Our first load of ex-PMU horses arrived about 1 month ago. (Fordie, Marvin, Obvious Paycheck, Hartes Breezy TQ, Hartes Breezy TQ 09, OK Easy Anna, OK My D Rich 09, Gents Dally 09 and Sandy’s Sister Sal) The ONLY hurricane that has had ANY effect on our area, hit the week the horses arrived. The weather was never terribly stormy but it RAINED continually for a week. We were in the process of getting the fencing in. We had thought the horses would arrive on Monday, November 16th, but our trucker needed to be back in Canada for an event so the horses actually arrived on Wednesday, November 12. We had to scramble to get the fence done in time. The rescue is a short distance off a dirt road and as South Georgia is FAMOUS for its red clay, you can guess what condition the road was in. AWFUL! We were using a tractor with a post hill digger to put the posts in. (All of the corner posts are gigantic retired telephone poles and most of the rest of the posts are 4′x4′ posts) It would have taken us weeks to dig the holes for these posts with just post hole diggers. The first thing that happened was that the tractor hydraulics went out after the first 3 holes. We could not pick up the auger. A part had to be ordered to fix it and it was going to take a couple of days to get done. We went scrambling to borrow another tractor. We were lucky enough to have one loaned to us by one of our benefactors. We were delayed a day and a half though. To add to the problems, the truck pulling the tractor on the trailer, slid off the road into a ditch. (That nice slippery red clay) The trailer jack-knifed but thankfully did not overturn. It took many hours and TWO tow trucks to get the truck, trailer and tractor back on firm ground. Finally, the men of the rescue got down to digging what seemed like a million fence posts holes. They would then set the posts into the holes and all the women would follow behind to get the posts squared up and the holes filled back in and the earth tamped down. Keep in mind that is was raining this WHOLE time and everyone was wet and miserable. We were all pretty new to putting fence in too. We knew that we had to have solid fencing that could not easily be knocked down. We also wanted the fence done right the first time. I cannot tell you how many trips we made to Agri-Supply to buy the fence pieces that we needed and to get advice from their fencing expert. So, now it is Tuesday and all of the posts are finally in but the wire has not been pulled. We had already made arrangements for the use of a local stockyard to be used to house the horses overnight on Wednesday so that we did not have to go into the rescue in the pitch black of night. The stockyard owner had no sale scheduled for the week or weekend and kindly allowed us to use the stockyard facility for a few extra days at no cost. It turned out to be the perfect thing. We were able to unload the horses into individual stalls and let them rest for a few days. None of the foals had halters on either. We had the use of small enclosures to aid us in getting halters on these terrified babies. It also made us realize that we had to have something similar at the rescue ASAP! A round ring was always in the short term plan but we needed something NOW. We added a small enclosure to the fencing plan right then.

The horses arrived late on Wednesday afternoon and were unloaded into stalls in the stockyard. Everyone was terrified. Marvin and Fordie started out being in stalls across from each of each other. Marvin got a bit cranky and put a hoof through a board and got caught. There was much panic from everyone BUT Marvin. He stood calmly while he was freed and was none the worse for wear. We moved Fordie further away. Calm was restored. Everyone was so excited and the horses were so beautiful.

Some of this group of horses went to destined to go straight to foster homes. Sandy’s Sister Sal and My D Rich 09 went to one place. Sally (as she is called by her foster parents) looked very bedraggled on arrival. Her foal had been pulled the day she loaded on the trailer so her bag was still HUGE. She had an edema on her belly from a probable kick and her belly was hanging so low that it looked like she would foal that very instant. I will tell you that Sally is in heaven now. She has a stall with a heat lamp. She is turned out when the weather is good but she LOVES her stall. When her family opens the barn door, she goes running to her stall and stands waiting to be let in. She is the queen. When this wonderful family saw, My D Rich 09, they fell in love with this colt too. They took him home as a foster too. Richey was very scared and did not like being too far away from Sally so they built-in a stall right next to Sally for him. He also has a heat lamp. For horses that came from a frigid temperature to a climate that is balmy in comparison, I can only imagine that they think they are in heaven. They actually are. Both are happy and I am fairly sure that their foster family is going to adopt them. The Appaloosas, (OK Easy Anna, Hartes Breezy TQ, Hartes Breezy TQ 09 and Gents Dally 09) went to another foster. When Hartes Breezy arrived, her mane and tail looked like they were in dread locks. It was awful. Donna and I spent several hours in her stall getting the horrible knots out of her mane. We did not make it to her tail. When I saw her yesterday, she looked like a different horse. Her glorious white mane and tail were just gleaming and were as silky as you could ever want. I am almost certain that Hartes has found her forever home too. Anna is doing well too. She has a big pasture with lots of trees and grass. She has made friends with a gelding and they are inseparable now. She is lame. It is not a hoof issue, it is a leg issue. She will never be ridden but that is OK. The lameness does not seem to cause her pain. We are going to have x-rays done soon to see what we need to do to keep her healthy for the rest of her life. She will be a retired pasture pal. Hartes Breezy TQ 09 found his forever home on the day he arrived in Georgia. He is now known as Little Man. He is SO cute and has the sweetest curly mane. I have never seen a mane like this. Ricky and Donna are adopting him. Both Ricky and Donna are founding members of HODER. Little Man has a great forever home. He was very scared little boy but has really come around and is being handled every day. That brings us to Gents Dally 09. This girl was by FAR the wildest of ALL the horses that we have seen come in. She is stunningly beautiful though. It took 5 people several hours to get a halter on her. She is a double barrel kicker and she rears too. It broke my heart to see her so scared and so wild. We had great fear for her. I am happy to say, that she has settled a bit. Her foster parents have been hand feeding her and she is in a small paddock. Her first reaction is still to turn that dangerous rear-end towards you. We know only too well how dangerous her rear hooves are. Dally about killed two of us when she kicked a fence gate that we were bracing with our bodies at the stockyard. Thank goodness for that gate! It still knocked the wind out of Donna. We had a very good trainer come out to work with her on Friday. This man just has a way with scared horses. He was able to get his hands on her and she ended up laying her head on his shoulder at the end of the session. I was in tears. She has a long way to go but there is great hope. Her Gents blood is recognized as being very hot. There was a very good breakthrough on Friday. She is still very dangerous but this trainer will be working with her. The first bonds of trust have been established and I am overjoyed.

Back to the story… Since we had the stockyards for a few days, we could breathe a bit easier. The men worked on finishing the fence and all the ladies spent their time with the horses. We moved most of the foster horses on Thursday and Friday. The only three we did not move were Hartes Breezy and her foal and Gents Dally. Hartes had been loaded into a two horse trailer but she went crazy. We thought the trailer was going to fall over. We took her off and decided to move her in the bigger stock trailer on Saturday. W also decided to move the rescue horses on Saturday morning.

During all of this, Jack, (our donkey) finally arrived from Texas. Amber and I had a horrible time getting him shipped. Our original shipper backed out after just not showing up. I then remembered, Steve Merka, my angel shipper who had helped me get Dixie home from the drop site two years ago. No one else would agree to haul a huge draft horse with an unknown personality in their trailer. When I say this huge terrified horse racing off the big semi into the holding pens, I was terrified too. Steve calmly dealt with getting this wild mare into his trailer and helped us get her home. I would have been lost without him. He agreed to go and pick up Jack from Texas and bring him back to Georgia. Jack arrived on Friday night. Since we were still at the stockyards, I had Steve deliver him there. Jack was such a good calm boy. He hopped right off the trailer and led right to his stall for the night. He was truly meant to come on that day. When we went to load everyone on Saturday, the foals would not move. They were terrified. We tried everything. The one thing that ended up working was when we took Jack out of his stall and led him down the aisle of the stockyards. The foals followed him like sheep right onto the trailer. They were very calm with him around. Jack has turned out to be the best babysitter ever. All of the babies trust him. We have used him on more occasions than I can count to settle someone who was very upset. Jack is such a joy. He just loves attention. His favorite thing is to come and lay his head on your shoulder. Now, Jack is not huge and I am 5’10” tall. He still manages to get his head on my shoulder. He will stand there for an hour like that. Jack has a permanent job at the rescue. He will be an ambassador but he is also our babysitter.

On Saturday, the first thing we did was give the part of the stockyard that we had used a huge cleaning. It was a great kindness that we had been able to use it and we wanted to show our gratitude. We mucked out the whole area we had used and hauled all of the stuff to the back area of the property. We picked up every bit of trash we could find and cleaned every water bucket that we say. We left the facility in cleaner condition than we had found it. It was a thank you to the owner of the stockyard as well as a present to all the animals that come through there. We then loaded up Hartes Breezy and her foal and OK Gents Dally (all with Jacks help) and moved them to their foster home. They did much better in the stock trailer. We returned back to the stockyard to pick up the horses going to the rescue. The men were madly finishing the last of the electrical for the hot wire. We loaded up Marvin and Fordie onto one stock trailer. (One facing forward, one facing back) We had much discussion on this. We did not want any issues. We loaded Marvin first. The trailer was backed up to the stock yard gate so that we could run Fordie back off into the contained aisle if there was a problem. Everything was fine. These two guys do get along pretty well for being stallions. We then loaded Obvious Paycheck and Jack onto the other trailer and headed off. It was only a 25 minute ride to the rescue. Upon arrival, the first thing we did was back the Stallion trailer up to the gate. We opened the trailer door and let Fordie go. We untied Marvin and let him go too. These boys had much joy at being turned loose. There was also some stallion foolery. They reared and neighed and pawed the ground at each other. There was no real contact; just two stallions showing off. It was still very dramatic and we held our breath and prayed. Fordie and Marvin had spent the last several months together in the same pasture so we were pretty sure they would be fine. They were. Within 15 minutes both boys were grazing peacefully. These are very sweet tame boys. Marvin is the elder king at 19. Fordie is the prince at 11. They both LOVE to be scratched. Every time we bring a truck our trailer into their paddock, they will both take their heads, butts and whatever else they can get on it, and scratch against it. It is very funny to watch. The only thing to remember is not to bother Marvin while he eats. He takes his chow very seriously and does not want to be bothered at all. You can pet and scratch Fordie anytime. As long as Marvin is not eating, you can pet and scratch him too. We left the center paddock empty and turned Jack and Paycheck (now known as Calypso) loose in the third paddock. They were overjoyed to be free too.

I cannot tell you how happy I was to finally have the beginnings of our facility AND to have horses there. It was my dream come true. Fordie, Marvin and Jack are all permanent residents of the rescue. Marvin’s ransom was paid by Katleen is Florida.  Fordie’s ransom was paid by Susan in Florida. Jack was a gift to the rescue from Amber in Texas. Wendy and Adrienne in Australia paid the ransom on Hartes Breezy TQ and Sandys Sister Sal. My wonderful friends that are part of TIBBP, (The International Blessed Broodmare Project) raised much money to help us get these horses here. A special thanks to Janice who took on the huge job of selling some of my more valuable models to help fund the rescue. This was a huge project and a gigantic time commitment on her part. Huge thanks to Deb, the president and founder of TIBBP. I would never have done this if you had not brought the plight of PMU horses to my attention. I owe a huge debt to Jennifer at, “The Animali Farm.” Jennifer has spent the last 10 years traveling to Canada and North Dakota trying to save PMU horses from going to slaughter. I would not have my darling Dixie or her foal, Daisy, without her. What can I say about the community I live in? To everyone that has made a donation to us, I am truly humbled by your generosity. To the core group of volunteers who were there at the beginning of the rescue, (Gary, Joel, Pat, Jimmy, Eileen, Elise, Donna, Ricky, Holli, Nancy and Cathryn) I can never express my thanks and love for each of you. You are the best and I am honored to know you. There are so many more that need thanks. Please know that you are in my heart and I will get to you in later posts.

Many Hugs!

Julie Barnes

President

Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue, Inc.

Friday, October 23, 2009 was the annual Cotton Pickin Festival at Mill Creek Park in Statesboro, GA.  Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue, Inc. had a table.  Some of the great girls from Rose Court Farm’s RIFNA (Riders Interscholastic Foundation of North America)  team volunteered to paint faces, hand out candy and HODER information to lots of local people.  Our special guest star for the event was Spirit.  Spirit is a rescued miniature horse that belongs to one of our founding members, Nancy.   He greeted all the children and enjoyed many pets, hugs and pictures.  It was magical to see the children’s joy at being close to this gorgeous boy.  Spirit was trooper and even helped the Parks and Recreation Dept keep their grass mowed.   We handed out every piece of literature in our possesion.  We met many wonderful people and had some great offers of assistance and lots of interest in learning more about Equine Rescue.  We have a great community and I am proud to be a part of it.  Thanks to all our volunteers that helped to set up and staff the booth. 

We took ownership of our first two local rescues on Tuesday, October, 20, 2009

 - two 18 year old mares. It is heartbreaking!  Dollar is a white, few-spot Appaloosa, about 14.1 hands and  about 300 lbs under weight.  Her little head looks like it is stuck to her poor body by a toothpick.  She has thrush in three of her feet , infected eyes, a respiratory infection and a scratches infection on one of her hind fetlocks.

Skye is a gorgeous, registered palomino QH mare.  She is in a slightly better condition, close to 15 hands, but is still under weight by 200 lbs.  Her scratches infection is on both rear fetlocks and it is horrendous. I can only imagine her pain.  She also has a respiratory infection.

These two mares have had a strange journey back to us.  Dollar belonged to one of our members years ago; Skye had belonged to another member.  Both mares ended up being owned by a lady who lived in our area.  This lady’s journey took her and the horses to South Carolina.  After having to move to a place where there was no room for her horses, they ended up with a relative who promised to care for them.  Time and the economy kept her away from her horses and the mares did not receive the care they needed.  Someone called the state about the condition of the mares.

The lady was broken hearted , and unable at the time to care for the aged mares properly; her younger gelding fared better.  She called one of our board members, Holli,  and asked her to come and take the horses to the rescue.  Holli drove to South Carolina on Saturday and picked up the mares and brought them back to her pasture.  Neither horse had a current Coggins.  Today, three of us picked up the horses and trailered them to the vet to have blood pulled.  Seeing the mares for the first time made me cringe.  We knew that they had to have constant individual care.  Donna volunteered to take Dollar home so that she could lavish much needed feed and love on this sweet little mare.  Skye was returned to Holli’s place for the same loving care.

Thankfully, we had recently attended and spoken at a Purina Senior Horse night event at our local feed store.  Purina donated 20 bags of feed to the rescue.  (We are waiting for the paper work to come back so we can claim our bounty) We were also all given 2 for 1 coupons for Senior Feed.  We stopped at the feed store and picked up several bags to feed our sweet girls.  We also ordered a round bale of hay for each horse.  Donna took pictures of the two mares.  I am adding them to the bottom so you can see.  I cannot wait to see them in three months.  They will never know neglect again.  Both mares will be transferred to the rescue soon.

Helping these two mares brought me great calm today.   They were so good.  They loaded and unloaded without complaint.  They stood easily while having their blood drawn.  We were sorry to split them up for the short term.  They just need some intense care now.  They will be back together when they come to the rescue.

Our immediate goals are to get the legal issues done and to RAISE FUNDS and AWARENESS!  Jim and I are trying to take care of these items by the end of next week.   So what are we doing for fund raising.  Oh this is SO exciting!!!  

1.  Pennies for Ponies.  We will have collection jars at local sites to collect funds for the rescue.  I am writing the plea from Dixie’s point of view.  Holli, are local newspaper reporter and a wonderfully talented writer, will do the final draft.  Thanks to Deb and Therese at TIBBP for giving me the idea for writing the pleas this way!

2.  Halloween Costume Contest and Extreme Obstacle Course Ride.  The week before Halloween, we will have a costume contest for our local horse folks.   At the same event we will have an arena set-up for all sorts of fun tests of equine control.  Examples are walking over a crunchy tarp, Dragging a rope with a stick behind it, kicking a beach ball, riding through a hay ring etc…  We will have prizes and ribbons etc all for a donation to the rescue.  Deb from TIBBP is known for dressing up her horses, and this event was suggested, I had to laugh thinking of all those pictures!  Elise brought this idea to the group and is working hard to secure the location. 

3.  A good old horse adoption auction.  The thing is that the horses won’t be real.  They will be Breyer models.  (I seem to have a few that are can be used for this event    )     The thing is that the models will each have a story.   A PMU horse that would go to slaughter, a feedlot filly, a local rescue, etc…  We are going to have lunch plates for sale and also other items up for either silent auction or true auction too.  Elise has volunteered her gorgeous new stable and home to hold this event.  We will hold it the first or second week of December.  The date will be decided today.  It will be just in time for folks to buy goodies for Christmas presents.  Holli had come up with the model auction idea and Janice’s (TIBBP) feedlot filly story inspired me to suggest the backround story.  My husband Gary, who has a second career had a VERY popular band in our area, is going to provide the entertainment.  (I always liked him, but when I first heard him sing, it was all over!  We were married less than 2 years later.)  Ricky will be the food coordinator and Holli the Advertisement chair.  Cathryn and Donna are in charge of coordinating donations.  I am coordinating the physical stuff.  (Tents, tables, chairs, PA etc…)   Elise is providing the site and coordinating the volunteer help.  (Parking, security etc…) 

4.  We have a booth at the Bulloch County Fair, The South Georgia Fair and at the Park and Recreation’s, Halloween Party day.  We will have raffles, donations jars, information at all these events.  Eileen and Nancy are coordinating the design of the booth and it will be spectacular.  We will be able to take this booth from site to site in the future. 

5.  Donna has spent hours and hours on the net finding different fund raising ideas.  She has found a company that takes old cell phones, I-pods, ink cartridges etc… and pays groups for collecting these and sending them in.  Isn’t just the most fantastic idea?   We can help the environment and horses at the same time.  If it all works out, we will have a donation station at all our events. 

Phewy…  and that is all happening in the next 2 months!  Just wait to see wait happens next.  I am out of time for right now.  I will try to keep the blog a little more updated from now on. 

Hugs to all our supporters and blog readers!

Here is the text of an e-mail that I sent to everyone I know and everyone my husband knows.  I have asked for everyone to forward it everyone they know.   Please copy the text and forward to everyone you know.  I want to save as many horses as I can! 

Heart Of Dixie Equine Rescue – PLEASE FORWARD TO EVERYONE!!!

 My name is Julie Barnes.  A concerned group of horse people in the South Georgia area are starting a Non-Profit Equine Rescue in Brooklet, GA on a 90 acre property owned by my family.  All of us are currently facing hard times.  Some of the hardest hit by the down turn in the economy are our equine companions.  There is a huge surplus of unwanted horses in North America. Many of these horses are either starving, not getting the required medical and farrier care or are being sold to kill buyers.  These kill buyers truck them across the border into either Canada or Mexico where horse slaughter is still legal.  While you may have an opinion on the need for slaughter, I would hope that you would at least agree that the procedure should be humane.  It is not.  Horses are often stabbed, clubbed or shot in the head with an air powered steel bolt.  Drugs cannot be used because of the possible contamination of the meat.  Most of these slaughtered horses end up as human meals in some parts of Europe and Asia.  Again, I will not make judgement on a culture’s right to eat horse flesh but in North America, horses are a companion animal and as such deserve a dignified, gentle end.  

 There is another issue facing our equines.  This is the PMU industry.  PMU stands for Pregnant Mare Urine.  PMU is used to make the women’s hormone, Premarin and PremPro.  For many years, Premarin was the #1 prescribed drug in North America.  With recent studies showing the many potential risks of taking Premarin and the introduction of newer bio-identical plant based estrogen hormones to the market, the popularity of Premarin has dropped drastically.  The equine issue here is the glut of foals that is produced by this industry into an already saturated equine market.  These foals are often well-bred and include many Draft Breeds, Quarter Horses and Appaloosas.  Many of the PMU farms have lost their contracts and are also having to sell off their breeding stock. These foals and mares are almost always sold for slaughter.  It is a very sad situation for anyone that loves animals.  Most of these PMU farms are either in Canada or North Dakota.

 Our rescue, “Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue” is raising funds to save several horses that face almost certain slaughter. We will bring these horses to Georgia and give these them a second chance to find a new home. They will receive the training and necessary care they need to become someone’s Forever Horse.

 We are asking for your help in getting these horses to Georgia.  So what can you do to help?

 1,  Visit the The Animali Farm web site.  (www.theanimalifarm.com) (Our coordinating rescue for the PMU horses) and make a tax deductible donation referencing that the money is to be used for “Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue Horses.”

2.  If you have the means and the want, consider adopting a horse yourself.

3.  Make a donation to:  Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue via check. This money will go towards fencing of the pastures, building of shelters and barn feeding and caring for the horses.   We are in the process of getting our non-profit status but do not have it yet.  You can mail the check in care of:

4.  Join our rescue blog and keep up with our progress  (www.heartofdixieequinerescue.wordpress.com)  

5.  Forward this e-mail to everyone on your e-mail list.  These horses need your help.  The more money we raise the more horses we can save.

I thank you for reading this long e-mail.  Your assistance is much appreciated.  If you would like to speak to me directly, please feel free to call me at 912-764-5228 (home) or 770-331-2131 (cell)  If you would like to be added to our e-mail list, please send an e-mail to me with your information.  My e-mail is Julibarnes@aol.com

 PLEASE SAVE THESE HORSES!!!

 Julie Barnes

Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue

Please Help Save These Horses!  Go to the Animali Site and make your tax deductable donation in care of Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue!  (www.theanimalifarm.com)

TODAY’S DOINGS

  After getting the $1100 quote for attorny fee’s to incorporate and get non-profit status, I about chocked.  One of our local horse farms is run buy a former classmate of my husband and is a great friend of Elise (Board of Directors Member)  Turns out her brother is an attorney and has agreed to do the work for $300.  I told him his sister will be proud!  We are having our first board meeting on Thursday.  If everyone agree’s we will proceed.  (The lawyer is already securing the name for us) 

After a doctor’s appointment where my BP was pretty high, (Headache and Stress are the likely cause) he sent me home to rest for the rest of the day.  I spent my time on the computer researching various rescues and how they go about doing business.  Since I don’t have the time to move slowly through this maze, I need all the advice I can get.  I have e-mailed several with requests to speak to someone.  I will be visiting 3 rescues in California and Oregon while on my trip to see my sister and best friend.  (Norcal, Animali and an Oregon rescue that takes in horse with hoof and legs problems and treats them thorugh natural trimming)  I hope to visit a couple more in Georgia and SC before this trip.  When I get home, horses will start arriving by the boat load and my time for travel will be very limited. 

I found many interesting articles and facts on the Unwanted Horse Issue.  The UWC (Unwanted Horse Coalition) sponsered a study on the subject and I found it very interesting and helpful.  The American Humane Society had lots of classes and information pertaining to rescue operation, disaster prepardness and Abuse/Neglect issues.  I would like to see some of our board and volunteers attend these classes.  I visited the USDA website and found some information on equine issues, laws and policies. 

I have agonized over the Animali Site (www.theanimalifarm.com) wishing that I could take all the horses.  I can’t bear the thought of them going to slaugther.  Anyone reading this, PLEASE either donate money towards the adoption fee’s on these horses or consider adopting yourself.  If you want to help the horses coming to the Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue, please send your money donation noting it is to go towards these horses.  We are fund raising locally but need all the help we can get.  If we get enough money, we could take a few more horses. 

Here are some pictures of the horses needing help!  How can you resist helping these beauties!!

 I added 3 horses to my list today.  There are 2 ladies that are working on assisting with there funding.  I had 3 offers of foster homes if needed while we build fence.  I am trying to coordinate the trip for Jack to get to Georgia.  They have a run that is taking them to the general ND area…  Might be able to pick up my ND horses.

THE FIRST HINT OF THE RESCUE IN THE LOCAL PAPER

Here is the link to the first mention of the new rescue!

http://community.statesboroherald.com/blogs/detail/6100/#comment

We will have an article in the paper soon.

TOMORROWS TO DO LIST

Finish the Pennies for Ponies Brochure so we can get it out into the community.  CLEAN MY HOUSE!!! Argh!!! It is awful!  Spend time with my herd.  Sailor is going to be in a local show.  My 6 year old nephew is riding him in a lead-line class.  (Everyone gets a ribbon!)  Sailor has to be clipped and spit shinned as I am also going to show him in halter.  (Just as local fun show, put Salior does have AQHA halter points!)

Goals

1. The rescue, rehabilitation and training of PMU horses with the ultimate goal of placing them in a forever home.

2. The rescue from auction and abuse of local horses with the ultimate goal of placing them in a forever home.                          

3. The retirement of horses that are either too old, ill or are otherwise not suitable to be placed in forever homes outside the rescue. 

4. The education of people, (Children and Adults) on the issues that face equines in the worldwide. (i.e. Slaughter, PMU, Abuse) 

5. The introduction to underprivileged children to the joy of horses.  

6. The demonstration of “Green” small scale farming and logging using draft horses. 

7. A low cost euthanasia clinic and burial site for horses that have been judged by our Vet to be past the point of hope. 

8. A low cost gelding clinic to promote responsible breeding. 

9. The education of horse owners and breeders on responsible breeding practices.

Dixie and 6 Day Old Daisy after 3 months is Georgia

Wow.  I don’t think I have slept more than 6 hours in the last two days.  Yesterday, I got the plat records on our property.  There are two connecting plots.  The larger plot where the main part of the rescue will go is 57 acres.  Part of this section is cleared.  The rest is forest.  We are going to clear this portion of the land for pasture and use the sale of the lumber to pay for the clearing.  (Lets hope anyway!)  The front part of the property is 33 acres and has our 3 acre pond.  Other than around the pond, this piece is completely grown up.  This is the section where we will put our house.  I will keep my own horses in a pasture and barn in the front yard   To the left of the pond is about 30 acres of woodland that is considered a flood plan as it borders a small creek.  This is where I want to start the horse cemetery.  We will clear a portion and after each horse is buried we will plant a Pecan tree at the grave site with a marker to remember the horse. 

The Board of Directors

Today I met with Holli Deal-Bragg, Elise Wolpert and my dad, (Joel Vail) to discuss the rescue.  Holli is a columnist for our newspaper and does rescue work with 2 other ladies.  Holli is a long time lover of horses and knows the local auction scene.  She is also well connected in the horse community.  Elise is a training stable owner (Rose Court Farm) and has an impressive background in equine care and medicine.  She is also very well connected in the horse community.  As a graduate of Georgia Southern University, (Our local University) she can get all sorts of  assistance with labor to satisfy the community service club  requirements.  Dad can something out of nothing.  He can also fix anything.  He retired from Georgia Southern and nows everyone on staff.  He will be able to get us lots of help.   Then there is me…  My strengths are passion, public speaking, computer skills and begging.  The one thing we all share is a love of equineS and a passion for saving them from an uncertain fate.  Holli and Elise have agreed to serve on the board of directors for the rescue. 

Our best friends (My husband Gary and I) are Jim and Eileen Spiers.  Eileen loves all animals and grew up with horses.  She is extremely artistic and so kind.  Jim loves animals as well but is really not a “horse person.”  He is not really keen on Eileen actually owning a horse.  He is also the most fiscally responsible, organized person I know.  It sure does not hurt that he has already successfully run a non-profit corporation.  (An airplane museum)  When I asked Jimmy to serve on the board and explained why I wanted him, he said, “you want me to be the Devils Advocate.”   My biggest fear is that we would end up with all these horses and then not be able to provide for them.  Jim will make sure this does not happen.  Eileen brings her artistic talent and her out-of-the-box thinking to board and she gets all the horses she could ever want!

My equine Vet, Mitch, has also agreed to serve on the board.  This could not be better news.  He will be able to assist us with all the medical issues that we may face and help us with our gelding and euthanasia clinic.  He is a fantastic equine vet.  When Daisy (my yearling draft) cut her leg badly on the fetlock, I watched him stitch up the impossible.  There was nothing to stitch to.  The stitches held for 10 days.  That was long enough that I have had no problem with proud flesh and it looks like there will not even be a scar.  He also loves horses. 

Gary, (my hubby) will also serve on the board.  Gary grew up as a 6th generation resident of our county.  He had a band for 36 years as a second career and as such is a local legend.  He also happens to be related to at least 60% of the county’s residents.  (Mentioning that I am his wife usually helps me get my way because I am probably talking to some sort of relative)  Gary grew up on a farm.  electricity came very late to rural Georgia and it was not until he was 8 that his farm got it.  They farmed with horses and mules when he was a child.  Tractors came later.  His knowledge will aid us with our education programs.  He is also my partner in all things.  I could not do this without him.

We are looking for one or two other board members.  Holli thinks she has a candidate.  This husband/wife team have 40 horse, many of them are rescues from auction.  The husband owns a large equipment business.  (Couldn’t hurt with the land clearing issue!!!)  Holli is contacting them today.  If they accept, they will round out the board.  Our first official meeting will be next Thursday night. 

The Lawyer

Jimmy Spiers and me went to see my attorney this afternoon to discuss incorporating and getting our non-profit status.  The fees to do the paperwork and get the proper documentation is about $260.  The attorney fee is $1100. (ouch!)  I decided to try out my begging skills.  There might be a bit of a discount and I can pay the attorney fee’s in installments.  My begging skills are going to have to get better!  I do have one other attorney that I am going to contact before I give up on getting the attorney fee’s for free.  It so happens that this other attorney is a brother of a local lady that owns a quarter horse farm  She is one of our supporters in this rescue.  I am hoping her love of horses has rubbed off on him!  I will call him tomorrow and try and improve my begging.   Otherwise, it is $260.00 down and the $1100.00 in installments!

The Round Table Discussion on Fund Raising

Holli, Elise, Joel and I had a great discussion on how to generate funds.  Holli is going to do an article in the paper as well as hopefully mention us in her newspaper blog.  The fund raising ideas that we came up with are:  Trail Rides, a Pennies for Ponies Jar with a brochure on the rescue at local business’ and events.  We have a local specialty food maker in our area.  (Jams, Jelly, Sauces, Candies etc…)  There stuff is beyond yummy.  (If I run out of their sweet winter pickles or peach jelly, I almost have a heart attack)  They have helped charitable groups in the past do fund raising through the sale of gift packs of their products.  In many cases, they ended up donating their products.  The daughter of the owner is a long time horse show friend of Elise.  This could really generate some income.  We want to have a “Get the Rescue Built Day.”  We will try to get as many people as possible to come and help get the fences up, the shelters built and the water and electricity lines run.  There is a local contractor whose daughter rides at Elise’s Stable.  We hope to get him to orchestra the chaos.  (As well as do the pasture layout and shelter design)  Down the road, we will do a pumpkin patch with hay rides.  A horse powered cane grinding and syrup making demonstration.  (The sale of the cane syrup will go to the rescue)  We already have the cane mill and syrup boiler.  Having a carriage service for special events is in the later plans too.  We want to have a fair booth to get the word out.  We are thinking of having a raffle if we can beg one of our local companies for a donation of something nice.  My husband’s company is experiencing a down turn in  business due to the economy.  However, they are in great need of some one to do some project work.  (Training, technical manual updates, etc…)  This is my background and I know the company’s product well.  I have offered them 8-16 hours per week of my services for free with the understanding that when their business picks up, the value of my services will be donated to the rescue.  It is a win-win.  I help them now when they need it, they pay it to the rescue as a later date when we might be in great need.  (They also can get a tax break for the donation)  Their business will pick up, the quote activity is there but the buying process takes a while.  It also helps my hubby to whom I owe everything. 

Today’s Calls

I have called my state representatives,  Jack Hill and Bob Lane.  I want to meet with them on  any possible state funding and or grants. I also want to educate them on the issues our equine are facing.  I have called the  county humane enforcement agent, Joey Saunders.  I want to know where local abuse cases end up and how the rescue can assist him with those abused horses.   I have called every fair official on the website and am begging them to find me a space.  I e-mailed various horse haulers trying to make arrangements to get Jack “our mini donkey mascot” to Georgia.  I have called the Mimms Florida Rescue that is about to go under.  I think I have found a home for the 22 TB that needs to be a companion and for the 2 minis.    The problem is that I have not gotten to talk to ANYONE so far.   Phone tag is hell! 

Tomorrow’s To Do List

I have a list of 43 calls that I need to make.  I have to get the Pennies for Ponies brochure done.  I need to be thinking about getting a website up and running asap.  I need to find a place for our next Thursday meeting.  I need to e-mail everyone with my call and beg list to get additions and delegate some of the calls to the person that is best connected to that person.  I have a ton of models to get on e-bay and the last of the resins to get packed for sale.  I also have to work on by-laws, call the accountant to get our books set-up, see my herd or I will dry up and die!  Gads!  I have to stay calm.  I know I was destined to do this.  The word is spreading and random people are already asking if they can help. 

Well, if you have read all of this, you are a true trooper.  I hope your eyes have not popped out of the sockets due from the strain.  Hopefully tomorrow, I can finish the story of Dixie.

The Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue is my dream coming true.  The road will be long and complicated but the rewards will be 10 fold.  I want to document the whole journey through this blog.  The name of the rescue “Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue” has a double meaning.  The rescue is located in Brooklet, Georgia.  We are 45 miles west of Savannah.  That puts us right in the heart of Dixie.   Then there is the second meaning…  Dixie is my Belgian draft mare.  She was adopted through The Animali Farm with the assistance of The Blessed  Brood Mare Project in 2008.  Dixie was a victim of the PMU industry.  PMU stands for Pregnant Mare Urine.  The highly prescribed hormone drug Premarin and Prempro are manufactured using this Urine.  The mares live a less than ideal life and the by-product of the industry is a glut of unwanted foals every year.  These foals often end up being sold to “Meat Buyers” who slaughter them in the most inhumane ways so that they may be served as a human meal in parts of Europe and Asia.  At one time, Premarin was the number one prescribed drug in North America.  When research appeared linking Premarin with increased risk of Breast Cancer, Stroke and Heart Disease, the popularity of the drug began to drop.  Many PMU ranchers lost their contracts.  With no need for the large quantity of horses, the ranchers began to sell the Mares, Stallions and Foals to the meat buyers.  This is where the story of Dixie and me begins.  As it is late and I am tired, I will continue our story on my next post.
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