Being in the rescue world for so many years it just becomes part of you. It is so natural that I don't even have to think about what I am doing I just push on. I am stepping down from my rescues board as I prepare for the final chapter of my life, Retirement. I have been searching and preparing for this time for a few years now. I have chosen to start a small homestead to keep me busy and allow me time to enjoy a different laid back life.
By the time I found my retirement home on an island in the North bordering Canada I was dreaming of all I could do and how I would live. I spent many nights a week reading and educating myself on homesteading and animal care. I wanted to raise a few goats and chickens and needed to do lots of homework. As time gets closer to my retirement in Oct. 2018, the home work turns into dreaming about all the choices of goats and chicken I could raise. Who knew there were so many different kinds of goats and chickens to choose from.
With all of the Internet searching I was doing, I came across different cows and horses that where also very different than I had ever seen before. One night I came across a Miniature Carousel Horse and it intrigued me so much I went on a new search for these amazing little guys. I had no idea there were many kinds of small horses, So on a trip to Iceland I saw the Icelandic ponies and became smitten with them. When I returned home I found Face book pages with miniature horses and ask to join to learn more about them.
The first night I was excepted into one of these pages I came across a few pictured of different horses and mules that appeared to be in an on line auction. I scrolled down and found a miniature horse and the caption was "If this little guy was any smaller he would fit in your pocket". Well that caught my eye and I started to read more, then moved down to the comments. The first thing I read is "some one needs to help this little guy". Wow! what the hell is this. The comments just kept going with help this guy, who can transport, where is he, wish I lived closer, and so on. These are the comments that smack of a rescue, but I have no idea what this is I thought auction???? I searched the page that made the post and was shocked to find it was a kill pen, just one more place that made me loose my mind. I went back to the post in hopes to learn and understand the need for a kill pen. I posted in the comments how does a person get these horses. That was the point that I fell off the edge of the rabbit whole, the point of no return.
I learned that night March 27 that if these horses where not bailed out my March 29th they would be loaded up and taken to some place to be euthanizes and used for God only knows what. I did not sleep well that night knowing the fate of these horses. The next day I found that I was being tag by others on the post to contact the pen and get more details to bail a horses out. I sent a message but did not hear back. I was tag late in the afternoon to see what I found out. I said I was not contacted. 15 min later I was contacted. Many folks were really wanting some one to bail out this mini. A few messages back and forth and the ball was in my court. I either said no, I can not help and the horse dies or I dig in and bail this guy out. I have no idea how to take care of a horse no matter what size. Now I know I can learn but where could I keep it till Oct. It is after noon on the 28th and I have to pull a rabbit out of my hat quick. Through a flood of "How and where" in less than 5 hrs. I had to make this happen. All my horse friends live in other states my friends close was not ringing any bells, when I remembered a post on the face page for the island I will move to. I saw a fellow islander shoeing a horse and thought they may have horses or know the folks that do. My worry about asking folks I barley knew for help was a long shot but I had to try. I believe that if it's meant to be it will happen and happen it did. Turns out my fellow islander once raised minis and was happy to help me out and board Elliott till I make my final move this fall. The kill pen held him for 24 hrs. and that gave me the time to prep van for horse transport of 700 miles. I drove to Kentucky met a man who had the horse in the bed of his truck, we loaded him in the back of the van and drove back home. At 4 AM getting the horse into my back yard so I could get a few hours sleep was a little more difficult than I thought. Then it started to snow and I new I was never getting him on the porch out of the snow. My life with hairless dogs would not let me leave him in the yard with out something to keep him warm. You know Necessity is the Mother of all inventions, so I grabbed a hunk of fleece and tied it around him and went to bed. 5 hrs later when I woke up and looked out back, Elliott was munching on grass in his fleece blanket, I fell out he looked so funny. All I could think of, is what my neighbors are going to think seeing him out there. Now getting him back into the van was, well lets just say we could have won a nomination for best comedy. We got him to the island safe and sound and we got home at 1:30 in the morning.
My higher power truly takes care of me and watches over me as I jump into animal rescue.
Thank you to Deb and Greg you are truly good people.
