Valentine's Day Hearts for Horses!
Please join us in celebrating our second annual Valentine's Day Hay Drive. Your $10 donation will purchase a bale of hay and a sweet treat for a Project Sage horse on Valentine's Day. We will also place a heart cutout on a stall door, with your name on it, to represent the kindness behind your donation.
We would like to fill the barn with love for the horses! A picture will be posted on Valentine's Day of all of the hearts and hopefully we will have lots of needed hay too! Please join us if you can!! We want to fill the hay loft!!! Let's beat last years sale of 160 hearts!! We have one month to do it!!!
Thank you!!
Brittany
Paypal address is projectsagehorserescue@gmail.com
Mail:
Project Sage Horse Rescue
63 South Waldinger St.
Valley Stream NY 11580
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Growing Up Horse Rescue
Everyone is always curious how I got into horse rescue. Here is the short scoop...
When I was 15 years old our house phone rang with the call that no owner ever wants to get, "your horse is colicing, come quick". Three hours later I was loading Sage onto a trailer headed for the hospital. It was the worst fear I've ever felt in my life. I unloaded him at the hospital, got to spend five minutes with him before he was led away for surgery. I guess every horse owner always fears something like this, colic surgery. Even the decision if the surgery should be done is something people fear, this was my best friend, my soul mate, my one in a million. I'd have given my left leg if it meant him being okay. If surgery was what he needed, that's what he would get.
We were sent home to wait for the phone call to let us know how it went. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling praying that god would bring Sage out of this okay. He was only six years old, he could not die so young, could he? It was a few hours before the phone rang, my mom spoke with the surgeon and found out their were complications, Sage had previous surgery that we were never told about when we adopted him. It was the worst news we could have asked for. Four hours later Sage came out of sedation and coliced again. We had no choice but to let my best friend go. I got to say goodbye, I clung on to him and told him he would be ok without me, I'd be strong for him. I kissed him goodbye and watched my best friend go to heaven. As I walked out they handed me his halter and his tail, something that I did not understand at the time. The vet told me it's something they do when you lose a horse, you take their tail. I held onto that tail with everything I had, it was all I had left of him, a halter and a tail.
It took months for me to get back to normal. I slept with his halter every night, I'd lay in bed tracing his face in my mind, trying to rememeber everything about him. I slowly started going back to the barn to spend time with my paint mare, Lexus. It was nice being there but seeing his empty stall hurt me to the core. I felt empty without him. I had to do something positive to help myself get past the loss.
I started doing research and found out about slaughter and horse rescue and 6 months later I was pulling into New Holland Horse Auction to rescue my first horse. That day I rescued a TB mare and a pony. It was the best feeling in the world, it was a natural high that I needed to feel again. I went home and started doing more research about opening my own rescue. It was hard work, 24/7, I was in high school at the time and was juggling graduating and getting my rescue off the ground. There were bumps in the road and road blocks but I got my 501(c)3 my first day of college. During this period I rescued 20 horses from auctions and feed lots and placed them all in new homes.
It's been seven years since I started this amazing organization and since then I've rescued 140 horses with the help of some amazing volunteers. At some point along the way I sat down with my parents and told them that after college I'd be working full time running the horse rescue and putting my future as a special education teacher on hold. I loved teaching but my soul belonged to my horse rescue. Every inch of me was born to rescue horses, I love every stressful second of it.
My days now consists of taking care of 25 needy horses, many of whom have serious issues whether mental or physical. I muck 17 stalls, somedays with a volunteer, somedays alone. Feed, water, sweep, rake, fix fences, and other random farm chores. I watch our trainers school the horses and take endless pictures to ensure the perfect picture that a future adopter will see on the internet and fall in love. I wrap legs, meet with the vet for routine exams, chat with the farrier as he's tacking on expensive shoes onto our newest horse that came in from the auction, and try to keep everything in order. I've become a very good horsewomen, I can spot lameness from a mile away, I can treat wounds and clean cuts, I can talk new adopters through rough spots with their new horse, and I can anwser pretty much any question people throw my way on a daily basis. During the day I anwser e-mails, make appointments, pay bills, order feed and hay, and juggle the daily tasks of running a business.
I have met many amazing people along the way, my amazing fundraising coordinator, my exercise riders, my great volunteers. I've met two of my best friends, both of whom have adopted horses from Project Sage. I've also met some of the worst people, I've chatted with kill buyers to ensure good prices on horses out of the kill pen and I've met people who throw away their horses like they are garbage. I've seen hundreds of horses loaded onto slaughter trucks and seen people do things to horses that I never thought imaginable.
This road that I've been on since I was 15 has been an amazing one. I've learned that horse rescue is not a 9-5 job, it's all day/every day, it's holidays, birthdays, family parties, and everything else you can think of. People who you thought were important to you seem to slip away as you stay at the barn late to watch a colicy horse or miss a party because you have to be up early to feed the horses. But, it's worth it for the good times, watching the horses leave for new homes, seeing updated pictures of the horses that have succeeded, and seeing happy people and loved horses. I've had tons of success stories, something that pushes me through the rough times which seem to be more often then I'd like. When I began Project Sage I never thought about the heart break and the long sleepless nights, I never thought I'd spend many nights in a sleeping bag checking on a sick horse every two hours in the freezing cold, and I never thought that days off and holidays off were something I would never see. Horse rescue is a thankless job but a job that I'm proud to do everyday. I couldnt imagine not waking up and taking care of 25 happy horses everyday. Not everyday is a good day but the good days make it worth it.
So that's my very short story of how I got to where I am. 23 years old and running a huge horse rescue, I never though this is where I'd be at this point in my life, I guess dreams really do come true!
When I was 15 years old our house phone rang with the call that no owner ever wants to get, "your horse is colicing, come quick". Three hours later I was loading Sage onto a trailer headed for the hospital. It was the worst fear I've ever felt in my life. I unloaded him at the hospital, got to spend five minutes with him before he was led away for surgery. I guess every horse owner always fears something like this, colic surgery. Even the decision if the surgery should be done is something people fear, this was my best friend, my soul mate, my one in a million. I'd have given my left leg if it meant him being okay. If surgery was what he needed, that's what he would get.
We were sent home to wait for the phone call to let us know how it went. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling praying that god would bring Sage out of this okay. He was only six years old, he could not die so young, could he? It was a few hours before the phone rang, my mom spoke with the surgeon and found out their were complications, Sage had previous surgery that we were never told about when we adopted him. It was the worst news we could have asked for. Four hours later Sage came out of sedation and coliced again. We had no choice but to let my best friend go. I got to say goodbye, I clung on to him and told him he would be ok without me, I'd be strong for him. I kissed him goodbye and watched my best friend go to heaven. As I walked out they handed me his halter and his tail, something that I did not understand at the time. The vet told me it's something they do when you lose a horse, you take their tail. I held onto that tail with everything I had, it was all I had left of him, a halter and a tail.
It took months for me to get back to normal. I slept with his halter every night, I'd lay in bed tracing his face in my mind, trying to rememeber everything about him. I slowly started going back to the barn to spend time with my paint mare, Lexus. It was nice being there but seeing his empty stall hurt me to the core. I felt empty without him. I had to do something positive to help myself get past the loss.
I started doing research and found out about slaughter and horse rescue and 6 months later I was pulling into New Holland Horse Auction to rescue my first horse. That day I rescued a TB mare and a pony. It was the best feeling in the world, it was a natural high that I needed to feel again. I went home and started doing more research about opening my own rescue. It was hard work, 24/7, I was in high school at the time and was juggling graduating and getting my rescue off the ground. There were bumps in the road and road blocks but I got my 501(c)3 my first day of college. During this period I rescued 20 horses from auctions and feed lots and placed them all in new homes.
It's been seven years since I started this amazing organization and since then I've rescued 140 horses with the help of some amazing volunteers. At some point along the way I sat down with my parents and told them that after college I'd be working full time running the horse rescue and putting my future as a special education teacher on hold. I loved teaching but my soul belonged to my horse rescue. Every inch of me was born to rescue horses, I love every stressful second of it.
My days now consists of taking care of 25 needy horses, many of whom have serious issues whether mental or physical. I muck 17 stalls, somedays with a volunteer, somedays alone. Feed, water, sweep, rake, fix fences, and other random farm chores. I watch our trainers school the horses and take endless pictures to ensure the perfect picture that a future adopter will see on the internet and fall in love. I wrap legs, meet with the vet for routine exams, chat with the farrier as he's tacking on expensive shoes onto our newest horse that came in from the auction, and try to keep everything in order. I've become a very good horsewomen, I can spot lameness from a mile away, I can treat wounds and clean cuts, I can talk new adopters through rough spots with their new horse, and I can anwser pretty much any question people throw my way on a daily basis. During the day I anwser e-mails, make appointments, pay bills, order feed and hay, and juggle the daily tasks of running a business.
I have met many amazing people along the way, my amazing fundraising coordinator, my exercise riders, my great volunteers. I've met two of my best friends, both of whom have adopted horses from Project Sage. I've also met some of the worst people, I've chatted with kill buyers to ensure good prices on horses out of the kill pen and I've met people who throw away their horses like they are garbage. I've seen hundreds of horses loaded onto slaughter trucks and seen people do things to horses that I never thought imaginable.
This road that I've been on since I was 15 has been an amazing one. I've learned that horse rescue is not a 9-5 job, it's all day/every day, it's holidays, birthdays, family parties, and everything else you can think of. People who you thought were important to you seem to slip away as you stay at the barn late to watch a colicy horse or miss a party because you have to be up early to feed the horses. But, it's worth it for the good times, watching the horses leave for new homes, seeing updated pictures of the horses that have succeeded, and seeing happy people and loved horses. I've had tons of success stories, something that pushes me through the rough times which seem to be more often then I'd like. When I began Project Sage I never thought about the heart break and the long sleepless nights, I never thought I'd spend many nights in a sleeping bag checking on a sick horse every two hours in the freezing cold, and I never thought that days off and holidays off were something I would never see. Horse rescue is a thankless job but a job that I'm proud to do everyday. I couldnt imagine not waking up and taking care of 25 happy horses everyday. Not everyday is a good day but the good days make it worth it.
So that's my very short story of how I got to where I am. 23 years old and running a huge horse rescue, I never though this is where I'd be at this point in my life, I guess dreams really do come true!
Hope your resting easy Sage, love you buddy
Monday, January 7, 2013
Blooper Reel!
Ever wonder what goes on around our farm? Well, there is always some sort of action, horses in training, horses getting worked with, but there is the occasional funny thing that happens, a horse gets loose, someone falls off (and doesnt get hurt!), and for everytime that something like this happens, I'm usually the one taping it! So enjoy our blooper reel from 2012, NO horses were harmed in the making of these videos, but a few people came out with bumps and bruises!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ4UsHZwQFw
Thank you for Cadie, our photographer, for making this video! If we made you laugh consider making a donation to help the horses!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ4UsHZwQFw
Thank you for Cadie, our photographer, for making this video! If we made you laugh consider making a donation to help the horses!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Lucky Number 100
Some time ago I had the honor of rescuing my 100th horse, it was something I always dreamed of accomplishing. We collected donations at our big dinner dance last year to rescue this special horse. A few short weeks later we were at New Holland Horse Auction and I was looking at horses that could potentially be lucky number 100. I looked at ponies and quarter horses, small and large. In the back of the aisle I spotted a skinny, beat up, thoroughbred mare. Her mane and forelock were shaved off and she had scars covering her body. Her body was beaten down but her spirit and soul was gone. Her eyes looked hollow, nothing left but a shell of a horse. I stroked her head and checked her out from head to toe, she was about 8, I could see an amazing horse under the filth and scars. At that moment she became number 100. An hour later I purchased her as she went through the auction ring, outbidding a kill buyer and saved her from being sent to slaughter.
How to name this special horse? I asked for suggestions on my facebook page and soon had 300 names to go through. I wanted it to involve Sage, I've worked so hard in his honor, the number 100 horse needed a special name. One of my young volunteers suggested "Halia" which meant remembrance of a loved one, it was perfect. She was sent to PA for quaratine for the month.
When Halia came to Long Island she was still skinny but some of her scars started to fade. After a month at our farm she was sent to a foster for some much needed TLC and time to just be a horse. Roxanne, her amazing foster, put 300 lbs on her and taught her the most important lesson, that people are good! I had not seen her in a few weeks and the horse that I went to pick up from Roxanne's was stunning, she was filled out, had a nice mane and forelock, and was trotting and playing in her field. The transformation was incredible.
Once back at our farm we got to work with Halia, lunging and riding. She was put into a work schedule to learn the life of a riding horse. She picked everything up quickly and seemed generally happy to work. For some reason I gravated toward her, maybe because she was my 100th, maybe because she looked like Sage, maybe because I love bays, or maybe because was a TB. She quickly became my baby, I pampered her, got her a fancy halter, groomed her from head to toe everyday. I took her to the park and rode her in the fields with my best friend and her horse. We always joked that days in the park were like a get away, we were free to run across the fields, just us girls and our mares. Lia loved every moment (mostly the grazing before and after our rides). We rode up to the water, saw deer, and raced like we were jockeys. Every day I'd check my e-mails with no interest in my Lia girl. I guess you could say part of me was happy but part of me knew the first person that met her would realize what an amazing animal she was. I'd quickly figured it out and I've sat on hundreds of horses in my life.
The call came from a friend of mine who owns a big boarding barn. She had a girl who I knew that was looking to foster a horse for me for the winter, needed to be calm and some what easy to ride and sweet. Lia's face popped up in my head and we made an appointment for Lucy to come meet Lia. Lucy is an amazing person in her own right, she is involved in cat rescue and is always there to lend a helping hand to an animal in need. A few days later Lucy was trotting around our riding ring on Lia. I trailered her over to their farm the next day. It was a bittersweet goodbye to a horse that felt like mine. I knew this was perfect for her but it was hard to walk away from her. Thankfully Lucy updated me with pictures of her and Lia. It brightened my day everytime I got a picture or update. Lia was living the high life with her foster mom.
A few weeks later Lucy informed me she would be adopting Halia. It was one of the happiest days of my rescue career. My 100th rescue horse had found her new home. The best part for me was that I would still get to see her and get tons of picture updates. Halia was adopted just a short week ago, such a great home for a great horse. Everyone always asks if I'm sad when the horses leave, I always say no, I pat every one of them and say the same thing "good luck on your new life, I'll always be here for you". Lia was no different even though she took a piece of my heart, I wished her luck the day Lucy signed her adoption paperwork. I know Lucy will give her the best care in world and I could not ask more for this amazing horse. Every horse is special but I will always feel that Lia carries a piece of Sage in her and there was a reason she was number 100. Good luck Lucy and Lia, love you both!
How to name this special horse? I asked for suggestions on my facebook page and soon had 300 names to go through. I wanted it to involve Sage, I've worked so hard in his honor, the number 100 horse needed a special name. One of my young volunteers suggested "Halia" which meant remembrance of a loved one, it was perfect. She was sent to PA for quaratine for the month.
When Halia came to Long Island she was still skinny but some of her scars started to fade. After a month at our farm she was sent to a foster for some much needed TLC and time to just be a horse. Roxanne, her amazing foster, put 300 lbs on her and taught her the most important lesson, that people are good! I had not seen her in a few weeks and the horse that I went to pick up from Roxanne's was stunning, she was filled out, had a nice mane and forelock, and was trotting and playing in her field. The transformation was incredible.
Once back at our farm we got to work with Halia, lunging and riding. She was put into a work schedule to learn the life of a riding horse. She picked everything up quickly and seemed generally happy to work. For some reason I gravated toward her, maybe because she was my 100th, maybe because she looked like Sage, maybe because I love bays, or maybe because was a TB. She quickly became my baby, I pampered her, got her a fancy halter, groomed her from head to toe everyday. I took her to the park and rode her in the fields with my best friend and her horse. We always joked that days in the park were like a get away, we were free to run across the fields, just us girls and our mares. Lia loved every moment (mostly the grazing before and after our rides). We rode up to the water, saw deer, and raced like we were jockeys. Every day I'd check my e-mails with no interest in my Lia girl. I guess you could say part of me was happy but part of me knew the first person that met her would realize what an amazing animal she was. I'd quickly figured it out and I've sat on hundreds of horses in my life.
The call came from a friend of mine who owns a big boarding barn. She had a girl who I knew that was looking to foster a horse for me for the winter, needed to be calm and some what easy to ride and sweet. Lia's face popped up in my head and we made an appointment for Lucy to come meet Lia. Lucy is an amazing person in her own right, she is involved in cat rescue and is always there to lend a helping hand to an animal in need. A few days later Lucy was trotting around our riding ring on Lia. I trailered her over to their farm the next day. It was a bittersweet goodbye to a horse that felt like mine. I knew this was perfect for her but it was hard to walk away from her. Thankfully Lucy updated me with pictures of her and Lia. It brightened my day everytime I got a picture or update. Lia was living the high life with her foster mom.
A few weeks later Lucy informed me she would be adopting Halia. It was one of the happiest days of my rescue career. My 100th rescue horse had found her new home. The best part for me was that I would still get to see her and get tons of picture updates. Halia was adopted just a short week ago, such a great home for a great horse. Everyone always asks if I'm sad when the horses leave, I always say no, I pat every one of them and say the same thing "good luck on your new life, I'll always be here for you". Lia was no different even though she took a piece of my heart, I wished her luck the day Lucy signed her adoption paperwork. I know Lucy will give her the best care in world and I could not ask more for this amazing horse. Every horse is special but I will always feel that Lia carries a piece of Sage in her and there was a reason she was number 100. Good luck Lucy and Lia, love you both!
Donate!
Donations
The horses at Project Sage Horse Rescue need some extra special care during the cold winter months. As always, they need blankets, feed, hay, bedding, supplements, mashes, vet care etc.
We want to acknowledge our permanent residents and others by asking for donations to help with their special needs this winter. All donations, big, or small, will add up and are greatly appreciated. They need your donation. Please pass this plea to your friends and coworkers.
Pay Pal: projectsagehorserescue@gmail.com
Mail Donations To:
Project Sage Horse Rescue
63 S. Waldinger Street
Valley Stream, NY 11580
Donate: Hay, grain, or bedding
"I'm making a donation to Project Sage"
Agway 516-931-0342
(It will be delivered with our next delivery order)
Thank you,
Brittany & The Horses
The horses at Project Sage Horse Rescue need some extra special care during the cold winter months. As always, they need blankets, feed, hay, bedding, supplements, mashes, vet care etc.
We want to acknowledge our permanent residents and others by asking for donations to help with their special needs this winter. All donations, big, or small, will add up and are greatly appreciated. They need your donation. Please pass this plea to your friends and coworkers.
Pay Pal: projectsagehorserescue@gmail.com
Mail Donations To:
Project Sage Horse Rescue
63 S. Waldinger Street
Valley Stream, NY 11580
Donate: Hay, grain, or bedding
"I'm making a donation to Project Sage"
Agway 516-931-0342
(It will be delivered with our next delivery order)
Thank you,
Brittany & The Horses
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