I “came of age” in the sixties; a wonderful time for all kinds of music. I am still very into music and often think of songs relating to my work. The Beatle’s classic All You Need Is Love came to mind this morning. If only that were so!
All of us committed to the animals here love them unconditionally and get that back in spades. Unfortunately love will not buy hay. Love will not pay vet bills. Love will not pay the plumber when the hydrant seizes up. We have more than enough love to go around, but not enough money.
I realize that the “we need more money” song gets really old, but it is a sad fact of running a nonprofit animal rescue. I came into this work very naïve in regards to what it really entailed. I love all animals; have since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I have fond memories from when I could not have been more than seven or so, helping my dad raise orphan squirrels. Our family had a membership to the Bronx Zoo where I could not be taken often enough. I learned a lot about many different animal species and their needs at the “backstage” visits, a perk of being a member. I learned enough to know at a young age I would someday be involved working with animals.
Fast forward to now. I am so lucky! I still love all animals and enjoy most people as well. The rescue allows me to engage with both on a daily basis. I have amazing helpers who work very hard to keep the farm looking ship shape and the animals well cared for. I am very grateful for what I do have and really dislike having to ask for more. The part I didn’t factor in at the beginning was that asking for help would become part of my job.
Please know that every penny donated is very gratefully appreciated. All of it goes toward the care of the animals and upkeep of the farm. We have one full time paid employee. Everyone else who is here on a regular basis, including myself, are not paid. We are volunteers.
I thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.
ChEARS,
Ann
p.s. — A heartfelt thank you to all who are shopping on our website as well. Your support is greatly appreciated!
This youngster came to AAE with a group of youngsters in June of 2016. Rio was a about nine months old. He had minimal handling and was pretty much terrified of humans. He took considerable time to get comfortable with a halter, and he was one those we say every introduction seemed like 50 first dates. It was just as scary the 50th time as it was the first, no matter every time was uneventful. Every introduction to something new was the same reaction, no matter how consistent we tried to be, and even if we changed things up altering our approach.
Rio needed a very experienced person to help him conquer his fears, and someone with the patience of a saint. Rio was a friendly and inquisitive toddler. He was very athletic and a nice mover. He could excel in any discipline, and he could be a wonderful all around mount, if only he could conquer his fears. In time (lots of time), Rio learned all the young horse basics. He was halterable in pasture, he could be led, lunged, and learned to tie. He picked up his feet, and he was good with a calm and patient farrier. He loved water, enjoyed other horses, and really tried hard to please. If only he had courage.
He needed lots of positive exposure and lots of positive experiences to develop confidence. He was respectful of people and for the most part stays out of his handlers space even when spooked (which was quite often).
Rio needed a confident leader that could support him and help him through learning new things.
In May of this year, Rio found just what he needed!!
A forever home with the perfect family!
17 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
AAE welcomed Tae and her days old filly, Maddie, from the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary in May of 2018 in continued support their herd reduction efforts. Tae’s maternal instincts had not kicked in. She was not allowing Maddie to nurse, though Maddie figured out if she nursed from behind Tae, mom wouldn’t resist. Tae would bite her when she attempted to nurse from the side.
These two needed some help.
Tae had minimal handling, so it was difficult to offer much assistance to Maddie, and it was difficult to watch. We tried using panels to hold mom, but the biting continued. Ultimately, Mom and Baby were separated for a couple hours. Thankfully, when reintroduced, Tae was much more accepting and willing to let Maddie nurse. Maternal instincts kicked in!
Tae and Maddie along with the other moms and foals were given several months to settle in, live in the presence of humans and other domesticated horses, and simply be horses. Tae is a sweet and fairly mild-mannered mustang mare all of about three years old. She took some time to accept human touch, but once she did, she accepted a halter fairly easily. Tae has been haltered and handled some, and she is willing and tries to understand. She needs more time socializing, and she is learning to trust. She is a smart girl with a lot of try. She’s still a work in progress.
Tae is current with hoof and dental care, vaccines, and deworming.
Maddie was only days old when she arrived. Maddie was persistent and clever! Her new tactic continued, even after she won Mom’s heart.
Maddie is kind, curious and confident. She has been introduced to a halter and lead, and did well from the start. This lil’ gal will make for an amazing partner and a super horse.
Maddie is current with vaccines, deworming, and hoof care. Maddie has an adoption Pending
18 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
Do you remember Blue? He’s been at AAE for some time now, trying to heal after a nearly seven pound mass was removed from his hind fetlock in Fall of 2017.
Graphic photos of his progress are included below.
Blue is a 2010 Virginia Range (NV) mustang gelding who came to AAE March of 2017 after a request for assistance from the Virginia Range Wild Horse Sanctuary and Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund. Blue had been carrying around a large mass of proud flesh (granulation tissue) over his left rear fetlock/pastern area for some time. Although he had been haltered and handled some previously, he was not halterable when he arrived at AAE, and we knew we had a big job ahead in helping Blue.
Before we could evaluate the mass, he had to be gentled, haltered, and his legs/hooves had to be handleable. With a straightforward mustang, not a big deal, but Blue had some substantial fear/trust issues. Initial efforts with befriending and haltering him were lukewarm. Thanks to Dr. Stolba and Team LBEMC (throughout Blue‘s journey), he had made enough progress that we were able to sedate him, radiograph the bony area beneath the mass, and collect tissue samples for biopsy. We wanted to make sure there was not an underlying reason for the mass other than old injury before getting too deep into corrective measures if they would be for naught. It was not an easy feat. Even with sedation, he kicked quickly and with purpose.
Radiographs and biopsy showed no obvious issues, so the work continued. Weeks in, Blue seemed to have had a reaction to something and developed a mysterious condition that turned out to be a form of vasculitis. He developed sores/ulcers throughout his mouth. They were horribly painful. Though his history and symptoms didn’t suggest, we had to quarantine him and test him for vesicular stomatitis. Thankfully, it was negative. We scaled back our efforts to reduce his stress and allow him to heal. But, the mass was growing.
After several weeks, he improved, and we resumed course. He would take a few steps forward, then a couple steps back. Finally, after many weeks with nominal results, we had a marathon day. We worked until we broke through, six hours. The next day, our learning curve was much shorter, and the next and the next, until finally, we could halter, touch all over, and pick up his left hind and handle it all over. We practiced with bandaging materials and wrapped it up, and he was a gem!
We scheduled surgery, and in late August 2017, he lost nearly seven pounds in a matter of minutes. The mass looked like a big brain, and it weighed in at nearly seven pounds. Imagine what that must have felt like with every move. Needless to say, it was done!
However, the mouth lesions returned. There were more, and they were worse this time. They were on his body, around his anus, and on his sheath. Poor guy, these things were awful, and they appeared to be an autoimmune issue. At one point, we questioned his prognosis and quality of life, but before jumping to conclusions, we biopsied the tissue. We ended up with a vasculitis diagnosis. The best thing was, we changed up his meds, and the sores began to heal. The area where the mass was removed was beginning to heal. In the meantime, the next test came when it was time to change his first bandage. With a bit of sedation, it went fairly smooth, but cleaning the lesion was a little challenging. But, wow, it looked amazing! Such a tremendous improvement. It was like a victory in and of itself, even though not healed.
Healing was progressing nicely!
After several bandage changes, Blue was getting resentful of the needle for sedation, so we tried without. It went well with cleaning a few times, but oddly, after a few times, he didn’t like it when placing the medicated bandage over the lesion. It seems he was healing and he could feel the area again. He stomped the bandage off, over and over. The stomp was a little intimidating, but really, he was only trying to get the “big white bug” off his leg. He didn’t kick out or kick at. His stomp was purposeful in knocking the bandage off his leg. Unfortunately, we couldn’t keep the bandage on, so we had to go back to sedation for a bit. Eventually, we could remove the bandage, clean the lesion, and replace the bandage without issue, without sedation, thankfully. Healing continued.
By November 2017, the lesion was almost healed, but there was a small area where the granulation tissue was persisting, so it was trimmed off. By January 2018, the lesion had nearly healed again. Blue made tremendous progress. However, as the months went on, the small area persisted and started to grow again. We lasered the area and biopsied for a third time, and this time the biopsy revealed a sarcoid. Persistent little buggers!!!
We tried some different medication over the months, but nothing resulted in complete healing, and by Fall, we decided to laser again; however, by November 2018, the sarcoid was growing, it was removed, and another course of treatment began with new medications.
Blue stands quietly for bandage changes weekly. He’s still not healed, but he’s healthy, happy, and in much better shape than when he arrived. He’s dealing well with his bandage changes and seems to understand the routine these days. He continues to have challenges with trust, mostly when introducing new things, but he continues to show progress, one baby step a at a time. As long as he stays healthy and happy, we’ll continue to work on conquering the sarcoid. He continues to love his carrots, and he also enjoys being Uncle Blue to the younguns,
a job he does well!
Like we said last year, Blue‘s story is not an uncommon story in terms of the hurdles we cross with any intake with special needs. We have unexpected bumps in the road that required more than anticipated. For Blue, it was the bouts of vasculitis and later, the discovery of the sarcoid. For some, it’s colic; for others, abscesses, lacerations from tree branches or scuffles with others. We can’t plan for these things, but need the resources to handle them when confronted. We are grateful to have your support now and throughout the year to assure we can manage most any unexpected issue along the way.
19 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
In mid-April, AAE welcomed three mare/foal mustang pairs from the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary in continuing support of their herd reduction efforts. The moms and their little one’s needed to come down from the frigid weather up there.
Kelsea and Rucker
Kelsea arrived a sweet, but timid mare. Rucker, her little colt was about five days old. Kelsea had minimal handling and wasn’t fond of human touch. Moms and babies had time to be moms and babies, but due to an eye infection, Kelsea had to learn quickly so she could be treated. Kelsea was haltered and handled some in preparation for treatment. She was sedated, her eye was treated, and we took advantage of sedation to trim her front hooves. She did great. Mom and baby spent more time together.
She needed more time socializing and learning that she could trust, and we revisited again before her dental. Kelsea was willing, and she had lots of try, but still some reservation. Fortunately, each time was a little easier than the prior.
Kelsea had her teeth floated, hooves trimmed, vaccines, and deworming. Then little man Rucker was gelded before weaning. Shortly after weaning, Kelsea was ADOPTED!
Rucker is an April 14, 2018 mustang gelding. He was a super cute, curious, and independent little guy from the start, even though he had not been handled much. He’s a little character with a big personality.
Rucker has a huge heart and a ton of try. He’s very playful, and a bit of an instigator. He halters leads, and does well with handling hooves. He’s getting better with the farrier. This lil’ guy is going to be a very fun partner that should develop into a super horse, and he’s looking for his very own, young-horse experienced forever home.
Rucker was gelded, and he’s current with hoof care, vaccines, and deworming.
He has a microchip in place.
GYPSY and CALICO GIRL
Gypsy and her filly, Calico Girl were quite the confident pair when they arrived. Gypsy was very laid back and interested in humans. She’d accept a rub on her forehead and neck, but she made clear it was on her terms (in a nice way). “Nope, nope, don’t think so”. She was bossy with the other mares and foals, and Cali Girl aspired to be just like mom. Quite boldly, and only weeks old, she would push the other moms and foals off feed. They quickly made their way to their own paddock so the others could eat in peace.
Gypsy was captured as a yearling/long-yearling in the Calico Roundup in one of the Calico Mountain HMAs in NV in 2009/2010, so she was born 2008-ish. She was subsequently adopted as a long-yearling/two year old from the Broken Arrow (aka Indian Lakes) holding facility in Fallon, NV, then placed at DreamCatcher. Gypsy is a stout and dominant mare with a kind soul. Since weaning her filly, she has softened and become a most agreeable, sweet, and willing gal. She’ll test with a little resistance, but quickly think and soften. Gypsy halters and leads, she enjoys grooming and attention, and she’s fairly good with handling her hooves, but still learning patience with the farrier. Her teeth were floated, and she is current with vaccines, hoof care, and deworming. She has a microchip in place. She’s ready for her forever person, someone that has experience with mustangs.
Calico Girl was a curious and bossy little gal, and she had not been handled much. She wanted to know more about humans, but strictly on her terms (pretty funny!).
Calico Girl is a March 30, 2018 filly, and she was named to honor the horses of the Calico Roundup where her mom came from. Cali halters and leads, and she does fairly well with her hooves. She’s also still learning patience with the farrier. Cali-girl is still learning it’s ok to be with humans, unconditionally. She is is quite active and athletic, and she enjoys giving the other youngsters runs for their money. She has a very independent tenancy, but lacks confidence and needs a compromising approach to find her try.
She will be a challenging, but fun filly to develop a long lasting relationship with, and her forever person should be a young-horse experienced person.
Calico Girl is current with vaccines, deworming, and hoof care, and she has a microchip in place.
TEGAN and AUSTIN
Tegan came to AAE with her little guy, Austin, only a couple weeks old.
Tegan is a sweet, independent, mild-mannered mare. She wasn’t too opposed human touch, and she accepted a halter fairly easily. She has been handled some, and she is a very smart girl. She needs more time socializing and learning to trust, but she is very kind and has a lot of try. She’s still a work in progress, but surprises with every activity.
Tegan is a cute and flashy 2013-ish mare. She’s an easy going, middle of the pack, no nonsense little gal. She has a clean slate and should make a pretty straight forward effort to bring her along. She is current with hoof and dental care, vaccines and deworming. She has a microchip in place. Tegan is looking for her forever home with a mustang-experienced person.
Austin is an April 3, 2018 mustang gelding. He was a shy, but curious little guy, and he had not been handled much. Austin isn’t quite as confident as Rucker, but he, too, has a huge heart and a ton of try.
Austin is very active, playful, and super athletic. He loves to play with the big boys in the herd, and he explores all of the pasture with the big guys and the lil’ ones, too.
Austin halters, leads, and does well with his hooves. He’s fairly good with the farrier. He is current with hoof care, vaccines and deworming, and he has a microchip in place.
20 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
AAE took in this handsome TB gelding in November 2013 after relinquishment by his owner resulting from a neglect situation. He was thrilled to hop onto the trailer when we picked him up. Smokey was a 20-ish Thoroughbred gelding. He seemed to be an absolute gentlemen, and we were told he was an ol’ trail string horse. He was thin and suffering from a respiratory issue. Smokey was visited by Dr. Stolba soon after arrival, and he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection/mild pneumonia.
He was started on course antibiotics while in quarantine.
Fortunately, he rebounded and quickly became a volunteer favorite. Smokey was truly a kind ol’ soul, but he had a few quirks that needed exploring and work. Some days he’d meet you at the gate, other days, he’d rather be alone, and he would play hard to get….and he was hard to get. In time, and with lots of love and kindness from AAE’s volunteers, Smokey softened tremendously.
He had a some additional vet needs taken care of once he was in better health, including much needed dental and hoof care, as well as vaccines and deworming. Later, he had a sarcoid removed from his inquinal area. He also had a swelling adjacent to his wither evaluated. Turns out, radiographs showed an old fracture of one of his vertebrae. We didn’t discover this until after trying to saddle him. Although he accepted a saddle and bridle without issue, any pressure on the horn or gullet when mounting, he would bolt forward. It didn’t take long to realize there was a problem. It sure made sense after seeing the radiographs. A piece of a vertebra had fractured off and lodged between his spinal column and shoulder blade. Poor ol’ guy!! No more riding for this guy!
Sadly, Smokey had two failed adoptions over the past few years, one due to his anxiety after being moved, another due to a financial distress situation.
Thankfully, this earlier this year, Smokey moved on to a family with 10-acres of beautiful green pastures, and he became buddies with an older gelding. Here he is going to meet his new buddy for the first time on his way to happily ever after!
21 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
THE MINI’S ARE FINALLY AVAILABLE!! (Shown above are some currently at Chilly Pepper)
A quick update and plea to help us finally get the mini’s safely home to Chilly Pepper.As of today, all 17 are scheduled for their Coggins tests this coming Thursday. The paperwork should be back 3 days after and we will be bringing them home in time for Christmas!
YOU SAVED ALL OF THE 15 BABIES THIS LAST WEEK! THANK YOU FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM! We were down to the wire, but we made it. Thankfully, several of the folks we work with on a regular basis stepped up to each take 5.As we have 7 babies and 18 adults here right now, this was a huge blessing. Of course we incurred THE EXPENSES of getting them, vetting them etc.. Matt drove 2300+ miles, and most of it was on ice to get them all picked up, vetted and taken to their temporary homes for adoption. I am happy to say that many of them already have committed adopters.
It’s hard to keep asking for help.You have already saved so many lives. But the simple fact is, without your help, we cannot save these horses. I have been planning the latest update, where I could simply thank all of you for the amazing love and support and the fact that we were in fact successful in saving ALL of the babies. Sadly, there are more lives to save, and we do need help to do it.
We have been praying for a break in the emergencies, but we have been waiting so long to get these mini’s to safety that we simply cannot turn our backs. So please help us if you can.
We ended up sending the money to the fire victims as opposed to physically taking hay. After checking with the folks in charge, due to the poor weather and lack of dry storage we were given two people to contact and they were ecstatic to have the help. So thank you again for making that happen.
So we are hoping and praying that y’all will come through again and help us save the new kids. We have had some wonderful donations, and we are so grateful as we would normally not have anywhere near this number of horses at this time of year. They are not being “hoarded”, they simply need more time to heal and when they are ready we will get them adopted.
Thank you and God Bless!
BELOW ARE THE BABIES YOU JUST HELP US WITH! THANK YOU FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM!
Have a “MINI CHRISTMAS”!!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
Billy and Luna came to AAE as orphan foals. Billy was about three weeks old,
and Luna was days old. Luna came to AAE with Billy as her buddy, while her new mom was traveling over the spring and summer.
…and good buddies they were. Two peas in a pod!
Big Brother Billy tended to pester Little Luna,
but she new exactly how to keep BBB in check….
They were introduced to the herd to learn more about herd behavior and horsey life…
and the “Brat Pack” was born…Grammy Sierra, Billy, Luna, Rascal and Foley
Billy is a lil mustang born on the Virginia Range, Nevada around March 1, 2018. He was orphaned when his mom was run off by a bachelor band when he was just a lil’ guy, only days old. He was fostered by local volunteers in NV before coming to AAE. We were told he had a scrotal hernia and additional veterinary needs were anticipated.
This lil’ guy was absolutely adorable.
…and looking super handsome now! He is active, athletic, and quite inquisitive. He’s very social and loves grooming and any kind of attention. He’s playful, yet respectful, and he does well in halter and with his hooves He’ll continue his learning as he grows.
His castration was delayed a bit due to the suspected hernia and the need for surgery in the clinic, just in case. Thankfully, surgery went well, and no hernia was found.
So, Billy is finally available adoption.
He is current with vaccines, deworming and hoof care. He has a microchip in place. Until he’s adopted, he’ll continue entertaining the volunteers at AAE…
and hangin’ out with Grammy Sierra.
His new person will be experienced raising a young horse.
Luna was also an orphan, a filly from the Virginia Range. She’s about three weeks younger than Billy (DOB around March 21, 2018). She spent her first few months at AAE, getting lots of love and attention from volunteers and it didn’t take long before she was another volunteer favorite.
This lil’ gal is such a gorgeous girl. Looking forward to a bright future for her and following her progress!
22 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
Cahill and Maya
CAHILL
Cahill came to AAE on March 9, 2018 when his family was unable to care for him. They rescued him from a pasture where he was alone and neglected. They were told he was a former sheriff’s horse. His family found they were unable to provide adequate care and sought help. When he arrived, he was very thin, very depressed, and had skin issues.
Cahill was started on a refeeding diet, and slowly began gaining weight. Shortly after arrival, on the first sunny day, Cahill was treated to a spa day. He got a medicated bath and was groomed head to toe. As his skin condition was healing, he ultimately lost most of his hair. He was nearly bald, but he seemed relieved. Once his weight and condition improved, his teeth were floated, hooves trimmed, deworming done, and vaccines updated. He was started on a daily med for his arthritis.
Cahill was a kind ol’ guy that enjoyed grooming and attention. He enjoyed other horses and was fairly passive in a herd environment, but didn’t have a lot of herd savvy. He did better in his own paddock beside or with another horse. He had some arthritis and was quite stiff in the hind end and we felt he would do best as a companion.
MAYA
Maya was a beautiful 12-14 year old-ish mare that was rescued by her former owner from extreme neglect and abuse. Maya was relinquished to AAE at the end of September 2016 when her owner was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and was no longer able to care for Maya or work with her due to her illness and terminal prognosis.
Upon veterinary exam, Maya was diagnosed with Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis or DSLD. Due to her DSLD, she would need a companion home with relatively flat ground where she will not be “forced” to move by other horses. Her teeth were floated, hooves trimmed, deworming done, and vaccines updated. She was started on a daily med for her DSLD.
Maya was untrusting when she arrived, but slowly began trusting humans and finally accepted haltering, fly masks, fly spray, and grooming. Maya was good with handling her front feet, but fearful of activity around her hind end and did not tolerate hind hoof handling without sedation.
We were excited when this duo was welcomed into their forever home together.
Their new family is thoroughly enjoying caring for them.
23 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
Martina and Valentine
Martina and Valentine came to AAE from the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary in March 2018. Valentine was only days old. AAE has been supporting DreamCatcher’s herd reduction efforts since April of 2017 after the long illness and passing of their Executive Director, Barbara Clarke, in November of 2016.
Martina is a BLM branded mustang about nine years old. She appeared to have minimal human contact. Martina was thin and hungry with baby in tow, but she new where to go. She showed up at the barn with Valentine after not coming down for winter. Sadly, winter conditions at the sanctuary are fierce (for California anyway), and AAE got a call.
Martina was a great mom, but not interested in humans. She was given lots of time to be a mom and replenish her body. Initially, she was confident, and avoided humans like the plague. With intermittent rounds of human interaction, her curiosity and interest in humans is growing. We’re hoping by spring she’ll be ready for adoption to a mustang-experienced home.
Valentine was a curious and sassy little gal, with little human exposure as well. She wanted to know more about humans, but only from a distance. Valentine was a little toughie with a big opinion. She didn’t stray far from mom, so early efforts to handle her failed. Subsequent efforts were strongly avoided, but soon, she figured out no harm would come and humans were fun.
She’s still honing her skills, but she’s a smart little gal with a big future. Valentine is very active and athletic, and she enjoys romping around with the other youngsters. She will no doubt be fun partner to grow with in a long lasting relationship.
Valentine is current with vaccines and deworming. She is still learning about hoof care and farriers, but making very good progress. Valentine has a large umbilical hernia that needs surgical repair, and we are preparing to schedule soon. She’ll be ready for adoption once she has recovered.
If you want to donate to her umbilical hernia surgery click here
25 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
Quinn and Blaze
Quinn & Blaze came to AAE when their family was preparing to downsize. Fortunately, Quinn and Blaze’s family were planning ahead, and when space became available, AAE was able to help, which is often not the case. Quinn and Blaze were in good condition when they arrived.
Quinn was a very fancy 23-year-old half Arab (registered) and half Saddlebred mare. She had a mild injury to her front right leg but, was lightly ridable in the past. Quinn was a sweet ol’ girl that tended to be higher energy and a bit impatient. She was trained English and Western in the distant past, and she spent time in the arena and on trails. However, she had not been ridden for about 5 years. Back in the day, Quinn was forward on trail and loved to go! Quinn was a bit more complicated and needed an experienced person.
Not long after arrival, Quinn’s teeth were floated and hooves were trimmed. She was dewormed and vaccines were updated. She was also evaluated by our vet and okayed for light riding. Quinn was on the lean side and not gaining weight, and she had some hock sores that were not healing. Subsequent blood work showed she was positive for Cushing’s, and she was started on daily medication.
Blaze was a very handsome 21-ish year old (~1996) Arabian gelding. Blaze had no formal training, but he was used as an occasional trail horse. He hadn’t been ridden for about 5 years. Shortly before coming to AAE, he suffered a mild bout of laminitis.
Not long after arrival, Blaze’s teeth were also floated, and hooves were trimmed. He was dewormed, and vaccines were updated. Blaze’s hooves had much improved, and he was doing very well.
Quinn and Blaze had been together for several years, and they were bonded seniors. Fortunately, the stars aligned, and they were adopted together into their forever home. Their adopters are a horse experienced home with two young children. They were looking forward to the companionship of horses again and what a perfect opportunity for these two!
Quinn and Blaze’s adoption took them to Paradise, CA. In November, the Camp Fire devastated the town of Paradise. Most homes were destroyed and the community has been displaced. Through the darkness, there is light. We are relieved and happy to report Quinn, Blaze, and their family are safe!
Our hearts goes out to everyone that was impacted.
25 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
In the early morning hours on Saturday, November 24th, walking through her living room Ann stepped on German Shepherd Jack’s tail which abruptly knocked her off her feet resulting in a spectacular but very damaging fall.
In extreme pain and unable to move, Jeff came to the rescue and got Ann into the car and off to the Emergency Room. Five hours, and many Xrays and CT scans later, the extent of her injuries was still unclear but a couple appointments and casts later it turns out Ann sustained a torn ligament and fibula twist fracture and could be off her feet for up to 3 months.
The accident has left our fearless leader in pain and on crutches making it challenging or impossible for her to do the simplest of living skills such as shower, dress, drive, or carry a cup of coffee to the kitchen table. Furthermore, it has a HUGE impact on the rescue since Ann typically spends a good portion of her day outside caring for the animals.
With Ann house-bound, several volunteers have stepped up to temporarily fill in with feeding, watering, grooming, mucking and generally overseeing the rescue’s current long-ear residents.
A hearty thanks to SYA volunteers Pomme, Andria Elliot, and employee Hannah Exel who have picked up the slack.
Such a setback going into winter is hard and SYALER certainly can’t expect volunteers to continue to show up every day for the next 12 weeks as the days get colder, the pathways get icy and more snow falls. We need to compensate people who are willing to work to keep the animals safe and healthy, but paying for extra barn help is a big unexpected drain on SYA’s budget.
I am therefore appealing to you today to GO to the DONATE button and consider giving whatever you can to assure we keep the farm purring while Ann heals.
Many thanks!
-Elise Paffrath
SYALER board member
p.s. This injury is a tough blow to our intrepid CEO in part because she’s being forced to accept a lot of help (not something she’s always good at), but Ann will be so grateful and relieved knowing that extra workers are being compensated through the long haul ahead.
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
Dixie, Patsy, Kitty, June and Dolly
AE welcomed this group of five girls, Dixie, Patsy, Kitty, June and Dolly, from the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary on Feb 28, 2018. AAE has been supporting the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary’s recovery and herd reduction efforts since April 2017, after the long illness and passing of their Executive Director, Barbara Clarke in November of 2016.
All five of these young girls spent some time at the Monty Roberts International Learning Centerfor gentling and learning basic groundwork before arriving at AAE. All accepted haltering on arrival, some better than others, and they all still needed considerable time building trust and confidence. Dolly, Dixie and Kitty later returned to MRILC for participation in additional courses and further development. They were all introduced to ground driving and a saddle (no rider). All three did quite well.
DIXIE
Dixie is a nice looking and well-built, 7-year old-ish mustang mare. She came back the “Most Improved” of this class. She returned a different horse, much more calm, confident, and social. She shows steady improvement. She halters, leads, and loads. Handling her hooves and working with the farrier are still a work in progress. Dixie is looking for her forever home with a mustang experienced person. She is a dominant mare, which should be considered in her future home. Dixie was brought current earlier this year with dental and hoof care, vaccines and deworming, and she has a microchip in place.
KITTY
Kitty is a cute, little, 6-year old-ish shy, somewhat passive mustang mare. She halters, lead, and loads, and she is good with her hooves and farrier. She still needs confidence, but she’s improving along the way. She has been easily pushed around by other horses, but she is finding her place, but really just wants to just be. Kitty is looking for her forever home with a person with mustang experience. Kitty was brought current earlier this year with dental and hoof care, vaccines and deworming,
and she has a microchip in place.
DOLLY
Dolly is a sweet, gentle 2-3 year old mustang filly. She returned from MRILC all the better. She is confident, calm, and social. She is soft, kind, and willing, with a growing curiosity that needs to be nurtured so this girl can shine. Dolly is on the lower end of the hierarchy in herd dynamics. Dolly was brought current earlier this year with dental and hoof care, vaccines and deworming, and she has a microchip in place.
Dolly has an adoption pending!!
PATSY
Patsy is a curious, but somewhat shy 3-4 year old mustang filly. She has a dominant tenancy in the herd. She is building confidence, but needs more trust building. She has an inquisitive mind, and wants to please. Patsy needs a patient person to nurture her curiosity and confidence. She halters, leads, and loads, but handling her hooves and farrier are still a work in progress. Patsy was brought current earlier this year with dental and hoof care, vaccines and deworming, and she has a microchip in place.
Patsy has an adoption pending!!
These girls have all shown steady progress, and all will benefit from more
consistent and daily handling. The right homes for Dixie and Kitty will be with individuals with mustang experience; patient persons willing to commit the time and consistent efforts to bring their sweet girl along
JUNE
June’s story is a little different. June is a 5-year old-ish mustang mare. Not long after arrival earlier this year, little June’s belly suddenly ballooned in a matter of days. She delivered her colt, Johnny, on April 20, 2018. She had a difficult delivery, but thankfully, she and Johnny had a good vet. June got some down time to settle in at AAE and enjoy her lil’ guy. June was the most mellow and willing of the group. She is a sweet, gentle mare that is on the lower end of the hierarchy in the herd environment; though recently, that seems to be changing. Her confidence is growing! She is soft and kind, while a little aloof. June has low fetlocks and should not be considered for more than a light riding prospect, at best. She halters, leads, and loads, but handling her hooves and farrier are still a work in progress.
June was brought current earlier this year with vaccines, deworming, and hoof and dental care, and she has a microchip in place. Her hooves are still a work in progress, but she did fairly well with the farrier for her two trims. June is looking for a mustang experienced home; someone with patience to give her the time and leadership she needs!
JOHNNY
As soon as he was ready, Little Johnny was gelded, and adopted shortly after to a wonderful home where he’s buddy to a filly his same age.
This pic was him hanging out with Uncle Blue, not too long before adoption.
Do you have room for a horse in need of a home??
If you are not able to adopt, but want to help support one of these sweet girls until they move on to their forever home, consider sponsoring.
For more information on sponsoring a horse click here!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
Amigo, Rudy and Gunner
Your support in 2018 probably had the biggest impact in the lives of our next intake group: Amigo, Rudy, and Gunner. These three boys came to AAE in mid-January 2018 from a neglect situation. Amigo and Rudy were in very poor condition. Fortunately, Gunner was in pretty good condition. This is a long one, enjoy!
AMIGO
Amigo weighed about 850 pounds upon arrival. As thin as he looked in photos, he was much thinner. His coat was thick with dead undercoat that felt like a wool rug draped over his bony skeleton beneath. He was also covered with hundreds of ticks that took days to remove.
We were told he’s 29. We were told he was a riding horse, but bucks after a couple hours (at his age, I’m sure he’s saying, enough already!). Other than that, the rest is a mystery.
Thankfully, Amigo’s vet check went surprisingly well, and he was started on a slow refeeding program consistent with UC Davis’ protocol for rehabilitating starved horses. After about a week at AAE, he had what turned out to be a minor bout of colic; when he went down, we didn’t think he would get up. This pic is worth 1,000 words.
Fortunately, the docs were heroic that night, and he rallied! He battled through it like the survivor he is, and has been great ever since!
Though emaciated and starving, it was plain as day this ol’ guy had a heart of gold. His journey to recovery was a slow one, but he made steady progress, day after day.
He craved attention and simply enjoyed being in the presence of humans. He would munch on food with his skinny head peaking out of his stall, bright-eyed with a big ol’ smile on his face. “Hey, come gimme some lovin'”
Amigo is such a great reminder of how fragile yet resilient horses are. He holds no grudges for humans, even though he wasn’t treated so kind. Once he gained some weight and stabilize, his teeth were floated, hooves were trimmed, and vaccines were updated and he was dewormed. He was slowly coming back to health.
Amigo has returned to good health, and he’s in great condition for 29-something. There could not be a more sweet, kind, lovable old fella! This guy is an absolute gem, and a volunteer favorite. We LOVE this ol’ guy and everything about him.
Amigo is such an ambassador for horses with new volunteers. He’s just a big love! He couldn’t be more easy to handle. He is patient, he’s kind, and he’s one of the most dependable horses at AAE. At 29, this ol’ guy can call AAE home, his last stop.
Amigo needs a sponsor.
For more information on sponsoring a horse click here!
RUDY
Rudy has a story, too. Though he wasn’t in quite as bad of shape as Amigo, he was in sad shape. We were told he was about 23 years old, and had been ridden quite a bit. He had been used for barrel racing. Beyond that, little is known about his past.
Rudy weighed only about 875 pounds when he arrived. He was also covered with ticks, but not as heavily as Amigo.
His teeth were in bad shape, too. His hooves hadn’t been cared for in quite some time, and heal had deep heal cracks with open sores in all four. Rudy was simply “empty”.
Rudy was started on a slow refeeding program consistent with UC Davis’ protocol for rehabilitating starved horses. His teeth had also been neglected, but he was given time to stabilize and gain a bit of weight.
Though emaciated and starving, Rudy was a really kind guy, but his focus was on his next meal. He seemed to enjoy attention, but he was indifferent at times, especially if there was food in his proximity.
He’s had regular farrier work, but his heel cracks persist. He had much needed dental work, he’s been dewormed, and his vaccines were updated.
Rudy has been saddled and ridden lightly. He’s soft and willing under saddle, but his hooves are still an issue. They are making slow improvement, but need more time.
This ‘ol guy is another sweet ‘ol soul and handsome as ever.
GUNNER
Gunner looked pretty much like a normal horses. It was hard to believe he had been living with Amigo and Rudy. We were told Gunner was about 19 years old, and he had been started under saddle, but never finished.
Gunner had some trust issues and it took a bit to earn his trust. He was evasive for haltering, though led fairly well. This guy needed more confidence; and he seemed so vulnerable with leg and hoof handling, His teeth were floated, hooves trimmed, and vaccines updated.
Gunner, is a shy guy that appears to have been mis-handled at some point in life. He is halterable, curious, gentle, and willing. Gunner has made consistent progress, and he’s become more much more willing to interact with humans. He’s starting to seek attention. He’s softened considerably, and so far, we haven’t identified any major issues.
Gunner is temporarily fostered with one of AAE’s adopters so we could help a couple more horses this winter. He has been hanging out with cows, and recently, he showed his gentler, nurturing side when he nuzzled up with a newborn calf. How sweet is that!
This handsome guy is looking for a home with experience with horses with trust issues. He’s healthy, willing, and seems to have some good years for someone willing to give him the time he needs to trust and flourish. Gunner is up to date with vaccines, deworming, and hoof and dental care.
27 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
Dia and Noche
Dia came to AAE with her buddy Noche on January 14, 2018. Her owner lived alone and was experiencing a major health issue. She was unable manage the physical requirements of caring for her two horses. These two girls were delivered to AAE by a friend, and they unloaded from the trailer like it was just another day. Ho hum!
Noche appeared to be in good health. She was a 20 year old Quarter Horse/Paso Fino mare in good condition, and very easy to handle. She was about 13.2 hh, and we just loved her lil’ legs!! She was scheduled for updating dental, vaccines, and farrier. She was a gem, soooo good with the vet and farrier, and she loved grooming and attention. Noche was going to make someone a fabulous pony.
Dia was a super cute little (~14.0 hh), 21 year old Arabian mare. She had a history of showing successfully in halter, and her easy going temperament occasionally allowed someone to hop on and head down the trail, even though she had no formal training. Her prior owner indicated she had not been ridden a lot, but she took it all in stride and did quite well. She also said she could benefit from some chiropractic work, and might be suitable for light riding. Dia was on the thin side, but it might have been because lil’ Noche was tubby Noche.
Dia’s was also vet checked and her dental, vaccines and hoof care were updated. Her vet check went pretty well. She had multiple melanomas under, around, and on her tail and a few in other areas. Did I say multiple? I meant a lot! They’re often not a problem, but she had two around her rectal area that needed to be removed. One was ulcerated and painful, and flies would be a big nuisance if left alone. The other was internal, on or near her anal sphincter, and it was golf ball sized. It was pushing her rectum to the side. If not removed, it would likely continue to grow and push more into the rectum and block the passage of manure. Dia also had a melanoma in the corner of her mouth on the left side. This one was removed so she could comfortably wear a bit, should she be ridden with a bit in the future. Last, but not least, she had a large melanoma on her hip area. It was raised and in an area where it would be easy to catch on gates or other things she brushed against, an injury ready to happen. Though it wasn’t ulcerated or otherwise an issue, it made sense to remove when the others were removed. The melanomas were removed and she recovered nicely, thought he hip area was deep and healing would take time. Dia was easy to handle; she was good with the farrier; and she also enjoy grooming and attention.
Dentals done, vaccines updated, hoof care completed, deworming done, ready for adoption. Fortunately, Noche and Dia came at just the right time; they were perfect for an adopter waiting for a couple nice horses that could be grand-baby ponies! They are now with their forever family, and they have little girls of their own.
28 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
Gentry and Foley
AAE welcomed Gentry, a pretty young mare, and Foley, her little “red” colt from the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary in September 2017. AAE has been supporting the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary’s recovery and herd reduction efforts since April 2017. DreamCatcher has been in a recovery period after the long illness and passing of their Executive Director, Barbara Clarke in November of 2016.
What a cute “little” pair they were. Gentry was an attentive mom, but also a kid herself. When they arrived, young Foley seemed a bit lethargic and small for his age, but mom was small, too. They were vet checked shortly after arrival, and no issues found.
After a few weeks at AAE, Foley’s energy level increased, and he was finally running and bucking through his paddock, like baby boys do. That being said, he was still a super calm, easy-going gentleman for such a young squirt. Gentry had only recently been introduced to humans when she arrived, so she was a bit shy and unsure about the new humans that were caring for her.
She learned quickly that humans were not so scary, and she knew they were the ones with the good stuff. She always waited patiently at feeding time. Thankfully, she learned good manners early on. Her dental exam indicated she was only about 2-1/2 years old. A baby with a baby, but she was such a good mama.
It was easy to see Gentry and Foley quickly become lovely young horses. Gentry found her forever home in January 2018, and she is on a path to becoming a wonderful lil’ riding partner.
Of course, there was trouble in paradise! At the vet exam, we discovered Foley had an undescended testicle (crypt orchid), and it wasn’t going to be a simple process to make him an adoptable gelding. He had to have a more complicated surgery in the hospital in sterile conditions in case his little “gem” was up in his abdomen. We decided to wait a few months to see if gravity would take it’s course and encourage the little gem to drop. Unfortunately, no such luck. Foley was castrated in the hospital, and he has been waiting for his forever home since he recovered.
This little guy is one of the nicest, sweetest, respectful most of the time little gents, and we can’t believe he is STILL here. Any experienced horse peeps out there looking for a super fun, straight forward little project pony will not be disappointed! He is handsome and well built to boot. He stands about 13.0 hh.
Foley halters and leads easily, he enjoys grooming and attention, he is good with his hooves, and he stands fairly quietly for the farrier. Foley is a handsome, level-headed youngster, and he is a very social, “meet you at the gate” kind of guy. He is a quick learner that is eager to please and a quick learner. Foley stands about 13.0 hh, and he will likely mature to a pony-sized, 13.2 to 14.0hh. Mom was about 14.0 hh. Foley is ready for his new home. He is an uncomplicated guy with a clean slate.
Might you be his Christmas gift of a forever home??
Foley is up to date w/vaccines, deworming, and hoof care. His DNA show results included Turkoman, Mangalarga Marchador and Icelandic Horse, and he has a microchip in place.
Foley needs a sponsor.
For more information on sponsoring a horse click here!
29 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped! Donate Today!
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
Sandi
Sandi came to AAE on January 7, 2018, after her family was experiencing a family health and financial crisis. Sandi was a 5 year old Arabian mare that had some training but was considered a green horse.
We picked Sandi up from her boarding facility in the midst of winter stormy weather. The facility owner said she had been moved to the round pen because she ran right through electric fencing, “very hot” electric fencing. Sadly, we found this very cute, but skinny lil’ mare enduring the winter elements with no shelter, no wind break, and no food. We can’t help but wonder if she was in the round pen because her owner was months behind in rent, or maybe she braved the “hot” fence because she was cold and needed food. Sandi loaded quietly, but she didn’t travel well. She danced around in the trailer the entire ride to AAE, and graceful she was not.
Once at AAE, she had a difficult time settling into a paddock, alone. She paced the fence lines creating ditches along her path, but with a little time and some rearranging, she calmed some and focused on food. Thankfully, her vet check went well fairly well. Besides her lack of weight, she had a few melanomas under/around her tail, not uncommon for white (gray) horses. Fortunately, none were creating any issues that required removal. Sandi’s teeth were floated. She had two large wolf teeth; no wonder her prior owner said she was unmanageable with a bit in her mouth. Her hooves were trimmed and maintained, and she was dewormed and brought up to date with vaccines.
She made steady progress and began looking so beautiful. She was a bit naughty for the farrier. She needed some extra work with handling her hind hooves, and she needed a bit of confidence. Sandi tended to rely on another horse for confidence, and she got very stressed and reactive when no other horse was around. We worked on building her confidence before we asked much more of her. Before long, she had gained weight, her coat grew in, and she looked like a princess horse. Her confidence grew, and her stress diminished. Next thing we knew, she started to glow.
Her forever person came to meet her and fell in love. Sandi was adopted, and she is now a trail horse and partner to her best friend.
‘Tis the Season, time to join AAE every day this month as we share stories straight from the barn to show how your support has helped horses in 2018. This year was very special, and there are so many stories to be thankful for!
As we count down to 2019, please help us prepare for another year of helping horses. Your donations will assure we have ample funding for veterinary care to
help horses in need as we move into a new year.
We want to thank everyone for their love and support!
We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do!
Have a great holiday season!
It’s AAE story-time! Horses of 2018:
RED
Red is an incredibly handsome 9 year old-ish grade gelding that initially came to AAE from another rescue situation after spending several months at the Monty Roberts International Learning Center (MRILC). Red participated as a project horse for students during MRILC courses. He was feral with limited human interaction when he arrived at MRILC, and it took tremendous time and effort overcoming fear and accepting humans. He was socialized, learned basic groundwork and long-lining, and
he was introduced to a saddle (no rider).
Red was adopted by a youth adopter and family in Fall of 2016, but due to the realities of work and finances that come with adulthood, his young adopter was unable to continue to meet Red’s needs. Red continued building trust and learning about saddle work, even carrying a rider a few times.
Red returned to AAE the beginning of January 2018. His vet care was updated including floating teeth, vaccines, and deworming. Not long after returning to AAE, Red suffered a pasture injury. Veterinary exam indicated he ruptured his peroneus tertius tendon. This usually happens when the hock is hyperextended, likely in a quick turn or change of direction. Thankfully, it was a soft tissue injury, and not the ghastly fracture it appeared to be. Red has been on stall rest the bulk of the year in hopes the tendon will heal. Studies show a good percentage of horses recover to the same level of exercise, so we’re hoping for the best. So far, he is recovering nicely, but still has another month or two before re-evaluation.
Red is a super kind and willing guy, but still has considerable difficulty accepting human interaction and trusting that no harm will come to him. First contact with him is like 50 first dates. Once he’s been touched, he is relatively easy to halter, and he seems to enjoy grooming. Red does best with a very calm, confident, and patient person experienced with trust-building in feral/wild horses to help him achieve his potential. For now, until he has completed stall rest, and we can resume working with him, his status will remain “In-Rehab”. He’ll be re-evaluated for adoption as we move forward.
Your support helps horses like Red stay safe with AAE while they recover from injury and get the veterinary care they need. Sadly, we hear of so many horses that are euthanized due to injuries and owners that have no interest in giving them the time needed to heal.
#GivingTuesday was a success for AAE and horses in need! Thanks to you, we exceeded our goal and raised just over $7000 for the horses.
AAE is so thankful for you!
Without you, we would not be able to continue our mission to Rescue, Rehabilitate and Rehome.
Thank you for all you do!
Did you know that giving isn’t limited to a single day? Let #givingtuesday be the start of your giving campaign!
Stay tuned for more giving opportunities in the month of December as we continue to help horses! Your support means the world to horses in need! We can’t do it without you!
The snow is gently falling and I am looking up from my computer to see mules eating their hay out in the pasture. It’s so peaceful and makes my heart feel very full. I am fortunate to be able to do what I do. I would not however, be able to do it without the help of our team of thoughtful and generous donors. Yeah, it’s that time of year once again, when I need to reach out to ask for help to meet our year end fund raising goal.
We had many sick animals over the course of the year, requiring numerous vet visits and a lot of prescription and non-prescription medications. We have had our two big draft mules Nellie and Luke here for a year now and they sure do put away the groceries! We are all happy to see them in excellent body condition and good behavioral health. We know the perfect home will come along for them and we are more than happy to have them here until it does.
Due to these facts we need YOU to help us now, please. Our fund raising goal for this year is $35,000. This amount will ensure a barn full of hay and plenty of grain and supplements. It will allow for routine veterinary calls as well as an emergency should one occur, and to just keep up with the day to day expenses of running a rescue; vehicle maintenance, repairs to buildings and machinery, little things, like ensuring we have a professionally cleaned porta potty for visitors! There is so much involved and like all things the prices of what is needed keeps going up.
You will be hearing from me frequently in the upcoming weeks as I ask you to please check under those couch cushions, raid the piggy bank, and do what you can to help us meet our goal. Thank you!
ChEARS,
Ann
President & Shelter Manager
P.S. — The donkeys need YOU! The mules need YOU! Please take part in helping us reach our goal!! You can make your gift donation right now by using the donate button in the left column!!!
