Cathy, Cheyenne & Scout

 

Scout and Cheyenne by Leslie Brucker In the summer of 2020, we helped a fellow rescuer, Cathy Ritlaw of Journeys End Ranch Animal Sanctuary, in Kingman, AZ, by making room for six of her horses and two of her donkeys. The six mustangs, all 18 years or older, had been with Cathy for years. Sadly Cathy's health made it so she could no longer take care of their daily needs and she asked if they could come to us. I have know Cathy for years and we wanted to help any way we could.

Cathy was a animal advocate for decades and sadly passed in May after many years struggling with her health. We last saw her when we drove to her rescue to pick up Poco and Teddy in June of 2020, the first of her 8 equines to move to EqWBR. Cathy was using a scooter to get around at that time and since then spent some time in the hospital, a rehab nursing home, before going back to the ranch where she died at home.

Cheyenne was the oldest of what we called the Six Pack, the six mustangs from JERAS, and was the oldest at 23 years old on her arrival. Abused in her younger years she had been at JERAS for many years and was very bonded with Scout and unhandleable except for once in a while taking a treat. On the morning of June 8th, we thought she was sleeping but on closer view, it was clear she had passed away overnight. There was no sign of struggle and no indication of what caused her death. She died in peace in her sleep, we should all be so lucky.

This week we were saddened to discover that Scout had cancer with a tumor so large that surgery was not an option. He had recently shown some weight loss but otherwise looked fine so he was getting Senior feed to help him gain back some weight. The tumor was causing him much pain and the heart breaking decsion to humanely euthanize him was made and yesterday he joined Cheyenne and Cathy. Quality of life is so important to us. Knowing he could not recover and the pain would only get worse we let him go though our hearts weren't yet ready.

Today the remaining four horses, Bayron, Kola, Rene' and Windy, are banded together no doubt missing their pasturemates. To have lost Cathy in May, Cheyenne in June and now Scout has been really difficult for me to process and hard for our volunteers who lovingly cared for them, but I keep thinking they are together and that is good. May they run throught the green pastures of heaven to meet Cathy at the pasture's gate, while she waits with treats for each and gets to love on them again after all these years. We have been honored and blessed with her friendship and glad her horses are living out their lives as she wanted. Run In Paradise (RIP).

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Equine WellBeing Rescue is a 501c3 public charity which is 100% volunteer run and managed. There is no paid staff or employees so funds donated goto the care of the equine at the rescue and others in need that we can help. Our volunteers are loving, caring and the best ever!!!! There are lots of wonderful charities to support and we are honored and humbled by the support we get from you and your friends. We want you to know YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!!