Super National AKA Natty has arrived in his new home with Sara in Colorado!
She thinks he is wonderful and was perfect gentleman getting off the truck in the wind with howling winds and flapping plastic!
We will post pics soon!
Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue
Angel Acres Website
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Become a Feed Angel Today!
Click the Angel Horse Below!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Fugly Horse of the Day - Repost
Reposted here with permission...we don't normally repost other blogs, but when it comes to rescues we work with (as in we love Shiloh Horse Rescue, Mid Atlantic Horse Rescue, Cozee Vallee Horse Rescue, Forgotten Treasures, and several other fabulous rescues) and think incredibly highly of, we will repost and forward.
This post is from Fugly Horse of the Day Blog (who until recently we have only admired from afar lol now we are reposting with permission) and should be read by EVERYONE who has a horse, thought about having horse, may think about having a horse (you get the idea lol) its THAT important. Big Thanks to Fugly Blogger for the hard work and dedication it took to put this post together...many horses will benefit from it, I am sure!
Direct link to Fugly... http://www.fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/
"Monday, April 27, 2009
One down, way too many to go!
Back from the war, LOL...felt a bit like a war, anyway, with a small but mouthy opposition. ;-) I am sitting here worrying about our orphan colt, Drake. If anybody is still on site and wants to post a Drake report, please do so.So, the good news that has already been posted is that the AQHA took Cleve Wells' abuse of Slow Lopin Scotch seriously and smacked him with a one year suspension and a $10,000 fine. GO AQHA!
However, as always, we cannot rest on our laurels. There is still all too much abusive training out there and I've got a story for you today that is one of the most upsetting I have ever heard. To make things worse, it's local and I may have to walk by this man at a horseshow without performing any violence to him. Damn laws...Before I even begin, I want to say that I have talked to numerous individuals who witnessed his actions and I am 100% sure this took place, so if anybody wants to sue me, go for it. I know I have the facts and numerous people ready and willing to testify.
His name is Randy Byers.
Here is his web site. As you can see, he promotes himself as using John Lyons' methods. This is why a friend of mine took a horse to him last fall for some fine tuning. At their initial meeting, Randy rode the horse in a plain snaffle and used Lyons' techniques. While my friend did not care for the arrogance he displayed toward her, she believed he was a competent trainer and sent her horse there.
Two weeks later, she was smart enough to drop by for an unannounced visit - at which she found her horse in a twisted wire snaffle and running martingale, totally traumatized, dripping in sweat, and with a bloody mouth. Oh, and now he reared. My friend, being no wimp, ripped ol' Randy a new one and picked up her horse the next day. She then had to send him to Jon Ensign to fix all the Randy damage. Jon did a great job.
Meanwhile, Randy sent e-mail nastygrams to my friend and basically accused her of being a stupid female who knew nothing about training. Anyway, catastrophe narrowly averted - her horse survived.A little Arabian mare did not. She is buried on the property where she lived with her very young owner, who I am pretty sure is too young to be reading this blog or I would be hesitant to post it.
And there is a vet - not a good one - who said she died of a stroke.Here's the truth:A family bought an older Arabian mare - in her 20s - for their young daughter. The mare hadn't been ridden in several years and needed some tuning up so they took her to Randy.
Unlike my friend, they did not check on her, and her nightmare began."I always knew when Randy was riding," one source told me, "because all we could hear was the sound of the whip from the barn." It didn't matter which horse Randy rode - he was nothing if not consistent. Everything got ridden into a white sweat, beaten and spurred. Everything. When Randy was riding, horses who weren't even in training with him would stand in their stalls and tremble with fear.
If an owner came to watch, they were told ridiculous statements like "you need a curb bit to neck rein" and told that this kind of training was normal. Randy, like many NH snake oil salesmen, preyed on beginner horsepeople who did not know right from wrong. His macho, aggressive personality scared other boarders into silence. He went on trail rides with a local horseman's group where witnesses saw him ride horses until they collapsed and "race" other riders on exhausted horses but no one ever said a word because he scared them. "I am scared to talk against him," one witness told me. "He seems like the kind of guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley."
On January 19, 2009, Randy finally took his horse-beating style a little too far. He rode the little Arabian mare for several hours, until she fell to her knees. After she collapsed, he got off and kicked her, yelled at her, and whipped her. She somehow got into the aisleway at the barn where she died. Whip welts and a bloody girth gall were apparent on the body. A vet called Dr. Dugan was called, who pronounced her dead from a stroke.
Her body was loaded into the bed of a pickup and taken back to her owners' farm for burial. The incident was reported to the Thurston County Sheriff, who investigated, but with the body gone and the vet report, nothing could be done.Well, Randy, you think you're so slick, don't you? But people talk - and some clueless livestock vet being in your pocket doesn't save you from everything.
I decided to do a little research with a REAL vet (an expert in pathology) about what it would take to accurately diagnose a stroke. I am told there is no way at all to verify a stroke without examining the brain in a necropsy. That mare went to her grave whole. Now, I'm not saying she didn't have a stroke after the hours of being worked and beaten but it cannot be proven as the cause of death. A heart attack is just as likely as is a head injury from flipping over or striking her head when she fell.
But hey, we had to get that body into the ground in a hurry before anybody took a picture of all the whip welts and girth galls, didn't we? Priorities!
I mentioned Randy on my blog in January. He e-mailed me the following response "Move me up to #2 please...I love that picture of me on the half linger, we look good together. He is one of the sweetest horses I have worked with. Could you please move me up under Cleve's #1.
I think that I deserve the #2 spot instead of #6. If I give you some reall good dirt on me can I be move to #1? Randy
"Yes, Randy! YOU WIN! You are NUMBER ONE! Cleve at least didn't KILL the horse. Again, this is RANDY BYERS who is currently holding clinics at the Triple H Arena in Chehalis, Washington and the Hart Ranch and Arena in Yakima, WA.
He has something going on at the Ride the West event in Spokane, WA. He is currently training out of Carbon Stables, 15340 133rd Ave SE, Yelm, WA 98597 (this is the fourth facility in about a year or so...he got kicked out of the facility he beat the mare to death at and he got kicked out the facility before that, too) Randy's website says (illiterate moron) "Some people succeed because they are destined too" Randy, you're not gonna succeed with that poor little mare's blood on your hands. Not if I have anything to say about it.
You disgusting, pathetic loser. Please, DO feel free to x-post everywhere. Don't let that poor little mare's death be in vain.And if you have a horse in training, GO AND CHECK ON HIM! Do NOT leave your horse with a trainer who tells you WHEN you can come to the barn (within reason, normal barn hours are to be respected). Use your head and don't let this happen to you or your horse. "
From http://www.fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/
This post is from Fugly Horse of the Day Blog (who until recently we have only admired from afar lol now we are reposting with permission) and should be read by EVERYONE who has a horse, thought about having horse, may think about having a horse (you get the idea lol) its THAT important. Big Thanks to Fugly Blogger for the hard work and dedication it took to put this post together...many horses will benefit from it, I am sure!
Direct link to Fugly... http://www.fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/
"Monday, April 27, 2009
One down, way too many to go!
Back from the war, LOL...felt a bit like a war, anyway, with a small but mouthy opposition. ;-) I am sitting here worrying about our orphan colt, Drake. If anybody is still on site and wants to post a Drake report, please do so.So, the good news that has already been posted is that the AQHA took Cleve Wells' abuse of Slow Lopin Scotch seriously and smacked him with a one year suspension and a $10,000 fine. GO AQHA!
However, as always, we cannot rest on our laurels. There is still all too much abusive training out there and I've got a story for you today that is one of the most upsetting I have ever heard. To make things worse, it's local and I may have to walk by this man at a horseshow without performing any violence to him. Damn laws...Before I even begin, I want to say that I have talked to numerous individuals who witnessed his actions and I am 100% sure this took place, so if anybody wants to sue me, go for it. I know I have the facts and numerous people ready and willing to testify.
His name is Randy Byers.
Here is his web site. As you can see, he promotes himself as using John Lyons' methods. This is why a friend of mine took a horse to him last fall for some fine tuning. At their initial meeting, Randy rode the horse in a plain snaffle and used Lyons' techniques. While my friend did not care for the arrogance he displayed toward her, she believed he was a competent trainer and sent her horse there.
Two weeks later, she was smart enough to drop by for an unannounced visit - at which she found her horse in a twisted wire snaffle and running martingale, totally traumatized, dripping in sweat, and with a bloody mouth. Oh, and now he reared. My friend, being no wimp, ripped ol' Randy a new one and picked up her horse the next day. She then had to send him to Jon Ensign to fix all the Randy damage. Jon did a great job.
Meanwhile, Randy sent e-mail nastygrams to my friend and basically accused her of being a stupid female who knew nothing about training. Anyway, catastrophe narrowly averted - her horse survived.A little Arabian mare did not. She is buried on the property where she lived with her very young owner, who I am pretty sure is too young to be reading this blog or I would be hesitant to post it.
And there is a vet - not a good one - who said she died of a stroke.Here's the truth:A family bought an older Arabian mare - in her 20s - for their young daughter. The mare hadn't been ridden in several years and needed some tuning up so they took her to Randy.
Unlike my friend, they did not check on her, and her nightmare began."I always knew when Randy was riding," one source told me, "because all we could hear was the sound of the whip from the barn." It didn't matter which horse Randy rode - he was nothing if not consistent. Everything got ridden into a white sweat, beaten and spurred. Everything. When Randy was riding, horses who weren't even in training with him would stand in their stalls and tremble with fear.
If an owner came to watch, they were told ridiculous statements like "you need a curb bit to neck rein" and told that this kind of training was normal. Randy, like many NH snake oil salesmen, preyed on beginner horsepeople who did not know right from wrong. His macho, aggressive personality scared other boarders into silence. He went on trail rides with a local horseman's group where witnesses saw him ride horses until they collapsed and "race" other riders on exhausted horses but no one ever said a word because he scared them. "I am scared to talk against him," one witness told me. "He seems like the kind of guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley."
On January 19, 2009, Randy finally took his horse-beating style a little too far. He rode the little Arabian mare for several hours, until she fell to her knees. After she collapsed, he got off and kicked her, yelled at her, and whipped her. She somehow got into the aisleway at the barn where she died. Whip welts and a bloody girth gall were apparent on the body. A vet called Dr. Dugan was called, who pronounced her dead from a stroke.
Her body was loaded into the bed of a pickup and taken back to her owners' farm for burial. The incident was reported to the Thurston County Sheriff, who investigated, but with the body gone and the vet report, nothing could be done.Well, Randy, you think you're so slick, don't you? But people talk - and some clueless livestock vet being in your pocket doesn't save you from everything.
I decided to do a little research with a REAL vet (an expert in pathology) about what it would take to accurately diagnose a stroke. I am told there is no way at all to verify a stroke without examining the brain in a necropsy. That mare went to her grave whole. Now, I'm not saying she didn't have a stroke after the hours of being worked and beaten but it cannot be proven as the cause of death. A heart attack is just as likely as is a head injury from flipping over or striking her head when she fell.
But hey, we had to get that body into the ground in a hurry before anybody took a picture of all the whip welts and girth galls, didn't we? Priorities!
I mentioned Randy on my blog in January. He e-mailed me the following response "Move me up to #2 please...I love that picture of me on the half linger, we look good together. He is one of the sweetest horses I have worked with. Could you please move me up under Cleve's #1.
I think that I deserve the #2 spot instead of #6. If I give you some reall good dirt on me can I be move to #1? Randy
"Yes, Randy! YOU WIN! You are NUMBER ONE! Cleve at least didn't KILL the horse. Again, this is RANDY BYERS who is currently holding clinics at the Triple H Arena in Chehalis, Washington and the Hart Ranch and Arena in Yakima, WA.
He has something going on at the Ride the West event in Spokane, WA. He is currently training out of Carbon Stables, 15340 133rd Ave SE, Yelm, WA 98597 (this is the fourth facility in about a year or so...he got kicked out of the facility he beat the mare to death at and he got kicked out the facility before that, too) Randy's website says (illiterate moron) "Some people succeed because they are destined too" Randy, you're not gonna succeed with that poor little mare's blood on your hands. Not if I have anything to say about it.
You disgusting, pathetic loser. Please, DO feel free to x-post everywhere. Don't let that poor little mare's death be in vain.And if you have a horse in training, GO AND CHECK ON HIM! Do NOT leave your horse with a trainer who tells you WHEN you can come to the barn (within reason, normal barn hours are to be respected). Use your head and don't let this happen to you or your horse. "
From http://www.fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 27, 2009
Completely off topic - Susan Boyle
Well, since I don't watch tv and get my news from the internet, I saw this photo of Susan Boyle and wondered what the hype was all about...well...the hype is apparently more than justified. I got goose bumps from listening to her beautiful voice...fabulous way to start of a new week.
Below is the video link from you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OcQ9A-5noM
Jo
Below is the video link from you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OcQ9A-5noM
Jo
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Mattie - 1996 - 2009
I do not want to dwell on what we went through this weekend, his life here was one of love, compassion and kindness. So, we will dwell on that, instead.
But, we lost Mattie yesterday at about 7pm.
He will be very, very missed and he was extremely well-loved. We did not have time to tell everyone and give them a chance to say goodbye before we lost him, but he was surrounded by his "human family" who held him and loved him right through to the end. Greg, Patty, Jo, Chuck, and Trevor were all here for him.
I was really attached to that horse and boy, could he work me for the treats and carrots! He impacted each and every person who ever met him. He was always the first to nicker at me in the morning and almost always whinnied or nickered when he saw me (maybe it was the bag of treats or the carrots he knew were in my pocket!) and made me feel like he was happy to be here.
He was a shining star for Angel Acres and he served a purpose no one could have seen when we saved him...raising awareness about slaughter bound horses. While his previous owners used him and then threw him away, he found a new loving family here. One that looked beyond the founder, looked beyond his inability to be ridden, and just loved him because he was Mattie.
He was kind and gentle and knew just how much he could work you before you were like, "hey, he's working me here". lol He had fans and supporters from around the nation and many who made the long drive just to meet him. Mattie was Angel Acres own mascot for all slaughter bound horses...
He helped us tell people that horses are not useless, they are not throw-aways, that there really is a person for each homeless horse...homeless horses are not unwanted, someone wanted them when they bred him or her...they are simply homeless, having outgrown his or her intended purpose for his or her owner or breeder. (forgive me if I am grammitcally incorrect, my head is throbbing and I should be going to lay down, but feel I need to write this asap)
This horse was used up and thrown away by the people that were supposed to care for him! He had the worst case of founder anyone we knew (including vets and farriers) had ever seen. Yet through it all, he was stoic and yet playfull, who'll ever forget Mattie snagging a big ole mouthful of hay while someone was walking by, then look away like "wasn't me!"...he'd poke his head out to playfully nip at Dr. Wells, not to be mean, but for attention!
And lordy when Chuck pulled up, he was a different horse, worried yet willing...would this be Chuck working for 4 hours or just a quick check? Either way, Mattie was great through it all. I have pics of Mattie and Chuck together, it was truly amazing, the way they connected. Chuck gave his heart and soul for Matties care...and we are forever grateful to him.
Mattie touched so many lives all around the country. He helped bring awareness to greater issues in the horse world. I will post more later...a newsletter will be going out as well.
Thank you to all who have supported him and loved him from afar...he will never truly be gone, he will be in our hearts forever.
Jo
But, we lost Mattie yesterday at about 7pm.
He will be very, very missed and he was extremely well-loved. We did not have time to tell everyone and give them a chance to say goodbye before we lost him, but he was surrounded by his "human family" who held him and loved him right through to the end. Greg, Patty, Jo, Chuck, and Trevor were all here for him.
I was really attached to that horse and boy, could he work me for the treats and carrots! He impacted each and every person who ever met him. He was always the first to nicker at me in the morning and almost always whinnied or nickered when he saw me (maybe it was the bag of treats or the carrots he knew were in my pocket!) and made me feel like he was happy to be here.
He was a shining star for Angel Acres and he served a purpose no one could have seen when we saved him...raising awareness about slaughter bound horses. While his previous owners used him and then threw him away, he found a new loving family here. One that looked beyond the founder, looked beyond his inability to be ridden, and just loved him because he was Mattie.
He was kind and gentle and knew just how much he could work you before you were like, "hey, he's working me here". lol He had fans and supporters from around the nation and many who made the long drive just to meet him. Mattie was Angel Acres own mascot for all slaughter bound horses...
He helped us tell people that horses are not useless, they are not throw-aways, that there really is a person for each homeless horse...homeless horses are not unwanted, someone wanted them when they bred him or her...they are simply homeless, having outgrown his or her intended purpose for his or her owner or breeder. (forgive me if I am grammitcally incorrect, my head is throbbing and I should be going to lay down, but feel I need to write this asap)
This horse was used up and thrown away by the people that were supposed to care for him! He had the worst case of founder anyone we knew (including vets and farriers) had ever seen. Yet through it all, he was stoic and yet playfull, who'll ever forget Mattie snagging a big ole mouthful of hay while someone was walking by, then look away like "wasn't me!"...he'd poke his head out to playfully nip at Dr. Wells, not to be mean, but for attention!
And lordy when Chuck pulled up, he was a different horse, worried yet willing...would this be Chuck working for 4 hours or just a quick check? Either way, Mattie was great through it all. I have pics of Mattie and Chuck together, it was truly amazing, the way they connected. Chuck gave his heart and soul for Matties care...and we are forever grateful to him.
Mattie touched so many lives all around the country. He helped bring awareness to greater issues in the horse world. I will post more later...a newsletter will be going out as well.
Thank you to all who have supported him and loved him from afar...he will never truly be gone, he will be in our hearts forever.
Jo
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Ernie Paragallo's Seized Horses Need Help!
Hi Everyone,
If you can offer a home to one of these poor guys and gals in need...please visit the link below...
http://www.cghs.org/horses.htm
What a crying shame...we just wanted to get the word out and try to help these guys...we will also include info in our newsletter...
Thanks for reading!
Jo
If you can offer a home to one of these poor guys and gals in need...please visit the link below...
http://www.cghs.org/horses.htm
What a crying shame...we just wanted to get the word out and try to help these guys...we will also include info in our newsletter...
Thanks for reading!
Jo
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Freedom aka Hotell Notel - 1989 - 2009
It is with a heavy heart that I post the news below...for many that new him, Hotell Notel, was a sweet wonderful guy! The post below is directly from his family...
Freedom has passed on and will never be forgotten. He is missed by his family and friends, both human and equine. We know that he is watching over his herd and will be their guardian angel. Farewell Freedom, Until we meet again....
Freedom – 1989 – 2009
Majestic….. Fearful….. Trusting…..Protective….Loving
The above words may not mean too much to anyone but to me my husband and the Freedom Horse family it described a horse named Freedom.
I run a Therapeutic Riding facility and Freedom was one of our family members that worked with us. He was adopted thru Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue and was a horse in need. Freedom was an ex-race horse/ steeplechase horse. Freedom was our spokes horse for understanding that rescues are necessary; to help that horse that no longer had a home or a horse that could no longer race, or that couldn’t race at all. The economy has also caused people to lose their beloved horse. Rescues save them from an uncertain fate. This is20why we try to adopt most of the horses we use in our program.
Freedom had a purpose; maybe in the beginning it was racing or steeple chasing, but our purpose for him was to just be a horse first. This is what we allowed him to do. He was the protector of his herd. The last to go into the stall at night making sure everyone was safe. He also had a girlfriend, a 12 hand pony also adopted thru Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue. They bonded instantly, it seemed that they knew they had been slated for the same fate but was rescued and now safe.
Of course he took some time on figuring out that we were the good guys. Once he did he respected us as part of the herd. Sometimes at night when he was still checking to make sure everyone was in, and I was getting impatient, I would go behind him and use all my strength to push him on his butt to get him moving. He would turn his head and look at me as if saying… do you think you really can move me….but he would move his skinny legs and go into his stall.
We didn’t ride him for the first 6 months we had him. We wanted him just to be a horse. So when we tried the first time he gave it his all and listened and tried hard to please us. When he was ready we would use him in lessons and he had the slowest trot in the world. Just would meander along but during the lesson you would always here me clapping and cheering that he was doing a good job and he was a good boy. Freedom needed the encouragement from me, as his instructor and encouragement his rider. I don’t think you will ever see a trainer and rider screaming in a ring “good boy”, “you go Freedom” and “Whoo Hoo” as you were trotting and cantering. The louder you got the happier he was. My neighbors must have thought we were nuts! And I am sure that instructors would be appalled at my behavior, but he needed to know verbally that he was doing the right thing. If you were quite, he was scared. He taught me to listen and he would tell me what to do and how to do it. In life you don’t teach or work with everyone the same way and neither should you do this with horses. Sometimes you just need to shut up and listen….
Unfortunately, we lost our friend our teacher and protector. We were blessed to have him for two years, smarter for what he taught us and angry that he was taken away from us so soon Freedom made a big difference in all our lives and he will never be forgotten.
Freedom, we promise that we will see you again… once our work here is done.
Liz and Mike Carlson
Freedom has passed on and will never be forgotten. He is missed by his family and friends, both human and equine. We know that he is watching over his herd and will be their guardian angel. Farewell Freedom, Until we meet again....
Freedom – 1989 – 2009
Majestic….. Fearful….. Trusting…..Protective….Loving
The above words may not mean too much to anyone but to me my husband and the Freedom Horse family it described a horse named Freedom.
I run a Therapeutic Riding facility and Freedom was one of our family members that worked with us. He was adopted thru Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue and was a horse in need. Freedom was an ex-race horse/ steeplechase horse. Freedom was our spokes horse for understanding that rescues are necessary; to help that horse that no longer had a home or a horse that could no longer race, or that couldn’t race at all. The economy has also caused people to lose their beloved horse. Rescues save them from an uncertain fate. This is20why we try to adopt most of the horses we use in our program.
Freedom had a purpose; maybe in the beginning it was racing or steeple chasing, but our purpose for him was to just be a horse first. This is what we allowed him to do. He was the protector of his herd. The last to go into the stall at night making sure everyone was safe. He also had a girlfriend, a 12 hand pony also adopted thru Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue. They bonded instantly, it seemed that they knew they had been slated for the same fate but was rescued and now safe.
Of course he took some time on figuring out that we were the good guys. Once he did he respected us as part of the herd. Sometimes at night when he was still checking to make sure everyone was in, and I was getting impatient, I would go behind him and use all my strength to push him on his butt to get him moving. He would turn his head and look at me as if saying… do you think you really can move me….but he would move his skinny legs and go into his stall.
We didn’t ride him for the first 6 months we had him. We wanted him just to be a horse. So when we tried the first time he gave it his all and listened and tried hard to please us. When he was ready we would use him in lessons and he had the slowest trot in the world. Just would meander along but during the lesson you would always here me clapping and cheering that he was doing a good job and he was a good boy. Freedom needed the encouragement from me, as his instructor and encouragement his rider. I don’t think you will ever see a trainer and rider screaming in a ring “good boy”, “you go Freedom” and “Whoo Hoo” as you were trotting and cantering. The louder you got the happier he was. My neighbors must have thought we were nuts! And I am sure that instructors would be appalled at my behavior, but he needed to know verbally that he was doing the right thing. If you were quite, he was scared. He taught me to listen and he would tell me what to do and how to do it. In life you don’t teach or work with everyone the same way and neither should you do this with horses. Sometimes you just need to shut up and listen….
Unfortunately, we lost our friend our teacher and protector. We were blessed to have him for two years, smarter for what he taught us and angry that he was taken away from us so soon Freedom made a big difference in all our lives and he will never be forgotten.
Freedom, we promise that we will see you again… once our work here is done.
Liz and Mike Carlson
Freedom - Thoroughbred Horse- In Loving Memory - 1989 - 2009 - "May you gallop freely forever"
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