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To Everyone who helped to rescue
these beautiful, gentle creatures, here's an update on "the boys"!
Both Red and Tony are settling in very nicely here at the sanctuary, and
we are learning their personalities. Red is more affectionate and enjoys
attention. Tony is patient with us, but not as excited about all the
hugging and smooching going on with him, but he allows it.
Willis Miller, the son of the family who sold us the team, spent the day
with us here at Happy Trails yesterday (Tuesday), and offered his
services of teaching us how to hitch up a team and how to drive.
 We
were able to raise enough money on top of the cost for the horses
themselves, to buy their work harnesses. We realized we couldn't have
them represent Happy Trails and be our ambassadors at different
community events if we didn't have anything to hitch them up with.
Though their work harnesses aren't pretty parade material, they are good
enough for us bumbling good-intentioned folks to learn how to drive them
and to keep the boys in good physical shape. Also, we were taught the
importance of proper fit of the harnesses and how well Red and Tony's
harness set fit them — the horses have never had any sores, rub marks,
or scars from ill-fitting rigging — their hitch gear was very well fit
and adjusted.
The Amish family that we bought them from were so grateful to us for
buying the team and for them not having to send their father's favorite
horses through the auction, they have been very helpful to us. Willis
very patiently taught about six of us how to hitch up the harnesses, and
allowed us to borrow a hitch cart from their farm for us to learn on. We
are allowed to keep it over the Winter until he needs it again in the
Spring.
Willis also took us to a local buggy/wagon shop where we got to see very
nice, Belgian-sized carts to take about 10 people at a time for rides.
The carts were beautiful, and would represent Happy Trails well at
community events. This item we are placing in our dreams and hoping that
someday we will be able to get one for the boys — nothing we are holding
our breathe over, but dreaming nonetheless.
These two horses are doing exactly what we had hoped they would do —
bringing people together for the good of the animals and working
together with a common goal. Not only would they have been purchased by
the meat buyers last Saturday, but the sense of loss would have been
extremely sad for all of us as well as the Amish family who owned them.
After all their hard work for so many years, these kind and gentle
creatures deserved a peaceful retirement.
I would like to encourage everyone who donated to their rescue to make
it a point to come visit them, and hopefully, weather permitting, get to
take a ride with the hitch team.
Many thanks and blessings to all who made this possible, not only for
"the boys", but for all of us involved with Happy Trails who love them!
This has given us something to focus on — we are always excited when a
horse leaves us and gets a new home, but we also constantly feel a sense
of loss for ourselves. This enables all of us to share in the lives of
some horses who will not be leaving us, and who we will hopefully get to
know much better and can share them with all of our members, supporters,
volunteers and visitors!
Everyone who helped contribute to their rescue will be getting photos and
regular mail letters soon!
Annette
The first photo shows Willis hitching
up Red, and the second photo shows Maggie driving the team with the
borrowed cart, and the third photo shows their true sizes, with my mom
and dad standing next to them and dad giving Red a big ol' kiss on the
nose. |
