Heart of Dixie Equine Rescue Blog

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.

Dixie on her first day in Georgia

Dixie’s first night

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.