Site Administrator: dave@SRCHorseAssistance.org
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From
Joe at TBfriends today. I am glad we are not a
rescue.
Sunday,
January 24th... A real problem, you know? Horses are complicated. They
come with individual issues. This is not all white fencing and birds
singing. This is not roses in May. There is a reason, now more than
ever, why a horse is rescued. You have to be on your toes. With horses,
a good chance you are always wrong.
You cannot suddenly go on the internet and announce to the world you are now a rescue ranch. You cannot begin accepting horses, with no clue how to care for them. No clue about issues. No clue about feeding. Two individuals, at two different locations, decided this horse rescue business is exactly what they wanted. I have no doubt their intentions, in the beginning anyway, were sincere. But they never said no to a phone call. Even searched for free horses on the internet. These were not horses on their way to slaughter in Mexico. These were just horses who needed a new place to live. All fine and dandy, if you have the money. All fine and dandy, if you know how to care for each issue. But the horses began dying. Slow starvations. Blood infections. Equine flu. Weather related casualties. And so this past week, in some of the worst weather you can imagine, we accepted horses from these two places. The total is not important. So far 4 have died. Right here in our yard. Came off the trailer, starving and dehydrated. The man who drives the dead truck is nice enough. But this past week he has been here far too many times. Oh, by the way. In less than two months, one of those so called rescue ranches collected more than 70 horses. Think about it. That is more than 70 previous owners. We are not the only ranch to help. There are two other groups doing their best for these horses I was not going to write about this. Thought WTF, do my own thing, hope for better weather, and look forward to Tbkids. But both Friday and Saturday there were phone calls. Nice young ladies, asking how they can be like Tbfriends? Asking for advice in starting up their own rescue ranches. At the end of each conversation, both nice young ladies had lost their enthusiasm. I told the girls to study equine issues. This is not something you can do on weekends. One neglected horse needs around the clock attention. Do not become a rescue, only to have someone else rescue you. Seems kind of silly. Not fair to horses. And all your promises to previous owners go right down the toilet. |