Plea To Help The Horses!

 

I received an email this morning from one of the management volunteers over at the Horse Rescue where I volunteer. It seems that Walkin N Circles Ranch Horse Rescue is in dire straights today after last nights temperatures dived down to –27 degrees up here in our mountains in Central New Mexico. The ranch’s main water pump has cracked and several pipes have broken and burst, too. All the water tanks are frozen solid and even their solar water tanks are blocks of ice.

Therefore there is no water available for any of the 67 horses and one donkey in their care!

So this is a plea for help from everyone in our kind, caring and generous horse community. WNCR needs water trucked into the ranch and they need a plumber to come out and assess and repair the broken pump and pipes asap!

Walkin N Circles Ranch Horse Rescue is a recognized and reputable equine rescue in New Mexico. They have rescued, rehabilitated and adopted out hundreds of horses over the years. They get no assistance from the state and all money comes from fund raisers and donations. All of the money goes straight to the horses in the form of feed, vet care, farrier care, training, and ranch maintenance. 

Please consider helping them today? Any little bit will help.

All donations are tax deductible as WNCR is a sanctioned non-profit (501c3) organization. There is a PayPal button on their website on the top right corner, or you contact them directly by emailing:

saveahorse@wncr.org

Or calling: (505) 286-0779 (As for Anna, Loeta, Colleen, Cheri, or Christine)

Also if you are planning on doing any shopping via Amazon.com, please consider going through Walkin N Circles Ranch Horse Rescue and click on their Amazon link to make your purchases. A portion of each sale, done through that link, will go directly to WNCR, and to the 67 horses and one donkey that call Walkin N Circles their current home.

Please help.   

You Weren’t Raised in a Barn, ya know!

 

Last Night’s Weather Statement:

**Statement as of 4:05 PM MST on November 25, 2010 ~ Unseasonably cold conditions expected tonight across New Mexico... A strong cold front ushered unseasonably cold temperatures into the land of enchantment today. This colder air mass will allow readings to plummet 15 to 25 degrees below seasonal normal temps. Many areas will drop into the single digits with negative values expected within the higher terrain. Even a few record lows are possible across western and central New Mexico. The dangerously cold temperatures will pose a threat for frost bite to those who are planning to camp outside... particularly for the black Friday Holiday shopping period. Persons should consider altering their outdoor plans... but those who must be outside should minimize exposure and wear several layers of clothing**

Please tell me, that none of my blogger buddies CAMPED outside all night waiting to be first in line for those Black Friday Deals! Ack! Are people nuts?

Seriously, though it was freezing cold on Thanksgiving Day. A couple of friends from Walkin N Circles Ranch Horse Rescue planned a fun potluck dinner in the aisle of the main barn.

We were all pretty excited about eating our holiday dinner with the horses’ muzzles hanging over our shoulders.

But it was not to be.

On Thanksgiving morning, we awoke to our first real snowfall this winter (we’ve had one small flurry, but it didn’t leave any accumulation). The worst of the weather was how dang freezing cold it was! We had the kind of wind that bites through your clothes, no matter how warm you try to dress. And if your hands aren’t bundled up your fingertips would be painfully numb in short order. Brrrrr!

But, not to be outdone by the weather, the WNCR volunteers moved the tables, chairs, and the festivities into the Volunteer Trailer instead. It was nice and cozy for those of us hardy enough to brave the bitter cold to gather together on Thanksgiving Day, beside the barn, at the Horse Rescue.

And best of all? As soon as the last crumbs of pumpkin pie were gobbled up, we all went out to visit with the horses! 

  

Some of the equines decided to forego the post Thanksgiving meal football game, and just head straight for Napville instead.

 

Some were wondering if I had brought some pumpkin pie to share.

 

“Remember what I’ve taught you. Keep your ears perky and your eyes soft and pitiful. The two-leggeds always fall for it!”

“Is it working?”

“She probably doesn’t think you’re cute enough.”

“Speak for yourself, punk!”

If I had any pumpkin pie, this is one cutie I’d give it to.

 

Do you know how hard it is to photograph a donkey that would like nothing more than to sit in your lap?

 

 

 

This is Ruby, a recently rescued long-ear. Isn’t she adorable?

 

Don’t you think this old fella should be named “Ducky”?

Franklin told me, in no uncertain terms, that he doesn’t like pumpkin pie. But he wouldn’t mind a carrot pie, thank you very much.

Speaking of Franklin. Do you remember him? And Eleanor, too? Check out their story from September, with all of the disturbing photos I took, just after they were rescued from being abandoned with no food or water. (You can also see a photo I took of Eleanor on my sidebar)

Franklin looks great doesn’t he?

 

And Eleanor looks even better!

Of course, she’s over 30 years old and has no teeth, so she’ll never look the same as a horse 15 years younger. But she has really filled out and her ribs and her hip bones are not as prominent, even after only 2 months of good food and care.

We spent about 20 minutes just running our hands through her thick, soft fur and loving on her, until we were almost frozen. Eleanor is such a sweet lady. Jen and I adore her.

Eleanor’s silhouette looks much improved, don’t you think?

And she is much happier having her two room-mates around, too.

I think Eleanor and Franklin are very thankful for Walkin N Circles Ranch Horse Rescue, don’t you?

Even if pumpkin pie is not his favorite thing.

There is Justice, even for Horses

 

There were some questions in the comments from my last post that I thought I would answer or clarify.

Breathe stated that we could probably get the newspapers out here to interview WNCR. Well, yes that’s right, and actually the newspapers were called in first and that was done soon after Eleanor and Franklin arrived. They were the cake…..and the television interviews were the icing! hehe!

Breathe also commented that we could have the same surgery done on Eleanor that she had done on her mare. In answer, that would not be such a great idea for a physically depleted, close to 40 year old horse. We want her to live her last months or years in peace….as pain free as possible.

Paint Crazy commented on the television reporter’s footwear. Yes, I agree anyone working around horses should be wearing boots or sturdy shoes and flip flops don’t qualify. But in her defense, we were her last stop for the evening and she had been wearing heels all day long and her feet were sore. She didn’t want wear her heels around the mud and manure, and it’s not like she expects to visit horse barns every day. And most importantly, she wasn’t working close to any of the horses, except for Eleanor…..and poor thing doesn’t move faster than a turtle.

Finally Leah Fry commented that if WNCR received some donations or even one adoption, it would all be worth it.

Personally I feel it was already worth it, because we got the word out about the plight of these poor abandoned horses, while educating the public, especially horse owners, that there are other options to just dumping a horse, if you’re no longer able to care for it anymore.

But we have received some donations, and I just have to share the good news about the injured horse that I helped rescue on Sunday. The owners had been away all weekend down in Roswell and they stopped by WNCR to pick up their mare on Monday. The mare’s name is Jackie and she is doing great! The vet spent a couple hours on Sunday evening cleaning and stitching up her wound. And her owners were so relieved to see her, and so appreciative of the help that we all did to save her that they not only paid their vet bill in full, but they also donated $100 to Walkin N Circles Ranch Horse Rescue, too!!!!!! Woot!

I figured some of you might be interested in seeing the television segments on Eleanor and Franklin and WNCR Horse Rescue, so I video taped them off my tv with my camera……and here they are:

Channel 13 KRQE

Channel 7 KOAT

 

For me, what is most ironic about this situation is how Franklin and Eleanor have been given some justice.

Think about it.

Their owner wanted Eleanor and Franklin to just disappear, dumping them as thoughtlessly as someone disposes of broken appliances and garbage out in the desert.

But look at them now. They didn’t perish out in the desert, forgotten. No, they didn’t.

These two very special horses came back from the dead and now their faces and stories have been seen by thousands of people on television, newspapers, and on the internet.

Viva Franklin! Viva Eleanor!

Eleanor and Franklin the Abandoned Horses

 

(Warning! Long Post, Lots of Photos!)

I must admit that the plight of these two very special horses have touched my heart and spurred me to action. What bothers me the most is that their situation was totally preventable. No horses, especially domesticated horses, should ever have to suffer such a terrible fate.

Since I am on the Public Relations/Advertising Team I was asked if I would contact the local TV Stations to have them report on these two abandoned horses and let the public know this doesn’t need to happen. We, of course, are also hoping that the exposure will help bring in some much needed donations.

Providing food, vet care, hoof and dental care, training, along with the maintenance of vehicles and facilities for 68 horses is very expensive, especially since all bills are paid solely through donations. Donations are the horse rescue’s lifeblood and are deeply appreciated.

I spent most of Monday on the phone and computer contacting and communicating with the local TV Stations, setting up appointments. Tuesday morning, after breakfast I was contacted by my contact at Channel 13 telling me they could be at the Horse Rescue in an hour……would I meet them there?

I said “sure” and then called my friend, Colleen, the Ranch Manager and Founder of Walkin N Circles Ranch Horse Rescue to make sure she would be there to be interviewed. She was already at the ranch and was ready for Channel 13 to arrive. I got there before the news crew showed up and spent some time grooming and loving on sweet Eleanor.

Once Channel 13 showed up I stayed busy taking photos, not only for this blog post, but also for posting on the horse rescue website, too.

Here are some of the photos of the Channel 13 Interview with Colleen, and Eleanor and Franklin.

 

I left the horse rescue around noon, drove home, prepared lunch for my kidlets, horse, llamas and goats and then drove into Albuquerque to take my daughter bowling with her Girl Scout Troop.

 

After two hours of bowling, which was lots of fun (and I didn’t do too bad….if you don’t consider that I was playing against kids under the age of 9. hah!)……….

We left the bowling alley and spent about an hour at Mickey Dees Play Land with my daughter’s girlfriend, while I enjoyed visiting with her Oma. Halfway through I received a phone call from my contact at Channel 7 saying they wanted to do an interview at the horse rescue at 5pm. Then I had to make a few phone calls to find someone at the ranch to be interviewed because Colleen already had another appointment. Colleen was able to talk Christine, another friend, and hard working volunteer at the horse rescue to do the interview with Channel 7, and I left Mickey Dees to drop Jen off at home and drive over to Walkin N Circles Ranch Horse Rescue to arrive before 5pm.

I spent a little time grooming and loving on Eleanor and helping Christine mix organic oatmeal and organic cooked chopped carrot mush into the alfalfa pellet/senior feed porridge inside Eleanor’s feed bucket.

Because Eleanor is probably between 35-40 years old, she has no back teeth and her front teeth are worn down so short that she’s not able to graze, which is why she became so emaciated after someone abandoned her to fend for herself.

Anytime anyone visits Eleanor, or walks by her stall, we are supposed to use a wooden spoon to stir her mush because it gets compacted as she eats, and then she’s not able to use her mouth to lift the food out of her bucket.

 

This is a video I took of Eleanor eating her porridge. It’s wonderful to see that she has the will to live.

Because of how sunken in she is, volunteers have to clean her perineum several times a day after she defecates, or else the manure is captured in the natural ‘bowl’ beneath her tail.

The Channel 7 News Team arrived and got busy taking video and interviewing Christine, while I kept busy taking photos of the entire process.

Here are some of the photos I took of the Channel 7 coverage.

(Cute little Franklin is in his mid 20’s and suffers from severe arthritis in his left knee)

Not long after the News Crew left, Christine and I left, too. I stopped by the grocery store on the way home, and finally got home around 7pm. Fed all the animals, fed my kidlets, and then watched both of the TV Interviews on the news. (More on that soon!)

Whew! What a long day!

But 100% worth it.