never had a person love her the way I did, once Kit started loving me back her devotion was astonishing. She always came when I whistled and never wandered far when I left her loose to graze along rides. She'd spend hours loose in the yard with me and never leave home. Many are the times I would ride her to a particularly tasty alfalfa patch and lay on her back reading a book while she grazed. Not far from our place was the perfect place to watch sunsets. I'd ride her there, get off and swing my legs over the edge and watch the day's end. One time I dozed off to be startled awake by a huge dollop of horse drool. There was Kit standing over me, also asleep, her bottom lip almost resting on my head. She was the best horse I ever had, and I was blessed with the best dog at the same time. Only a Gordon Setter could have appreciated all the miles we rode in those days. I remember one particularly high field we rode through. Every few minutes you'd see Leigha's head pop up above the wheat that was several feet about her head. On shorter rides, we would also be accompanied by the old goat, Goat-tee, who was Kit's ever faithful side-kick. If she had a fault, it was that she was a terrible flirt. Whenever we rode with Geldar or met another gelding on the trail her whole demeanor would change. Up would go the Arab tail, her neck would arch, and she would do a rocking-chair cantor to the gelding's walk She was my #1 riding horse until her arthritis got bad when she was about 27. She retired in my pasture till she was 30 yrs. old. She's buried on top of the hill by the apple tree I see every day outside my kitchen window. I look forward to the day when we'll watch sunsets together again. |
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I shall wear diamonds And a wide brimmed straw hat With silver and leather on it and I shall spend my social security On white wine and carrots And sit in the alley of my barn And listen to my horses breathe. I will sneak out
When people come to call I will smile and nod
I will shovel and sweat and
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Why is there Neglect in the equine community?
Through the Neglect Prevention programs in place by The Ripley’s Horse Aid Foundation for 2006, the foundation has discovered that the most common reason for equine neglect has been an unforeseen dramatic change in the owners life. These changes have included a sudden death; loss of a job; medical problems such as cancer, an injury, etcetera as well as the declining capabilities of the elderly; and divorce. When assisting the equines in need under these conditions the “Hay 4 Horses” voucher program becomes a community service to people in need of someone to help find answers to the future well-being of their loved animals.
Another area that result in lack of proper health care is the first time owners that have admired and dreamed of owning a horse but have no experience. “Cause & Effect” hopefully, will be ready for publication by mid 2007; this simple and comprehensive health care booklet on the Necessary “Care 4 Equines” will help resolve this problem by being offered to all Animal Control Agencies within Washington State and these agencies can then give the needed information directly to such owners.
The least frequent cause of neglect is the deliberate withholding of needed care and collectors that do not have the funds for proper care but choose to have animals regardless of their ability. The deliberate withholding of needed care is a Class C Felony in WA State. Before an Office can bring charges of willful endangerment that Office will have to be able to provide evidence of intent. Through the voucher program solutions are offered by an AC Officer and if the owner chooses not take advantage of the free help available and continues to not provide the care needed that is resulting in pain and suffering the Officer can take action on behalf of the equine.
| Dream horses - don't turn your back
Okay, this is a warning - I am on a tirade, purely emotional right now, born of frustration at being able to do so little. We dream of the perfect horse, and save and work so hard to get it and provide for it. Some of us are blessed with land and resources to have several pampered and loved horses .... meanwhile, there are so many horses who have done nothing wrong and never being given a chance - being slaughtered in a cruel way. I don't even have a problem with these animals dieing - if no one cares, it is for the best. But the cruel life before it (crowding, often trampling, lack of water, stress,transport in awful conditions, panic spreading through a group..) and the 'imperfect kill' that they face is horribly wrong. What happens to them because they don't fit into our dream? I have this - gracious, lovely, well behaved - Irish TB with papers, totally sound, a special mare. She was a dressage schoolmaster, for cryin' out loud! But she was sold to the wrong person, brutalized, starved and her trust destroyed. The people who tried to rescue her were unable to deal with her distress and were going to send her to an auction where she'd have gone for human meat in a terribly stressful way. This mare has given her best to her owners, and this is what she gets? It has been a surprisingly easy road back to getting her trust and the love that she gives me now is humbling. I just put some care and dollars towards her, and now I hold her life in my hands. And she loves me for it? This mare never deserved this treatment. When did she go from cute foal with promise to unloved and uncared for adult? When did she become disposable? Yes, her story is happy - about 30 that I have gotten have those endings. But what about the thousands and thousands never given that chance? Young, fit horses, often. Ready for a working life. Who can fix it? You, if you don't turn away. Consider what you breed. What you buy. Can you take on a auction horse, and care or it and find it a new home instead of finding that perfect dream horse for a while? Can you find a breed rescue for your dogs and cats instead of buying an expensive purebred -or more importantly, are you aware of how any of those well bred, carefully placed purebreds end up in rescue or abandoned or on the end of a chain? Please educate yourself if you haven't already and breed any animal. Or worse yet, let that pet have 'one litter, I'll find the good homes'. You might, but there was someone else's mistake that needed that that home, too. I am NOT anti-breeding, I love the process, having babies, the science of breeding horses. But I am anti-neglect and it starts with the breeders. So I have a challenge. Can you take one animal and help it find a good home? ...try a local rescue organization and see if you can foster an animal if ownership is an issue for you. Or help fund a horse/dog/cat/ferret/whatever. Don't just feel bad, because if you feel bad and don't DO anything, you are part of the problem. Find a way to help. Yes, I am being harsh. But I am so discouraged with people ignoring - or perhaps just not seeing? - their own ability to help. Yes, it requires something for you, no it isn't easy - your heart will pay a price no matter what. But if enough of us stop turning our backs, it can change. Please feel free to forward this - I want to people to open their eyes
and look at themselves in this picture. You can make a difference
to one animal. Isn't that worth something?
Ginger-Kathleen The measure of a man is what he does when no one is looking. |
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| Ripley's HAF |
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