Save Your Ass Rescue Newsletter
The following is from Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue:
A Breath of Fresh Air to Your Inbox
We are finally into our first couple days of spring! In South Acworth NH our first day of spring we were covered in a couple inches of snow, it was a beautiful morning and all gone by the evening. We genuinely hope our farm updates and stories in this news letter help to distract you from what is going on in the “real” world right now. Ann and I made the decision on Friday to close the farm to visitors for at least the next two weeks. We believe this is the socially responsible thing to do. We hope you all stay healthy and happy!
Our annual Cabin Fever Auction is ending tonight at 9pm on Facebook. We had lots of awesome items donated this year such as tack, tasty food, a safari trip, and lots of hand-made items and art! This auction helps us to pay for a lot of our much needed grain supplies, de-wormers, annual vet care for vaccinations, dental work, blood work, and fecals, fencing that needs to be replaced, and hoof trims.
Our online auction is only accessible through Facebook, we are sorry about any inconvenience this causes you.
Whats new on the farm?
We have quite a few new animals on the farm since our last updates. It is always exciting getting to know and love each individual. Below are all of the new rescue faces!
This past Wednesday we had our veterinarian out for a full day of dentals, spring shots, blood work and donkey and mule check ups. A lot of the animals we take in need some serious dental work, unfortunately for our wallet this time around was a full day of mostly dental work.
Each animals vet work, shots, fecals, blood work, tests, dentals, check ups etc. cost us roughly 500 dollars per equine. We do NOT skimp when it comes to the animals well being, if something needs to be done that our vet recommends and that we think it is best for their health and happiness, we do it. That is why we post so much, why we spend so much time fundraising, Its all for the animals.
Hobie and Walton’s progress
Manny of you have been following the story of the horse and the donkey who we rescued last November. They were nothing but skin and bones, maybe a week away from death. We are happy to announce they are both now thriving! Both of the boys are at a healthy weight and are on arthritis medicine. They are like spring chickens now! Walton runs around the field tearing it up like a wild man, and Hobie takes comfortable walks around the field, and has enough spunk in him to boss around a Belgian draft mule. Not too shabby for a 25 year old horse and a 35 year old donkey! Walton was recently diagnosed with third eyelid cancer, we are working very closely with our vet to monitor him and make sure he is comfortable and not in pain while waiting for his eye ointment to come in. If the new ointment does not work, we will have surgery done where his third eyelid will be removed. Fingers crossed!
A Tribute to Our Mascot
This is incredibly difficult to write but of course we need to share with all of you. On Saturday we lost our mascot Marlin to colic. He was 36 years old and in excellent health. This loss has taken its toll on all of us at the rescue. Marlin was more than his huge physical presence. He grounded all of us, including the other animals. Gertie his companion is suffering his loss along with us. They were joined at the hip and she is grieving.
I saw Marlin’s picture online in 2009. He was going to ship to slaughter on Christmas Eve. The gentle expression in his eyes reached out from the computer and I knew I had to have him. I had always advised folks against purchasing an animal sight unseen, but I disregarded my own advice and bought him and had him delivered. He was a retired Amish work mule. He knew how to drive, but not go under saddle. I took riding lessons on him for about six months. He became a rock solid trail mule. He became such a well-loved fixture at the rescue that we made the decision to keep him as our mascot. A decision we have never regretted.
He was truly a gentle giant. He touched so many lives. He gave confidence to unsure riders, to little kids, proving that big doesn’t necessarily mean scary, playing his part as SYA’s mascot was a roll he loved and played to a T.
We will miss you forever Marlin, Rest In Peace.
Click Here to See Marlins Tribute Video
Thank you all very much for your continued support and help though all of our tough times, better and warmer days are right around the corner!
With gratitude,
Hannah Exel