A few people are lined up with applications for her – if interested, other applications will be considered and the best home chosen.
Near Elkins, WV
Bella is an owner placement we are helping with. She is a blue roan grade mare they adopted at age 2. She is now 8. She would be great as a low-mileage trail horse for an intermediate rider or 4Her. She gets bored easily doing plain ring work, but perks up if there is something to think about. Good with obstacles, not spooky, but not bomb proof. Very comfortable gaits. Will follow you at liberty like a puppy dog. 14.1hh. Only excellent homes considered. Lifetime contract will go with her through HOP. Interested? Fill out a application from wwww.wvhorserescue.org and email it to equinerescue@live.com
“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.” — Aristotle
One thing I often consider when looking at other rescue groups and how they work
as opposed to what HOP does is where the neglected, at risk or abused horses come from that end
up in the facilities.
We are somewhat different than most. I’m not sure our difference helps us, though.
Most seem to bring in auction horses – they may be somewhat local or quite a distance away from the rescue’s location.
Horses are often purchased from broker lots or directly pulled by the rescue from places like New Holland and Sugar Creek.
There is this pool of horses to chose from, more than all groups can help, and rescues walk away from the broker page or the auction with the horses they decided they could assist that day. A lot of the time, these horses are in almost decent shape, though rarely do they look their best.
This leads to a LOT of facebook activity, to be sure. Often they are pretty horses with nice photos taken presented as on their way to Mexico. This is Especially true if the horses come from placed like Camelot.
A lot of facebook response is generated, as well, if the rescuer is at the auction and able to post as they make the call as to who they can bring back.
It creates a flurry of support, donations and supporters following the horse from a page like Camelot to the rescue’s page that is buying the horse. It grows the network on the facebook page greatly over time, it grows the donation level and interest in the horses coming in.
What HOP does is nothing like this.
It isn’t by choice. Just borne from necessity. I have nothing against the auction saves, at ALL. It works, it saves horses, it MAKES people take interest, donate and keeps the rescue wheels turning.
A horse in need is a horse in need wherever he is.
But we cannot work that way here.
Why?
This impoverish area is full of horses down every back road in need. Bags of bones on every county road here. . .so much so I feel swallowed up by it. Every turn. I CAN go no where, cannot look on the facebook classifieds or the local craigslist without being bombarded.
We usually take what we are brought. We do not always see anything before they come – we just know some type of equine is being brought by animal control or we go out because we’ve been called and whatever we find usually comes back.
There isn’t much notice, there is no big to do.
We just go pick up a typical skeleton type horse locally and that is it.
Why does this create a difference? Because time is of the essence. We can’t wait around and fundraise and generate interest. Starving horses do not pretty pictures make, either. We do not have a photographer out on the scene beforehand sending up photos for hours leading up to a decision as to whether we can save the horse.
We just do it, and then the horse is here and people think: “That horse is already safe. No need to donate or share or worry about that one. He is taken care of. Lets go donate to the truly ‘at risk’ horse for sell at the broke lot going somewhere else”
Can you see how that puts the work we do at a disadvantage? As if being in the poorest area in the USA trying to help horses doesn’t put us behind the 8 ball enough.
But I see no point we can join the ranks of the groups pulling from Broker lots and auctions routinely.
How could we when the horses in our backyards are in conditions so much worse and right here begging for help?
I am thankful most places in the country are not in the situation we are here. Lord, that would be a mess. I am happy others can address the gross issue of the horse in need at the auction, the horse that has a chance of heading to the meat buyer or a backyard, negligent owner. . . they need a voice. They have a voice, though.
I feel the ones hidden in the hollows of West Virginia DO NOT have a voice.
With most of the horses we help. . .there is rarely a question of their fate. They are assured an end where they slowly starve until they are dead. Period. End of Story. No speculation, though sometimes it can be worse and they are ridden, locked in dark, sloppy stalls and bred in the aforementioned condition.
Alfie loaded like a champ for Suzanna and Raven and is headed to Canmer to be started undersaddle!
Luna was a foal born out of Eclipz who came to us in very early 2011 completely and totally emaciated – she was born a few months later and lives in TN with her adopter. Her mama lives close by with another adopter. This is her yesterday!
Pecos and Jayden coming back from a trail ride today.
They are doing so well.
She was such a good gal on our short ride!
Tara — with Tinia Creamer.
Do not ever say: “Why will no one do anything about this,” When you see something unjust.
When you see wrong, YOU do everything you can (be it large or small) to make a difference. Do Everything YOU can do to see change. It may not even create a ripple, but nonetheless, never be the one to be outraged and motionless, waiting for someone else to take a step.
http://charlestonwv.craigslist.org/grd/4487929192.html
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