Hope's Legacy-Emergency Equine Food Fund Update

On January 11, 2017, we got a call late at night about a horse down asking if we could help. A friend lived close who was familiar with the horse and family so she drove over to help. We called the vet to go help the horse, but the owners turned him down. By morning the horse had died and they asked if we could come get the other horse. The next morning I went and pick up this sweet mare we named Hope and brought her to the rescue. Sadly her state of emaciation was so great that her organs shut down within a day and she too perished. Hope was only five years old. This was so heartbreaking for us and the many people that came to visit her and followed her story on Facebook and maddening that anyone would starve two young horses.

In an effort to be sure something like this didn't happen again, we reached out to local businesses to create an emergency food fund for the horses, donkeys, mules and minis in the White Mountains of Arizona. Through their donations we started the fund with $1250. To get the word out people helped us put up flyers at the feed stores, post offices and other businesses around the White Mountains. We also posted on Craigslist and numerous pages on Facebook. Huge thanks to the businesses that let us put of flyers.

Soon the request for assistance started coming in. Since 1/18/17 we have had 23 requests for emergency food. Most were legitimate and a few...not so much. I think the funniest one was a lady that got a speeding ticket and wanted us to buy a months worth of hay for her four horses. When I pointed out she could take a class and not have to pay the ticket she said that wouldn't work because this was like her fourth speeding ticket in a short time. She never did submit the application for assistance.

The $1250 has all be spent, in addition Equine WellBeing Rescue covered the cost of transportation to do site inspections and deliver hay/feed and the printing of posters displayed all over the White Mountains, an additional $319.20 for a total of this program of $1569.20.

Here are the results: 23 Contacts about the program. 17 families were approved for feed/hay. 47 horses, donkeys, mules or minis and 2 goats were fed. 407 miles were traveled doing site checks and delivering hay/feed.

On January 19th,2017, two days after the start of the program, Copper Rose came to live with us because her family had some financial hardships. She was 26 years old at the time. She spent some time keeping Holly William's gelding company as a fostered companion horse and when he passed away she came back to the rescue, but she was depressed and not wanting to eat after the loss of her dear friend. Copper Rose passed peacefully we think of a broken heart.

In August, we also took in an older donkey that or followers named Naomi. In her mid-teens and very friendly she was adopted shortly after by our friend Linda Lucas who lives here at the ranch so we get to see Naomi every day. Naomi will greet anyone who walks to the fence and has a very cheery nature. Her and Bud, another older donkey are best friends at the rescue.

We thank very much the businesses that each donated $250 to create this fund along with a private party who asked to remain anonymous. Additionally we want to thank Stock Up Feed and Tack in Taylor, Hectors Hay and Feed in Snowflake and All American Feed in Concho, all three gave us discounts on our purchases to stretch the funds farther. Every bit helped to feed those 47 hungry lives. While Hope's fund may be exhausted we will continue to assist if we find an emergency need for hay or feed assistance and from time to time with euthanasia funds....each considered on a case by case basis.

Finally I would like to once again honor Hope. She was here only a few hours but she touch so many hearts and even for those few hours knew love and gave love. She is running in paradise, fat, happy and pain free. Hopefully looking down on what we do in her honor and watching over those in our care.

Much love to you sweet girl. Thank you for touching our lives!!!!!

Many, many thanks for all you do to help the rescue!  Christine

Donate Now! Thank you SO much.

Drought drives wild horses need for water.

This is what drought does to a stock tank (water source for livestock on open grazing land) and here in the White Mountains we are having the worst drought in decades. It is SO dry that the entire area is under stiff restrictions to prevent fires. Huge parts of the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest (ASNF) and others are closed to ANY travel or use. Sadly for wildlife and the wild horses in the ASNF there was little, to no water at all. On May 16, 2018 we responded to a public call for help from the Heber Wild Horses Freedom Preservation Alliance (HWHFPA), who were asking the public for assistance with water troughs so their volunteers could truck water in for the horses. We posted on Facebook that we would loan one of our huge troughs to their efforts and from that post some of our followers sent funds so we could purchase more large water troughs for the horses. On May 17th, I met HWHFPA volunteers Robin and Stacy to place 3 of our water troughs with a capacity of over 1000 gallons of water. Two were placed in one location and a large round one in another location in the ASNF Black Mesa Ranger District. A few days later I got a call from Robin asking if we by chance could purchase another water trough to loan them for the horses in the Heber-Overgaard area and luckily we had the funds to do so. Another 340 gallon tank for the horses in that area. On the 19th I received an email asking if we could assist by providing troughs for people helping some of the wild horses in the Show Low area of the ASNF and I connected with Leslie Brucker. This group of wild horses is over 25 miles south of Heber and in the Lakeside Ranger District of the ASNF. A different Ranger district that the HWHFPA permits did not cover. With the Memorial Day holiday approaching and the fire restrictions and closures increasing daily there were extra concerns about water troughs being placed and water trucked in, understandable concerns with such an extreme state of drought and pending closure of the forest. Leslie and I met personally with the Lakeside Ranger District Manager, Ed Collins to see if we could get permission to place the water troughs and provide drinkable water until the natural stock tanks in the forest once again had water. With our information and commitments, patience and some prayers we got the go ahead. By this time the forest was closed requiring special permits to deliver the water troughs and service them throughout the closure. On May 25th, we met Mr. Collins, who personally drove us to the chosen and approved locations to place the water troughs. Locations that would allow us to get a big water truck in and service our troughs without harm to the area. On our trailer, waiting for delivery to the forest sat two 300+ gallon tanks that were purchased with donated funds. For one funds were donated by the Brumbaugh family and the other by Healing Hearts Animal Rescue and Refuge in Cave Creek, a fellow rescue who we have enjoyed working closely with over the years. At a second location we placed two 100 gallon troughs donated by Holly Williams and Lynn has loaned her big 500+ gallon round trough for the duration the water is needed. You see the boards sticking out? Those are placed as ramps so small critters can get out after having a drink. To reduce the number of trips into the closed forest we contracted Lynn at White Mountain Water Haulers to fill our troughs weekly or more if needed over the next 10-12 weeks while waiting for the summer monsoons to fill the natural stock tanks. This morning Leslie was making escape ramps in each of the troughs in our area so that small critters could get a drink and get out of the trough without drowning. Leslie noticed elk, deer and small animal foot prints around the troughs in addition to horse hoof prints both large and small.  Pregnant mares, foals and all the other horses no longer thirsty. We can't thank Ed Collins and those at the Lakeside Ranger District enough for supporting this community effort to provide water to the animals in the drought stricken forest near Show Low. Huge thanks to Leslie Brucker who has taken the lead on this and done so much to see this happen and continues to monitor the troughs closely. With the donations from our followers and people who live close to that part of the forest we have enough funds for water delivery through the middle of August, so for now no additional funds are needed. We can't thank everyone enough!!! In total Equine WellBeing Rescue, working with such awesome people who care about the wild horses, has placed water troughs in both ranger districts that will provide over 5300 gallons of water capacity and in the Lakeside Ranger District we will pay for water weekly till there is no longer a need. That is our commitment to the wild horses in the ASNF. Life saving water for not only the horses, but the other wildlife in the area. Christine, President & Founder 760-703-4860

Helping water the wild horses.

First thing this morning I drove to Tractor Supply in Show Low and purchased two 300 gallon galvanized steel water troughs with the donations received from Michelle, Ashley, Chris & Michelle and drove out to the Heber-Overgaard area to place the troughs where the needy horses have access to them and quench their thirst.

On the way in we passed a small group of wild horses with several pregnant mares, a few yearlings and a stallion. While they look in good shape, any of us who have equine know that without water for any length of time, especially in the heat a completely healthy horse can colic from dehydration and it can be fatal. For mares with nursing foals, it can happen even faster. Everything in the forest is SO dry and there is high winds and no rain in the forecast.

Robin from the Heber Wild Horses Freedom Preservation Alliance and her friend had a water tank with 400 gallons of fresh water which we emptied at the first location where we placed the two troughs, then they made a 2nd trip to get 400 more gallons to fill the large round trough we also brought which was placed several miles away.

Leslie was also there and waited with me during the 2nd trip for water and gave me a little history of the horses in the area which she has been photographing for some time. Total capacity for the 3 tanks we put out is 990 gallons. In total 800 gallons of fresh water was provided for the wild horses today and the troughs will be refilled soon.

While we are not part of any advocacy group involved with the Heber horse issue, we answered a call for help that went out in the local paper WMI article "advocates say horses need water" (front page article in the 5/15/18 White Mtn Independent newspaper written by Laura Singleton). Again we are working with other organizations to help horses in need. When the need for supplemented water subsides, we will go back and get the water troughs and return them to the rescue. On the way out, I passed the stallion with his young brood around him. So glad we could help these beautiful creatures even if in a small way! Thank you all again.

Many, many thanks for all you do to help the rescue! Christine

©2018 Equine WellBeing Rescue | PO Box 2722, Snowflake, AZ 85937

Gus, Trooper and other adoptions

It was a few days ago that Gus, who came to us from the Petrified Forest National Park in March was adopted by his new family the Tinkels. We had many applicants for both Gus and Trooper, many people wanting to give them great homes. We used a committee and a private ballot system to be as objective as possible in the choice of the best home for each. Information about each horse and the vets recommendations for the most suitable home were taken into consideration.

Before making them available for adoption they had full veterinary exams, including x-rays so we knew the extent of any of issue they may have medically. We also had complete dentals, sheaths cleaned, vaccinations, fecal test for parasites, chiropractic and farrier work. Then we opened the application process up to park employees and the public giving everyone an equal chance to adopt either or both of these retired park ranger horses. On April 26th, Trooper went to live with his new family. He is a real blessing to the Taylor family who recently lost their elderly gelding and their other gelding, Reno has been so lonesome ever since.

We have also placed 14 others in new homes this year. Above are Pancho the donkey, Peony and Woody (mini mules), Brandy (baby Steel's mom), Elsa and Moscato went to Blue Sky Organic Farms to live with Paco and Carmelita, two other donkeys adopted from us in 2016, and Bert and Ernie both mini donkeys joined the Richardson family. To the left are new residents in Sharon's family, Star Baby and Willy

We have also found wonderful homes for several of the horses. Rascal and Frannie were returned to us (along with Star Baby and Willy) when their adopters had some major life changes. We will always make room for our adopted or fostered equine to come back if there is ever a need. It is a safety net we provide for those who come in our care. Also pictured above are CC Bloom with Carol riding her, Dove who is now called Dream and lives with Taylor and two new horses that came all the way from Bend, Oregon, Bubba & Trina now live with the Coyle's here in Show Low. That is 16 of our equine who have been placed in wonderful homes so far this year. We have several we plan to train and others that will become available for adoption soon. We currently have 5 horses that need minimal to complete training: Mihi, Peanut, Thumper, Caleb and Mr. G. These five are young with a bright future ahead if they get the training they need. Your donations make a huge difference in our ability to care for them and get them trained, making them more attractive to good, loving homes. We will be ecstatic if we can get them all trained and into great homes yet this year. Please help us if you can. For a small rescue I am so excited that we have been able to change the lives for horses, donkeys and minis and families alike. If you would like to make a donation to help us you can do so by clicking the button below. No donation is too small and EVERY donation is so very much appreciated.

Many, many thanks for all you do to help the rescue! Christine

Donate Now! Thank you SO much.