09/07/2024
What puts a horse in the category of being considered a sanctuary horse? I've seen this debate being bounced back and forth quite a bit lately. Of course everyone has their own thoughts and opinions and each rescue or private owner has different standards.
Phoenix Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation LLC evaluates each horse that comes under our care. Each horse poses it's own unique situation and challenges and we don't have a standard/generic check list that puts a horse in the category of "sanctuary". After a horse goes through the rehabilitation process, whether is physical rehabilitation for being emeciated, injuries that need vetting and time to heal... Or it may be mental and emotional rehabilitation because the horse was previously handled harshly or kept in isolation and forgotten about. Our goal here is to fix the broken, give them a solid foundation for a new future and help make a connection between that horse and a family who can offer a second chance of being loved and appreciated. We are only a stepping stone that helps bring an unwanted and forgotten horse back into the light of a brighter future.
The harsh reality is not all horses can be fixed. With some horses we reach a plateau because the damage and trauma was just too much to overcome so now we must maintain what the end result is. Sometimes the end result is chronic lameness due to old injuries, possibly a debilitating disease that wasn't diagnosed initially due to the horses poor condition upon intake, or the horse has been deemed dangerous or aggressive towards humans despite our efforts with emotional therapy.
What then is to be done in these types of situations? Send the horse down the road to first taker, pass this horse off to someone under false representations, perhaps take it to the next auction and run it through the loose horse sale. These are all options and honestly easy ones with minimal effort and cost effective too since it would decrease my feed bill and my physical demands. However, these are NOT good options and my personal opinion is they are lazy options and it would make me no better than the person that put the horse in jeopardy to begin with. When we make the commitment to a horse, it's 100% commitment. Our expections of that horse are only to do the best they can with the help and resources we provide them. Miracles do happen yes, but we never expect that. Is there that special person out there for each and every horse that was once battered, abused, and forgotten. Absolutly there is! But in reality some horses just don't find that person who's willing to take on the life long commitment of a high maintenance or special needs horse. It can be labor intensive and extremely exspensive, not to mention emotionally draining. Maybe it's just me and maybe I'm warped in my way of thinking but once upon a time I was broken, in heart and mind, and a horse took a chance on me, put the broken pieces of my life and heart back together, and changed me for the better. I owe a debt to the horse. Not just 1 horse in particular but to all horses. And if sanctuary, kindness, and understanding is what is needed then they will receive it here with no judgement for as long as they need it.
Please consider supporting our efforts in continuing to provide for our sanctuary residents. Your generosity goes towards the basic needs of our super senior gelding and and the few others that call Phoenix their home. Chance, Onyx, Denali, and Misty Blue have a place to call home until the end. Will there be others? It's very possible and we want to be able to be an option for any horse that needs that stepping stone or for that horse that just can't quit win the battle. We can't continue to do this on our own without the support. Your kindness and generosity means more than you know and helps in more ways than you can imagine.
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