Saved by Beauty

Sometimes we rescue horses, but oftentimes they rescue us.

After Theresa Batchelor underwent surgery to remove a tumor that had been growing in her spinal cord, she was left with no feeling below her neck. She gained back the use of her limbs through extensive therapy, but was told that she had to give up her passion for horseback riding.

When Theresa heard about a young Arabian mare that had been seized by the county due to neglect and abuse, Theresa knew she could build a supportive bond by rescuing the horse. One of the Four Pillars of Equine Wellness is Active Lifestyle, which highlights the importance of building a positive bond between human and horse. Theresa's story shows just how important and rewarding that bond can be.

Theresa named the traumatized mare "Beauty," and had to train her from the ground up. Beauty was afraid of all people, but Theresa's kindness and persistence allowed her to foster a bond with Beauty like none other. Theresa's limbs would sometimes tremble due to nerve damage, but that didn't inhibit Beauty's training. She taught Beauty special voice commands and worked to build a bond of trust.

Through Beauty, Theresa regained her passion for horseback riding, and was also inspired to start an equine rescue organization, which is called "Beauty's Haven Farm and Equine Rescue."

The mission of Beauty's Haven is to rescue horses from auctions and kill buyers. Beauty's Haven networks with other rescue organizations in Canada, Mexico, and throughout the United States in an effort to end horse slaughter and to educate others about this inhumane practice.

Beauty's Haven takes in all kinds of horses, including ones that have been abused and have medical conditions or injuries. Last year, they rescued an injured, blind mare named Spirit. Beauty's Haven cleaned her up and she was adopted into a home that had another blind mare.

Spirit and friend at her new home.

Rescue organizations like Beauty's Haven teach us that through compassion and friendship both horses and humans can overcome the hardships they've been handed in life.

Beauty's Haven is our Equine Wellness Rescue of the Month for September! We're donating 40% to all subscriptions purchased when you use the code EAW006. Subscribe here to get a great magazine and to support Beauty's Haven! https://equinewellnessmagazine.com/sub2013/subscribe.php

Thank you to these wonderful companies for donating to Beauty's Haven with us. Great companies doing good things to help horses!

http://softtreesaddle.com/

http://ahorsebox.com/

http://www.ascentahealth.com/

Saved from Slaughter and Given Another Chance

The phrase "horse slaughter" can make even the toughest person shudder, but this phrase is particularly heart-wrenching for people who see horses as companions. Unfortunately, many people in North America see horses as a commodity. The United States in particular stands out for its record number of horses bred for recreation and racing, which has led to the US being the largest horsemeat exporter in the world.

Until society shifts its view and stops overbreeding horses, the problem of horse slaughter is not going to die away. However, the positive side of this story is that there are many people stepping up to the plate, especially horse rescue organizations that are working diligently to save horses from slaughter, educate the public about the problem of overbreeding, and advocating for equine adoption.

Our Equine Wellness Rescue of the Month for August, Another Chance Equine (ACE) Rescue, is one organization that has a great track record for rescuing horses from slaughter and pairing them with forever homes. ACE Rescue is a certified non-profit that operates out of Ohio. They also rescue horses suffering from abuse and neglect. 

"Chance"

ACE Rescue has numerous rescue stories on their website. For example, there's a horse named Chance, who  was in so much pain that he couldn't move, wasting away, and prepared to die. With the generous help of Shannon Cessna of Cessna Stables, her boarders, and her riding students, this horse was given a new name, and a new life. Chance has many old racing injuries and conditions that resulted from the hard running he did. So he will never be ridden, just loved by many people, especially by his sponsors.

Another one is Fiona, a Walker mare, saved from slaughter at Sugar Creek, who has been adopted and is being spoiled rotten. She is being ridden on trails almost daily and is in training for her Mom to take over soon.

"Fiona"

ACE Rescue presently has two horses that came from starvation situations and both are ex-race horses. Tally was part of a seizure and Landy was saved from Sugar Creek (horse auction).

Like most equine rescues, ACE Rescue is run by volunteers and relies on funding from donations. Currently, they have a hay drive through which every $5 (or more) donation will buy a bale of hay for their horses. More info on their website: http://www.acerescue.org/index.html

If you would like to nominate a rescue, leave us a comment on our Facebook page!



Many thanks to the companies who donated to ACE Rescue with Equine Wellness Magazine through our "Rescue of the Month" program. Companies who help benefit the lives of horses warm our hearts!

http://www.coldflex.com/
http://www.drrosesremedies.com/
http://www.emeraldvalleyequine.com/