The Golden Carrot Newsletter's Archive

 

December 2014

The Golden Carrot Newsletter

So glad to have some good news to report, after such a painful summer!

Let's start with our NEW RESIDENTS!

 

Little Leo came in first, another relative-youngster, destroyed by the racing industry and cast aside like trash.  Leo "Lionizer" (click on his name to read his whole story) won just over $14,850 in 8 starts, was dumped by the trainer or owner after his injury, and has been pretty much warehoused by the kindhearted people that took him in ever since.  He has some big names in his pedigree - Grandpa Mr. Prospector; GreatGrandpas Raise A Native, Secretariat, Seattle Slew.  I'm happy to announce that an adjustment by Laurie H. was HUGELY helpful to him, and while his right knee in particular is still a problem, he's moving MUCH better.

 

Leo has formed a strong attachment to Basky, much to Jet's dismay, but I'm thinking we have a threesome here - Queen Basky, and her minions Jet and Leo. It was strong enough for weeks that I've decided to move Leo over to be next to Jet.

 

Then from the same shelter who sent us Pistol, came Summer and Naomi!  (click on their names to read their intake stories) Two elderly mares, used up and tossed aside.  Summer is in slightly better shape, but has bad teeth and lost the use of her one eye due at least in part to improper treatment of ulcers on the cornea.  Naomi is damaged physically, with horrific scars on her hind legs (casting accident? tripping?), evidence that she had at least one baby but swayback and starvation caused her uterus to tip, and her 'almost horizontal' vulva now catches feces causing a low grade infection.   She was found as a stray along Highway 166, and I believe she had to be dumped there as she would never leave other horses voluntarily. She is both dependently and protectively attached to Summer, which works out well for Summer's new blindness.  

Both mares got immediate chiropractic help, and particularly Naomi was grateful for that. Amazing to see her eye soften immediately, and her head drop to a normal position!  Dr. Z came out and floated both of them (discovering that Summer has lost two upper molars), and determined that Summer has a slight heart murmur and probably a slab of sand in her guts.  Dear Naomi will need a Caslick's surgery to help prevent infection of vagina/uterus and bladder - it can be done here, and overall shouldn't cost much more than $500, but for her long term well being is necessary.  If you can't monthly sponsor, can you consider a one-time donation towards that expense which will take place end of January?  

 

We need sponsors, particularly for Leo and Summer.  Any committed amount will make you a sponsor - can you help?

 

Some good news is also that Kimberly Miles has stepped up as a part sponsor for our Daisy!  YAY.  Finally, our sweet girl has someone of her own!  Thank you Kim, and welcome!

Fundraisers:

Katja/Irene Auction

Katja and Irene decided to try an auction again, and were able to raise $700 for us! Very welcome, since a pellet delivery tomorrow is going to cost $4,500!!  (Remember, we feed a lot of hay pellets here at TGC, because our population is quite elderly. There is only so much floating can do for old horses - it can be overdone and cause more damage than good.  In a horse like Leo, for instance, despite long term neglect, we were able to help a lot, and will be able to finish that work in June. But he's only 12.  In a horse like Summer, or even Naomi, there's not nearly as much tooth left to work with.  Pellets allow them to get all the hay they can use, in a form they can take in.  Buying in bulk makes it no more expensive than hay bales, with no wastage. )   Doing auctions on FB has its own set of challenges - do you make a group, or an event? Or just a photo album?  How can you add stuff?  How can you keep track of bids?  If you add stuff later, who sees it?  This was our second attempt, but each time, we learn something.  We're grateful to the donors who provided the lovely items, and to Katja and Irene who did all the work, including shipping!

 

Sonya's Gift Certificates!

Friend and supporter Sonya Northrup came up with the idea of creating gift certificates - either $5 as a .pdf in your mailbox to print and distribute, or $8 mailed to your giftee!  You have a choice of style and horse, and the gift certificate is personalized to your giftee!  A great stocking stuffer, and gift for that person you'd like to acknowledge - your mailman, your barrista, your child's teacher, a friend that you know already 'has everything'! :-D  And I don't think these have to be restricted to Christmas giving - anytime all year (birthdays, graduations, any holiday), let us know and Sonya will whip up something suitable for that special someone.  Here's a link to what we're offering for Christmas

 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153082714856754.1073741904.202949741753&type=1  And below is an example...

2014

 

This has been an unbearably sad year for me.  TEN friends lost.  I've never had a year like it.  And I've kept at it.  I brought in Pistol, Butters, Summer, Naomi, Jet, Leo, and Anya to fill some of those empty stalls.  As the list of those lost grew, it was harder and harder for me to think of filling that space.  A whole five weeks went by once - and yes, during that time I had many applicants for the space.  When I finally filled that space, a fairly new supporter commented on Facebook "back in business".  It was "just a phrase", but it cut me to the bone.  I'd been caring for 39 horses while grieving that last loss. That wasn't enough?  39 horses who all deserve all the care and comfort we can offer.  Just because I'm caring for them now, and they're not "about to step on the slaughter truck" doesn't mean they don't need our help.  These horses have been catastrophically injured, so as to be "un-useful", or have been used for a lifetime, till the simple damage of age has made them "un-useful".  I cannot bring myself to consider them objects, to be thrown away. They are people.  Many with years of experience, full of fun and surprises like your grandma and grandpa can be. Some just babies, so injured they can nevermore serve man as they were required to do all of their short lives.  Why should they be punished more for what we've done to them?  Why can't they just live, and be who they are?  Why do they lose importance because a bolt gun is not aimed at their head?  I promise folks, if you could visit and meet them, you'd be as charmed and enamoured of them as I and volunteer Irene are!  If you felt Jedi nibbling at your coat looking for cookies, or watched them play together, or felt that liquid gaze calmly watching you as you passed, you'd know some sweet souls, who deserve a chance to be what mother nature made them - Horses.  As a sanctuary, I walk the thin line between a good rescue and a crazy lady hoarder. And because so many have gone wrong, people flinch away from helping sanctuaries.  Between that, and so many grants aimed at adoption programs, we struggle to survive. Please don't feel you are not doing good, or your donation dollar is not helping, just because I may have an open stall.  I'm trying to be responsible. And if I have a couple of bucks, but not enough to support another horse here, I may make a donation to another rescue, whom I'm sure is doing the job right.  It's all helping the horses...

Finally, although I've had a good amount of good news here, I want you to know that the needs continue.  I recently was contacted by a couple in the middle of California, who decided to adopt a couple of rescue horses for themselves this year. The husband is apparently a softie, and when the rescue pushed him, he agreed to take a third horse.  But this poor guy has more problems than this couple is able to deal with, especially because even the two they adopted need rehab (very thin and one untrained).  Let's ignore a rescue who operates like this, and focus on the poor palomino and the people who tried to help him.   I have 1 stall left I'm willing to fill.  But I can't do it without some sponsors for this guy.  I posted on FB, and while many deplored his situation, no one wanted to donate towards his rescue and care. What do you think? Can I get enough in general donations to cover him? I'll take him if I can raise $1,000 (to cover transport and his first 4 months here).

We can see he is quite thin, and the next pic shows what's really his problem - a bum knee.  According to the rescue who had him only one month, he had been carrying a rider right up to coming to their facility.  Dang. Who rides a horse whose knee looks like this?

 

Please don't forget us.  There are so many ways to help.  Online shopping at www.iGive.com can generate income for a charity (please choose us!); if you shop at Ralphs (or any of Kroger's stores), and sign up on their website at www.Ralphs.com or www.Krogers.com on the community giving tab, the charity can benefit.  Share our newsletters, and follow us on www.facebook.com/TheGoldenCarrot and share our posts, to find new people who might help.  Share our website at www.thegoldencarrot.org.  Ask your employer if they have a matching donation program.  The Golden Carrot is already on some larger employers' databases - and we'll apply to your employer if you just tell us where.  And please consider a donation - any size can truly make a difference. 

 

I hope you all have great holiday celebrations. Let's all reach out to someone less fortunate and help.  It's a gift we can all give ourselves!