Last year I was delivering a newly adopted horse to their forever home in PA and decided to stop in at New Holland Horse Auction. I was on the search for a belgian for a client who had always wanted one, it was the best home a horse could get so I figured why not stop in at New Holland and take a look at the old plow horses. Right when I pulled in I could tell it was a packed auction, horses tied every where, more then I had ever seen go through the auction. I browsed the aisles of horses and found a row of about 20 old belgians, all beaten up, worked to the point of exhaustion, all with their heads hanging low. I found a nice big mare that was friendly and could use some TLC, with her number written down on my pad I ventured out to look at the other horses consigned to the sale.
Some weeks at New Holland it seems to be all nice broke western horses but this week seemed to be all skinny, neglected, and scared horses. As the auction started I grabbed a spot set off the rail and watched as horses started running through. Most sold for cheap, under $100, all to kill buyers. A few nice horses went through and sold for nothing over $400. It seemed to be a bad week at New Holland, not a huge attendance and few bidders other then the kill buyers buying for meat.
My big belgian mare ran through and I quickly put in the second bid, after a few back and forths with a kill buyer that big mare was mine. A new home was in her near future, she had hit the jackpot. I went over and saw where they tied her and gave her a quick reassuring pat on the shoulder and went back to the auction.
Back near the auction ring I stood near the wall watching horses run through. I felt a horse blowing through the bars on the other side of the wall. I peaked through at her and saw a small dark bay mare. She stretched has far as she could and I pet her nose. I quickly went around to take a look at her. She had some serious wounds on her legs that needed treatment but was so sweet and curious. She seemed young and was very intersted in me. Of course I had a two horse trailer, and had only bought one horse, so I jotted down her number. She would be a nice prospect for someone, she had a lovely build and a nice head, she deserved a shot.
An hour later the auction started to slow down, there were about 20 horses left. Another bay mare next to the one I had my eyes on was untied and walked towards the ring. Within seconds the little mare that I was waiting on started to panic, she ripped her tie free and ran towards her friend. They had a bond I had not noticed while I was standing near them. They were both in bad shape, obviously came from the same awful owner. This is the point when I realize that I have a two horse trailer and can only purchase one. They ran through the ring and I bid on the little mare. Her friend sold to Brian Moore, a known kill buyer who had just purchased the horse for meat. My heart sank, but a two horse trailer would not stop me. I pulled out my phone and called a local friend and begged for her to board the two mares together until I could come back for them. She agreed and I went down to track down the kill buyer who now owned her. With $100 added onto the price he just paid minutes before she was now mine. I happily went over to tell the mares the news. They would be together for now, I went way out of my budget for the day but heck the two mares seemed please about it!
After a short ride to the farm they would be staying at I unloaded them and watched them slowly walk out onto a field and start to graze together. If you didnt know better you would have thought they had been there forever, both so relaxed and at peace together, the memory of the auction quickly leaving their minds. That day the small bay mare who saved her best friends life was given the name Kiwi. I wondered if she knew what she had done for her friend, and older mare whos life would have ended if not for the heroic actions she displayed that day. We named the older mare Georgina, but she quickly became Gigi.
After a month the mares came back to Long Island and went into a training program. They both were lovely horses, very nice to ride and deal with. I was happy I had found them, or they had found me, I'm still not sure about how it all went down. I guess Kiwi only knows.
After a year and a half of rescuing the belgian and the two TBs they are all in wonderful homes right here on Long Island. The belgian lives happily at a barn as a pet, she gained close to 300 lbs and is treated like a queen. Kiwi was adopted by a lovely women and is a pleasure horse now. I often see pictures of her on facebook and remember that day at the auction when I saw her face looking through the bars at me. Gigi was adopted by a wonderful women and now enjoys going out on trail rides and being a pleasure mount.
Consider making a donation to Project Sage today to help horses like the onces highlighted in this story. You won't regret it!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The girl from the ad
Here's a story to warm your heart about two girls who have bonded through their love of horses...enjoy!
Last year I was browsing the internet and came across an ad for someone looking for a barn to take lessons at, they wanted an indoor but I e-mailed them anyway and went on to tell them how great how facility was and what an awesome group of people we had riding at our farm. After a few hours my e-mail was anwsered by a girl named Andria. She would come out and meet with our intructor for a lesson. I talk to a ton of people everyday so this e-mail conversation left my mind within a day or two.
A few weeks later I was standing in our barn chatting with a boarder about how to put together her new bridle when I saw a blonde girl walking around with a saddle, she looked kind of confused, but our intructor at the time told me she was one of her new students and we were introduced. I assigned her to ride Anna, a TB with some serious trust issues that needed someone to love her and help her enjoy riding. Every few days I would see the girl tacking up Anna and schooling her around the ring. Eventually we got to talking and started to ride together, we laughed as I got run away with by a big grey horse that was new the to rescue and quickly became friendly with each other. I soon learned that the blonde girl was Andria, the girl I had found in the ad online, I guess e-mailing people finally paid off for me, I found a nice girl to help ride some of the rescue horses!
After a few weeks I invited Andria to be my team mate for the annual hunter pace. She rode one of my boarders horses and I rode one of our school horses. For a few days before we rode together and tried to prepare for the pace. The morning of the pace we wrapped our horses legs and loaded them on the trailer. After a few hours we were mounted and at the start line, we made a joint decision that we would start off at a trot and once our horses were comfortable in the woods we would take it up a notch. Next thing I know Andria's horse is galloping full speed away from the starting line with her hysterical laughing. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship! Although we came in dead last, and I'm serious we were so awful they stopped timing us, we had a great time. We stopped by the ocean to smell the sea air and we lapped a field twice because it was so gorgeous. As we crossed the last jump and finish line (my horse jumped, hers walked over it) we both had a smile from ear to ear (and very sore legs!).
It's been about a year and a half since that hunter pace day and since then almost everyone who comes to the rescue knows Andria, many call her my sidekick. She's been there for me through some of the worst moments of my life. She was my first phone call when one of my personal horses passed away in October. I couldnt even get the words out on the phone but sometimes best friends don't need words, Andria was at the barn in 15 minutes flat and we grieved my loss together. I couldnt imagine going through it myself, having Andria by my side helped ease the blow.
In the past year we said goodbye to Rosie and Apache together. We cut off peices of their tails and gave them their final kisses and hugs and gave them a dignified end. But the sad times don't amount to the good times we've had together in the past year and a half. Since our hunter pace adventure we've been back to Caumsett State Park many times. We both took an OTTB and figured "how bad could they be?". We galloped across fields and took pictures near the water. I guess you can say we are both lucky to have someone equally as passionate about horses and riding.
When my truck broke down on the expressway with Andria in the passanger seat and a donkey in the trailer we looked at each other and the light bulbs went on in our heads. We got the truck running and crawled it back to the barn. An hour later we had the donkey in the back seat of Andria's Escape and we were on our way! (no donkeys harmed during this trip!)
I guess I should also give credit where credit is due. When we get a horse into the rescue Andria is usually the first to sit on it. I always stand on the mounting block yelling "don't worry, it looks quiet as a lamb!". She's gotten tossed, bitten, and kicked and (usually) never complains about it. She adopted a lovely TB mare, Margarita, and they've been an awesome team. I guess you can't be my best friend without adopting one of my horses!
I'm blessed to have a best friend that can deal with the everyday stuff that goes on at the horse rescue. On her birthday the hoses froze and we spent hours filling buckets from the bathroom sink, during the hurricane we slept in my office and checked the horses every 2 hours all night long, and when I have a sick horse at the barn she is always there to lend a helping hand. So I guess I have to thank Andria for all she has done for me in the past year and a half. I don't think she realizes how lost I would be without her constant help and support.
So now everyone knows how we met, the blonde and the brunette, one day we will have a reality television show!
Last year I was browsing the internet and came across an ad for someone looking for a barn to take lessons at, they wanted an indoor but I e-mailed them anyway and went on to tell them how great how facility was and what an awesome group of people we had riding at our farm. After a few hours my e-mail was anwsered by a girl named Andria. She would come out and meet with our intructor for a lesson. I talk to a ton of people everyday so this e-mail conversation left my mind within a day or two.
A few weeks later I was standing in our barn chatting with a boarder about how to put together her new bridle when I saw a blonde girl walking around with a saddle, she looked kind of confused, but our intructor at the time told me she was one of her new students and we were introduced. I assigned her to ride Anna, a TB with some serious trust issues that needed someone to love her and help her enjoy riding. Every few days I would see the girl tacking up Anna and schooling her around the ring. Eventually we got to talking and started to ride together, we laughed as I got run away with by a big grey horse that was new the to rescue and quickly became friendly with each other. I soon learned that the blonde girl was Andria, the girl I had found in the ad online, I guess e-mailing people finally paid off for me, I found a nice girl to help ride some of the rescue horses!
After a few weeks I invited Andria to be my team mate for the annual hunter pace. She rode one of my boarders horses and I rode one of our school horses. For a few days before we rode together and tried to prepare for the pace. The morning of the pace we wrapped our horses legs and loaded them on the trailer. After a few hours we were mounted and at the start line, we made a joint decision that we would start off at a trot and once our horses were comfortable in the woods we would take it up a notch. Next thing I know Andria's horse is galloping full speed away from the starting line with her hysterical laughing. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship! Although we came in dead last, and I'm serious we were so awful they stopped timing us, we had a great time. We stopped by the ocean to smell the sea air and we lapped a field twice because it was so gorgeous. As we crossed the last jump and finish line (my horse jumped, hers walked over it) we both had a smile from ear to ear (and very sore legs!).
It's been about a year and a half since that hunter pace day and since then almost everyone who comes to the rescue knows Andria, many call her my sidekick. She's been there for me through some of the worst moments of my life. She was my first phone call when one of my personal horses passed away in October. I couldnt even get the words out on the phone but sometimes best friends don't need words, Andria was at the barn in 15 minutes flat and we grieved my loss together. I couldnt imagine going through it myself, having Andria by my side helped ease the blow.
In the past year we said goodbye to Rosie and Apache together. We cut off peices of their tails and gave them their final kisses and hugs and gave them a dignified end. But the sad times don't amount to the good times we've had together in the past year and a half. Since our hunter pace adventure we've been back to Caumsett State Park many times. We both took an OTTB and figured "how bad could they be?". We galloped across fields and took pictures near the water. I guess you can say we are both lucky to have someone equally as passionate about horses and riding.
When my truck broke down on the expressway with Andria in the passanger seat and a donkey in the trailer we looked at each other and the light bulbs went on in our heads. We got the truck running and crawled it back to the barn. An hour later we had the donkey in the back seat of Andria's Escape and we were on our way! (no donkeys harmed during this trip!)
I guess I should also give credit where credit is due. When we get a horse into the rescue Andria is usually the first to sit on it. I always stand on the mounting block yelling "don't worry, it looks quiet as a lamb!". She's gotten tossed, bitten, and kicked and (usually) never complains about it. She adopted a lovely TB mare, Margarita, and they've been an awesome team. I guess you can't be my best friend without adopting one of my horses!
I'm blessed to have a best friend that can deal with the everyday stuff that goes on at the horse rescue. On her birthday the hoses froze and we spent hours filling buckets from the bathroom sink, during the hurricane we slept in my office and checked the horses every 2 hours all night long, and when I have a sick horse at the barn she is always there to lend a helping hand. So I guess I have to thank Andria for all she has done for me in the past year and a half. I don't think she realizes how lost I would be without her constant help and support.
So now everyone knows how we met, the blonde and the brunette, one day we will have a reality television show!
This blog post is in memory of Piligrim, an amazing horse with a huge heart, we love and miss you Pilly, rest easy big guy, you are forever in our hearts.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Horses, Horses, and more Horses!
Hey everyone! As you can see we have some updates on our site, lots of new horses for adoption and new pictures of the horses that have been here for a few months! Let me tell you what makes the Project Sage horses different...
Our horses are in training programs with professional trainers, every horse you see on our site (that is rideable!) is in a training program. We have some wonderful trainers that donate their time to our rescue. Riders that have successfully shown all over from english to western! Currently Novel, Selina, Rascal, and Paris are all in programs to keep moving forward with their training. When you come out on a weekend you can meet with Erin, one of our amazing trainers, and she can tell you all she does with our horses. It's fabulous that our horses have the opportunity to learn and become more adoptable. When you adopt one of our horses you are adopting a horse that we have all put our heart and soul into. Every horse has the "Project Sage stamp of approval"!
We also have a fabulous farrier that we work with. In the past few months I've learned so much about the hoof and the pro's and con's of shoes vs no shoes and when pads are appropriate and so on and so forth! I'm always excited to get up close and personal and learn everything I can. From an unbalanced hoof to a huge abccess that needs to be cut out! Our rescue horses are lucky to have a great farrier on our team.
Next is our vet who lives just a few blocks from our barn. We are lucky to have him so close by whether there is a small colic or a lameness exam he is always on hand for our rescue.
So as you can see it takes an army to run a horse rescue. We have a bunch of volunteers that work day in and day out to keep our barn clean and our horses groomed! We always need more volunteers that are not afraid to get their hands dirty! We need people who can get in a paddock and scoop manure, something that I find very calming! It's that little things that make Project Sage run the way it does and the most important thing is a clean place for the horses to rehabilitate with loving people all around!
So check out our current fundraisers on the calender page and order some flowers or a sweat shirt, it's for a good cause! :)
Thanks guys, stay warm!
Check out two pictures of Novel taken over the weekend..could he be your future horse?
Our horses are in training programs with professional trainers, every horse you see on our site (that is rideable!) is in a training program. We have some wonderful trainers that donate their time to our rescue. Riders that have successfully shown all over from english to western! Currently Novel, Selina, Rascal, and Paris are all in programs to keep moving forward with their training. When you come out on a weekend you can meet with Erin, one of our amazing trainers, and she can tell you all she does with our horses. It's fabulous that our horses have the opportunity to learn and become more adoptable. When you adopt one of our horses you are adopting a horse that we have all put our heart and soul into. Every horse has the "Project Sage stamp of approval"!
We also have a fabulous farrier that we work with. In the past few months I've learned so much about the hoof and the pro's and con's of shoes vs no shoes and when pads are appropriate and so on and so forth! I'm always excited to get up close and personal and learn everything I can. From an unbalanced hoof to a huge abccess that needs to be cut out! Our rescue horses are lucky to have a great farrier on our team.
Next is our vet who lives just a few blocks from our barn. We are lucky to have him so close by whether there is a small colic or a lameness exam he is always on hand for our rescue.
So as you can see it takes an army to run a horse rescue. We have a bunch of volunteers that work day in and day out to keep our barn clean and our horses groomed! We always need more volunteers that are not afraid to get their hands dirty! We need people who can get in a paddock and scoop manure, something that I find very calming! It's that little things that make Project Sage run the way it does and the most important thing is a clean place for the horses to rehabilitate with loving people all around!
So check out our current fundraisers on the calender page and order some flowers or a sweat shirt, it's for a good cause! :)
Thanks guys, stay warm!
Check out two pictures of Novel taken over the weekend..could he be your future horse?
Monday, February 4, 2013
New fundraiser!!!
Project Sage is selling these adorable sweatshirts as a fundraiser! They are unisex and come in sizes S-XL! Please contact me if you are interested in ordering one, they are $50 each (we can ship them to you for the cost of shipping!) Contact Amcmaugh23@gmail.com if you would like to order one!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Hearts for Horses
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
Hearts for Horses
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
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
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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