Hello ;
My name is Marlene and I have been in the horse rescue "business" for about the last 25 years. I had been doing it completely on my own untill about 4 years ago. I used to go the the auctions when there were about 7-9 killer buyers that were there every month. I am a Firefighter for the State of Ca, and a single parent, but I could not stand to see the horses that were going to slaughter. I spent every spare dime purchasing horses that I knew that I could get healthy, sound,and ridable again. I would work with them untill I could sell them and do it all over again. I probaby rehabbed and rehomed approx 70 horses during that time.
Me and my boyfriend purchased about 10 acres in central Calif. about 5 years ago and have really dedicated myself rescue and rehab as many horses at risk as I can. (I do have an extremely understanding boyfriend) We both work really hard to make sure that all of the horses in my care are happy, healthy, and on the road to a second chance at a great life.
The local Horse Sanctuary contacted me about becoming a volunteer with their org. They were having alot of horse owners that were unable to keep there horse for many reasons and they needed someone to take over matching up horses with new homes. Since they are a Santuary they are unable to rehome or adopt out horses. I started matching hrses with new owners on the internet and then I came across many horse owners that were in dire need of an immediate placement for their horse. I began bringing them to my place to work with them untill I could place them. I have had about 30 horses that have made their way thru my place in that manner and have placed approx 50 horses thru internet matches. I do advise the horse owner to get alot of information from prospective new owners, but it is completely left up the the horse owner to check them out. The horses that are place from here are only place with new owners that I am familiar with and I have quite a lengthy dialogue with prospective owners.
About 1 1/2 years ago I was contacted by an org that rescues horses that are being held at a Feedlot to be shipped to slaughter plants in Canada and Mexico. This has completely changed my life. My first rescue was a pregnent mare that had been brought in, along with 28 others, to the Feedlot and were due to be shipped out in about a week. They were all due within the net 90 days. I drove the 8 hrs to pick up a little dappled grey mare that looked like she was ready to pop. She was really sweet and we named her Chance. All of the other mares were rescued by various other rescues and sanctuarys and most foaled with no problem. Chance foaled about 45 days after she got here and had a really cute dark grey filly. Both got a new home at a local vineyard. That would explain the filly being named Syrah. Since then I have made that drive MANY times and have brought 45 horses here to be rehabed for new homes. Some of them will need years before I feel that they will be able to be productive and safe family horses. Safety is my main concern. i will not let any horse leave untill I believe that they are safe to be around and to be handled. I have never had any horse returned, everyone has been very happy with them. I presently have 27 horses that came from the Feedlot, 5 horses that have made their way here thru the referals and I personally own 9 of my own. I board 7 outside horses here and my boyfriend and I work fulltime to support all of the horses. When I "sell" a horse, I return some of the money to the Org that funded that particular rescue and put the rest of the money towards hay purchase. Most are priced from 300.00 to 1500.00. We took out an equity loan about 2 years ago for a cushion. In case we needed funds for emergencies. We have used about $28,000.00 of it for hay purchases since June of last year. We go thru about 2 tons of hay a week right now and hay out here is about 235.00 a ton. Shoeing is no problem. I have a local shoer that shoes and trims all of the horses at no cost. I have a horse dentist that checks all of the new horses for age and floats their teeth at no cost. Luckily, I have quite a bit of medical training and my local vet helps me out by keeping me stocked with life saving meds. I have had absalutely no life threatening injuries or illnesses with any of the horses so far. Light colics and small lacerations are handled here, by me.
I have been approached by the org. to apply for 501c3 and plan to in the near future. (hopefully this year) but am not at this time. I do this out of a sense of dedication to give back to the horses that I believe have made me what and who I am. I was raised in a welfare housing developement and dreamed of having or even just touching a horse. I am living my dream, and even though I am usually working from sun up to sun down and wake up in the middle of the night worried about how we will be able to buy the next truck and trailer load of hay, I love my life. I love waking up and watching the horses happily munching on their hay and playing in the pastures.
I have quite a few visitors that drop in to see what it is that I have going on. I love to let them try to quess which horses were sitting at a Feedlot waiting for the big trailer to haul them to the Slaughter plant and which horses I have raised and shown all over the West Coast. They leave with a whole new idea of what a "Slaughter Horse" is and sometimes a new member of the family.
I know that this is probably more information than you were expecting, but I just wanted you to know REALLY who I am and what I do.
Thank You for your inquiry and you have no idea how much your help would be appriciated here.
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