General

Not for the Faint of Heart

roancharranchrescue@outlook.com General
Not for the Faint of Heart

The feeling starts as soon as you hang up the phone.

That feeling in the pit of your stomach that ignites a fight or flight response.

You do everything that you can to calm yourself down, but nothing works.

You soldier on because you have a job to do, but in the back of your mind, the feeling gnaws at you.

As you drive up to the stranger’s barn with your trailer in tow, a million scenarios are running through your mind.

You take one last calming breath before you start walking to meet your latest intake.

As you look into her soulful eyes, a warmth of calmness envelopes you, and the worry melts away.

She is ready. So are you.

As you drive back, the feelings return like an old friend.

Fear

Doubt

Worry

They consume you as you work through the daily hurdles of a new routine.

You wait for the harmony of a balanced herd to return.

When you finally can relax before the phone rings again.

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Happily, Ever After

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Happily, Ever After

1272! The number of days that Maggie waited for her forever home.

But the wait was well worth it once Teresa and Maggie found each other.

“Maggie is everything I was looking for.  I wanted a horse that was forward with personality and confidence, who wanted to work, learn and grow with me.  She checks all of those boxes, Maggie takes care of me and gives her all with every ride”, said Teresa Cain, Maggie’s adopter.

Our goal is to make sure that each adoption is a good fit for both the horse and the human.  Sometimes, you must be patient for that perfect match.

If you are looking for your next partner, take a look at our available horses or contact us at roancharranchrescue@outlook.com.

Maggie finds her forever home with her adopter Teresa.

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Saying Goodbye is Never Easy

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Saying Goodbye is Never Easy

titan: one that stands out for greatness of achievement

Titan in pasture

Every horse that comes to the rescue is special, but Titan was so much more. He had an innate ability to reach out and touch the heart of everyone that he met. It didn’t matter if it was a fellow horse that needed reassurance, a child who had never been around a horse or a senior citizen who wanted to relive their youth. Titan knew how to make everyone feel at ease.

With his passing, a huge void has been left and everyone at the rescue feels it, especially Jesse. While Titan was Barney’s eyes, to Jesse, Titan was his strength. The two would spend hours together, standing side by side. While Jesse rested, Titan watched over him. Allowing Jesse to lean on him when Jesse’s leg was too sore to bear weight.

Titan at the Rural Outreach Center
Titan at the Rural Outreach Center

At the Healing Horse Summer Program, Titan was in his glory. Surrounded by children, Titan patiently stood while he was groomed and doted over. He regularly bowed his head so that the children could touch his muzzle or scratch him between his ears. His eyes glistened as he lapped up all the attention.

Titan’s larger role, however, was being the voice of the rescue. At every event that he attended, he owned the crowd. While he lured people in with his size, his story of perseverance is what kept them coming back. People could hardly believe that the picture they saw and the horse in front of them were one and the same. Titan opened everyone’s eyes to what a throw-away horse was truly capable of.

837 – The number of days that Titan lived at the rescue

Immeasurable – The number of lives that Titan touched

Rainbow appears after Titan's passing
A rainbow appeared over the rescue after Titan’s passing

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Just When You Think…

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Just When You Think…

It all started innocently enough. A simple conversation with Becky Roy, the founder of Draft Gratitude, and I. As usual, we talked about how our rescues were doing and our residents.  We both have horses with Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL) and both are using the Hinez Compression Sleeve.  Soon the conversation turned to questions about dealing with a blind horse.

We both heard the general recommendations for dealing with blind horses, but we both knew that dealing with a blind draft horse would be a whole different ballgame.  We both had more questions than answers and the conversation waned.

Fast forward a few weeks when Becky and I were talking again.  She said that she knew about a blind horse in my area that needed help and would I be willing to talk to her contact.  I said that I would, but that I really wanted to wait until the weather broke to take on another rescue.

Barney on the trailer from the Finger Lakes RegionFamous last words.  We drove to the Finger Lakes Region a few weeks later and picked up Barney.

Barney’s story is no different than many other draft horses that are no longer able to work, with one exception.  Barney is almost completely blind.  For a draft horse that is set to go to a livestock auction, being blind is a death sentence.  The only people most likely to purchase a horse like Barney are the kill buyers.  They know that they can purchase the horse for next to nothing and make a nice profit when they sell the horse to the slaughterhouse for meat.

To prepare for Barney’s arrival, we put markers on the fence so that he could hear them waving in the wind and we put Titan in the same pasture.  What do they say about the best-laid plans?

After being on the same farm for 15 years, Barney was confused and scared.  He was so disoriented that he shocked himself on the fence as he walked around in circles.  He did it so many times that he made himself dizzy.  I quickly ran out to grab him and get him back to the barn.

Plan B

It was obvious from being around Barney that he is able to see movement of some sort.  The movement just had to be very obvious.  So I decided to attach plastic snow fence to our electric fence.  That way he would touch the plastic before the electric fence and he could see the snow fence flapping in the wind. Once again, what do they say about the best-laid plans?

Mother Nature was definitely laughing as she watched me put the snow fence up.

My area is notorious for being windy.  Hence why a wind farm was erected in my town.  It took one day for the wind to start breaking zip ties.  While the snow fence was a good temporary solution, it was not going to work permanently.

Plan C

To make Barney’s pasture as safe as possible for him, it is obvious that he needs different fencing.  So between myself and Kyle from J&K Agriculture, Inc., we came up with a plan to install a rail and rope fencing system.  The top line will be a rail that Barney will be able to touch without getting shocked.  If he happens to test the rail, the two remaining rope lines will be electrified to stop him from walking through it.

We are looking to install the new fence this summer, but we need your help.  The fence will cost us $6660.  Please help by donating to Barney’s Fence Fund.

Lifting a heavy burden

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Lifting a heavy burden
We were only able to save one of the seven horses that needed our help

Jesse resting

 

October has historically been the month when owners contact us to surrender their horses.  The difference this year was, that instead of getting a call or two, we got seven calls.  Seven horses needed a soft place to land and we were only able to help one, Jesse.  What a heavy burden it is to have to make the decision as to who to help.  We know that the likelihood that some of the horses will end up at a livestock auction is high.  We also know that if a horse does go to auction, that they run the risk of being sold for their meat and slaughtered.

The rescue was founded to provide a safety net for horses and an alternative for owners who would otherwise send their horses to a livestock auction.  The harsh reality is that the rescue is not at a point where we can say yes to everyone and it is a reality that eats at me and that I fight every day to change.

My goal for next year is that we are able to help more horses than we have to turn away.  I hope that you will help me reach that goal by supporting more horses like Jesse by donating.

When a no is even better than a yes

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When a no is even better than a yes

As we continue to grow, we are always on the look out for new funding avenues.  One led us to apply for a grant with a rather large foundation.  While we were hopeful that our request would be granted, but knew the odds were against us.  A few weeks ago we were informed, that in fact, we would not be awarded any money.

For the last nine months, we have been learning how to successfully raise funds with the help of Sandy Rees at Get Fully Funded.  Her willingness to share her knowledge and insight has been invaluable.  One tidbit that she recently shared with us was the fact that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask grantors why an application was denied.  So, we contacted the foundation and asked to speak with someone to discuss how we could improve our next application.

To the foundation’s credit, they got us in contact with one of the members of the review board. She spent half an hour explaining candidly why we were not awarded a grant.  While one reason for not winning the grant was our size, the reviewer told us not to be discouraged.  She went on to say that we are doing great work with the resources that we have and that she understands that we are in a catch 22.  We can’t get bigger without funding and we can’t get funding until we are bigger.  Here is the real kicker, though.  She told us that she would help us when we apply for other grants and even went as far as to tell us some angles that we should be using to set us apart from other applicants.

We now have a great resource in the grant world.  One that we would have never made contact with if we weren’t told no.

A promise is a promise

roancharranchrescue@outlook.com General
A promise is a promise

TobiasI knew that I didn’t have much time left with Toby.  I had done some research on nasal cavity masses and the prognosis was only three to five months.  I thought that I had at least the summer with him.  It was not to be.  Every day I could literally see the mass growing and every day I could hear that breathing for him was getting more and more difficult.  The uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach told me that we did not have months together, but merely weeks.

Every horse that comes into the rescue I make a promise to.  Each promise is different, but the theme is always the same.  In theory, it seems easy to do what is right, but the reality is that sometimes it is not.  Making the decision to say goodbye is final; you can’t undo it.  The decision also has a ripple effect not only on you personally, but also on those left behind.

A herd grieves the loss of a member the same way that a family does.  Our herd has been no different.  Maggie and Toby were close and found comfort with each other.  Toby would lay his head on Maggie’s back while they both napped.  With Toby gone, Maggie has become much more affectionate with me.  Instead of walking away when she sees me coming to groom her, she drops her head, cocks her leg and closes her eyes.

I am keeping my promise to Maggie and Titan as I kept my promise to Toby.  They will always come first.  No matter what the future brings.

 

Expanding Your Horizons

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Expanding Your Horizons

Growing up, there was nothing more that I hated than being told that I needed to “expand my horizons.”  For a painfully shy child, telling me to climb Mount Everest would have been a less daunting task.  I was content in my world filled with animals and a small group of select friends who excepted me, quirks and all.  I didn’t see a need to introduce new people or new experiences into my life.

Fast forward 30 years and here I am, returning from the Homes for Horses Coalition conference that took place in Nashville.  A day and a half filled with networking, learning and inspiring moments.  Was I out of my comfort zone? Yes.  Was I scared? Yes.  Was I glad that I went? Hell Yes!

There is something about being around like minded people that understand your everyday struggles.  It is an automatic connection that happens before a word is even spoken.  A willingness to open up about your fears, share your dreams and know that you are understood.

Everyone at the conference was, at some point, exactly where Roanchar Ranch Draft Horse Rescue is.  Desperately trying to gain footing so that their community and the world knows that they exist.  Struggling everyday to raise money to buy hay and pay for medical treatment for the horses that are in their care.  Worrying that they are not doing enough.

But every one of the people that I spoke to was encouraging and was willing to share with me what has worked and what has not in their journey.  They are all now Roanchar Ranchers who I can turn to when I feel that I have hit a road block or I need someone to talk to who understands what I am feeling.

I finally understand why I was being told to expand my horizons as a child.  I never would have met the amazing people that I did this weekend by staying in my own world.

The Agony of Controlled Growth

roancharranchrescue@outlook.com General

2016-03-09 17.23.54 HDRIt takes time. Baby Steps. Be Patient.

As the president of a fledgling animal rescue, these are the phrases that I keep saying to myself over and over again. I know that one misstep can not only bring the rescue to it’s knees, but will also cost draft horses their lives. I have named the process “Controlled Growth”; a methodical course of action to grow the rescue so as not to deplete our resources. It is the logical and the responsible thing to do.

However, I am an animal lover and have been for as long as I can remember. There has always been room for one more homeless soul, and cost has never been a consideration when one of my furry friends is in need. Logic and consequence are cast aside and replaced with the overwhelming desire to do whatever it takes to protect the life that I have been charged with. Some would call it blind zealousness, I call it being true to the person that I am. Have I made sacrifices? Hell, yes! Would I do it all over again? In a heartbeat.

I have a vision for this draft horse rescue, and so my desire to save every desperate drafty that I see at the auction must be held in check. As painful as it is, and however much it goes against the core of who I am as I person, I am not willing to put the future of the rescue at risk. I know that someday we will have the capacity to take on many more horses with the addition of a second barn and dedicated quarantine area that will be solely for intake. We will become a regional resource for other animal welfare organizations to turn to. We will consistently have clinics and educational opportunities so that the public can learn about draft horses and why they are called gentle giants.

But until that day comes, everyday is a struggle between who I am as a person and where I want the rescue to be.