FEBRUARY 2015

Tig and Jackpot remind you to be kind to an equine
this Valentine's Day!
WON'T YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

Feeling amorous this February 14th? Come on out and share the love with your favorite Pegasus equine! Bring your sweetheart, or come solo, and ask a Pegasus horse, donkey or mule to be your Valentine! 

It's time for our quarterly open house!! For all of you who have been wanting to tour the facility, meet the horses, and get to know our incredible staff, here's your chance. Come spend the afternoon at the beautiful ranch that is home to the Pegasus herd. We'll have hayride tours, serve refreshments and tell you all about the horses and the work your generous support allows us to do. Admission is FREE!

We are looking forward to sharing with you the magic and the love that is Pegasus!!

Details and directions can be found by clicking here: 



~Magnificent Mac~
31-year-old Mac is in sanctuary at the Pegasus ranch
In July 2010, we were called in by law-enforcement to evaluate a 26-year-old Quarter Horse stallion named Mac. Mac was in county-ordered quarantine because he had recently attacked one of his caretakers, resulting in severe lacerations to her face. Because his owner was seriously ill, she was boarding Mac at a facility in Tyler, Texas. This facility turned out to be improperly equipped to handle stallions. Our investigation revealed that for the past few years Mac had been the victim of neglect, mishandling and outright physical and mental abuse. As a result, this very nicely bred and well-mannered horse, who was dearly loved by his owner, had become angry, frustrated and dangerous. 

At the request of his distraught owner and Smith County, Pegasus agreed to accept Mac and rehabilitate him. Despite his unfortunate history, Mac's spirit remained intact, and he proved to be an exceptional horse. We made him healthy, gained his trust, got him over his anger, offered him back his dignity, and relieved him of his testicles! In no time at all, Mac was a new man. No longer a roaring ball of anger, Mac transformed into the wise and confident leader of his new herd.

Now Mac is a happy, healthy, and sane 31-year-old gelding. He enjoys interactions with other horses for the first time in his life. Many a joyful tear has been shed by those who knew Mac back in the day of his misery but who now see him as the loving, kind and beautiful horse he has become. Due to Mac's complicated history, he will remain with Pegasus for the remainder of his days. We are honored to provide him his forever home to live out his life in peace.

Although Mac is not available for adoption, he would love to have a sponsor. If you'd like to sponsor this magnificent creature, please contact us for details.

To view all of Mac's photos, click here: MAC

~SIMCHA~
Little Red Corvette

Simcha (pronounced Sim-ka) is a stunning 13-year-old Egyptian Arabian gelding. His name means "joy" in Hebrew, and it suits him well. This kind and gentle horse is longing for his perfect human partner.

In April 2014, Simcha was relinquished to The Pegasus Project by a couple that took him in after his family split due to divorce. To our knowledge, he has always been well cared for and loved. Simcha has excellent manners and stands nicely for vetting, grooming, trimming, etc. He trailer loads easily and is polite to be around. He's very quite in the herd.

When Simcha arrived at Pegasus, he had been started under saddle, and he clearly had some experience but not much training. Mostly, he needed to learn how to hold himself properly and maintain his gait without feeling the need to rush. He is very attentive to his surroundings, and so his rider needs to provide this horse with leadership and confidence. His inclination is to GO (he is an Arab after all!), and as a result Simcha needs an advanced intermediate to experienced rider who is quite and calm in the saddle. He has made very nice improvements in the past 10 months. Don & Dale have ridden lots of trails with Simcha to build his confidence in the great outdoors.

Simcha is very sweet-natured and loves people and other horses. He is going to make the right person a very nice little horse. Simcha is not registered, but he is eligible for registration. His official name is Ali Raconteur.

To view Simcha's full photo album, click here: SIMCHA

If you are interested in adopting Simcha, we would love to hear from you. Start by reviewing our adoption process by clicking Adopt, and submit your application today!



Welcome to this month's edition of Trainer's Corner, featuring Don Knapp, Pegasus' head trainer. Pegasus is proud of the work Don and staff trainer, Dale Kahl, do for our horses. We actually like to refer to Don and Dale as "horse developers" because that's what we do here - we develop the horse. We don't "break" colts, but rather work gently with them to develop their natural talents.


Each month we present these videos as models of our training techniques. Our goal is to provide you with an understanding of our methods. While we all can improve our skills with horses by growing and learning, please recognize that to properly start a horse takes special talent and years of experience. Recognize your limitations and be safe. Hire a professional when an animal is beyond your skill set!

 

Aspen's Education Continues
Aspen's Education Continues


In this month's Trainer's Corner, Don once again works with Aspen, a miniature mule. This video is more than 5 minutes long and it's not particularly exciting to watch, but it is educational. Allyson narrates the video so that you can understand Don's plan. Building the proper relationship with an animal can be pain-staking. This little mule is not going to accept anything less than proper treatment. It's crucial that we offer her a fair shake every step of the way.
 

Aspen came to us in August 2014, as a feral 1-year-old. After almost 6 months, you can see that she is still skittish and skeptical of being haltered. Progress has been slow, but we remain patient. Don is willing to take the time it takes to bring this little girl around. We don't put time pressures on the animal or ourselves. Rushing will get you nowhere. It's all about building trust, and each horse, donkey or mule has her own limitations. 


 Aspen is a tough little nut to crack, but she's getting there, slowly but surely! Mules . . . gotta love 'em!

 

 
A Note from Allyson

 
Estate Planning
How To Protect Your Horse

At least once a month, we receive a call that goes something like this, "My aunt just died, and she left behind four horses. We don't know what to do with them. Can you take them?" Because the Pegasus ranch is often at capacity or we lack the funds to take in another group of horses, our answer is too often "no". It's simply heartbreaking.

You never want to be that aunt. And God forbid that those are ever your horses. Sale barns are full of horses who were left behind and who now face a very perilous future. You must act NOW to avoid this unspeakable situation.

The simplest solution is to make an agreement with a trusted relative or friend. Choose someone who has the ability and desire to care for your horses when you are gone. Leave your horse to that person in your will, and take out a life insurance policy to provide sufficient funds to care for the horse, naming that person as the beneficiary of the policy. The policy amount will depend on various factors such as the age of the horse and it's living situation. Be realistic and be generous. We recommend at least $25,000/horse. You want to ensure that your horse will be properly tended for the remainder of his life. Term policies are an affordable means to providing this peace of mind.

Chose the beneficiary carefully and only after obtaining his agreement. If you have no one to fill this role, consider making this arrangement with a horse rescue or sanctuary. Again, chose very carefully. (The Pegasus Project can provide this service). You want to have a clear understanding of the terms. Will your horse remain in sanctuary at the facility? Will the rescue adopt him out? Ensure that everything is in writing with a detailed account of your desires and the facility's obligations to your horse after you are gone.  

Regardless of your age, it's a good idea to have this plan in place. But, as you age, give this even more serious thought. Do your best to have your herd at a reasonable number so that you are not asking too much from your beneficiary. Make sure you leave adequate resources to care for your ENTIRE herd. If you have aging friends or relatives with horses, be sure and share these thoughts with them as well.

Make an appointment with your estate attorney TODAY! You may also contact me to discuss any questions you have. As an attorney, I can explain the basic legalities of such an arrangement. Nothing is more important than providing for the long-term safety and welfare of the ones you love, particularly the ones who cannot help themselves. 

Allyson DeCanio
President, The Pegasus Project

Send inquiries to: allyson@MyPegasusProject.org

PEGASUS PARTNERS


Thursday, February 12th 
5:30 pm
Home of Lorna Russell
3397 CR 4412
Ben Wheeler, TX

Monthly, fun, information-packed meetings for Pegasus supporters at various locations throughout the year. All Pegasus Partners at the $25/month level and higher are Happy Hour members. Membership includes a car decal, a Pegasus hat or t-shirt, a Pegasus logo wine glass and an open invitation to every meeting! Discuss the latest Pegasus news and connect with other like-minded horse fans. (Your wine glass is free, but the wine isn't! We know how much you drink!)

 Click here to join:  


The Pegasus Project 2015 Calendar

ORDER YOURS TODAY!!

These calendars make excellent gifts for your horse loving friends!

Each month features a Pegasus
rescue horse or donkey

Only $15 each
-or-
Two for $25

All proceeds benefit the horses of
 The Pegasus Project

Click here to order:
Buy Calendar


 DO YOU LOVE

WHAT WE DO?

 

BECOME A

PEGASUS PARTNER!

 

Did you know Pegasus relies entirely on private donations? Our regular monthly donors, known as Pegasus Partners, are our most treasured asset. For as little as $10/month you can help provide us with a predictable source of income at a much lower cost than any other fundraising method.

While we are very appreciative of one-time donations, the monthly donations of our

Pegasus Partners allow us to plan ahead.

 

Our ability to save these helpless horses, donkeys and mules depends on YOUR donations!

 

We cannot do this without you! Please consider making a monthly donation so we may continue to rescue horses that have no future without us.

 

Click here to join:

Pegasus Partner

 

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