2-1-10

This morning started early getting ready for what looked like was going to be a long and busy day. After a few more phone calls, the day just kept getting busier and busier. There are a lot of horses that need help! The big trailer was hooked up, the rescue rig has a new battery, so Jason and Tawnee were off.

The first stop was to see how the horses that came into the temporary Loomis facility were doing.

The two TB's looked very happy and were enjoying their new surroundings.

The poor old horse is severely foundered and is in continuous pain.

Jason and Tawnee couldn't stay long because of their tight schedule. They said a quick "Goodbye" and were on the road again.

Down the road they went, towards their next destination.

One of the phone calls this morning was in regard to some emaciated horses that desperately need to be relocated. The lady who helped save the Craigslist horses and took them to the vet was now working on a new situation and asked if we would take some of the horses. She was taking 3, and didn't have funds to purchase any more, but her trailer would have room. We agreed to purchase 2 of the horses, and about this time she sent a couple pictures of the horses there. It's so sad!

Tawnee was really hoping that she could trust the GPS, but as it started taking her down narrow, windy hilly gravel roads, her trust in the GPS faded as it told her to turn on nonexistent roads.

Soon they turned around and felt they were on the right road, but it just kept getting narrower and narrower. It is always nerve wracking hauling a huge trailer, but the nerves get even more fried when the road gets extremely narrow and you have to put it in 4wd. You just hope you can find a turn around spot.

Soon the trailer could go no further. The corner was too tight, with a cliff on one side and steep bank on the other, there was just no chance.

If the truck had kept going, the trailer would have been hanging off the side of the bank. The good news was they had arrived at the pickup location with a desperate horse owner who had 2 sweet horses he was no longer able to keep. Thanks to Jason's experience in maneuvering the trailer, it was able to be turned around amazingly enough.

The horses had to be led up to the waiting trailer. It was a really hard last walk for their owner.

When it came time to say "Goodbye" he turned around, hugged his horses neck tightly and sobbed.

It's always so hard and heart wrenching. The economy is hurting more and more horses, separating them from their owners who truly love them.

Then it was back up and down, left right and all around to get off the mountain.

By this time Jason and Tawnee had received more pictures of the horses that were being rescued.

It's terribly sad to see a truly emaciated horse.

The volunteer rescued 3 of them, this bay is another horse that was rescued from the same place.

The traffic was getting heavy and the sun was sinking in the west. There were still 2 more pickup of horses that had to be done.

Finally they arrived back at the Loomis facility to load up the TB's.

They are both super sweet and got right into the trailer when they were asked to.

Poor Nipper, we want to give him a few days of love and comfort with pain medication so he can know peace before he is given the last act of kindness.

Nipper's hooves are in really bad shape.

Nipper was a good boy was well and got into the trailer. Extra shavings were put down to make his trip more comfortable.

On the road again for yet another drive to the next destination.

This pickup was the 2 horses that were purchased from the bad situation. It's always so hard seeing horses that have been starved almost to death.

Pictures often make horses, just like people, look fatter than they really are. Both of the horses are a 1 on the body score.

Their hearts are willing and they got right in.

It's amazing that horses are so willing to give and obey even though humans have treated them so badly. So willing to trust again.

After that it was the long drive back to the rescue and then getting everyone settled in.

We hope you understand the lack of words in todays blog, after a 16 hour day on the road, Jason and Tawnee can't really write much more.