The Golden Carrot Newsletter's Archive
Memorial Day Yard Sale a Success!
This year I heard for the first time of the big Memorial Day Yard Sales Event in the Garner Valley area (next door to Anza). Shela and Leslie were willing to organize it, and so we all put the word out to supporters and friends, asking if anyone had stuff they wanted to donate for the sale. They collected things and Leslie gave her garage to store them for the weekend. Andrew found us a wonderful location. I contributed some items and Lisa and Julia Brozek brought a mini-van full of donations from Orange County! I missed having my volunteers out to the ranch that week before the Memorial Day weekend, but that Saturday and Sunday, Shela, Leslie, Andrew and Ingrid, and Julia and Kaylee for a couple of hours, manned the overladen tables, and managed to raise $1,500 for the horses! It took another week for the volunteers to recover, but everyone was pleased enough that there are plans to hold another one on Labor Day. So as the summer progresses, if you have things you’d like to donate for the next yard sale, get a hold of me to arrange pickup. Now, in conjunction with the yardsale that my volunteers handled for me, I had the fun of two of my Girl Scouts, Julia and Kaylee, sleeping over at my house for a couple of days. Mom dropped them off on Friday, along with all the yard sale stuff, and picked them up Sunday. And in the interim, they cleaned stalls, filled water barrels, fed horses, worked the yard sale, and rode, rode, rode! I didn't give them the easy horses either. Here are some pics of their time visiting! It was a lesson to me about these girls - well behaved, quiet, hardworking, and so kind to the horses they rode. Buck and Debbie may never have another rider after this shot with Julia, but both were walking better after a little exercise, and Julia learned how to make a horse go with her legs. Kaylee rode teeny Song - Song is strong, but so small and elderly that I simply can't justify putting myself on her - so without Kaylee, Song loses out! I'm already planning to ask Kaylee to ride little Princess Piccadilly if it seems she's up for it (that is, Pic - I KNOW Kaylee will want to ride!). I'm very grateful for all the work the girls did, and all the attention they gave some of our 'forgotten' horses like Buck and Deb ... 
Grants
Now, after that week and weekend, you’d think Shela would have had enough for a while, but no, she got busy with some grants. And she’s had two successes (below). She’s got some others in the works .... and feeling very encouraged about one of them!
ASPCAgranted us $1,500 for bulk feed bins. Shela, Danielle and I got busy, and have been able to find three feed bins (one 5 ton, one 3 ton, and one divided into two 1-1/2 ton compartments). The 5 ton will hold bermuda blend pellets; the 3 ton and ½ of the divided bin will be alfalfa pellets; and I’ll fill the 1.5 ton that’s left with senior from the bags, to keep from losing it to the squirrels. We have two on property, and are trying to figure out how to stand the dang things up! These two feed bins are the hopper style, with a big bin held up about 4-5 feet in the air by legs (so you get the feed out of the bottom, and it’s loaded into the top). So all the weight is in the top of the thing. I have an appointment with a local guy who has a crane that we hope will be able to lift these bins up, so I can call Sacate and fill them. Yay, no more 80 pound bags! And there will be a savings of at least $200 per month on just the hay pellets, probably another $100 in senior saved from the squirrels.
Brennan Equine Welfare Fund (she applied a few months ago) granted us another $1,000 for purchase of "breakfast hay"! What if we expand Shela’s "Great Bale of Hay" drive, where everyone sends in $10 for a bale of hay, and see if we can get 100 people to send in their $10 to make a matching amount? Remember - the more hay I can buy at this time of year, when it’s good quality and lower priced, the better. Thus in winter when hay is hard to find, poor quality and higher in price, plus subject to damage by weather, I will already have a supply!
I want to thank, here, not only the ASPCA for once again showing their faith in my mission, and the Brennan Equine Welfare Fund, whose good works for horses are directed largely at the rescues who are sanctuaries, but also Shela, for preparing and following thru on all these grants!
Garner Valley Gals/Berger FoundationWay back in April, a local group of ladies called The Garner Valley Gals began coming by TGC after talking to Danielle and Shela, to visit the horses. (You've seen pictures of Linda, in the great Oso washing, who is one of the GVGs). They could see the need for help here in so many ways, and were gracious enough to plead our cause at a fundraising dinner they had on May 1. They raised $1,030 for us! At that point, things got even better. The husband of one of the GVGs, Mr. Burrage, works with the Berger Foundation. This organization normally deals in MUCH larger grants, but when he asked them, they were willing to "match" the GVGs funds, in hopes that it would be enough for TGC to purchase a "mule" or "gator" - a ranch utility vehicle which would enable me to drive visitors around, haul hay, or even clean stalls. The Berger Foundation did match the funds for the purpose of finding a utility vehicle, and so now we’re faced with the task of finding such for $2,030. I want to thank, publicly, all of the GVGs and the Berger Foundation for helping The Golden Carrot.
Shela, Danielle and I are combing the Craigslist ads and other resources trying to find such a vehicle for the price. So far, it’s discouraging - we need at least another $1,000, and two would be better, to get anything. But we keep looking, maybe we’ll get lucky! I can tell you, the idea of being able to hop on a little vehicle and drive back up to the house at day’s end, instead of trudging up those hills, is enticing......
As a final indication of her dedication, Shela has also begun to put out feelers for therapy riding by reaching out to a program for Wounded Warriors (my favorite), and she’s going to be setting up some things for sale on eBay soon. Once I get pictures to her, that will include some horse tack, as well as other items she wants to put up. Although Shela doesn’t have the physical strength and stamina to do much at the ranch, her heart is huge and she loves the horses - and so she finds other ways to help - I’m very grateful to have her help!
As a final bit of news, a local horseman's group called the Redshank Riders had an event where they gathered here in Anza for a couple of days of riding and bbq. One of the Redshank Riders is also a GVG, and so they allowed us to set up a little table with information about the horses, and a donation jar. Shela and Danielle put together a basket and sold raffle tickets. (I believe I'll find out how that went one day when someone calls saying they want their riding lesson, or their equine massage! But probably only after they drink the wine Dani put in the basket - :-) Thank you, Redshank Riders for your support!
The Horses
Many of you are fans on Facebook and thus you know about Swing’s Lew. My Pepperpot has passed away. You can read about that at http://goldencarrotrescue.com/GoodbyeSwingsLew.aspx
In addition, Ronan is now available for sponsorship. This boy is personality plus, and his sponsor has been there for him for years. But like so many, she is experiencing some very difficult times, and has to pull back. For more reasons than a lost sponsor, I hope that things will improve for her soon! Take a look at this little devil if you’re thinking of a part or full sponsorship!
On a happier note, good friend and patron Fiona Gotfredson, sponsor of Beau, has succumbed to the wiles of another big guy, and has sent a year’s support for Oso! So, in addition to the kind donations from all of his Idyllwild supporters, Oso’s humongous needs are met for his first year at TGC! No one deserves it more.... Thank you Fi!
New Residents!
A couple of months ago, Lew’s part-sponsor, Julie, contacted me about three horses at her stable that were looking for homes. She was hoping I could help her find placements for them. One was hers, two were owned by current customers. When I read about them, my first thought was "geeze, these guys probably belong here!". When I commented that way to Julie, regretting that I couldn’t take them without support, she responded that she and those owners WOULD support their horses if they could come here! Well, these folks are all in Encinitas, and I figured the rough, slightly barrio-like appearance of TGC might not be what they wanted for their old friends. I insisted that Julie visit so she could report. I liked her very well - already disposed to like her for her almost year long support sent for Lew, I found her to be full of common sense and a practical attitude about the horses. She liked the look of the horses, found the facilities useful and functional, and went home to recommend TGC to the owners of the three horses. I emphasized that I couldn’t do this without support, and required a letter from each owner specifically promising to provide support, in specific dollar amount, for their old friend. AND GOT IT!!! For once, the auction/feed lot/slaughterhouse trail has been completely avoided. For once, I’m dealing with people who really care about their old friends. I haven’t had time to set up pages for them yet, so let me tell you about these sweet horses.... We’ll go by age... Princess Piccadilly This very aged pony is a TB cross, black, and tiny. She is slow moving and well behaved, and LOVES her feed! Although Julie described her as ‘toothless’, in fact she bites off a carrot with ease and chews pellets and grass hay without cudding. But I will admit, she’s pretty old. Once I get Fred out for them, I hope to have a good estimate of her age.... Her owner wrote "Pic rescued my daughter ... at a time when she had been almost scared off from riding horses further by a pony that was more than she could handle. At that time Pic came along, welcomed (my daughter) and offered her a safe ride, and won ribbons and attention at horse shows. We decided to "rescue" her as she had "rescued" (my daughter). She deserves a final home that will allow her to spend her remaining years with people that can offer her safety and happiness." He finished with his commitment to provide support and required me to return ownership and possession of Pic back to him, if TGC should no longer be able to provide a home. Now THAT’s what I’m talking about! That is how I want everyone to feel, and act, about their equine friends. (PS: as of today, July 5th, I'm pleased to report that all the former owners came out to visit their old friends, and be sure that they're happy - and told me they were happy with what they saw, even mentioning that it appears Remy has finally started gaining weight. After only two weeks, that's quite the atta-girl!) Pepe Grillo This little wild man is a 20+ year old 14.1 hh liver chestnut pony, also tiny, but what a powerhouse! Julie owned him, and wrote: He started off as a dressage mount for a small adult. ....he was trained as a hunter pony. He spent many years at a very fancy A show barn in Del Mar. He won many championships in the short stirrups and pony hunters. One of his many owners learned to jump on Pep and is now a Grand Prix rider. As his tolerance for intermediate riders waned, he was sold to a jumper barn. There he was purchased by a brave and daring 13 year old girl. This was a match made in heaven. There was not a fence he would not jump, no matter how high. They were an unbeatable team, literally. This tiny team won every 3'6" jumper course they ever entered. They beat the likes of Hap Hansen, and other big time professionals. He was awarded "Horse of the Year" in 2002 at the Oaks, after sweeping the 3'6" division that year. He came to me in 2003 and was leased to a few of my students. That year, he was year end walk-trot champion. The following year he was year end Pony hunter champion. In his last year of showing, he was again short stirrup year end champion. He won countless classes and always performed when it counted. He was never cooperative in lessons, always giving his rider a hard time, but at the shows he was always a star. He is a true competitor. Julie then gave me more information about his personal quirks, and the sweet itch that has plagued him for so long. She didn’t want him having to continue to have steroid injections and antibiotics, and felt that the drier climate here might help him. Pepe is also very stallion-y and protective of Piccadilly, so at this time, I’m keeping the two of them separate. Once I feel he’s had a chance to adjust to the new set up, we’ll have another exciting day of introducing him and the others to the main herd.... Remy At 16.2 hh, this 19 year old gray Thoroughbred gelding makes Pepe and Pic look like his toys! His owners have also committed to his support "until he moves on to that great pasture in the sky". They wrote "Remy has been a true champion both in and out of the showing arena. He has given our daughter multiple blue ribbons in her jumping classes, and has shown her a true sense of responsibility and friendship. .... Remy has been an overall champion, reserve champion, and has more than 25 ribbons over the past 2 seasons in 6 competition Green Rider division in the GSDHJA shows. He has a past history as a racing horse with 3 wins on official record. He also comes with his original certified papers. (Which show that his name at birth was Pro Monarch) Remy has really bad arthritis and he has had pin firing in his legs, therefore, they aren’t as strong. .... He gets along with all horses and loves to be around everyone. ... Overall he is a really great, friendly horse that gets along with everyone. Well, so far, Remy doesn’t show much in the way of stiffness .... he fell immediately and embarrassingly in love with Anaba .... and like Pepe, spends a lot of time looking over to the main paddock area, calling to the main herd. He will get his hind shoes removed tomorrow, and then we’ll integrate him into the main herd as well ..... So, some new older residents. They come with their own personalities and disabilities that made placement in new homes problematic. We will deal with them as best we can. In order to make my life a little easier, I’m going to be looking on Craigslist for pipe corral panels as well, in order to extend the fenceline from the main paddock area, by the hot walker, over to the once-quarantine area where the ponies, Remy and Oso and Savannah are now living. That way, I can open it up and let them mingle, or not, as they please. Set up correctly, it will enable me to use my arena again if I want to .... and I plan to be working with Oso, Daisy and Ronan in the coming weeks - to learn Daisy and Oso’s capabilities for riding, and to wear a little of the fat off the fat-boy, as well as begin some work with him under saddle. As I review this newsletter, it seems that we’re having some good things happening. We are. But a lot of the financial help is tied up for specific purposes - so the usual needs for donations to help with feed, farrier and emergency vet work (such as Lew’s final expenses...) do continue. I do have some lumber materials, but still need some more $ to pay labor to continue with our roof repairs (11 more stalls to go). So.... don’t forget us! Again, please never feel that what you can give might not be "enough". There is no such thing. With enough people giving, all can be accomplished. If you hear of any gators/mules for sale inexpensively or pipe corral panels, please let me know! Anyone have anything they want to donate for the Labor Day yard sale, let me know! Anyone willing to come out for a work day - repair of stalls; painting of feed bins; bathing of horses - let me know! And please, if I have included you in this newsletter in error, please just shoot me a quick response and I will remove you. I have no desire to spam anyone! 
