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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
| |
HORSES ADOPTED 2007
"The more you trust folks,
the less they let you down.
Sounds like an oxymoron,
but it's true."
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Click here to adopt Ali
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Click here to find out
more about Ali
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Click here to sponsor Ali
or be an honorary adopter
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Ali: 1999 Thoroughbred mare. Chestnut color, 16 hands high. Ali has a white
star on forehead. She is currently located in Indiana south of Indy. She has been
trained to ride, W/T/C, some lead changes, started on jumps. She has no
training issues. She is a quick and eager learner. Probably best for an
intermediate rider like most TB's. She loads, shoes, clips, and is good for
vet. Ali is calm and laid back but very willing to work. Ali is the direct
daughter of the world famous racehorse Alysheba (his stud fee was 40k when
her dam was bred) but her previous adopter sadly never registered her,
luckily she got all his athletic capabilities and is a lovely mover. She is
sound for any job, never had any lameness issues, illnesses or injuries. She
has been shown in
hand and huntseat since she was a yearling, all with a young girl. Wonderful mare for very little
money. Her downside is she cribs during meals. A cribbing collar should
fix that problem.
Ali has
been adopted by Chip Murphy of IN |
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ridden by a kid using a bareback pad
- Adopt Now for $400.
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Sunset Sue: 1993 Standardbred mare, 15.2 hands, bay, rides and drives,
good potential for pleasure riding and beginners, has several years
experience pleasure riding and pleasure driving. Experience trail riding,
located in CT. Returning from an adopter who
can't keep her. Sound for all professions, never had any
lameness issues, healthy. We
are looking for a home for her where she is the only horse, only mare or
has separate turn out for her as she tends to be tough on other horses in small
areas and in small groups. In large herds and big pastures (15 acres and up)
its not a problem. Prefers to be ridden and driven alone as well. Is a
people horse, not a horses horse, prefers her humans to other horses for
company. Loves people and attaches to them, would make a great 'only' horse
for someone. Don't let this turn out thing bother you, she is a very good
girl and a very sweet horse.
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Cookies'n Cream, aka
"Cookie": Appy mare Leopard, She is 13 hands
(measured),
excellent body condition, a senior mare in herd but does so
without being nasty to the others. Her feet look in good shape,
she is sweet and friendly, enjoys human contact, smart, under
saddle now, in regular training with a professional, she's coming
along nicely. Soon she will be ready for a good child rider or a
small adult rider.
Cookies & Cream has been Adopted Now by
Morgan Crabbs of MD |
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 taken in july07
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SA Celtic Matador, aka
Marcus: 1999 Arab gelding, 15 hands (measured) registered, trained and shown
by professionals in hunter on the flat, sound for all professions and
healthy, beautiful long mane and tail, a real looker. Of course, not a
beginners horse but for someone who knows Arabs and is a good rider, this
boy would be perfect. He's
located at SWAP HQ and in regular training by our trainer. Destined for the
show ring, what a mover. by famous western pleasure arab stallion, No
Question. Excellent choice for english pleasure, dressage, hunter, endurance
or even a park horse. Sweet uncomplicated horse.
Matador has been Adopted Now by
Morgan Crabbs of MD |
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Cowboy: Appy colt with blanket and black mane and tail, either a
yearling or two year old at the most, Probably out of one of the
appy mares and by the Arab/QH stallion, he's got that dishy face
and long legs. Nothing has descended and doesn't know he's a boy
yet, just enjoying the food and play time with the other boys.
Body condition is good, he's lovely, feet are in good shape as
well.
Cowboy seems to have a love of jumping or at least a
talent for it. He's been jumping our back fence, which is at least
4 feet, just so he can get to the hay fields and better grass.
What talent and in such a cute package.
Cowboy has been Adopted Now by
Tracy Stultz of VA |
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Pacs Blue Vegas, aka "Vegas": 1991 AQHA
registered Quarter horse gelding, 15.3 hands (will measure when he arrives
back at SWAP HQ), dark bay. Vegas raced, then did barrel racing, then was
ridden extensively (at least 10 miles each week) until 2001, when his owners
moved to IN Vegas came up with the signs of Heaves, he was moved to SWAP in
2001 and has been with an adopter in WV and has never had another problem.
We are looking for a home away from the coast and high humid areas where
Vegas can live out as living in a dusty barn or dusty hay could make the
problem come up again. Sound, healthy and extensive experience on trails, a
sweetie pie, great manners, likes to work, good with other animals, a child
can handle, smart, easily trained, a child could ride (as long as they know
something about riding), respects your space, loads, good with the
farrier/vet/shots, no vises, kid safe, ties and cross ties, good
temperament, confident, bathes, likes people, trained to ride, can ride
today, good alone, quiet in stall, comes when called, can catch in an open
field, high in the pecking order in herd. practically loads himself, looking
for a pleasure riding home. Quite the beauty too.
Vegas has been
adopted by Sara Brooks of VA |
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Click here to adopt Preacher
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Click here to find out more about Preacher
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Click here to sponsor Preacher or be an
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honorary adopter
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Leos Dynamo Moon, aka "Preacher": 1999
registered QH gelding, dark butterscotch sorrel with flaxen mane and tail,
foundation Quarter Horse, 15.3 hands, registration number is 3887372,
located in Chapmansboro, TN. but coming to WV (after Christmas) Sire is Ima Buckwheat Dude and the Dam is Sweet
Pepper Sugar. Currently on 24/7 turn out in TN, no allergies or feeding
issues, no surgeries (except castration), no fractures, no injuries or
illnesses. He loves western riding and tack. Appreciates a gentle handler,
easy keeper, all health care is up to date and done consistently, sound
barefoot, no lameness history at all, goes in a broken snaffle d ring,
standard curb, goes best in a tie down. Likes dogs and horses, good manners,
respects your space, good temperament, can be ridden today, totally sound,
sweet, never pins his ears, waits for you at the gate, can get a little nosy
when you have treats. Goes best in a group on trail rides, timid when being
ridden alone on the trails, will lead or follow on the trail, jumps small
logs and ditches, knows leads, likes to work, likes to jump, easily trained,
smart, good with other animals, good with horess, good with farrier and vet,
will stand in cross ties for the farrier, kid safe, does not bite or kick so
kids are safe around him on the ground but he is big and strong, loads,
ties, cross ties, clips, bathes, free lunges and lunges on a line, comes
when called, can catch in an open field. Comes running when the owner
calls... "Preacher, Dinner"!! Dislikes being stalled alone with everyone
else outside, needs a buddy, had 90 days of professional train, has been
used for western pleasure trails. Owner is giving him up over family
illness/injury. Sweet, very smooth gaits, beautiful conformation and color.
Has transported in a stock trailer and slant load, accustomed to all types
of fencing, respects all fencing. Recommended for competitive trail riding,
pleasure, contest, reining, cutting, herding cows and working cows, rodeo
and western pleasure. Fun, pretty horse. Not your typical foundation QH,
probably because of his training in cutting, a bit hotter than most. Needs an adult experienced rider,
not for beginners, children or 'rough cowboys'. Owner just wants him to have a great
forever home.
Preacher has been adopted by
Dr. Barbara Baker, the Director of the Pittsburgh Zoo |
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Tyson: SWAP's New rescue, just
arrived. He is a beautiful boy just needs some TLC and training,
he wants to please and he trys hard to do the right thing for you.
He's a chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail, under 5 years old and
between 14.2 and 15 hands. We will get better pictures outside
once he knows us and is easier to catch, he's not been handled for
years so he needs some human touch to come around. Like all the
others I'm sure he will come around. He really has no vises just
runs away. In a month or two he will be a different horse as he is
being handled nearly every day. Appears to be either an ASB
(American Saddlebred) or a TWH (Tenn. Walking Horse), we will know
as soon as we can see him move.
Tyson is pending
adoption by Angie Hughart of WV |
- Bidding starts at $1500.
- Adopt Now is $2000.
|
Harry: 1990 Trakehner
gelding, bay, 15.3 hands, sound, located Rio Linda, CA but coming to SWAP
Dec 8th.
USDF training level Horse of
the Year as a 5 yo, All Breeds. He beat 2500 other
horses who were entered, I think he got a 74.6% average
score. Don't miss out on this wonderful horse at a
great price. No Vices, has also done pleasure riding and
is a great all around horse in both english and western disciplines, super
dressage horse. Has done lessons with intermediate riders in dressage
Harry has been
adopted by Angie Macy of IN |
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Click here to adopt
Charlie
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Click here to find out more about
Charlie
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Click here to sponsor
Charlie or be an honorary adopter
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Mystery Man aka Charlie: 1994 dark bay TB gelding,
15.2 hands, totally sound, no sensitivities, injuries, or illnesses,
likes
people, good manners, respects your space, good
temperament, can be ridden today, confident, knows leads, likes to work,
likes to jump, easily trained, smart, good with other
animals and horses, good with farrier and vet/shots,
kid safe on the ground but like most TB's needs a rider who knows how to
ride, ties, cross ties, clips, bathes, quiet in stall, free lunges and lunges on line,
can catch in open field, high in pecking order, professionally trained in
jumping for 3 years
and professionally trained in eventing for 3 months,
has also done hunter paces, great ground manners, loves to work, well trained,
lots of local showing under his belt, recommended for dressage, jumping, fox
hunting (first flight or hill topper), hunt
seat on the flat or over fences, local showing, hunter paces, eventing,
etc., located at SWAP HQ, donated because his rider was going to college and
would no longer have time to ride him and his family did not
want him wasted. Just a note, the rub on his left front shoulder in the
pictures are just that, it only took some hair off, which has all grown back
now.
Charlie has
been adopted by the Ross Family of NY |
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Sandhi: 1994 registered Paint gelding (APHA #352,707), out of Lil
Smokey Dee and by Heiristocracy, sound, dun colored, located at
SWAP HQ,
15.1 hands (measured) built like a tank, lovely markings and
coloring. A great addition to anyone's barn.
He has had 4 years of professional training,
in both western and english. Was used for
dressage lessons with the former owner and was working at training
level, great feet, goes barefoot, easy keeper, good manners once
he knows you're the boss, knows leads, likes to work, good with
horses, smart, easily trained, not for a child or beginner, loads
but not crazy about a 2 stall trailer (will get in though), good
w/vet, shots, and farrier, ties, cross ties, laid back, can be
ridden today, good temperament, confident, clips, bathes, likes
people, good alone, quiet in stall, free
lunges, lunges on line, comes when
called, high on pecking order, soft mouth, well trained, should
not be loose around dogs or children, probably best turned out
with mares or a large herd, if with one or two he will tend to
pick on the lower ranking geldings, especially if their turn out
space is limited. Really the best home for him would be with an
adult that is a good rider with no kids in the home, He's never
done anything to a child but any horse that does not like dogs may
go after anything small. He's has been a pleasure/trail
horse for the last couple of years, not at all spooky, recommended
for more pleasure and trail riding as well as beginner dressage.
Sandhi is being returned because of a military move but they
wanted everyone to know he loves trail riding and is great at it.
Sandhi has been adopted by
Melissa Richards of WV |
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Ruth for coming to help us ride horses)
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Bidding Starts at
$750.
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Adopt Now fee is $1000.
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Shadow of Rome, aka "Romeo": 1996 | |
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how he looks today.JPG)
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