Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year and Happy New Arrivals!

Well, Sally and I made it back from Fallon. We have named the mare Nevada and her baby, Battle Born, after our state motto. Both Nevada and little BB are safe and sound at Shiloh, as are the other New Arrivals who came in the same day we left...

Nevada and Battle Born were saved for $375.00.

First, I just want to say something about the Fallon Feedlot where we went. It was snowing and freezing when we went to pick up the horses and see if there were others we could save. There were approx 80 horses on the lot and the trucks were arriving the next morning to pick up a load (approx 30 horses) and head up to the Canadian slaughterhouse. Two truckloads were scheduled to ship out this week. We were told that the young horses (weanlings and under) would be shipped to a large feedlot in Montana where they would be held for slaughter. Babies are killed twice a month in Canada off of this MT feedlot to meet the demand for veal type meat overseas. I know it is hard and horrifying to imagine, but this is what happens.

Luckily, we were able to save seven more horses from shipping the following day. We purchased a one eyed Palomino mare who is well broke for riding ($270) , another six year old Palomino mare who was used on a dude string ($350), Wampum ($350), an arthritic older paint who was in pain from his arthritis and the cold (he was trailered home along with Nevada and BB), a stressed Saddlebred gelding ($255) who came from CA (a non-slaughter state). I chose this gelding as I was told how he would have to be put into the front of the double decker due to his high head carriage. We also saved an Appy Pony ($150), a weanling filly ($90) and a tattooed Thoroughbred gelding ($350) who had been used on a ranch. These seven horses will be trailed to Shiloh this coming monday. Our ninth horse from the first group, a chestnut gelding who was a camp horse, will also be added to this load.

That makes 18 horses saved off of this lot for $4,040.00. We used our Slaughter Fund and the remaining funds came from Shiloh's account.

Battle Born and Nevada, safe at Shiloh.

He is an Appy!

Resting in his blanket. They are in Chief's ICU stall where they have a large oversized deeply bedded stall and an attached turn out. We have added extra fencing panels to keep them isolated from the other horses. All new horses have to be isolated for at least 30 days.

This is Wampum, the crippled up paint gelding. He is very sweet. He is with all of the other new arrivals in our Isolation area on the far side of the ranch.


Hawkeye, the camp type paint gelding.

Jerome, the older paint gelding. He was named for the AZ ghost town that Sally and I were visiting when we got the call about the horses at the feedlot.

The Thoroughbred mare.

The Thoroughbred gelding.

Pippi Longstocking, named for her stockings, was saved along with her young colt. Pippi is part Curly Horse.

Pippi's colt. He also has curly hair!
The bay mare.

Her chestnut filly, Sedona (pictured here with the colt).

Sharil and Sally putting on Wampum's blanket. All the new guys are blanketed.

Sharil spends some time with Jerome.

Back on the other side of the ranch:

Veteran is looking cute!
Here is Kerkorian in his Duplex with Little Vacation Village behind him.

Susie Q in LVV.

Daisy was out wandering...

Dave has been working with Liberado and making great strides. It looks like Liberado was most likely ridden at one point in his life and just needs some time and attention to get back on track. Good Job Dave!

That's me, Jill, hugging BB. He is so sweet!

Heading up to the other side to care for the new guys...

It has been a super busy few days!

12 comments:

Marie McCormack said...

Hi Jill -- With the thoroughbreds, do you ever trace their tattoos and call the breeders to advise them that they were found in kill pens? Out here we've had luck with the breeders taking them back and giving them a home. Marie

Mikey said...

Oh goodness BB is darling. What an adorable appy. I know everyone will love him. That TB mare is nice looking too. Good job on all of them.
Prayers for the ones traveling north right now.

Cathy said...

Thanks for the editorial on your visit to the feed lot. It really gives the rest of us some insight as to how horrible they are. It is nauseating to think the horses are priced per pound, ugh.

Again, thank you for all you do for these horses. It takes someone with a lot of courage and dedication to do what you do (along with your Mom and all of the volunteers).

You have made some horses 2010 the year to remember. I love Hawkeye, he is gorgeous :)

Happy New Year!!

Shiloh Horse Rescue and Sanctuary said...

Hi Marie,
yes, we do trace the tattoos on the OTTBs. I will be tracing the two new guys and we have a big hunch that the new guys came from the same place as the last four. We will be contacting the previous owners and trainers. Once we have all of the info together, I will post it on the blog.
Thanks!

kimg said...

Happy New Year and bless you for all the good works done! xx Kim

ChicasMom said...

You all did a fantastic job!The babies are so cute...love little BB.I've always wanted an Appy!It will be great to see pictures of these guys after spending a month at Shiloh.

It's sad to hear about the babies & yearlings going to Montana only to be shipped out again to be used as food...yuck!

All we can do is focus on who we can help today.Thank you Jill,Sally and all the volunteers for giving of yourselves so selfishly!

Beanie Mouse said...

BB is a little cutie moo!! I love him/her!!! Fab job you guys!

Mom said...

A friend told me some time ago that 3-week old foals were going through the sale at Marana. I couldn't understand why the kill buyers would want something that had so little meat.After your comment about veal, I understand. Thank you for saving Nevada and little BB and all the others. May God bless you all for all the work you do in saving them and all the heartache you endure.

sandycreek said...

I am so happy that you were able to save these horses. It just bothers me so that so many are shipped for slaughter even though you do all you can to save them.

I wonder if this is ever going to stop, people can be so heartless when it comes to their horses (or any animal as far as that goes), to dump them in this manner is cruel beyond words.

Keep up the good work as long as you can, and Happy New Year to all!

Elaine said...

I have been on vacation, but it looks like you guys have been very busy. WOW. Thank God you guys were there to do this for these horses. Thanks so much. I will be back to help next week. The little one is so cute, and all the horses you have saved are blessed my prayers to those who could not be saved. Thanks so much.

Kathy said...

Hi Jill:

I think it is wonderful that these individual horses' lives have been spared by your compassion.
Are you paying the same price as they would get from the slaughterhouse?

My heart goes out to these abandoned souls, but I have to say that the horses have it so much nicer than the pigs, cows, and chickens that we intensely factory farm. At least the number of horses sent to slaughter is minuscule compared to the 10 billion factory farmed animals in the US per year. So sad!

Thank you for caring for the horses!

Shiloh Horse Rescue and Sanctuary said...

Hi Kathy,

Yes, we paid for the Fallon horses by the pound for approx what they would pay at the slaughterhouse. We are always careful about the prices and won't go over what we feel is close to the true slaughter price. There were some other more expensive horses at the lot, but we don't pay broker type prices...

I totally agree about the other animals who are slaughtered. I think we as a race really need to quickly evolve to becoming more humane toward all animals. Times have changed and we are becoming much more aware that we need to share our planet with all animals, they are beings with basic rights just like us.

Education and public awareness are the key to change.