Colby’s Crew Rescue

01/08/2025

THE GIRLS ARE COMING…

And the horses know.

I received a text from Marlin at 3pm on New Year’s Day. Would I take a horse from a friend of his?

I called him for the story later that night. This is an account of what he told me…

He had gone over to visit an Amish friend to help him with his cows, and during their visit the man had casually asked Marlin if he knew “the rescue girls”.

Marlin laughed a little, as this was not the first time a member of the Amish community asked about the girls, and he said, “Ally and Olivia? Yes I do a good bit of quarantine work for them.”

The farmer adjusted his straw hat, drew his breath, and said, “I’ve got a nice Morgan horse that can only do about five mile trips before he’s sore in the front feet. I need to sell him but I can’t bring myself to send him to sale… I know where he will end up going.”

Marlin busied himself with the metal fork in his hand, a little surprised in knowing this must be the reason he had been asked over. This man was a veteran dairy farmer for more years than Marlin had been alive. He didn’t need Marlin’s help for cows, he needed Marlin’s help for a beloved friend.

Marlin tossed a little bit of hay nochalantly to a waiting Holstein before he said, “well them girls just got a large grant to take in horses just like that.”

The man in the hat, Marlin swears this happened, eyes became a bit wet. “I’ve had this ‘un since it was a wee foal born at my farm. I sure would like to think Thomas was doing alright. Still useful. He’s a good horse.”

He walked over absent mindedly to where the horse stood in a small concrete stable yard. The horse whickered softly to the old man, almost affectionately and reached out his soft brown velvet nose. From his pocket, the old man pulled out just the tip of a dirty rubbery carrot.

“He’s a grand horse. My kids learned to ride and drive with him,” he said softly to Marlin, “and my wife grows the carrots just for Thomas. He loves them so. You don’t think if the rescue girls want him, they’ll take the next crop for him? I’d like to think he has his carrots wherever he goes.”

Marlin smiled. “I do.”

Pictured below is the text change between Marlin and I that followed.

Thomas would be joining us at Colby’s Crew the same day. No auction sale at New Holland for him, no kill buyer, no fear or pain or illness. A warm stall with a thick bed of straw and rich alfalfa hay awaited him. Straight into a rescue.

This grant we received meant we could say yes. This grant meant that Thomas didn’t see auction or a slaughter house. He went directly into a rescue where he will be protected by our steward promise to care for him for the rest of his life, and by our lifetime contract that guarantees that.

This is TRUE rescue.

This is the future of Colby’s Crew.

Stay tuned for Thomas’s homecoming.

01/07/2025

❄️ SCENES FROM QUARANTINE

The east coast got dumped in a blanket of snow so I thought it would be fun to share some pictures of our horses covered in white!

What better way to celebrate (about to be) 950,000 followers here on Facebook (a HUGE milestone) than to share some of the horses our wonderful patrons have helped us rescue?

I love looking through these pictures (nearly 100!!) and seeing contented faces dozing in the sun or dusted with snow. Our horses spend several months in QT enjoying the 3 F’s: food, freedom and friends.

We think it’s why so many come out calm, content and ready to find future families. This downtime is a way of recalibrating from their previously stressful lives and transition into newer happier ones.

What Joe and Beth and Marlin do for these horses is hero’s work!

Note, any horse who needs a blanket will receive one but we subscribe to healthy happy horse animal husbandry in QT and only blanket if necessary. Every single field has hay and shelters to keep them warm and dry.

*note these are not ALL of our horses, but a quick walk around snapping pictures showing some from the latest saves. They do not do anything but eat and heal from contagious pathogens. I know people will have a problem with the halters and so far every negative Nancy whose complained they needed to be breakaway has donated 0 halters. We will gladly swap them for breakaway if people choose to donate them! Please don’t submit applications for them just yet! Check out our available horses for adoption at www.colbyscrewrescue.org These guys in this post are not medically clear yet 😉

01/06/2025

HOLIDAY SPECIAL PRICING!!!

Take advantage of these deals this new year! THESE ARE SOME GORGEOUS HORSES!!

Every horse deserves a home for 2025!!!

MORE DONKEYS, MINIS, FOALS & RIDING HORSES HAVE ARRIVED FOR ADOPTION ALONG WITH DRAFTS AND SPORT HORSE TYPE YEARLINGS!!

SHARE SHARE SHARE SHARE TO HELP THESE BABIES FIND FOREVER HOMES!!

Lots of QH, draft types, etc

WE ARE LOCATED IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA!

Interested in adopting one?

Fill out an application at www.colbyscrewrescue.org/forms-1 and scroll down and click the BLUE box for the Google form.

AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION

Cardinal 🐦
Cardinal is an aged (20+) draft cross gelding standing about 16.3. He is as wide as he is tall. He’s gentle, easy going and prefers a plod. We can ride him all over the farm and the worst thing he will do is throw it in park occasionally. He came to us quite thin so we are packing the pounds on him. He’s sweet natured, gentle in the barn and a great husband or beginner safe horse prospect. We’ve enjoyed getting to know him over the past few weeks and we know he will make someone very happy. Wears front shoes. UTD on vet and farrier. Adoption fee 800

Koana 🐬
Koana is a two (estimated) year old Percheron cross (we think thoroughbred) mare. She is 16.1 hands and still growing. She’s going to be a BIG girl. She cut her left hind pastern on a gate and it has totally healed and may have some superficial scarring but it hasn’t done anything beyond cosmetic damage. She is sound, capable and ready to find her forever home. She has a nice temperament and could make a great prospect for hunting, dressage, jumping, trail riding, etc. She is easy to catch and handle in the barn beyond typical two year old silliness occasionally. She will need someone experienced with raising and training babies due to her age and size. UTD on vet and farrier and ready to find her forever home. Adoption fee 2000

Brandon 😎
Brandon is an adorable 13.3 standardbred/morgan/friesian coming yearling gelding. This little fella is so sweet and easy to handle. He walks right up to you in the pasture and loves attention. We found him dying of pneumonia on the floor of the slaughter holding facility and he’s never forgotten who saved his life. He’s genuinely one of the sweetest babies we’ve had in a long time. He’s UTD on vet and farrier and ready to roll to his forever home. Adoption fee 750

Earl 🥸
Earl is a coming ~2 old 15.2 hand Dutch harness horse baby. Earl has gorgeous dressage type movement. He is easy to handle and has good ground manners for a baby. He picks up his feet nicely. He does have a healing hematoma under his shoulder (thanks to a kick from the only girl in his pasture who still thinks boys are gross) that shouldn’t affect him long term, but we figured we should mention his 3rd b**b in case you want to come see him ASAP. And you should totally come snap him up because he’s so cool! Barefoot and the other than the hematoma, he’s UTD on vet and farrier and ready to roll to his new home. Adoption fee 1000

Honeybee 🐝
Honeybee is an aged 15.2 hand Morgan mare. Honeybee is OLD. Like she probably remembers the 80s old. If she’s too old for you, that’s fine. Stop reading. Still reading? This is the coolest most entertaining mare on the planet. She has the audacity to be sassy and the impatience and the pride to tell you that you’re the problem all the time. She rides like a dream - w/t/c - but like most ex buggy horses she can be in a hurry. She will stand like a stone to be brushed but is the first to paw impatiently the moment you walk away. She’s safe for any level rider but sassy enough to humble someone she doesn’t like just because she knows more than you do. She’s always in on a joke you might not always get, but everything she does is out of pure sass. Someone with a sense of humor that wants to have a good laugh every day needs our SweetSting of a girl. She wears front shoes but doesn’t need them— we have a lot of rocks. She’s UTD with vet and farrier. Please submit at least a 250 word essay on why you should be Honeybees chosen person (her requirements not ours) and 7 carrots 2 apples and 3 peppermints. Thank you! Adoption fee 500

Nico 🥳
Nico is a nine month old miniature soon-to-be gelding. He was born in our QT farm and he is the friendliest and gentlest boy. He leads and handles nicely for his age. He will nicker at you when he hears you approaching 🥰 He would make a great companion pony or driving / in hand project when he’s grown up. We adore him! Barn favorite. UTD on vet and farrier.
* will be castrated prior to leaving to his forever home, just adding him here as an adoption preview! Adoption fee 500

Themis 🍝
Themis is a 15-18 year old 16 hand saddlebred gelding who’s built like a limousine. He is a little hard to catch and can get attached to his friends, but otherwise has good ground manners. He has a little zip to him so more for an intermediate rider but w/t/c in and out of the ring bravely. We have not experienced any naughty behavior. Wears front shoes. UTD on vet and farrier.
MORE INFO COMING SOON: still in 30 day training evaluation. Adoption fee 900

Lucille 🍯
Lucille is an aged 15.2 Morgan / Arab or TB cross mare. One vet aged her at 25 and one vet aged her at 18-20 and the other said split the difference and call her 20! She’s not young but she’s not ancient. She’s SO COOL to ride. She knows a lot! She’s excellent for an advanced beginner - intermediate rider. She w/t/c and seems really brave and bold. She’s not totally dead quiet so not for a complete beginner but she’s kind and fun. Sound barefoot and UTD with vet and farrier. MORE INFO COMING SOON: still in 30 day evaluation. Adoption fee 850

Mr. Cowboy 🤠
Mr. Cowboy is a 15-18 year old 15 hand Morgan gelding. He is HANDSOME! He stands tied like gentleman, easy to catch, brush and handle. He is beginner safe to ride however he does have a walk with a high headset like a true Morgan and likes to walk quickly. He has a trot that goes nowhere and prefers to walk. He is sweet and seems to be not spooky. He is currently doing the bridal path around the farm happily. Sound for light trail and pleasure riding— will not jump or do heavy riding. UTD with vet and farrier. MORE INFO COMING SOON: still in 30 day training evaluation. Adoption fee 600

Doc Hart 👨‍⚕️
Doc Hart or “Ginger Tree Will” is a 9 year old 17 hand registered standardbred gelding. Doc is a wonderful horse. He is young and he is big! He is not for a complete beginner on the ground as he gets a bit bored and moves around like an over excited happy golden retriever. He walks right up to you in the field. He is AMAZING to ride and has trail ridden all over. He crosses water, logs, etc and he trots and paces. He is just a young wonderful horse that is sound and ready for whatever his new owner dreams of— barn favorite! He is the boss of his herd and can be dominant with other horses. UTD on vet and farrier. Adoption fee 900

Blaze 🔥
Blaze or “Whata Trip” is a 16 year old 16.2 registered standardbred gelding. Blaze is pretty good on the ground to tack up and handle. He is a little nervous undersaddle with quick movements and loud noises but with a quiet hand and seat, he is very brave and not spooky. He is getting better with every ride so I wouldn’t call him sensitive just new to riding. I do think he will be beginner safe with more wet saddle blankets. He has a sweet temperament and is very gentle. He can get attached to his pasture mates since he’s not the most confident of horses. UTD with vet and farrier. Wears front shoes. Adoption fee 700

Trigger 🔫
Trigger is a 1 year old 13 hand QH reservation filly cross. She has just been returned by her adopter very sadly due to finances. She is an absolute delight to handle on the ground and is smart and gentle with a sweet personality. Hurry up and come get her before Olivia decides to keep her! UTD with vet and farrier. LISTING PREVIEW: MORE INFO COMING SOON, STILL IN 30 DAY EVALUATION. Adoption fee 800

Cindy Zoe 🌹
Cindy Zoe is a 25yo 32in brown mini mare. Very difficult to catch, can’t pick hinds nicely. Picks up fronts and allows grooming. Walks nicely. Just wants to retire in someone’s field and be a nice companion or pet. This poor girl has been seeking a home since October of 2024. 200+ days and still no home in sight. 😞 UTD on vet and farrier. Adoption fee 200

Rhodi 🌺
Rhodi is a 8 month old Dutch harness horse gelding. He stands about 13 hands. He is FIERY! If you want a bold horse with a lot of spirit, this is your guy. He needs to go to a professional or very confident horse handler with experience with young horses. He moves a 10+ and will be GORGEOUS for the show ring. This beautiful boy can really go any direction. UTD on vet and farrier but he is pretty feisty and doesn’t stand perfectly for anything! Adoption fee 35p0

Lennon 🎶
Lennon or CBF Gemini is a 6 year old 15.1 registered standardbred. CRIBS! It is controlled with a collar and only at grain time but we still prefer 100% transparency. Right now we suggest an experienced handler as his ground manners do need some improvement. He is not bad just a big overgrown puppy who’s a little bit impatient due to his young age. He is doing very well undersaddle. He is GAITED! We expect him to shape up to be a lovely trail horse with more riding. He can be a little spooky due to his young age but we’ve been trail riding him daily and he’s come a long way. He crosses water, logs, bridges, etc. With some more mileage this is a young trail horse that could shape up to go through the mountains or do a ton of pleasure riding. Just a really nice horse. UTD with vet and farrier. Wears front shoes . Adoption fee 900

Vinnie ❄️
Vinnie is a 3 year old 34in bay gelding.
A sweet boy at heart with a curious personality, but needs time. Has a lot of fear surrounding humans and will run at the speed of light around the round pen when he’s scared. He will come around but needs someone to take a chance on him and give him the love and training he deserves. We are working with him daily and he is improving. Adoption fee 350

Poodle 🐩
Poodle is a 20+ year old gelding standing 35” tall. Poodle is a sweet old man, but he is not always easy to catch. He stands quietly for grooming and he picks up his feet. He has a quiet and aloof personality but does love a good ear scratch. He is missing his right eye. Poor Poodle has been passed over for the younger ponies or for those with two eyes so we really do hope someone comes along and falls in love with him. UTD on vet and farrier. Adoption fee 200

Maeko 🎣
Maeko is a 15 hands STOCKY seven year old grade quarter horse type. He may or may not be registered. You could send DNA in to see. He is currently at a professional trainer’s facility in NOVA being started under saddle. He has been sat on and didn’t do anything bad but clearly has no idea about riding whatsoever so we think he’s unbroke. He can be seen if you’d like to start him your way or tried at his trainers. Really nice horse with a gentle disposition. Easy to catch and handle in the barn. UTD on vet and farrier. Adoption fee 1500

(Can’t adopt? Share share share!)

Interested? We’re located in Charlottesville, VA.

Don’t forget to scroll down, click the blue box, and fill out the google form
application at www.colbyscrewrescue.org/forms-1. Flip your phone horizontally to fill out the google form if using a phone.

01/05/2025

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR OUR LIVE FEED VETTINGS!!

I know they weren’t as lengthy as many people would want, BUT we were able to get nearly 70+ horses on camera for your viewing pleasure. Thanks so much to Nevaeh for all her assistance - vet techs rule - and Dr. Noel Henderson for his endless patience!

There are two amazing recaps of the entire day on our subscribers group that you can join and read over there! We will also be putting them on Patreon with a daily horse spotlight and blog posts from Olivia (stay tuned)

You can join the subscriber group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1547772049413636/

You can join the Patreon here:
www.patreon.com/ohkaytacos

I know this posts comments section will be full of “what about…” and “what about…” specific horses from this save or the previous one— PLEASE private message those questions as I am helping to prepare for a winter storm and will 200% miss them otherwise. If you don’t mind reminding people in the comments of this you’ll be my hero!

We had many Cadillacs as Dr. Noel calls the healthy horses and our euthanasia rate for this group remains under 10% (as we know people will ask). Broken legs, sepsis, severe contracted tendons, large cancerous tumors, canker eating into the bone, severe milk leg and neurological conditions preventing horses from being able to rise remain reasons listed for what we needed to euthanize immediately and as you can tell — that is inarguably the right call for the horse. Please note we consider “immediately” within one week. Those horses still got time to be out of pain and in peace as well.

I have a Big John video coming up, a highland cow update, horses to post for adoption, our first 2025 adoption post, an Amish owner direct surrender story, and some updates on last months horses. Oh and 9-11” of snow on the way so please remain patient as we prep for that!

Thanks for all of your support. These horses would not get this help without it. You guys are the real heroes!

Now I’m off to take some pictures of new horses available for adoption for the website 🙂

01/01/2025

HAPPY NEW YEAR

From all your friends, large and small, at Colby’s Crew Rescue.

Big and little matched pair!

Just wanted to share a smile from a beautiful spotted draft cross recently rescued from slaughter and a tiny little sick dwarf mini rescued from a local livestock auction. They’re settling into QT receiving top notch medical care from our amazing veterinarians.

They did make a striking picture with their matching coats!

Happy new year and may the days bring you everything you wish for and more!

12/31/2024

THE PEN IS CLEAR!!!!

Stay tuned for our unloading video to see them in their forever homes.

GET EXCITED our live feed vettings are returning FRIDAY / SATURDAY at noon!!!! We will be showing our intake process and how we handle our horses as they arrive into QT!

Thank you so much for all your generous support and kind words. We have 2400+ messages to sort through so we will be replying back throughout today. Your words are important to us and high priority 🩵❤️

12/30/2024

JUST SIXTEEN LEFT TO GO!!!

We can do this, CCR!! Read below and let’s finish this!!!

URGENT FUNDRAISER, 🚨

It’s 7am and I’ve been tossing and turning all night long.

19 horses remain in the pen. They’re all plain bay. They are all Morgans, Dutch harness horses, Standardbreds, saddlebreds or some mix of the above.

Someone messaged me and said at the auction they came from there were 17 dealers, 7 rescues and hundreds of private buyers.

And for some reason or another, these were the unwanted horses.

Everyone knows who bought them, everyone knows what that bidder number is the same way they recognize the smell of rot.

They’ve gone to kill. Gone to the doggers. Picked up by the meat man.

Doesn’t matter what euphemism you choose, it’s happened here.

I want to ask my supporters for more donations the same way I want to get a root canal without a numbing agent.

You guys for three days straight have answered every single call I’ve made. Some of you are on your fourth or fifth donation.

Who else HAS that? What other rescue will be supported like that?

None.

Our donor base are strong selfless people. They give with their hearts. Last night we saved 10 horses off smaller sized donations like $3, $5 and $10.

I hung up the live feed and cried. These aren’t rich folk making giant corporate donations. No celebrity is rolling in and dropping a million dollars and rolling back out.

It’s just every day folk like Ally and myself. People who worry about a big electric or doctor bill, but still give.

So how do I ask again?

This is the internal war I have every morning of a fundraiser, staring at the rumps of the ones left behind and the blinking line of my cursor.

I must ask again or they die.

If I can ask you for one last $1, $3, $5, $10 or $25 donation. If just 100,000 of my people take a $2 challenge, we’re out of here. If just 5000 people donate $100 we’re out of here. If just 2500 people donate $25, we’re out of here.

It’s one last push.

7am is the worst time to push. There’s no guarantee the algorithm will show this post unless you interact heavily with it— like, comment, share and donate.

If you cannot donate, you can be a hero just by doing simple things like that.

Like.

Comment.

Share.

I think a lot of people think $1 or $2 won’t matter so they don’t donate it, but it really really does. We saved 10 horses in 30 minutes off those sized donations.

Can you be a $1 hero for us?

Can you donate and call for a match in the comments?

At 8am can we have raised $5000? By 9 can we have reached 10?

Can we save them?

We might be regular everyday people but together we can do extraordinary things.

It’s the final day, CCR. Let’s finish this.

‼️ TO DONATE ‼️

WEBSITE: www.colbyscrewrescue.org/donate
PAYPAL & ZELLE: [email protected]
Venmo: COLBYS CREW (charity tab) and OHKAYTACOS (BUSINESS TAB)
DONORBOX: www.donorbox.org/colbyscrew
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6992 Charlottesville VA 22906

EIN # 86-2351417

All donations tax deductible! We are 501c3. Ask your employer about a possible company donor match!

12/30/2024

URGENT FUNDRAISER, 🚨

It’s 7am and I’ve been tossing and turning all night long.

19 horses remain in the pen. They’re all plain bay. They are all Morgans, Dutch harness horses, Standardbreds, saddlebreds or some mix of the above.

Someone messaged me and said at the auction they came from there were 17 dealers, 7 rescues and hundreds of private buyers.

And for some reason or another, these were the unwanted horses.

Everyone knows who bought them, everyone knows what that bidder number is the same way they recognize the smell of rot.

They’ve gone to kill. Gone to the doggers. Picked up by the meat man.

Doesn’t matter what euphemism you choose, it’s happened here.

I want to ask my supporters for more donations the same way I want to get a root canal without a numbing agent.

You guys for three days straight have answered every single call I’ve made. Some of you are on your fourth or fifth donation.

Who else HAS that? What other rescue will be supported like that?

None.

Our donor base are strong selfless people. They give with their hearts. Last night we saved 10 horses off smaller sized donations like $3, $5 and $10.

I hung up the live feed and cried. These aren’t rich folk making giant corporate donations. No celebrity is rolling in and dropping a million dollars and rolling back out.

It’s just every day folk like Ally and myself. People who worry about a big electric or doctor bill, but still give.

So how do I ask again?

This is the internal war I have every morning of a fundraiser, staring at the rumps of the ones left behind and the blinking line of my cursor.

I must ask again or they die.

If I can ask you for one last $1, $3, $5, $10 or $25 donation. If just 100,000 of my people take a $2 challenge, we’re out of here. If just 5000 people donate $100 we’re out of here. If just 2500 people donate $25, we’re out of here.

It’s one last push.

7am is the worst time to push. There’s no guarantee the algorithm will show this post unless you interact heavily with it— like, comment, share and donate.

If you cannot donate, you can be a hero just by doing simple things like that.

Like.

Comment.

Share.

I think a lot of people think $1 or $2 won’t matter so they don’t donate it, but it really really does. We saved 10 horses in 30 minutes off those sized donations.

Can you be a $1 hero for us?

Can you donate and call for a match in the comments?

At 8am can we have raised $5000? By 9 can we have reached 10?

Can we save them?

We might be regular everyday people but together we can do extraordinary things.

It’s the final day, CCR. Let’s finish this.

‼️ TO DONATE ‼️

WEBSITE: www.colbyscrewrescue.org/donate
PAYPAL & ZELLE: [email protected]
Venmo: COLBYS CREW (charity tab) and OHKAYTACOS (BUSINESS TAB)
DONORBOX: www.donorbox.org/colbyscrew
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6992 Charlottesville VA 22906

EIN # 86-2351417

All donations tax deductible! We are 501c3. Ask your employer about a possible company donor match!

12/30/2024

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN!

We will return to the slaughter holding facility 🚨

First up on our list is the young Friesian cross baby that was an owner drop off. He injured his stifles in a carting accident when hooked to harness at just 10 months old 😞

It’s not for us to judge but in my opinion that is way too young to ask anything of a baby horse.

He stands in the slaughter holding facility injured and waiting to ship.

Can we give him a different ending?

Please donate and shares. One last $25 or $100 challenge to finish this.

‼️ TO DONATE ‼️

WEBSITE: www.colbyscrewrescue.org/donate
PAYPAL & ZELLE: [email protected]
Venmo: COLBYS CREW (charity tab) and OHKAYTACOS (BUSINESS TAB)
DONORBOX: www.donorbox.org/colbyscrew
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6992 Charlottesville VA 22906

EIN # 86-2351417

All donations tax deductible! We are 501c3. Ask your employer about a possible company donor match!

12/29/2024

MATCH MET!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. We will receive the funds in mid January!

And now we come to a crossroads…

Our Amish surrender fund will be SPECTACULAR for 2025, thank you so much CCR!

29 horses remain inside the pen. Just enough to ship to slaughter if they stay here on Thursday or Friday…

You guys have been with us every single step of the way. So we will let you decide— go home, or finish?

You’re not ATMs or endless sources of funds and we know that and we never want to disrespect our donor funds. Please know we have endless respect and gratitude for you.

29 starfishes remain on the beach, but you’ve thrown back twice that.

We’ve always been the type to buckle down and dig in. To fight when our backs hit the ropes. It’s rainy and windier than a hurricane and the odds are stacked against.

CCR is a prize fighter but she doesn’t fight alone. Every man or woman who decides to surge ahead wears the colors of CCR herself. They fight not just for the starfishes but for hope and a common good.

I look at these horses and I think how can we say no sorry, it was just too hard.

I’ll fight if you want to, CCR. I’ll fight. Will you?

‼️ TO DONATE ‼️

WEBSITE: www.colbyscrewrescue.org/donate
PAYPAL & ZELLE: [email protected]
Venmo: COLBYS CREW (charity tab) and OHKAYTACOS (BUSINESS TAB)
DONORBOX: www.donorbox.org/colbyscrew
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6992 Charlottesville VA 22906

EIN # 86-2351417

All donations tax deductible! We are 501c3. Ask your employer about a possible company donor match!

12/29/2024

$100,000 MATCH BEING OFFERED!!! 🚨

A very gracious donor has offered to donate $100,000 to our Amish surrender fund to help horses directly at the source before the slaughter facility happens, but she has issued a live feed challenge to us to see if we can raise the money to take care of the horses inside the facility currently in danger of shipping.

WE HAVE GOT TO MEET THIS MATCH GOAL SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON DIRECT AMISH INTERCEPTS ALL MONTH LONG IN JANUARY!!!

My hands are literally shaking I’m so excited! Think of all the good we could do!

It will be a real challenge to meet this goal but we KNOW we can raise the funds, save horses from slaughter in the interim and work to keep more horses from coming inside to be slaughtered.

This is the moment to stand up to slaughter!!! Make sure you join us at 3:30 EST on the live feed right here on Facebook or Instagram.

Let’s do this!!!

$100,000 on the line. LETS DO THIS CCR!!!

‼️ TO DONATE ‼️

WEBSITE: www.colbyscrewrescue.org/donate
PAYPAL & ZELLE: [email protected]
Venmo: COLBYS CREW (charity tab) and OHKAYTACOS (BUSINESS TAB)
DONORBOX: www.donorbox.org/colbyscrew
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6992 Charlottesville VA 22906

EIN # 86-2351417

All donations tax deductible! We are 501c3. Ask your employer about a possible company donor match!

12/29/2024

THE OLD GRAY MARE UPDATE

This morning our sweet “Joe’s Angel” as we were calling her went to heaven. She leaves behind a devastated little girl named R who was caring for her with Joe and Beth and Dr. O’Hallaran around the clock.

She was showing some strength after being placed on antibiotics and given top notch pain medication. Her knee was badly infected and she’d had horrible abrasions and wounds all over her.

The vets thought she’d been attacked or gotten dragged by something. After extensive cleaning of the bad infection surrounding it, the flesh was ripped and jagged. He felt she had been suffering for awhile before she tied to a trailer at Cody’s and dumped. A lot of you want the previous owners to face prosecution but there are no cameras where the trailers are stored so we honestly don’t know who did it. Locals do know that and dump unwanted horses there regularly.

She was the sweetest and kindest and gentlest soul. I assure you that she would not have fought back in the slightest. How anyone could just cast her aside I’ll never know…

She constantly had an entire team working on her and she never so much as twitched a muscle. She knew everyone was trying to help, and was grateful. I know it had to be painful to be cleaned and scrubbed and injected with medications but she stood stoically through it all.

Thank you, she was saying. Thank you for helping me.

A lot of people will probably question why we gave her a chance at all. Why didn’t we just euthanize her straight away?

Because she was such a fighter. She’d greet you with a nicker, she was eating and drinking and taking her medications. She was walking and up. And if a horse wants to fight regardless of their odds or their age— they all deserve that chance or opportunity. What happened to her wasn’t immediately terminal, it was totally preventable and was allowed to get very very bad.

Our vets felt they could control her pain and maybe control the infection as it wasn’t in her joint. So we moved forward.

She was doing so well. Enjoying brushing from R and Beth, coming when called and eating well…

And then this morning we got the call we always hate, after finding her down, the vets wanted to call it on her fight. The infection had reached her bloodstream. She let them know it was time and that she was tired. We didn’t want to leave it until she was thrashing and in distress. She didn’t deserve that ending either.

Like Joe said to all of us, “sometimes you have to love them enough to know that saying goodbye is the right choice.”

She passed peacefully with a little girl who loved her by her side and our QT team, and with a belly of alfalfa from her refeeding program. A beautiful end to a horse with a tragic story.

A horse who deserved better.

Sometimes we don’t always get to make it to the miraculous recovery with them, and it never hurts any less.

But this old gray mare, Angel as Joe called her, knew the love of a little girl and the love of everyone around her. She was treated with respect and kindness. She was given pain free last days. We saved her. We loved her. And though it hurts to lose her, we gave her everything we had.

That’s all we can do.

And we’re going to save horses today in Angels honor. We aren’t going to leave a single one behind.

Let’s show that little girl that while this work is hard and heartbreaking, we do it because it’s right and just.

For every Angel that we lose, we can prevent ten more from experiencing this with our lifetime adoption contract and stewardship of our horses for their lifetime.

Rest in peace Angel. Please know that we will save and protect horses in your honor to prevent your story from being repeated.

Join us at noon today on the live feed to save them all.

Want to make a small contribution to help rescue and protect more horses like Angel?

Go to www.colbyscrewrescue.org/donate. Consider a $25 donation in her name. She mattered. Her story mattered. Don’t let it die with her.