[Gossamer's Scrapbook] The Ethereal Canyon I

[Harper]

While we don't know each other very well, I just have to say that I respect you so much, Goss. I don't know many people who have an attitude like yours. You're such a strong-willed person and you're never afraid to say what's on your mind (something I'm very envious of). I guess I'm basically saying that I look up to you, in a way. While I'm on Miz quite a bit, I'm not actually that active. I kind of just lurk a lot. But I pretty much read every post on your scrap simply because I love hearing what you have to say, even if I don't know certain situations that you're referring to. And I admire how much time and effort you put into Mizahar as a world. It's pretty inspiring. Anyway, yeah, I'm gonna hush before I start sounding like an obsequious kiss-ass.

[Gossamer]

. Update on Jake Sometimes rescues don't go as smoothly as planned, but in the end things do work out. Everyone did an amazing job on Jake, giving generously. Mizahar folks alone contributed over $150 bucks to his bail in total. He was given a home offer so the fundraising started hot and heavy and was completed. In two days the $700 that was needed to purchase him off a kill lot was raised. Good job guys. Then, a woman stepped forward and offered to buy him outright. Everyone was happy. The funds raised for Jake were all either offered to be returned to the original donors or transferred for the saving of another gelding named Ranger. All of these horses, all five listed in this last batch, were in serious risk of shipping on a truck coming Tues morning and if were not rehomed then would be sent to slaughter because the kill pen wasn't full. Anyhow the woman who offered to direct buy Jake showed up, and before she got there the gelding was kicked in the shoulder and so he was limping. There was an evident hoof print and the woman backed out of the deal. She instead picked another at-risk gelding that was sound off the lot and took him home instead. So Dooley and Ranger (who got Jake's funds once Jake was thought sold) were saved but Jake was still at risk because he had a kick. Volunteers went in, cleaned out his hoof, and they determined it was nothing serious. A home offer was frantically searched for. Finally someone stepped forward and yesterday he got one. So with two days to go before the ugly truck came we started fundraising again. By word of mouth I let everyone know again and you guys once more started donating. Thank you! They were down to needing $200 last night to get him back off the lot when a wonderful woman stepped forward with a direct sale offer. She will follow through on this one, knowing how special this gelding is and buying him for a kids horse! I wanted to say "Thank You!" Mizahar. It was amazing how you stepped forward, not once, but twice. And it really made me cry when the woman from the Rescue told me that when offered a return of your initial donation, every single one of you said to apply it to the second horse. You'll be offered money back again, and with heartfelt thanks. If you don't accept it back, it will go to another horse's rescue. Another Sunrise is currently fundraising for two beautiful snow white arab boys and a gorgeous monster huge grey thoroughbred mare, all sound and all with home offers. They need their 'bails' raised before tues morning too but have had far less time in the kill pen to have that done. Here's who you all saved: Ranger: Raised $650 Dooley: Direct Sale Snow: Direct Sale! Here's who's being fundraised for now: Azuze: Needs $600 Minstrel: Needs $525 If you'd still like to help, let me know and I can give you the paypal addresses to send a gift too. All three white horses, perfectly sound, perfectly broke, and sweet as apple pie need to get off the lot by Monday because the truck comes Tuesday. And if you live in the WA/OR area and can offer a horse a home, let me know and I'll hook you up with the people you need to talk to start watching for a hoofed friend that might be perfect for you. People will help you with the purchase price... it's just that most of these horses don't have homes and need them badly. They aren't like animals in shelters that can be easily housed. It's far more lucrative to send them to Canada for slaughter where their meat goes from $7 a lb to $40 a lb depending on the country its shipped too. Our horses here in the US deserve better, especially if they are of sound mind and body and still have a lot of use left in them alongside people. Update: In the time I took to post this blog and hang out doing chores, Snow sold directly and thus his fundraising is transferring or being returned. Yea! You guys don't probably realize how much arabs like these boys go for on the market when they aren't in kill pens. Thousands.. really. And if I didn't have four full stalls I'd be offering Azuze a home since shes well big enough for me to ride and looks like an awesome horse. Grey is one of my favorite colors. .

[Gossamer]

Minstrel got sold too! So both him and Snow get to go to new homes. It's been a really good week for the rescue. Hopefully the remaining horses will get safe off the lot!

[Gossamer]

. Labor Day Weekend Fun So my family and I, plus a good family friend (who's young and bold and fearless) took off to go see a rescue horse that is in dire need of a home. I've been getting more and more interested in rescue folks and rescue horses and that has expanded to the plight of thoroughbred racehorses as well. Racehorses are treated horribly. From the ones here on the home soil to those shipped overseas. It doesn't matter how much money you win, how famous you are, etc. When you are done, you are done and most go to slaughter. A good case in point is Ferdinand, a famous Kentucky Derby Winner, was sent to Japan to be overbred then slaughtered for pet food and gourmet steaks and now War Admiral is in danger of being put down in Japan for the same reason - not functional. In the US we have thousands of race horses that either make money on the track and then are sold to slaughter after their careers are done. I've made friends with several rescue workers and all of them have asked me why I haven't adopted. Well the truth of the matter is most rescue horses aren't appropriate for me. I'm huge, at 6'4" and heavy at 245. So it takes a lot of horse to have any functionality at my house. My husband has two perfectly good riding horses and I have a draft I ride and drive. I'd like another riding horse, one that has a little get up and go, but I am not willing to breed for one or buy one at the thousands of dollars people want them for nowadays. And after being involved with rescues, I do know you can get any age/breed/size you want if your patient in a feedlot. One of the rescue workers I explained that I was built like a linebacker too told me that she had a horse for me... an ex OTTB - off track thoroughbred - that was as laid back as the day was long and roughly the size of a mack truck. Pictures don't do him justice... hes truly huge. We went and looked at him yesterday and I'm really seriously thinking of bringing him home. He's eight years old, a gelding and as sweet as the day is long. He has feet issues, but they are working themselves out right now as he grows out and gets groceries. He'll need corrective shoeing and a great deal of TLC before hes perfect... but I already love him. We spent Saturday playing with him and my friend Kat rode him for me because she's maybe 100lbs soak and wet and he's really tender on his front legs. Because Kat is all leg and hes alone, he looks like a normal sized horse. But if you were to stick another horse beside him.. a normal sized thoroughbred even, the size difference would be evident. He's monstrous at 17hh and about 1500 lbs. Literally another horse standing next to him would look like a pony. And hes a great age 8 yo and a beautiful dark bay. The horses's story is tragic though. He was bred to race, never started because of his size and build make him more tanklike than sleek and was then sold. He passed through multiple hands until he ended up in some hispanics guys dubious hands. They live fairly close to the rescue and are really really unprofessional. They tend to beat the shit out of their horses, teach them to wear a bit using barbed wire, and tend to do the weirdest shit in the name of training. And no, there's no law against this. This particular boy was tied between two poles and beaten until he 'danced' trying to make him into a mexican dancing horse. His hooves split until they hit his fur at the cornet band, he was almost totally unable to walk, and very underweight. He's doing a lot better now. He's had lots of groceries and his feet have grown out a bit. And hes up for adoption. He really doesn't look like a thoroughbred does he? He looks like a good old fashioned big boned quarterhorse. Kinda reminds you where the American Quarterhorse came from doesn't he? .

[Gossamer]

. Food For Thought . .

[Gossamer]

. New Family Member! So yea, I've been a busy Founder girl lately off site. Some of you might have guessed why by my previous scrap. We were gone all day Saturday and then took Sunday and Monday (once I found out I wasn't working) to get some work done around the house and barn to make room for a possible new addition. I took Sunday to look around, think, work some numbers, and figure out how to fit five horses into a four stall barn. But after the decision was made, I signed Drifter's Adoption paperwork today! He's coming home next Thursday. The rescue was kind enough to let me take a day or two to think about it... even though they needed him a forever home asap because they have more horses coming... some in dire need of food, shelter, and emergency care. .

[Cascade]

That's awesome! Grats. I propose a whole scrap post bombarded with pictures.

[Paragon]

Congrats Jen, that's fantastic - I'm sure he'll fit right in

[Verilian]

I don't know how you do it Jen. Crazy job, husband, horses, and Miz. You are awesome, congrats on the new family member!

[Gossamer]

. Response You know what really breaks my heart? He doesn't know what carrots and apples and sweetfeed like wet cob (corn oats barley all held together with molasses) is. How can you be a horse your entire life and not have the simple joy of sharing a carrot with a buddy or having an apple. I have no idea what he'll be like when I get around him with a lunge whip either to get him in riding shape by working him. I'm going to have to be a very creative horsewoman to figure out how to train a horse not using the aides he was abused with. Like I told the rescue, I'm going to spend a great deal of time teaching him to be a horse and hopefully letting my current herd help show him the way on how to rush the gate like a pack of feral dogs after a bunny rabbit when mom has carrots and apples and is in the mood to braid manes, tails, and paint glitter hearts on their butts (which they love - horses are terribly vain creatures). .