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A special thank you to Erin Burnside of Elkins High
School and all the riders that came to the benefit trail ride for SWAP. As her
Senior project Erin raised over $400. for SWAP. Kudos Erin. If we had 100 kids
do this as their senior project or even just as a fund raiser, they could pay to
feed all our horses for a year!! Please consider us kids when you are doing your
volunteer projects for school or if you want to do a fund raiser this summer.
One kid with the desire to help can make a huge difference, just like Erin did.
Bravo for a job well done!!

Congratulations
to our Executor for her selection and award for the International Who's Who of
Professional and Business Women for 2006/2007. Kudos!!
Yehaa, Kudos again to our Executor for her selection to
receive the National Leadership Award by the Republican Party.
Click here to put
a horse into our adoption program
Click here to
see what we have learned over the years and with thousands of horses.

If you can't adopt, think about a gift to one or
all of our horses: supplies, tack, dewormers, a donation, fly spray, or a new
halter. Click here to be a sponsor to
one of our horses



Great Goals for 2008:
1. Spend
an hour a day with your horses, not just feeding, training and turning out, but
real quality time doing something that is enjoyable for the both of you.
Grooming or hand walking is a great way to bond with your horse and good for
both you and the horse.
2. Get
your loved ones more involved in your horses. Divorce is the biggest reason we
see horses coming back to us. Don't just share the work, share the fun too and find
something they really enjoy doing with horses.
3. Learn
a new discipline, go to a clinic, a horse show, or equine affaire. Come to one
of our clinics or watch a training video. If you are an adopter you can check
out books and video's from SWAP's Library for just shipping costs. Take a lesson at least once a month or Bring your adoption horse
here and we will help you. The better you are, the more fun you will have.
4. Make a
plan for your horse after you are gone or if you have a major injury, let your
will executor know your plans. Make a plan for emergencies or financial bumps
along the way for your horse. Have a plan if you or your horse gets injured,
even for the tough times of year like winter (or summer down south). Ask friends, family and neighbors
to be part of your plan. Most people can not resist someone when they are asking
for help for the welfare of an innocent animal.
5. Get yourself healthy and in better shape to
prevent injury, to live a long life and to more enjoy your horses. Eat 1-1-1
(one ounce of dark chocolate, one ounce of fresh walnuts, one glass of red wine
daily) and 2-2-2 (2 servings of fresh vegis, 2 of fresh fruit and get 2 sources
of fat free calcium). Drink 100 ounces of spring water a day, get a whole
house water filter. Change over to Sea-salt. Take one teaspoon of apple cider
vinegar every morning to keep your body alkaline (cancer and disease can not
grow in an alkaline body). Eat more fish and chicken and less red meat. Get a
good air cleaner and do daily deep breathing exercises, get outside in the fresh
air and sunshine for at least 1/2 hour every day. Get away from high fat food,
processed foods, fast food, can or boxed food, sugar or artificial sweeteners,
soda and don't eat anything if you can't read all the ingredients and know
exactly what is in it. Clean all vegis and fruits thoroughly, buy organic, buy
ocean caught fish, not farm raised, buy fresh meat and raw milk, not packed or
processed. Eat only natural carbs (potatoes, rice, oats) bake/broil or steam
everything. Use your microwave for only heating water, it kills the nutrition
value in food. Get 8 hours of sleep, reduce stress/risk (reduce commuting by car
pooling, tight schedules, cell phone use in the car, watch or read the news only
once a day or better yet once a week, stay clear of
negative people
and those very negative chat rooms and bulletin boards). Stop Complaining and be
Thankful for what we each have. Do one hour of walking, yoga or weight
training every day and it will make you strong, lean, look great and you'll get
wonderful complements from friends, coworkers and loved ones and the horse work
will be easier and more enjoyable.
6. Read
at least one book on training your horse and one on care each year, if for nothing
else but just inspiration. SWAP has a great
library of books/videos that adopters can check out for just the cost of mailing
it. Click here to
see our Library
7. Get
carrots/apples every time you go to the store, your horses will love you for it and
always come running when you call. Don't feed candy or anything sweeter. Carrots
are sweet enough. Get rid of the sweet feeds and you'll get rid of the hot horse
once and for all.
8.
Realize that if you are having a problem with your horse, more likely than not,
the problem is you. Learn more, practice more, ask in a different way, be
patient, change their environment or daily schedule to better suit them. Taking
better care of a horse always brings out the best in that horse. Good
feed/hay, time to rest in a quiet stall out of the elements, lots of fresh water, time to be with you and time to
just be a horse, time with their buddies, farrier and vet care always done is a
good start. The biggest part of this relationship puzzle is you, not the horse.
If you are struggling, then you need to learn more and get better.
9. Ride
at least once a week, regardless of weather. Use this time as your down time for
healing, your therapy, your time to relieve stress and the pressures of daily
life. Even if you don't ride, go sit and read a book in the pasture with the
horses or sit in the barn and listen to them munch on dinner, away from the
crowd and noise of your day. Enjoy the peace and quiet, enjoy hearing happy
horses eating dinner or grass in the pasture.
10. Spend
time leisurely grooming your horse once a week. Rubber curries are shine makers.
You will have a beautiful horse and a very loyal friend who will do anything for
you.
11. Come and spend a week at SWAP HQ,
volunteering and focusing on helping a horse and giving will change your life
plus it will be the best vacation you ever had. Help
an animal in need, whether fostering, being one of our state reps that goes out
to check on our horses in their homes or helps us approve adopters in their
area. Find horses in need and help us find them homes. Buy a horse at a slaughter
auction, get it fat and trained and we'll help you place it into a good home. Foster and
volunteer for your local small animal adoption program. I promise, the good
things you do will come back to you a hundred times over. Every person has a
talent they can offer and if you help one horse or one dog or cat find a good
home, you have changed their life forever.
12.
Know that every goal is obtainable and it starts with a single step.
Take that first step today!! No matter what it is or how big, YOU CAN DO IT!!
Every goal that is written down will come true (really!). Every famous person,
every great or notable scientist, author, trainer/rider, parent or friend
started out as just a thought, just a goal. Remember to take one step today to
reach your goals.
13. Start
every day with thinking about, what is the most important thing I can do
today to change my life and make it better. Do that one thing and in 30 days
your life will be totally different. Can you imagine what your life would be
like if you did that for 60, 90 or even 365 days a year. The opportunities are
endless.
14. Want to keep your horse sound for life? (That should be every horse owners
number one goal) do a
long slow warm up (cold muscle is easy to injure, a warm one is nearly
impossible to injure). The very best cool down is hand walking your horse for 1 hour after every work out.
Yes, get off the horse and walk with it. Its great exercise for you and a good
time for you to bond. Stop riding your horse during cool downs and stop using a
hot walker, do something good for you and the horse, hand walking. Its also the
best rehab for over work and injuries, the only thing better is hydro therapy
and swimming your horse. Allow soft tissue and hard tissue to
become more conditioned before going into any training program... that usually
means 3 months of at least 3 days a week for soft tissues and 10 months of work for bones to become strong
enough to jump or do any strenuous training program. Don't start any upper level
work, jumping or extensive training until the horse is fit and at least between
age 4 and 6 and has been conditioned for at least 10 months (especially if the
horse has never been jumped/worked or not been jumped or worked in the last
year).
15. Appreciate what you have and be thankful.
Instead of looking at what you don't have, look at what you do. Thank those
people who have helped you and supported you. The more you give, the more that
will come back to you. When you give something away or give something to
someone/something in need, you make space in your life for something good to
come to you. We are all very blessed, if we just take a moment to look
around and enjoy those things.
16. Get used to using favorite mantra's and visualizations
every day, simple ones that are easy to remember, like 'I can do this, I will do
this', 'this isn't going to get the best of me' or even, 'I deserve the best' or
'the gift of love, caring, and support always comes back' and take two minutes
every morning as you wake and at night as you go to sleep to visualize the life
you want, the you you want to be, Our thoughts become things, what you see
is what you get, if you expect the best, the best will happen, change your
self-talk from negative to positive and I promise your life will change for the
better..
17. Each person is put on this earth for a reason, each of
us has a mission. What is yours? Seek and you shall find, finding is a journey
... in the journey and the search you'll find your life purpose. If you died in
your sleep tonight is there something you haven't done that you need to do or
want to do? Someone you need to mend fences with, burnt bridges to fix? People
you need to tell them how much you love them? Have you fulfilled your purpose in
your life? Ask yourself, Why am I here? How can I make this better? Who do
I want to be? Who am I suppose to be? What reason was I put on this earth? What
is my purpose?
18. Be an inspiration to your family, co workers and
friends. We all fall on our face, we all make mistakes, we all get discouraged,
most times we all get up and try again.... sometimes we need a nudge. Instead of
being negative or doing negative things, be their inspiration. You do believe
they can do it, so why not tell them. If their self talk is negative, then you
be their positive self talk.... eventually they will start to say it and believe
it too. Life is self fulfilling, failure feeds on itself or causes more failure,
achieving does as well. So if you or your love ones are in a negative cycle,
break the cycle by changing your thoughts, your self talk, achieve something
small to get yourself and your family back into the cycle of achievement.
19. We all file a flight plan every single day for our
life. Where is your flight going today? Just like a pilot flying, the winds, the
gravitational pull will change your flight plan and take you off course, so you
must make small corrections along the way to make sure you make your
destination. Have you selected your destination? Have you picked the steps in
your flight plan to get there? Every goal is really that easy, pick the goal and
figure out how to get there. The easiest way to pick your flight path/plan is
find someone who has done it before you, then do what they did. Its all baby
steps you know. Just keep an eye on that destination and keep saying...."here is
my destination, this is where I'm going, this is where I am now, this is how I'm
going to get there.... I will arrive at this time on this day. You can do
it..... its just like getting in your car to go to the store, its just deciding
where you want to go and how to get there, then take that first step. You can do
it!! No matter how big or how outlandish you may think your dream to be...
it is obtainable.
20. Laugh every day and try (as hard as it is sometimes)
to find the positive and the humor in each situation (and have at least one bite
of a truly decadent desert once a week). Life is just too short to not enjoy it
thoroughly.
21. We learn the most and do our best work when we have
fallen on our face, when we are struggling, when we are worried, scared or
frustrated, when we anguishing over something or troubled by it. It is then that
you have true motivation, when you think clearer. The most brilliant ideas come
to people when they feel lost, frustrated, or at the bottom, helpless or
hopeless. Cherish these times because its when you can come up with your best
ideas to your biggest problems and challenges. You see, there is a reason for
the rainy days.
22. You can't make everyone happy, its useless to try and
wasted energy to think you can. 50% of all people will not agree with you at any
given time, don't worry about it and don't let it stop you. 50% becomes a lot of
people when you are in the public eye. As long as you are not hurting anyone and
you believe you are doing the right thing, then go ahead and do it. If you are
wondering what is the right thing to do, its usually the harder thing to do, the
toughest path to take. The easy way out is rarely the right thing to do.
Instead of worrying over what someone thinks of you or says about you, do
something amazing and outstanding to inspire them or at least have them sitting
on the side lines being jealous, secretly saying, "wow, she has guts". One
person with purpose becomes the majority, one way or another.
This should
probably be taped to your bathroom mirror where one could read it every day.
1. There
are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least
15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only
reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you
4. A smile
from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every
night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean
the world to someone.
7. You are
special and unique.
8. Someone
that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you
make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10 When you
think the world has turned its back on you take another look.
11 Always
remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
Good
friends are like stars.......
You don't
always see them, But you know they are always there.
"Whenever
God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another,
I would
rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole
truck load when I'm gone.
Always in hope and admiration, Celeita

| |
Proud to be an
American!!
-
Crossed Sabers Stable and The
-
Second
Wind Adoption Program
(SWAP)
-
 | 40 million visitors
every year |
 | As many as 530,000
hits in one day |
 | As many as 5 million
visitors in one month from 113 different countries |
 | Visitors from every continent of the world |
 | Thousands of adoptions
(of 65 different breeds of horses) in homes today |
 | Horses adopted in
46 of the 50 states and Canada |
 | Between 70 and 300
adoptions each year, 12 year history |

PRIMARY MISSION OF CROSSED SABERS STABLE AND THE SECOND WIND ADOPTION
PROGRAM
Prevent
animal abuse/neglect
of all the equus species and the need for rescue through adoption,
there by being a catalyst for “Rescue Prevention” by placing horses into
quality homes before the need arises for rescue or intervention by
authorities.
Make up for the lack of state
protection laws by having
adoption contracts that govern minimum care and use of each horse.
Allow exceptional adopters
the opportunity to purchase their adoption horse with a safe selling
contract that will protect the horse for life,
after any where from a 2 to 5 year probation period for certain horses
but not necessarily all horses and all adopters.
Whenever possible, provide all horses
(everyone in the equine family) including race, show, eventing, fox hunting,
steeplechase, contest & working horses, polo ponies or any other sport or
endurance horse an easy transition to a second career and
give owners in every facet of the horse industry and private owners
a
viable, safe place for their horses to go and a more humane place than a bad home, selling or giving the horse to just
anyone or resorting to unnecessary slaughter.
Offer educational and support services
to horse owners/donors and adopters (transportation, foster homes, training,
follow up, guidance with problems, lessons and clinics for adopters).
Offer adopters training services
(lessons, clinics, training of their adopted horses, continued follow-up
to insure continued success with their adoption horse, and organized
trips to regional, state and national horse events that can be both
educational and fun).
Whenever
financially and physically possible, provide horses in the Adoption
Program ground and under saddle training to insure every chance for success
in their next home. Provide horses that are in need, the required
vet care, rest and rehab needed to get better
and find companion horses or horses that can no longer be ridden or
driven a safe and loving home for the rest of their lives.
Give people
that might not normally have a lot of up front money to buy a trained
horse but can afford the
daily care of a horse have the opportunity to adopt and experience the
joys of horse ownership and for kids to be able to grow up with horses
and learn responsibility, dedication
and the satisfaction to a job well done
and to offer people, individuals, families and kids opportunities that
can be both educational and fun but additionally that gives families and friends
something that they can experience together
that is good for the body, mind and spirit.
When
possible, support equine and animal
rescue in times of natural disasters.
When
possible, support state and regional
officials with abuse cases by being the expert in care
and conditioning of the equine and by giving them a place to send
horses that are taken from owners for abuse or neglect.
When
possible, as a secondary mission,
support other equine and small
animal adoptions and programs.
Support all rescue and adoption programs in order to offer a more
educated, well managed, unified approach to animal welfare.
SECONDARY MISSION
SUPPORT SERVICES
-
Basic And Transitional Job Training For Horses
-
Lay-Up, Rehabilitation From Injury
-
ESMT, Farrier, Dental, Grooming & Clipping (At Swap HQ)
-
Equine Appraisals For Donors
-
Spend A Week, Pick Your Horse Program
-
Cinderella Program (extreme make over for the healthy horse)
-
Life Line Program (financial support for minor injuries and illnesses)
-
Over Night Boarding And Housing For Donors/Adopters And Their Horses
-
SWAP Association Membership And Benefits
-
Estate Planning (Preparing Your Animals For Your Death)
-
Emergency Rescue And Disaster Assistance To Authorities, Adopters And Donors
-
Short Term Boarding
-
Horse Transportation Services and referrals
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
-
Advisory Program For Adopters
-
Local And Regional Adopter Follow Up And Assistance
-
SWAP Quarterly Newsletter
-
SWAP Educational Library For Adopters
-
Training And Riding Instruction For Adopters
-
Student Internships, Work Studies And College Credit
-
Sponsored Trips To Educational And Fun Equine Events
-
Scholarship Opportunities
-
Breaking And Training Services To Donors And Adopters
-
Instructional Clinics
Training (Training 101)
Training Under Saddle (Training 102)
Driving (Training 103)
Horse and Barn 101
Transitional Training for Race Horses (STB, Arab, QH and TB)
|
|
SWAP Code Ethics and Beliefs
-SWAP will always be honest in all dealings, we
also expect the same in our adopters and donors, the honor
system is our biggest asset in helping horses and people.
-SWAP will always do the right thing for the
horse (as apposed to doing the easy thing)
-SWAP’s focus will always be in helping horses,
keeping horses from abuse, neglect, miss use or over use
-Safety for the horses and people is paramount
to us, the rule is the horse does not get hurt and the people
handling it does not get hurt, SWAP uses all safety management
aspects available to keep horses and people safe
-SWAP will never force a horse to do anything,
we will use natural means only in use and training of horses
-SWAP will never use drugs, injections or meds
to ride, show, train or transport horses
-SWAP will not use dishonesty or omission of
important facts to place a horse into a home or in order to
get an adoption fee
-SWAP will always be against anything that
hurts horses and horse people
-SWAP will accept every horse that we feel we
can help and place into a home
-SWAP will never sell a horse or send a horse
to slaughter, nor will it ever support slaughter as means to
address the huge problem of over breeding horses in the US
-SWAP will never do anything against the law
and we will not support or associate with anyone that is doing
anything against the law
-SWAP’s standard of care will always be above
the industry standard for horses and we always want even
better care for our horses in their new homes, we are only the
half way house so of course, we want better than we can
provide to them here.
-SWAP will always look at a horse as an
individual and give the individual what it needs to succeed,
what it needs to be happy and healthy.
-SWAP will do everything it can do help a horse
find and fill a job or several jobs… with the understanding
that giving a horse a job will many times save a horses life.
-SWAP believes you must educate people first
and foremost in order to have horses in good homes and we
believe the adopter must be happy with their horse for the
horse to have the best home, we believe the person is the
biggest part of the puzzle and the most important part of the
team.
-SWAP will always have an open book and open
door to all other rescues/adoption programs for the purpose to
helping horses, we support the sense of teamwork and will
never treat another rescue as a competitor even if it means a
loss of business or income for us, the welfare of horses is
paramount. What is ours is theirs if it helps them do their
job for helping horses.
-SWAP will never ride a lame horse. If you see
someone from SWAP riding a horse in a picture or video,
consider it sound.
-SWAP will not diagnosis horses without
veterinary tests nor will be accept diagnosis’s from vets or
the individual horse person without the appropriate tests
being completed, the horse deserves at least that before
making decisions about their entire life.
-SWAP believes that there are no bad horses,
but only horses that need help, training, understanding,
possibly a change in jobs, handlers, riders or environments.
SWAP will always give the horse the benefit of the doubt as we
know that all horses with problems have those problems because
of people who did no know about horses, did not spend the time
they needed, did not care about them or it was just a bad fit
for the horse or person.
-SWAP believes there is a perfect person out
there for every horse.
-SWAP believes and knows that even the very
best horse person can have a change in their life that may
force them to have to find another home for a horse, that is
why we are here for our adopters and donors and are prepared
to help them in times of crisis (divorce, loss of job,
illness, injury, etc)
-SWAP understands that this is not a job of
popularity, but a job of responsibility to horses and sadly we
often have to do things that makes people mad, we have to tell
them no when they are not a good match for a horse, we have to
tell them no when they have been dishonest on an application,
we have to tell them no when they are not financially stable
or don’t have safe facilities. We have to fire volunteers when
we find out they are only out for themselves and not for the
horse. We have to testify against abusers, frauds and criminal
horse traders in criminal cases, we have to be there with the
police to go in to take abused and neglected horses. Our
customers, the horses can not speak and unfortunately the
people that we make mad by doing our job are usually very
verbal. We do not believe in being affected by the nay Sayers,
the chat rooms/forums or bulletin boards, the “Enquirers” and
rags of the internet, and those that we have made mad by doing
our job, people who are hiding behind an email address, saying
things about people they would never have the nerve to say in
person or say in a court of law or under oath. We will never
be affected by the negativity of these arm chair quarterbacks
who do not have the nerve or drive to get up off the chat
rooms and do something good, to make something of themselves
and their lives and it will not keep us from our job. Every
person you have ever greatly respected probably had entire
websites trashing them and their work. We believe if you are
going to be in the public eye you better be able to stand the
heat of standing up for what you believe is right for the
horses. We will stay focused on our mission, regardless.
-SWAP feels a strong responsibility to expose
people who are doing bad things to people and horses, abuse,
neglect, over use or miss use of a horse, selling horses they
do not own, using fraud to sell horses, etc, especially since
it seems the law is ignoring what they are doing and
especially since these people use the internet to cheat people
and they focus on the inexperienced people or programs like
ours to take advantage. We offer information to you on our
blacklist before you sell your horse to a horse trader, use a
transporter or protection from someone who uses horses only as
a vehicle to make money, the horse trader who will drug the
horse and lie about its age, training and capabilities, from
those who will use your horse up and then dump it like an old
shoe. Exposing bad people makes them mad so they run to the
chat rooms and talk about us and programs like us and lie
about us. You see that is all they can do because they know
they were wrong, they have no legal recourse because it’s only
slander/libel when it is not true. We’ll accept that heat
because that exposure saves horses every single day and that
is so much more important than the mud slinging. Every animal
welfare program has a blacklist just like ours but none of
them will publish it, so thousands of people are not getting
the benefits of the critical information that protects them
and their horses. Right now someone is getting ripped off and
some horse is being hurt by someone who is on a blacklist
owned by a program like ours but because they were too scared
to publish it horses are hurt again and again and people are
cheated or hurt. There is more important things than our
popularity, we believe the horses are worth it. |

"You are either part of the problem
or part of the solution.
Be part of the solution."

-
A young boy was walking along the beach
-
as high tide came in.
-
With every crash of the waves
-
he noticed that dozens of seahorses were
being cast onto the beach,
-
where they lay gasping and squirming.
-
Hurriedly, he ran to each seahorse he could
find
-
and gently tossed them back into the surf.
-
A man watching all this approached the boy
and said;
-
"Son, what you are doing won't make a
difference",
-
to which the boy replied,
"To
that seahorse . . . it will".

The Woman
I will Be
- I shall wear diamonds and a wide
brimmed straw hat with ribbons
- and flowers on it
- And I shall spend my
social security on white wine and carrots
- And sit in the alley of
my barn and listen to my horses breathe.
- I will sneak out in the
middle of a summer's night
- And ride the dappled mare across the
moonstruck meadow,
- if my old bones
will allow.
- and when people come to
call, I will smile and nod,
- As I walk them past the
gardens to the barn
- And show, instead, the
flowers growing there
- In stalls fresh-lined
with straw.
- I will shovel and sweat
and wear hay in my hair as if it were a jewel.
- And I will be an
embarrassment of all who look down on me
- Who have not yet found
the peace in being free
- To love a horse as a
friend, a friend who waits at midnight hour
- With muzzle and nicker and patient eyes
- For the Woman I will be when I am old.

Baggage
by Evelyn Colbath
Now that I'm home, bathed, settled and fed,
All nicely tucked into my warm new bed,
I would like to open my baggage,
Lest I forget
There is so much to carry -
So much to forget.
Hmm, Yes, here it is, right on the top -
Let's unpack Loneliness, Heartache and Loss,
And there by my halter hides Fear & Shame
As I look on these things I have tried so hard to leave-
I still have to unpack my baggage called Pain.
I loved them, the others, the ones who left
me,
But I wasn't good enough - for they didn't want me.
Will you add to my baggage?
Will you help me unpack?
Or will you just look at my things
And take me right back?
Do you have the time to help me unpack?
To put away my baggage,
To never re-pack?
I pray that you do - I'm so tired you see,
But I do come with baggage -
Will you still want me?

A man of kindness, to his beast is kind.
But, brutal actions, show a brutal mind:
Remember, He who made thee, made the brute,
Who gave thee speech and reason, formed him mute;
He can't complain, but God's omniscient eye
Beholds thy cruelty - He hears his cry!
He was designed thy servant; not thy drudge,
But know - That his Creator is thy judge.
Unknown author from The Ladies' Equestrian Guide, 1857.

-
Hug Your Horse
-
-
When your day seems out of balance
and so many things go wrong,
-
when people fight around you and the
day drags on so long,
-
when parents act like children,
in-laws make you think "Divorce",
-
go out in your pasture... wrap your
arms around your horse.
-
His gentle breath enfolds you and he
watches with those eyes.
-
He may not have a PhD, but he is oh,
so wise!
-
His head rests on your shoulder. You
embrace him oh so tight.
-
He puts your world in balance, and
makes it seem all right.
-
Your tears will soon stop flowing.
The tension is now eased.
-
The garbage has been lifted, and
you're quiet and at peace.
-
So when you need the balance from
circumstances in your day,
-
the best therapy that you can seek
is out there eating hay!!
-
~Mary Ann
Miller~

- The Horses' Prayer
- Feed me, give me water,
and care for me, and when the day's
- work is done, give me
shelter, a clean bed and a wide stall.
- Talk to me. Your voice
often substitutes for the reins for me.
- Be good to me and I will
serve you cheerfully and love you.
- Don't jerk the reins and
don't raise the whip.
- Don't beat or kick me
when I don't understand you,
- but rather give me time
to understand you.
- Don't consider it
disobedience if I don't follow your commands.
- Perhaps there is a
problem with my saddle and bridle or hooves.
- Check my teeth if I don't
eat, maybe I have a toothache.
- You know how that hurts.
- Don't halter me too short
and don't dock my
- tail... it's my only
weapon against flies and mosquitoes.
- And at the end, dear
master, when I am no longer any use to you,
- don't let me go hungry or
freeze and don't sell me.
- Don't give me a master
who slowly tortures me to death and lets me starve,
- but rather be merciful
and take care of me,
- by letting me run and
enjoy a warm pasture.
- Let me request this of
you and please don't regard it as disrespectful
- if I ask it in the name
of Him who was born in a stable like me.
Amen

- My ladies (at SWAP) have
promised that I shall never be sold,
- and so I have nothing to
fear;
- and here my story ends.
-
- My troubles are all over,
- and I am at home......
- standing with my old
friends under the apple-trees.
Black Beauty
If the only cost was love, we could save them all.

I am an Animal Rescuer
My job is to assist God's creatures
I was born with the drive to fulfill their needs
I take in helpless, unwanted, homeless creatures
without planning or selection
I have bought dog food with my last dime
I have patted a mangy head with a bare hand
I have hugged someone vicious and afraid
I have fallen in love a thousand times
And I have cried into the fur of a lifeless body too many times to
count
I have Animal Friends and friends who have animal friends
I don't often use the word "pet"
I notice those lost at the road side
And my heart aches
I will hand raise a field mouse
And make friends with a vulture
I know of no creature unworthy of my time
I want to live forever if there aren't animals in Heaven
But I believe there are
Why would God make something so perfect and leave it behind
Some may think we are master of the animals
But the animals have mastered themselves
Something people still haven't learned
War and Abuse make me hurt for the world
But a rescue that makes the news gives me hope for mankind
We are a quiet but determined army
And we are making a difference every day
There is nothing more necessary than warming an orphan
nothing more rewarding than saving a life
No higher recognition than watching them thrive
There is no greater joy than seeing a baby play
who only days ago, was too weak to eat
By the love of those who I've been privileged to rescue
I have been rescued
I know what true unconditional love really is
for I've seen it shining in the eyes of so many
Grateful for so little
I am an Animal Rescuer
My work is never done
My home is never quiet
My wallet is always empty
But my heart is always full
Author Unknown 
Just a Horse!
From time to time,
people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a horse,"
or,” that's a lot of money for just a horse".
They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the
costs involved for "just a horse." Some of my proudest moments have come about
with "just a horse."
Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a horse," but I did
not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about
by "just a horse," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just
a horse" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it's "just a horse," then you will probably understand
phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."
"Just a horse" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust,
and pure unbridled joy.
"Just a horse" brings out the compassion and
patience that make me a better person. Because of "just a horse" I will
rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.
So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a horse" but an embodiment
of
all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past,
and the pure joy of the moment.
"Just a horse" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts
away
from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a horse"
but
the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a
woman/man."
So the next time you hear the phrase "just a horse" just smile, because
they "just" don't understand.

"One Chance in a Million"
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