Everyone enjoyed the bright warm sun. Brandie found a quiet spot and had a snooze.
Jonathan took his usual spot under the trailer and soaked up the heat.
The volunteers arrived and we had even more rays of bright sun. Tina groomed Navajo while Leeso and Stewart awaited their turns.
Jenny and Carly groomed Lexi.
Hey, I'm here, too. Patience, Levi, they'll get to you. And they did.
Marnie waited, too. Marnie is a funny boy. He'll eat breakfast out of the barn and spend the day with Tess and Amira, but when dinner time comes he's at the barn waiting to come in. He eats dinner inside, thank you.
Lexi needed some extra attention so Carly and Jenny spent lots of time with her.
Meanwhile Leah and Bobbie had some time together.
Quest came around the side of the house to see if he was missing anything.
Can you see Baby in the trees? Pine needles and a long haired donkey make good camouflage.
These poor indoor plants were being mangled by Patches so they got moved to the front porch.
It seems like they'd like to come back in. They get wrapped when the weather is cold.
Frankie and Moon Dancer have mud in their stall. Yuck! They can go to the top and be dry. I think we'll call Moon Dancer Mud Dancer instead.
The goats got out to sun bathe while Quest and Sparkle nibble on the hay.
Look at that blue blue sky.
Pedro took a beautifying mud bath.
Rico stayed in the trees and avoided the mud pack.
We love having the volunteers come. So much gets done. The horses benefit from the extra attention. The children learn about the work involved in owning a horse. We get to be with people we like.
Frankie and Moon Dancer have mud in their stall. Yuck! They can go to the top and be dry. I think we'll call Moon Dancer Mud Dancer instead.
The goats got out to sun bathe while Quest and Sparkle nibble on the hay.Look at that blue blue sky.
Pedro took a beautifying mud bath.
Rico stayed in the trees and avoided the mud pack.
We love having the volunteers come. So much gets done. The horses benefit from the extra attention. The children learn about the work involved in owning a horse. We get to be with people we like.Yesterday there were many discussions about about Sparkle's condition and neglected, abused, and abandoned horses in general. Mostly people could not believe that animals are treated so poorly. They wanted to know what they could do. They wanted to know about the punishment for people who mistreat horses. They wondered if anyone had complained about us- having a horse so thin.
Those are all good questions and concerns. ALWAYS speak to authorities if you believe there is neglect or abuse. CONTINUE to call if there are no results. You must be the voice for the animals. We welcome calls because it shows someone cares. We have Dr Darling here as soon as new animals come in. We have medical records to show the care the animals are receiving. We do have thin horses, of course. Some have been sick. Some starved. Some are aging and can't keep weight on, but ALL are under the doctor's care. ALL are watched carefully and evaluated continuously. We welcome visitors and their questions. Any responsible owner, rescue and sanctuary will be delighted that there are animal advocates looking out for the good of the horses.
This does not mean trouble makers who are there for their own reasons. There are always people who think they can do it better. My response to them is usually "How many do you have? Who is your vet? How do you care for them? Why aren't you at your place caring for your animals?" Or better still, "We welcome all volunteers who are willing to work hard to help the horses. How many hours a week can you give us?"
This does not mean trouble makers who are there for their own reasons. There are always people who think they can do it better. My response to them is usually "How many do you have? Who is your vet? How do you care for them? Why aren't you at your place caring for your animals?" Or better still, "We welcome all volunteers who are willing to work hard to help the horses. How many hours a week can you give us?"
As for the punishment issue. I don't believe there is any punishment great enough for an abuser. Most agencies do not have the resources to arrest and punish everyone who needs it. That means WE -all of us- must watch out for the critters.
WE must do what we can to help them out of horrendous situations. WE must make sure there are enforceable laws and the man power to enforce them. There must be judges to carry out the law.
WE must do what we can to help them out of horrendous situations. WE must make sure there are enforceable laws and the man power to enforce them. There must be judges to carry out the law.
What it really comes down to is that we must educate people about the wonderful animals who share our world. We must teach them to respect and care for every living thing. We must model and teach compassion.
We deal daily with the consequences of peoples' poor decisions. We are so glad the animals are here and in all the other caring homes, rescues and sanctuaries. If I could have a single wish granted it would be that all of us were no longer needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment