Gimme Shelter - Build date 3-30-19

The excitement is building as we get all of our ducks in a row for this Saturday's Gimme Shelter build. Thanks to a grant from the Binky Foundation of $1200 and matching donations from you we are able to build 3 structures. The materials for fourth structure and assembly assistance is coming from Ross and Beth at Bullseye Construction out of Show Low. Last Friday, Lary and I picked up the lumber for three of the shelters thanks to the loan of a trailer from a friend because it is a big load.

Over the weekend Lary waterproofed the uprights for the shelters. We also did some grading so we have plenty of room for volunteers to park, chose where to put the four shelters in the three different pastures, moved pipe panels around so we can confine all the horses, donkeys and minis while the construction is going on and some more shopping for needed supplies.

Today I picked up the roofing materials and tomorrow first thing in the morning I will be heading to Tractor Supply in Show Low who has graciously donated the lag bolts, screws and other hardware items we need for the build...a $200 savings to us thus stretching our funds raised farther. Can I say how much we appreciate the support Tractor Supply shows the rescue? A LOT!

We currently have RSVP's for 24 volunteers, some coming from the valley and a few from Flagstaff. How exciting is that?? The planning committee met Monday evening to finalize all the details of remaining work before the event and then what is needed the day of our Gimme Shelter build. Volunteers must RSVP for the event so we know who is coming and have a head count, you can do so by email to christine@equinewellbeing.com or call 760-703-4860. Friday we have a small crew coming to do final set-up for Saturday, our adopters, Rodney and Nikki are bringing a tractor with an auger to dig the holes for the uprights and the equine will be sorted to their respective holding pens. Saturday we plan on volunteers arriving at 9am. Nilda and Nick are bringing breakfast burritos for volunteers, we will have coffee, orange juice and water. Our lunch break is being provided by Beth, from Beth Williams Real Estate (Realty Executives White Mountains), Mari is bringing sodas and Judi is baking cookies, we will also have bottled water available. Volunteers can chose from working on the shelters, helping set up the inside of the office, moving supplies into the office, grooming horses and we have some plants to be placed in the memorial garden. The weather should be nice with a light wind. We suggest you dress in layers, bring gloves to protect your hands and a hat if you are used to wearing them, sunscreen if you use it too. We hope to be finished mid afternoon but if you need to leave sooner that is ok. All volunteers will receive an Equine WellBeing Rescue hat as a thank you for helping. Please RSVP to be a volunteer as mentioned above. If you need to reach me my phone is 760-703-4860. If I am out working I may not know if I receive a text so calling will be best the day of the event. For those of you attending, if you have any items you want to donate for our next fundraising auction the end of April, please bring the items with you and THANK YOU! Again we are VERY EXCITED to be making these wonderful shelters for the equine to get out of the elements year around and we can't thank everyone enough; the Binky Foundation and all of you who donated, the companies mentioned above that have donated, those bring food and drinks, and those coming to spend the day working together to make life better for the horses, donkeys and minis at the rescue. This is a huge undertaking but I know we are all up to the challenge and we can get them done. Feeling so thankful and blessed right now.

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

Donate Now! Thank you SO much.

Our beautiful Gwen is gone.

It is with more sadness than I can say that we share the passing of our beloved Gwen. Our hearts are breaking as she has been with us for 12 years. The first of many Tennessee Walking Horses we have rescued and the first pregnant mare too. In 2007, Audrey of Saving Horses Inc in San Diego, found Gwen standing in an evacuation site of the Witch Creek firestorm, underweight and looking in poor health. She contacted me and we worked together to bring her to our place, having to buy her from the owner just so she could receive the proper care she needed for a mare in foal. She foaled on 3-12-08 and the picture above was taken when Quinn was about a week old. Through the years Gwen has been the "go to" horse for people to ride, especially children whom she adored. Because of her good nature even someone who had never been on a horse could ride her. Out on trails, camping, re-enactment rides, you name it and she was up to the challenge.

In 2017 for our Help A Horse Day clean up at the ranch, dozen's of attendees of all ages got the chance to put their hand print on Gwen showing touches of love all over her body. She stood patiently in the barn while everyone took a turn and then patiently outside for a wonderful bath to remove all the paint. She was the center of attention and loved it.

The vet papers we got upon her rescue said she was 18 years old and she has been with us since 2007 making her 30 years old. Since we moved to Snowflake she has been a wonderful companion horse to our other oldsters and a teacher to our youngsters. A few years ago after a difficult bout of pigeon fever and subsequent colic we decided to retire her from riding. I cannot tell you how many times I wished to just get up on her bareback and love on her with great big hugs while she walked around the pasture....I just wanted to feel that closeness again.

This past summer she got a ulceration in her right eye and was so patient for many months of ointments and drops going in her eye several times a day. This past fall she did awesome for surgery to tuck her lower eyelid so the eyelashes would not rub against her eye. So many thanks to all the people that helped giving her the eye treatments. We had a great team of volunteers and they all told me she stood so good for her treatments.

Through continued treatment and keeping her eye covered with a custom made fly mask with fabric on the inside to keep the sun out of her eye and we didn't want to risk her eye getting poked by something, you can see that it was slowly starting to heal. The lack of sight on that side did make it difficult for her to maneuver around at times. We needed to make sure everyone spoke as we approached her so she would know we were near and sometimes she would startle if approached from her blind side.

During these past cold days and nights we kept her bundled in the barn and most recently kept her in a stall as a companion to another horse needing some extra care. We could see she was slowing down and perhaps because of her sight deficit she just didn't want to do much. She loved being groomed, talked to and always wanted to snuggle. I simply cannot express how much this beautiful, sometimes feisty but always gentle mare touched so many lives over the years. She had character, grace, and so much love to share with people. Yesterday we gently laid her to rest near a big tree in the front yard. We can see her grave from our great room and front porch and I know as we look towards the mountains thoughts of her will always come to mind. Today there is a huge hole in mine and Lary's hearts and so many tears have been shed. Her passing is truly an end of an era. Our old grand dam is running in God's green pastures forever more.

RIP - Run In Paradise Gwen.....forever loved, forever in our hearts.

Donate Now! Thank you SO much.

Shelters needed. Can you help??

Usually you can see the barn in the background, but not in whiteout snow. Over 16 inches of snow in just one day! This winter has been brutal for most of us throughout the country and we were hit with record snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures leaving some of our equine out in the cold. Snowmageddon hit us hard. Now spring is headed our way with wind gusts many times 50mph which will then be followed by summer monsoonal rains. We want the rescues 30 equine to have access to good shelter. Last October we submitted a grant request to the Binky Foundation for the purchase of materials to build 2 run-in shelters like this. After six months we are so excited to be approved and sent a check for $1200.00. It is my understanding that over 200 groups applied for financial assistance and we were one of 25 chosen to received funds because they felt this such a worthy project. Huge thanks to Judi and Ramona, our grant writing team. We would like to see if we could get an equal amount of donations so we could complete two more shelters, thus having shelters in every pasture and a safe place out of the elements year around for the horses, donkeys and minis. As with our grant application we said if funds were provided for the material, about $600 each shelter, volunteers would provide the labor. Now that the snow is gone we are planning a construction day at the rescue on Saturday, March 30th from 9am - 5pm. If a second construction day is needed we will schedule it. (If you are interested in volunteering please reply to this email and we will get you the details) After the big snows we have had and the limited stall space in the barn I can tell you how difficult it has been getting the oldsters, minis and emaciation rehabs into the barn to be warm and dry from the storms. At times we had 16 equine split between 6 stalls (the donkeys all in one stall and mini horses in with a full size and the rest doubled up). As you can see we NEED as many pasture shelters as we can get. With these materials and volunteers to do the construction we will be able to get four shelters for the price of one shelter made by a construction company. Please, please, please consider helping us with this need. There are many ways you can help: donating, forwarding our email to your friends, volunteering at the rescue on construction day and any other way you can think of. It will certainly make a huge difference in the comfort and wellbeing of all the equine here at the rescue. Many, many thanks for all you do to help the rescue! Christine Donate Now! Thank you SO much. If we receive more donations than are needed for this request the balance will go toward the food, medical care and other needs of the equine at the rescue.