Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue
March 2012
STILL STRUGGLING!
Dear Friend,
You have been a blessing. Thank you for your past support and recent donations. You have helped us through these very trying times where the cost of hay for feeding our rescued horses has doubled over the past year...no sign of relief yet.
The skyrocketed cost of hay is taking a frightening toll on us. We've been dipping into our emergency funds just to make ends meet each month and our reserves are at an all time low.
However, your continued support is helping us through this rough patch. And, we are looking for aid from all sources such as foundation grants, high donor gifts, corporate partners, in kind donations, fund raisers, direct postal mail, and so on.
As you know - it is a hard time for everyone and our regular donations have dropped off because people are trying to survive the American economy.
So, I understand that your donation may not be as much as you would like it to be. But please know that even the smallest amount is important to us.
The greatest need for us is hay. It is the need that never lets up, never goes away, we can never stop asking. Our horses eat, on average, 20 lbs of hay per day each. So since we have over 400 at our California facility and sanctuaries that means every day we feed 8000 pounds of hay, 4 tons. (This does not include the cost of lease grazing 149 horses in South Dakota which is an additional $70,000 each year...a great deal of money but much less expensive than having to feed them hay in California).
Each ton of hay is up to $260 and sometimes higher. That's over $1000 per day. Crazy expensive.
We have other expenses here at the ranch but the priority is always the horses first. Feed.
That's why each month I am telling the same story and asking for the same help over and over again.
I have promised the horses...all of them...the ones we have rescued together...that they will never go a day without nourishment. So, I must do everything in my power to make sure I keep that promise.
That's why I am asking you again, this month, to help us keep the hay coming. Your most generous gift, any amount, will help us feed them another day.
Our mission's work does not stop even though times are tight. We are still looking for good homes for the adoptable horses. We have so many nice family and riding horses - but homes that can afford to keep horses with the current costs of hay are far and few. Yet hope is a plenty and we just keep praying.
We even took in three slaughterbound horses... against my better judgment...they needed us. All three are nice horses and should be able to go to homes when homes can be found.
We are still holding our Wild Horse Boot Camp this May 25-28 and have a few openings left to fill.
We are preparing a few of our mustangs to go on a sacred ride across the plains this summer in support of the International Council of 13 Grandmothers. This Council of female tribal elders from different countries are trying to bring healing to our earth and people through events and teachings.
We are still giving horsemanship instruction to adopters and others so that they will always have a good partnership with their own horses - preventing any need for rescue in the future.
And we are still educating the public through every means available to us: facebook, website, postal letters, etc.
So - Yes we need your support to buy hay, the life force of this rescue ranch operation, but we continue our mission of Sanctuary, Healing, Adoption, Rescue and Education. S.H.A.R.E.
Our faith in our work is firmly planted and we believe if we stay on our mission's path and uphold our strong priniciples we will be supported even through these hard days ahead.
Please visit our website when you have a chance and see what we are doing. www.wildhorserescue.org
Also - please "like" Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue on facebook. We talk about our daily activities there.
Thank you again for being such a good friend to the horses. They need you as much as ever.
Many blessings,
Jill Starr
President
Lifesavers, Inc.
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In Memory of Tasha
Tasha was rescued from Colorado many years ago where she suffered abuse at the hands of her owner. She endured many punishing blows to the head with a 2x4 while being trained to be a pack horse for hunter. She was forced to carry heavy loads of Elk meat on her back many times weighing more than such a small horse should bear.
Tasha's luck changed when a kind woman convinced the hunter to let her have Tasha and the woman contacted Lifesavers immediately. We felt so bad for Tasha that we arranged for her transportation to our California ranch. Her relentless abuse left her afraid and untrusting. She couldn't let anyone touch her face - even if it was for a soft stroke of compassion.
Tasha lived at Lifesavers for nearly half of her full life where she never had to carry anyone or anything on her back again. She was cared for with love and kindness and had a very comfortable life with many other rescued horses as her constant companions.
Tasha recently developed a debilitating condition that started to rob her of her comfort and quality of life. Her body condition and spirit were failing.
In the only way she could Tasha asked us to let her return to the earth and we tearfully obliged.
Goodbye sweet girl - we will miss you here - and one day we will re-unite on the other side...at the Rainbow Bridge.
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Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue,
23809 E. Avenue J, Lancaster, CA 93535, 661-727-1205 |