Hope for Horses is in a secret location in the countryside; the secrecy is for security and safety. That surprised me at first, but then I remembered that homes for battered women also hide their locations.
This is Zigi. Zigi came to Hope for Horses as a result of a bestiality case.
This is Kelly. Whenever I hear the name "Kelly," the first thing that pops into my head is Kelly from "Beverly Hills 90210" (the original show, not the new one).Before I came to Hope for Horses, I had never seen a horse lying down.
A view of part of the barn. I think the horse in the picture is Somebody's Baby (named after the song). The other animal in the picture is a pot-bellied pig! Her name is Mona.
This is Jenny and John Edwards. They're the 1-2 punch that runs Hope for Horses. Jenny and John would say that the many volunteers keep Hope for Horses running, which is true. However, for Jenny and John, rescuing horses is more than an activity or a job; it's life!
This is Pete. Pete has a tumor in his nose; sometimes he'll have terrible nose bleeds, with blood and mucus going everywhere.
It's a cat! This is Sister Mary Agnes. I've always liked cats, and Sister is no exception. It's so cool to see her walking across the fields like she owns the place. If you try to pet Sister, she does something really funny: before you can bend down all the way, she'll arch her back and jump up to reach your hand! I guess she can't wait to be petted!
A view from inside the barn. I had no experience with horses or life on a farm, so it was cool to me just to let the horses outside and bring them back in.
This is a better view of Mona, the pot-bellied pig. Mona is really old--like 19 years old. Mona can't see too well, and she has arthritis in her knees. But she still likes to eat!
This is Windy, short for, um, I forgot. Windy recently had an accident that messed up his back; we had to stay up all night to make sure that he didn't fall over and hurt himself more. Windy's doing better now, but he still can't go outside yet.
Windy, hang in there!
This horse is Cantour, and he's being groomed by a fellow volunteer. When Cantour first arrived at Hope for Horses, he was quite a handful. But he's already made great progress! |
| From Hope for Horses |
On the left is Pete; on the right is Somebody's Baby. Doesn't it look peaceful?
To care for each horse takes a lot of time and money. Hope for Horses is always open to more volunteers and to donations. (Check their website.)
I learned a lot at Hope for Horses. The people taught me a great deal, but the horses, the pig, and the cat taught me even more. (Actually, there's more horses, another cat, a dog, and some geese. And probably some other animals I forgot. :)
Everyone needs help sometimes. Everyone needs love and compassion. Everyone needs hope.
Even horses.
