Orphaned Babies - How does this happen to so many at one time???

One of the many emails I got today, along with many calls and text messages, asked a lot of good questions in an effort to figure out how this many babies ended up orphaned and in need of their lives being saved.  As I went through all the questions and answered them as best as I could, it seemed clear to me that many of you may have the same questions.

So I have cut and pasted those questions and answers for this blog.  Many of you will not like what you read - I don't even like telling people how they become orphans, but it is a fact of life in the current economy.  PLEASE don't let this information distract from the task at hand, which is finding homes for these babies asap.

Hi Christine,

I saw your blog today...what's the status on the 5 babies?

Right now, I have a few people that have offered foster care, but no true adopters (people who want to keep them long term), but my hopes are up that as the word spreads, people will find a little extra space for a little baby.  They are all coming to Ramona on Sunday!

 

I forwarded the website to some people hoping they respond.

Thank you so very much!!!!   We can't do this without people sharing the information.... 

 

I have some questions: What happened to the orphan's moms and where did they come from, (before the feedlot)?

Sadly they were all shipped from a breeder that went out of business (at least that is what i believe.  It is confidential so they really don't tell much), the mom's were loaded on a truck and shipped to the meat plant in Canada.   The babies, along with other young ones and pregnant mares were put in a holding pen at the feedlot and many of us did fundraising to buy "Bail" these horses from the feedlot to save their lives.   The youngest - these orphaned foals were transported to Bishop, CA where a foster family took them in for the last 60+ days and took care of the health care needs and fed them.   Now they are all healthy and no longer in need of the Foster's care.   So it is time for more permanent homes to be found.   There are no homes left up in Bishop, the residents of Bishop have already absorbed a lot of these horses into their community already. 

When a horse is fostered, what is the responsibility of the Foster?

A foster usually takes on the complete care and feeding of a horse (100% responsibility) on a temporary basis while a permanent home is being found or if they are there for a specific need - illness, quarantine, etc., unless other specific arrangements have been made because of a special circumstance.   

 

How does the adoption process work?

The same as the foster, you may complete a contract that says you will provide for the horses needs, not breed it or sell it at auction, if the horse is found to be neglected or abused it can be repossessed, if a new home is found it should be approved by us so that the horse doesn't end up in a bad place and the contract will be signed with the new people.   That is just so the horse doesn't disappear and no one know if it is being cared for or safe.   Last thing any of us want is one to fall through the cracks and end up back on a feedlot.   Not all rescues use contracts, it does vary from rescue to rescue.

 

I guess I'm curious as to how this all works. I'm also being questioned by other people and I don't know the answers. What's going on with the other 47 horses on the feedlot in Fallon?

The other 47 are off the feedlot already (it took thousands of dollars to bail them off that feedlot), but they are at a temporary holding facility in Fallon and they need to also find homes.   Right now Debra and Troy are trying to feed and care for the 47 and it is becoming an understandable financial burden.  By taking in these babies down here, it frees up some space in Bishop so the most needy of the 47 - pregnant mares and such, can get to a better place and hopefully into homes and it is 12 fewer mouths to feed.   They are trying to get adoption fees for those 47 horses so they can continue to feeding the rest of the herd while homes are being found, so every dime helps.    Pictures of those horses are shown on the Stinkin' Rose Ranch-Debra Hawk and Troy Kelly, Facebook page. 

How do you and others find out about these animals?

Through a network of horse lovers and equine rescues. 

What about the auctions.

They happen every couple weeks.  Some horse are bought by legitimate people looking for a good horse and many are bought by kill-buyers (KB) who ship them to Mexico or Canada for meat.  They make money by the pound.  The closest auction to San Diego is Mike's in Mira Loma, they advertise in the Horsetrader and other publications. Of course they don't advertise that kill-buyers purchase horses, just that horses are for sale.   There are some rescues that try to frequent the auctions to out-bid the KB's on horses, but those are mostly Thoroughbred rescues so those are mostly the horses rescued from the auctions.  Some individuals will go from time to time.  We have gone in the past.

 

What happens to the leftovers?

The KB's purchase them, they sell off the good ones to local people if they can - at a profit.   The rest are put into trailers and either shipped to Mexico or Canada (via Fallon) and are then butchered for meat.   Because of mad-cow disease and diseases of other livestock (pigs), horse meat is a needed product out side of the United States.  

In the meantime, I'm gathering pipe corral panels and trying to convince my husband that this is really a "good thing"!

This is a very good thing because you are helping to save these babies lives.  They need to go somewhere and these little babies have SO much love to offer anyone who cares for them.  They have had a very rough start to life and now is the time to help them continue to get healthy, stay healthy and grow into lovely horses.  These babies when handled regularly are so easy to train and so confident when under saddle that they are a true pleasure and safe horse for the rider.   They become best friends!   He can ask my husband if he doubts it.   They just need a chance!

So if you can offer a home, or know someone who may be interested, please have them contact me:

Christine@EquineWellBeing.com    or   760..703..4860

Thank you SO much.  

Four more horses still need homes... Probee, Rascal, Pip and Surprise....

5 Orphans need homes by Sat. 1/21/12

We found loving homes for the first six only to find out there were six more (one has been spoken for already) that, if we can find homes for by Saturday, Jan. 21st, can come down to Ramona with the others.   So please get the word out because time is very short.     They will all be delivered to Ramona and can be transported from here.

If someone in another part of the state is interested in one of these we would need to discuss the trailering.   The little grulla in this picture is going just north of Los Angeles via a different transport.

These are part of the same group as Diesel and Bambi (see my prior blog posts) and the people doing the quarantine have said that they are all sweet, mostly personable, a few are halterable, but all are very good natured and easy keepers.    Their quarantine is complete, they are healthy and ready to go to forever homes. If you would like to foster for several months while a home is being found that would be awesome too.

I put their description below their pictures:

Will be moving in with Amber and his new family in Lakeside.....Probee   .is about six months old, has a great build and floaty gaits.  He is learning to lead and 'loves' people.  Surprise with be joining him.

Rascal will be going to live at Happy Heart Acres has a little white on his right hind, is approx 5-6 months old, a little shy but learning to like people.

Pip is petite so we are not sure if she will be pony sized or just younger.  What beautiful coloring.

Lil (right - will be moving in with the McCollisters in Aguanga, CA) and Surprise  will be going to the R Goodwater Ranch with Amber and her family,  both fillies both about 5 months old and very sweet.  Of the two Lil is the leader.  Very personable.   Surprise will be living with Probee....

There are more pictures on the Stinkin Rose Ranch facebook page and a few more notes about them each.  Stinkin Rose Ranch - Debra Hawk and Troy Kelly are located in Bishop, CA.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.202433426519069.42965.130066427089103&type=1

There are 47 more weanlings, yearlings, mares in foal at a Fallon Nevada holidng facility that can be moved out of Fallon once these babies find homes down here so time is of the essence.   There is urgency because the 47 need to get out of Fallon ASAP themselves.

If you are interested in any of these babies, please contact me at 760-703-4860 or christine@EquineWellBeing.com  asap.    I need homes for them by Sat. so they can get put on the transport to Ramona.  

They will hold over here in Ramona and you can either come pick yours up if you have a trailer, or we can make trailering arrangements if you will reimburse my fuel.  

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE share this post and help get the word out......

Thank you.

Christine Griffin, Pres.

Donations are greatly appreciated too......

Diesel's brother and sisters need homes in the next two weeks!

Update:  Here are more that need homes:

All the ones below have homes.  The ones above still need them I will be posting individual pictures tomorrow of each.   If you are interest let me know so we an put them on the truck on Saturday....   They need homes!!!!!      christine@EquineWellBeing.com 


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Diesel wasn't the only orphaned foal that got dumped at the Fallon, NV.,  slaughter feedlot last October, he has five sisters and one brother that need our help.

All six were taken off the feedlot in November.  Some had strangles and they were each treated for a large parasite load and have gotten used to people while being cared for.  Now they have a clean bill of health to go to forever homes. 


Homes are needed now!  Their quarantine is up, they are well and the space they are in needs to be used to bring more babies/horses from Fallon, NV.


We would like to bring all six down to So Cal, but we need a commitment of homes and funds raised for fuel first.  $50 per horse would cover the fuel to bring them from their temporary quarantine foster in Bishop to So Cal.  We would like to get this done in the next two weeks, so time is of the essence.


These babies are as sweet as Enzo, Bambi and Diesel and didn't deserve to be torn from their mothers and dumped in a slaughter lot.  They deserve to have a home and be loved so Please, Please, Please help us get them homes.


These pictures were taken in December, they have all recovered from strangles and the horrendous parasite loads they each had so their bellies have gone down.  While they didn't get as sick as Diesel, they were sick like Bambi and Enzo.  Please share this information with your friends and other horses people.

Allie is going to live with Allie, Linn & Ron ....Orphan Allie- approx 5 month old bay filly, left hind sock and pretty star on her baby face.  Friendly and loves carrots and apple smacks.

Going Home with Jaide Oliver.....Orphan Bug - Approx. 4 month filly, chestnut with blaze and right hind stocking. The youngest and smallest little tyke- pulled from her mom at just 2 months.  She loves carrots and apple smacks.  A little shy, but that's cause she so young - she warming up to being scratched with a little regular handling will be a love bug. 

Going home with Nancy Sapper & Family in Ramona.....Orphan Cupid - six month old bay filly with the cutest star and snip.  Loves carrots and apple smacks too.  Her face is saying, please give me a home....

Orphan Dunni - six month old red dun filly with a little dot for a star and diamond snip on her nose and right front sock. She is very expressive and friendly and will greet you with whinnies and is playful with jumping around antics. She is SO cute...Loves to be scratched.                                                        

New home with Nancy Sapper & family in Ramona.....Orphan Ellie is an 7 month old sorrel pinto/paint filly with a cute strip. How cute is she?? She was timid at first but now not so much. She loves carrots and apple smacks too.                       


New Home with Dawn and Clint in Ramona - Orphan Fabi is the only colt in the bunch and is SO friendly (like Diesel) he is approx 6 months old and a dark almost black bay with just a few hairs for a star. He is the friendliest of the foals and would rather be loved on then eat treats. What a cutie patootie.....                                

All six need homes and I can tell you from having Enzo, Bambi and Diesel here, these are friendly horses with sweet personalities. Being handled at this age makes them so much easier to train as they get older and they just learn not to be spooked by things because their confidence gets built from being kindly and gently handled now. 

If you can foster or adopt PLEASE get in touch with me ASAP!

For questions call or text 760-703-4860 or email to christine@equinewellbeing.com

Donations can be made via PayPal

P.S.    I can't thank everyone enough who donated to help get these babies down to So Cal and into loving homes and to those who shared this information with your friends and helped get the word out.   Again, this was a total group effort of people working together for the good of the horses!!!!

Liz Master's Horses and the Horse Community

I have gotten many emails and questions about the Liz M horses and what is going on.  First off, I don't know her and this was as much a shock to me as anyone else.

Many of you know that a small group of us tried working with representatives from both sides of the legal issue to help provide fundraising to feed the horses while homes were being found via the transparency of a legitimate rescue.  During that time many good hearted people continued to go out there to do the daily grunt work of caring for these horses (many of them sick with strangles).  Because of two very invective individuals with much false information, the most prudent thing for us was to step back from the formal process.  I guess some people can't separate the bad deeds of the horse owner from the innocent victims - the horses, but I can because that is where the true need is.  And sadly this was not my first time dealing with such a crisis.

There are a few horses left that still need homes, some have exposure to, or have strangles and should be quarantined if you take them.  Rachel McCarty Dunhoff has put an album on her Facebook wall of the horses.   There are still three horses at Dawn Fletcher's that were sent there from a local training ranch that moved the horses for non-payment of board by Liz that may need homes.  I have been told they are all very sweet horse.  For the most current status, you need to contact each individually because, as things always are in these big situations, things change quickly.

It is my understanding as of last night that the horses at the property in Anza are safe while they finish the quarantine process over the next week maybe longer while Liz is moving her personal belongs and self off the property.  The plaintiffs in this case do not want these horses, nor do they want to impede the process of them getting homes.   Any proceeds from the sale of the Liz Master horse is supposed to go to the plaintiffs atty as agreed on by the parties in the matter.  Hay donations are still needed to feed those horses.

There was clear fraud involved in the 'story' that Liz concocted to cover up her legal issues and I have heard many people have been able to dispute the funds put on their credit card or PayPal as donations and get their funds back.

I have worked with at least 1/2 dozen other big rescue situations like this and the owner circumstances were all different (a few fraudulent/criminal things) and there seems to always be a few people who try to undermine the good hearted people dealing with the day to day 'horse work' that is needed to sustain the herd while all hell seems to be breaking loose for them.

People ask "how do horses end up on feed lots?", well this is how.  Not every situation has enough good hearted people to step in and help, and like in this situation, some people have to pull back from their efforts because the energy that evil will expend to cause trouble is greater than the ability of the good trying to help.

Next time you hear about horses on a feed lot don't assume that no body cared what happened before they got dump for a small profit, there may have been many people with good intentions that were thwarted because the stakes or greed of some vultures waiting to grab up the pieces or muddy the waters because of a personal grudge with the owner, or some other circumstance that just didn't allow caring people to intercede on the horses behalf.

It is very hard, and heartbreaking to sit back and watch this kind of stuff happen over and over again.   Sometimes we can help and sometimes it is not prudent as a legitimate organization to get involved.  Sadly there will be more big situations for whatever reason, hoarders, frauds, breeders going out of business, and truly good people who had bad circumstance honestly happen to them.

Over this last year we have helped with two 20+ horses dispersal's where the owners asked for help and then were forthright in letting the horses go, signing over papers, following the whereabouts of the horses and relinquishing them before things got neglectful for the horses.  There was no big 'drama', there was no divisive distractions or explosive secrets and the needs of the horses were the priority.  

Sadly the needs of the horses are the same in both scenarios, through the process and until they are safely in their new home, they need to be fed, watered and cared for and the people who step in to do that are horse heroes as are those in the background trying to protect the rights of the horse.  And I for one am very proud of our local and regional horse communities that have the capacity to over and over again step up to the plate for the good of the HORSES!

Some may get downhearted by the bad apples in the horse community that create the "drama" and do bad things, but those bad apples exist in almost every type of hobby/business that exists.  Don't give them your time or energy of thought.  Instead realize that we have an AWESOME horse community of people who step in over and over and over again, whatever the cause, because it is the right thing to do for the horse.  These people do so willingly and without need of 'public kudos' or other recognition, they just do it.

I personally and our rescue are both proud to know and be associated and supported by the best horse community I know of..... You guys amaze me!   Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for putting the WellBeing of the horse first!