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|  | The Donkeys of the Phoenix Herd
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Last month we reported the plight of the fourteen donkeys and horses of the Phoenix Herd. (You can read the history of the Phoenix Herd here.) We are happy to report that all of the donkeys have now been adopted! Dolly, Reba, Miranda and Willie, Jr. have been under the care of fosters Cecelia Corl-Uber and Bob Uber since April 22nd. Over these past 6 weeks, the Ubers have provided loving care and allowed the donkeys to learn that humans are good. Now that these mini donks have been gentled, they are approachable and love to be petted, scratched and groomed. All have been vaccinated, de-wormed and their feet have been trimmed. We are saddened that Willie, the patriarch of this herd, did not survive to experience this new beginning. However, we are happy to announce the arrival of his latest offspring, Patsy! Her story is told below. We are so very grateful to the Ubers for taking in these little ones. I don't know what we would have done without them!
Once rescued the two pregnant jennies, Reba and Dolly, began to thrive. Their coats slicked off, and they gained weight nicely. The two yearlings, Willie, Jr. and Miranda, were in much worse shape and have recovered more slowly. They were rail thin, infested with parasites both internally and externally, and required antibiotics for respiratory infections. They are now on the mend and well enough to move on to their forever homes.
Dolly, who is expecting her baby to arrive soon, was adopted by the Mathson family of Cleburne, Texas. The Mathsons previously adopted Pegasus horses Grace, Dixie and Tig, and have been waiting patiently for a donkey to come along. They went to visit the herd, and Dolly was their favorite. Last weekend they transported Dolly to her new home, and she is loving all the attention she's getting from this awesome family. They have decided that Dolly's baby will either be Faith or Garth, sticking with the theme of country singer names.
Reba and her baby, Patsy, are being adopted by John McDaniel of Caldwell, Texas. John and his partner will take Reba and Patsy to their 56 acre horse ranch and provide them with lives fit for the princesses they are! We expect they will be going home next week, and everyone is excited!
Miranda and Willie, Jr. are being adopted by Elizabeth and John Williams of Leesburg, Texas. These two must remain separated from each other for a few more weeks because Willie, Jr. is in need of castration, but he's not quite healthy enough yet to safely tolerate the procedure. They will be next to each other while their health continues to improve, and once Willie, Jr. is a gelding, they will have 42 acres to roam with their new longhorn friends. The Williams will be taking Miranda and Willie, Jr. to their new digs next week.
The other members of the Phoenix Herd (8 horses and 1 mule) remain at Bruce Logan's ranch in Loving, Texas. They will stay with Bruce until he can gentle them and have them vetted and trimmed. All have received a couple of doses of de-wormer, which has helped their health tremendously. They are eating well and improving day-by-day. Bruce will put the initial training on these horses to get them safe for foster homes. At that point, we will need to place them in skilled foster homes until we can start bringing them one-by-one to the ranch for training. This process will likely take years.
Our cost to care for the Phoenix Herd is monumental, easily exceeding $5000/month for the first few months. Please consider making a donation to support the care of this herd. Or, become a Pegasus Partner and provide an ongoing monthly donation to help these horses longterm. Your support is essential. Click here to make a one time donation or to become a Pegasus Partner: Donate for Phoenix's Herd
If you are willing to foster any of these horses after Bruce Logan gets them manageable, please contact Allyson DeCanio ([email protected]) for details. If you are interested in adopting a horse, please refer to our adoption process by clicking here: Adoption Process
We want to thank the many of you who have already contributed to Phoenix and her herd. Your kindness and generosity are overwhelming. To view the full photo album of Phoenix's Herd and to get to know each individual horse, click here: Phoenix's Herd
If you'd like to read Bruce Logan's bio, click here: Bruce Logan
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~PATSY~
Be Still My Heart
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| | Patsy was born to Reba on May 9, 2016 |
Precious Patsy is the first baby born to the Phoenix Herd. Her mother is Reba, and her father is the late Willie. Much to our dismay, Willie died before we could remove the herd from the property where they had been abandoned two years prior. Fortunately, Patsy was born after the donkeys were moved to Old Iron Hill Farm, the home of Bob and Cecelia Uber in Winnsboro, Texas. The Ubers served as foster parents to all the miniature donkeys, and Patsy was born under their care. She is healthy, happy and confident!
Patsy, who is just shy of four weeks old, will be going to her forever home next week. John McDaniel of Caldwell, Texas is adopting Patsy and her mother, Reba. They will live out their lives in style on his 56 acre horse ranch. John and his partner will spoil these girls rotten, and we love it!
We extend a huge thank you to the Ubers for fostering Patsy and the rest of the donkey herd. And we appreciate all the support we have received from our fantastic Pegasus family. We had more wishful adopters than we had donkeys, and I apologize if you did not get one of these precious babies. But, I promise, more will come. Keep your eye on our Facebook page for all the beloved and deserving animals who need homes.
To view Patsy full photo album, click here: Patsy. WARNING: CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!
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~LITTLE BEAR~
Baby, I Was Born To Run!
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Little Bear strutting his stuff
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Born at Pegasus, Little Bear has never known a day of suffering in his life. This fact makes us very happy! Brooks (an Arabian mare from the Jacksonville, Texas seizure) gave birth to this colt in the early morning hours of April 23, 2012, ten months after her rescue. When we saved her herd, Brooks was so severely emaciated that we did not believe she could possibly be pregnant, even though she and five other mares were running with three studs (including the lovely Sundance, who we believe is Little Bear's father). Despite Brooks' horrid condition, Little Bear was born healthy, as were Audrey, Rain, Bobby, and Belle, all products of the mares from that herd.
From the start, Little Bear has been a fiery little guy. We adore him! He is curious, handsome and friendly. Since we handled him from day one, his manners are nice, and he's very people-oriented. He's built beautifully and has gorgeous, elevated movement. Once Little Bear past the two-year mark, Don Knapp started working to prepare him for going under saddle. He was an immediate superstar.
Don worked with Little Bear under saddle for more than a year, and then Dale Kahl took over his training. Little Bear has lots of rides for a four-year-old colt, and he is going very nicely. He is spirited and forward-moving but obedient and willing. He is a nice sport-horse type. Little Bear is good on the trails, but his talents are endless. This colt is going to make someone a very nice horse. He needs a partner who can continue to develop his skills. Keep your eye on this handsome devil. Pictures do not do him justice. You must see to believe!
To view Little Bear's full photo album, click here: Little BearIf you are interested in applying to adopt Little Bear, we would love to hear from you. Start by reviewing our adoption process by clicking Adopt, and submit your application today!
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A Note from Allyson
Kill Pens
~Part 2~
In the March 2016 version of this newsletter, I addressed the difficult topic of kill pens. If you did not see that note, you may want to read it before proceeding so that you are familiar with the issues. You can view it by clicking here: Kill Pens Explained.
I think about kill pens a lot. A WHOLE LOT. I despise the idea of doing anything that may support (directly or indirectly) an industry that is fueled by the suffering of horses. But when we pay ransom for a kill pen horse, we are helping feed that machine. So, do we allow a horse in need of rescue get shipped to slaughter because we are standing on principle? The moral dilemma is huge, the questions are many, and none of the solutions are ideal.
Others in the equine rescue world have put together some well-researched information on this topic. I am borrowing a link from Equine Assistance Project's page to share with you because they do an excellent job of laying out the problem. Click HERE to understand what they call The Kill Pen Rescue "Circle." In a nutshell, a kill buyer picks up a horse at auction or off of Craig's List for a couple of hundred dollars. He takes the horse to a kill pen and sets bail at $850. You, a sympathetic rescuer, buy the horse to prevent it from going to slaughter, and the kill buyer uses your money to buy 3+ more horses, which he then ships to slaughter. Yes, you saved that one horse, but you assisted with the purchase of three more who went to slaughter, and the kill buyer celebrates all the way to the bank.
I am not saying that no one should ever purchase a horse from a kill pen. NO HORSE DESERVES THAT FATE. I have both personally and as an agent for Pegasus paid ransom on kill pen horses and mules, and I have never regretted my decision for THOSE animals. I have worked closely with an animal advocate in Oklahoma who dedicates her life to kill pen rescue. However, I mourn the fact that my money helped kill buyers and kill pen operators continue their heartless practices.
If you are going to participate in kill pen rescue, at least you should understand the cycle and make an educated decision on how to spend your rescue dollars. One thing you should NEVER do, is donate money through an unverified plea on social media. Unless you are purchasing the horse for yourself, make sure that the horse for which you are donating, is actually being rescued. Here is a short video
created by South Eastern Equine Rescue that provides a summary of the problem and some guidance:
Bottom line. Some people who do kill pen rescue are legitimate, some are not. When donating to save a horse from a kill pen, please choose wisely. If you are unsure whether your donee is a legitimate rescue with a sincere interest in the horse's long term safety, your donation is better spent with a nonprofit rescue with a stellar reputation. It is important to know if the organization has a real plan regarding the security and future of the horse. Many wonderful organizations are dedicated to preventing horses from dying in the slaughter pipeline. Thoroughly check out ANY organization before you give them your hard-earned money. Make sure you are REALLY saving a horse!
Allyson DeCanio
President, The Pegasus Project
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June 18 & 19 - Bruce Logan Horsemanship Clinic
September 22 - North Texas Giving Day
October 8 & 9 - Mike Corcoran Cowboy Dressage Clinic
October 16 - Open House
October 29 - Ride for a Rescue
December 18 - Open House
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PEGASUS PARTNERS
Thursday, June 23rd
5:30 pm
The Forge
Ben Wheeler, Texas
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:
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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 assets. 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 PARTNERS
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