I dont even know what in the actual heck this last weekend was. The weirdest part about the whole thing, which is how every auction weekend goes, is like time slows down almost like youre in this parralel universe. It doesnt feel 'real'. Its not even part of the real world. Honestly because it isnt. Its this secluded out in the middle of no where place where horses go when they have hit the bottom of the HIH pipeline. Where they go to ship to Mexico or get traded. The whole thing is just this crazy mind fcuk.
Then I get home super late Tuesday night to wake up Wednesday and right into the tornado of hell. It always seems like the day I get home the flood gates open and I get hit with it from every angle. Most months I cannot even make it out the front door to get to the barn here in California because its that insane. You have to keep in mind we have five active locations and when youre the one making the ultimate decisions or need to provide something or approve something, the phone never stops. Mind you theres emails, text messages, appointments, social media, etc on top of everything.
As far as post auction goes, logistically our team is amazing back in Texas. Getting the horses moved to where they need to be, arranging vet appointments, doctoring - THAT is the easy part. It is the unpredictable that is hard. It is the toll of the auction coming into full view as the animals adrenaline starts to wear off and reality starts kicking in. Some months you get lucky and only a few come down sick. Some months it seems you cannot escape the coughing and snotty noses.
This month it was a horrible 12 hours of being hit with poor Hope having to be rushed to the nearest vet because of showing signs of colic. It ended up being early onset colitis with a 40% chance of survival. The vet did everything they could but her body, after being at the auction all weekend, was too weak and couldn't handle it even with all the IV's and treatment that was provided her.
Then it was Shannen, one of the paint mares who we rescued in April 2024. First thing Thursday morning having to rush her foal right to the hospital. As soon as I saw the photo, although the baby was eating, my first words were 'is that an Albino'. I know what that means when a baby is born with blue eyes and all white with pink. I have seen it once before when I was growing up at my show barn. A mare gave birth to an albino foal who quickly started to colic and ultimately they have to be euthenized by the vet. It is called Lethal White Syndrome. It's so damn sad and not fair at all.
Then mixed in with all of that is Aria needing to go to the hospital because her body was so neglected. On top of that, she is so neurologic and can barely even walk a straight line. The vet still doesnt know what is causing all the toxicity in her system to cause her to be in kidney failure. I will fight for her. What other choice do we have but to give her everything we can to try to save her. She deserves that. She didnt choose to be in the condition she is in in the place she was at.
It was losing both foals within 12 hours, plus the ones we had to put down at the sale with broken legs. Aria. It literally crushes me. The babies take a special seat in my heart. They dont deserve ANY of it. They deserve to be born and experience happiness and running full speed playing. Health and happiness. NOT being born in mud and shit as deep as two of my boots with it raining outside and getting stepped on because mom is so overwhemed she is just trying to do the best job she can given the situation she is in.
I go there to save THEM. I go there every month so they are SEEN. So that I can do my best to fundraise for whoever we can help, however that means for them. It's hard! Documenting and showing the social media world is the best I can do to do justice to all the ones 'we' cant help.
I want to preface that the more WE collectively work together the more we can do. TRUST ME, I want to save every damn horse and donkey there. We just need help to do that. Thats why I urge everyone to share, share, share. You never know whose going to have facilities you can use. Land you can use. Funds you can use. A platform that can be used. You just never know whose watching and paying attention.
I am so grateful that Erin (Rescue Ranchito) and Liz were there. I truly dont know how I would have made it through this weekend. There were so many times Erin and I just looked at each other or had to walk away from each other because you could feel the sobbing wanting to come out. You could feel the tears welling up - it was just best to walk away. You arent walking away so you dont have to face it, you walk away so you can let it out in your own way. You walk away because its already hard enough and youre trying to be so strong that you dont want to be the one to tear the wound open.
Thats the other thing with rescue. Everyone always asks HOW do you do this every month. The toll it must take. The wound is always there, I just never let it heal 100%. Yes, I break down and cry on my own time. I have tears even writing this coming down my face. For me, it is only allowing the pain to have just enough time to come out before you cover it with a bandaid and move forward.
I am so grateful also to my friend Mariah, with Sweet Mercies Rescue, also. She goes through this every month with me as well. She is a bad ass. You never know how rescues are going to be. It is an interesting industry. What I can say is Mariah is a diamond. Over the last year and a half of getting to know her she has become a sister. The one thing I always know is she will be there in whatever way I need her to be. A friend. An ear. To hold a horse. To give advice. She is there. She fights the same fight with me and bares the same deep scars, both present and past.
With that being said, lets get to a horses from the auction update. With social media wanting REELS that are short, and stories that disapear and only 10 photos to a post, it is just easier for me to do a run down here for everyone of whats going on and how everyone is doing. If you have read this far then hold tight you made it to the part I am sure you are anxious to see and read! If you are on Patreon you are going to get a slew of updates this morning!
As a side note, the beginning of 2024 we hired Taylor to take photos and videos for us of all of the horses and donkeys weekly for social media back in Texas. It gets so overwhelming when the team is trying to take care of and be present for the rescues (current and new) that trying to then throw in social media requirements gets hard and a weight on everyone. So, Taylor is our photo gal and she does an amazing job! I hope that by bringing her in, in January you have seen more updates etc coming from the different facilities of the horses. Whatever I need to do to make sure you know and can see that everyone is doing good and getting what they deserve!
By the way, we picked 10 for Patreon from this month for you to follow their journeys! That is 40 since January that you are actively a part of if you are on Patreon. Myself, Erin and Taylor work super hard to make sure we get updates on everyone. We have a shared note and an excel spreadsheet to log update dates. We are dedicated to making sure you get to follow their journeys. We also pick who we think you would want to follow and also who would be a good education one to follow like Barbara the BLM mustang, and the bucking horses. They all have stories being rewritten that YOU, if you are on Patreon, get to watch being written! (patreon.com/allseatedinabarn)
Okay so here we go:
Cal, paint horse, came from the same trail company as Wayne last month. In CA in QT.
Monday Palomino, no name yet, doing good, at QT in TX
Big Grey mare from Monday, no name yet, at QT, very gentle, at quarantine at trainers
Big dun mare, healthy, no name yet, will need extensive training or be pasture, at QT at trainers
Scared grey, no name yet, at QT, will most likely need to go to training
Smokey, blue rhone filly from Monday, lets being doctored daily, PATREON FEATURE
Sorrel from Monday, at quarantine
Faith, scared unhandled mom who had baby Hope. Doing good just terrified of people
Hope. Died of colitis at Weatherford vet.
Ariel, Bay super matted colt, branded, doing good - PATREON FEATURE
Mare with the broken leg euthanized by the vet at the sale barn
Ex bucking horse, at quarantine
Mare with a broken leg, euthenized by the vet at the sale barn
Cody, saddlebred ex trotter, 10 years, at quarantine, PATREON FEATURE
Marvin, the endangered donkey, in QT, PATREON FEATURE
Bay OTTB mare, at QT
Savvy - mom to Stormy, doing good PATREON FEATURE
Stormy- baby to Savvy born during the storm, doing good PATREON FEATURE
Koen, red rhone gelding, arthritis, will be Xray'd next week, doing good
OTTB mare, Eboni, super skinny, at quarantine
OTTB mare, Sable, bay mare, super skinny, at quarantine
Blue rhone filly, broken front leg, euthenized by the vet
Gremlin, emaciated buckskin, at quarantine doing good PATREON FEATURE
TJ, paint stud, group of three, will be castrated when cleared healthy
Bonnie, sorrel mare, breathing issue, appointment scheduled to be scoped
Zoe, chesnut mare,at quarantine
Albert, old man paint, SUPER bad foundered, given good days, will be relieved of his pain
Sue, super sweet paint mare, cancer all under her jaw, doing good minus cancer
Cleveland, 20 hand Belgian 2 year old, quarantine, PATREON FEATURE
Pistachio, Belgian, quarantine
Denzel, paint stud super beat up, being doctored daily
Josephine, bay mare from DS pen, in California, had knee Xray'd, will be fine, YAY!
Harrison, super emaciated paint gelding from DS, at quarantine
Bay Ex- Bucking horse from DS pen, at quarantine at trainers, PATREON FEATURE
Barbara, BLM mustand in DS Pen, at quarantine at trainers, PATREON FEATURE
Direct Ship mare with broken leg, purchased last minute, euthenized by vet so wouldnt ship
Aria, at Outlw vet hospital, emaciated and extremely neurologic
It was a lot. I cant wait to watch their new lives blossom. Their personalities come to light. To show them the way that it is supposed to be.
HOW YOU CAN CONTINUE TO HELP: We always, ALWAYS, need items from Amazon and Chewy. If you would like to donate ITEMS that can continue to help us like wormer, feed troughs, electrolytes, mare and foal feed, halters, fly masks, shavings etc., please send us an email. When you send the email specifiy what you would like to help with and I can send you the links that work best for those items. Even if it is Tractor Supply gift cards, we have those on our Amazon Wish List which I can send you the link super easy. It all helps!
Comments