November 21, 2009

Isn't it a shame that we often get too caught up on our daly lives to take time to think of the things we are so very grateful for?

At this time of year I'm reminded just how grateful I am for the kind and caring support our friends show us throughout the year.

Together we have saved desperate horses from the grasp of the slaughterhouse buyers and horses whose owners could no longer afford to feed them and even horses who were left to fend for themselves in the barren desert without grass or water.  Together, our friends and Lifesavers have done so much to improve the lives of nearly 300 horses this year.

I hope you enjoy the picture above of some of our rescued horses enjoying their meal with the sentiment printed on it.  It's written from my heart.

Thanks to our wonderful supporters we have accomplished the following this year 2009:

We rescued 23 desperate mustangs from the 3 Strikes starvation case in Alliance, Nebraska.  I saw first hand the dead and dying horses at the Nebraska ranch.  It was heartbreaking to say the least.  The day our rescued group arrived at our ranch from that terrible experience, one mare gave birth to Wildflower bringing  our rescued group total to 24 horses saved.

We also saved 18 horses from the Virginia Range prison corrals where they were in danger of being sent to a slaughter house auction.  Later on we assisted in helping an additional 52 find sanctuary in Texas.

We brought in several mustangs that the local Animal Control facilities had confiscated or found abandoned.   They are not skilled in handling mustangs, so they always call on us for help.

A pony showed up at our gate one day - no person with her - just a lost little pony who was no longer loved by her family.  We, of course, opened our hearts to her.

An old underweight underfed gelding was left behind at a foreclosed ranch.  We were notified and we rescued him. 

Five mustangs had nowhere else to go when their owner was evicted from her rented property.

A team of Percherons came all they way from Pennsylvania to avoid the clutches of the eastern killer buyers who routinely send these gentle giants to their death in Canadian or Mexican slaughterhouses.

And 20 of our previously adopted out horses have had to come back from their adoptive homes because of finanicial crisis.

If you are one of our supporters - those are your rescue stories too.

We are not only about rescue though...we also are dedicated to helping people learn how to gentle and care for their wild and domestic horses so they don't end up needing to be rescued by us later.  We teach natural horsemanship that really develops respectful and enjoyable partnerships between horse and human.

Our friends and supporters have helped us make a stand for innocent horses who have no voice of their own.  We have spoken out in favor of serious consequences for horse killers; have spoken out against horse slaughter in America, Canada and Mexico; and have spoken out against the sinister tactics of the Bureau of Land Management who are, as I write this, trying to eliminate wild horses from American public ranges once and for all.  We vow to stop them.

Can you see why I appreciate our supporters so much?  They have helped save so many lives this past year and hundreds of lives since we began in 1997. 

Now it's almost a new year.  And, at this special time when so many people are busy thinking about their families and friends its easy to forget the image of an innocent horse standing in the auction ring about to be bought for cruel and painful slaughter, then to be eaten by someone in a foreign country.

Please remember Lifesavers this month as you sit down to your Thanksgiving dinner and if you agree that our mission of helping abandoned, abused and slaughterbound horses is worth your enthusiastic support, please make a donation now.

We have nearly 300 horses at this time.  Their needs are costly, but they deserve only the best care and as much love as we can give them.

With thanks to you in my heart,

To Make A Donation - Please Click on the Lifesavers Horse Logo:

A few starving horses as they await their rescue at the 3 Strikes Ranch, Nebraska

Chloe the pony just showed up at our gate one day

This percheron team was waiting to be sold at a slaughter house auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania