Once again, we are getting telephone calls and email messages with people
voicing concerns over horses who are being neglected. These calls are
coming from a distance.....anywhere from Minnesota to all parts of
Wisconsin. Horses who people know are NOT being fed, or
watered......horses that are thin and emaciated, yet when the county
sheriff's department is called if there is even a speck of hay on the
ground there is "nothing they can do". Still, horses starve and die and
lay in the middle of a group of horses fighting their way to a feeder that
might contain one strand of hay.
I have to wonder what the problem is? Why can't authorities exercise
their right to force a citizen to surrender animals that clearly aren't
being cared for? One deputy once told me that he had no qualms about
responding to a call on emaciated horses, and giving owners two weeks to
get the horses good quality hay and note a difference in their appearance.
If at the end of two weeks he shows up, and the horses have not improved,
he enforces his right to remove them from their owner. THE SAD THING is
that usually, after two weeks, when he has returned to check on a thin
horse, the horse is gone. Vanished.
So ASAP gives advice to those who call or email - advice on connections
ASAP may have or key people ASAP knows who can help in their area. Usually pressing the issue gets action - never letting up after a
complaint to authorities - keeping on them - the authorities get tired of
getting the relentless calls and follow up, but it is sad that it has to
be that way. I did refer the MN case to the MN Hooved Animal association,
and an investigator is going there. I don't know what will become of the
Wisconsin case. I hope they call back to tell me.
We have several pressing issues ourselves. We desperately need to find a
place for Fox Valley Deon and Kung Fu Guru. There have been several
people interested in them, but no follow through. Transportation is an
issue for Kung Fu Guru - if anyone is willing to ship a horse from Gays
Mills to northern MN for a very qualified and very interested young lady
(she already has adopted Never Smoother), please let me know by email.
If anyone is interested in trying either of the two geldings to see if
they would fit in with your family, let me know as well. We are trying to
cope with the 26 we have here currently. Remmie keeps breaking out of his
pasture and has been out four times in the past two days. It might have
something to do with me running out of alfalfa cubes yesterday so he had
to go without, and he really depends on those as he is missing so many
teeth!
We got a great deal on round bales - 1800# bales for $50 each. Good
quality hay and the horses like it.......only trouble is, we were unable
to move the hay with our little New Holland tractor! So, do you know what
a pain it is to fork off round bales a little at a time and bring the hay
over to the bale feeders with a tractor bucket? MADDENING! Almost funny
in a way, to have great hay but no great way to serve it! LOL.
We were able to get one bale feeder so far for $100, it had to be welded
in spots and it still, after four days, hasn't made it into the pasture
where we really need it. I am praying for the magic round bale feeder
assemblerer to come tomorrow! I am also anxious (thanks to Lori Hahn of
Iowa) to purchase another feeder for the back turnout that currently has
broken pipes exposed and is collapsed on one side. It is hard to find
used ones in good condition. We may have to break down and purchase a new
one. Craig joked that now all we need is the hay to put in them....
We had a traveler from Wyoming here to visit last week and he was very
impressed by Market Analysis. Market Analysis must go about 17 hands
tall, or very near to it. I know I know - I need to get pictures! The
gentleman from Wyoming is a businessman and also retired school
administrator - he packs in the Tetons and wants a Standardbred like his
brother has to pack with. We had a couple of jokes at the Quarter horse's
expense (he was raised with them in South Dakota).........and we parted
with me offering to bring a horse out to Wyoming if he found the right
one. That would make our 4th or 5th adoption in that state!
I don't know what will become of Torque who is on the kill broker's lot in
Pennsylvania. We tried. We reached out to help. That is all we can do. Someone says you can't save them all - but I have to wonder if when a
situation is presented if we should not respond to it? I know networking
together we can all make a difference.
Just got a new horse referred today - and he is grandson of Laag!!! He is
a big 16.2 hand gray, he is only five, and he has been on trails, and
rides and drives. The horse is in Michigan, so we are either seeking a
home in the state, or a person willing to transport him to Wisconsin.
We continue to be grateful to our foster farms, Marie K., Marge B., Pete M
(he now has Sugar, Ginger, Gym Knoll Tons, and Sadie!), Diane M (who has
Mentos Shower), Ray and Alice who still have Goodnight Starship, and
Carmen who does our web site and also fosters! We need to think of a good
fundraiser to help support everyone this winter....anyone have ideas?
Thanks to Amanda Wilson for her incredible photos, and we are hoping for
more soon!
