Bluemont Equine Sanctuary

08/26/2024

This.

*FIELD ORNAMENTS*

"I really love my horse but I don't have the time /lost the confidence to ride him - I don't want to part with him but I feel so guilty that he's being wasted in the field when I know he's got so much potential - he could be an amazing horse for someone" - I see these sentences on the horse groups constantly.

Humans are feeling guilty for not riding their horses.

Humans actually believing that horses are having their potential wasted if they're not ridden.

Many of these humans will part with their horse plainly and simply because of the pressure that the society puts on them to ride the horses. The pressure from friends and family - "why don't you ride him ? If he's not ridden you're wasting your money / he'd be better off with someone who will give him the time he needs (to be ridden). "

People need to wake up. Horses are not born to be ridden. Riding and using horses in a means of transport /working animals are over (at least in the modern world) - we have cars, bikes, train , airplanes, machines.

Horses now are used mostly for our own entertainment - whether it's taking part in competitions or riding for pleasure. Back in the day our quality of life / means of making money dependent on horses. Our future dependent on them - they were used in wars for centuries.

Now their lives depend on us.

When you feel you can't ride anymore for any reason please understand that it's ok.

You don't need to ride - more - your horse's happiness is not rooted it being ridden - you will find it's actually quite opposite.

If you have all the abilities to keep your horse despite not riding him please do so - only this way you will ensure his future.

There are so many exciting ways to be with horses that don't involve riding - going on walks together, spending time in the field, playing cognitive games, finding ways to enrich their lives.

Please be your horse's best friend, forever - just like he's been yours ....

There is nothing wrong with *field ornaments*

08/18/2024

It's that time of year where school field trips and weekend outings to the local farm or county fair feature animals in petting zoos.

If you're wondering what's so bad about petting and feeding animals, we'll explain.

While many farmed animals may enjoy human interaction, just like us, they enjoy it on their terms. Placing them in small pens with no way to retreat, no privacy, and strangers touching them, poking at them, being noisy and feeding them unhealthy snacks all day with no supervision is STRESSFUL. It also denies them the agency to CHOOSE whether they want to interact - and that's a key factor.

Aside from this, petting zoos frequently breed or buy animals to "stock" their venue with baby animals that attract visitors, then turn around and dump them or send them to slaughter after the busy season, when it's no longer "worth" feeding and keeping them through the winter.

This whole setup is stressful, unfair, and sometimes deadly. When profit is involved, animal welfare will always come second. The message is that we are somehow entitled to that interaction, when the animals really have no choice. These are fundamentally entertainment venues, not paragons of animal care.

By contrast, true animal sanctuaries only conduct supervised, educational tours and visitation programs which respect resident's wishes above all and allow them to disengage if they wish. They are never forced to interact.

If you'd like children to learn a true love and respect for animals, sanctuaries are the way to go. Find one here: https://sanctuaryfederation.org/find-a-sanctuary/

08/15/2024

Our Annual Gala is upon us and we’re so excited for this year’s theme! Details Below 👇🏼

When: Friday October 18th from 7:30pm to 11pm

Where: The Barn at South Holland in Holmdel NJ
(Local hotel accommodations are available for our out of town guests!)

Theme: Western Chic or Boots & Bling 👢💎

Price: $175 per ticket 🎟️ (link below)

Join us for an evening of delicious gourmet vegan food, open bar, dancing, Photo Booth shenanigans, a silent auction and raffle baskets! All proceeds go directly to the care of the animals that call our sanctuary home!

Cowboy boots, jeans, fringe, bling and western wear are all encouraged but of course not required. Have you ever wanted to dress like Beth Dutton? Or see your husband in a Stetson hat? Well now’s your chance to dress the part all while helping a sanctuary!

We’ve already secured some amazing sponsors. We’re so grateful for your contributions and creativity in your craft.

is sponsoring our DJ
Balloons 🎈 and.earth floral arrangements 💐
media packets and flyers

If you or anyone you know would like to help sponsor our annual Gala please reach out to [email protected] or visit the link below.

https://bluemontsanctuary.com/bluemont-2024-gala

We can’t wait to see you there !

08/09/2024

08/08/2024

I know pictures are virtually obsolete anymore but look at Glowy peering through Charlotte’s web early this morning. 🐴 🕸️

08/07/2024

Want to help a horse? Keep yours…

I was compelled to make an advocacy post after speaking with a long time follower today who’s become a friend. She opened up to me about considering selling her challenging mare to someone with more experience. She came into horses later on in life and as a mother of a young child. She told me that our advocacy and messaging compelled her to reconsider and she kept her horse. She is her mare’s 7th guardian. It was an excellent reminder to me about sanctuary and why we keep our horses safe here in our care. Many of our equines have no other options. But there is a case to be made for us to adopt out our younger miniature horses. We only have a couple that would be considered adoptable. (No health issues with good dispositions) but our son Aidan made an excellent point early on in our journey to save horses from the unthinkable.

His wisdom hit me hard. 😭💞
Out of the mouths of babes. We were mucking a stall and he said “Mama why can’t we help the young ones? Why should a horse have to wait 20 or 30 years to find us, we should help them too.” I was quiet for a moment as I pondered how right he was. He knows what happens to horses before they get here and that overall it’s not the exception but the rule. Miniature horses experience even more passing around and hardship. Oftentimes they aren’t treated like equines even though they are large horses in a more compact package. So we made space in our program to keep a few youngsters safe. And let me tell you, it’s the best decision we ever made.

They infuse a lighthearted playfulness into our herds. They run and play which in turn gets our seniors running and playing. They have zest and spice which keeps our oldies on their toes. Some of our senior horses like to “parent” our youngsters and watch them from the “porch” with a sweet tea in hand. Surely they must be chatting about the weather and smiling while they watch the kids play. In a natural setting with a wild herd you would have horses of all ages… So if a sanctuary is to give love, enrichment and a horses way of life… why not have a few kiddos in the mix?

But please. Keep your horse, both the young and the old.

08/03/2024

Cosmo & Cora 🥰🥰🥰

You guys. Cora is out in the barn full time now 😭💗

Soon she will be talking back, going out on unsupervised dates with Cosmo and driving 🫠😅

Cora transitioned to the barn really well with the help of our new guy Cosmo. He’s the most sweet and angelic creature I’ve ever met. He welcomed Cora with open hooves and was so happy to have someone to snuggle with.

Cosmo came to us in rough shape. If you watched Odies healing journey last year then you will understand what it takes to get a sickly goat healthy again. He didn’t have a great start in life and has required some intense medical care and monitoring by our team. But he’s doing well. 🥹

We’re so grateful Cosmo found love, a best friend and permanence here with us. 💜

07/22/2024

This. 🙏🏻

The other side of the screen

You are looking at your screen reading this post. Who is on the other side looking at their screen typing this?

I’ve been wondering lately- whether it’s us or other rescues, if we do enough to show the hard work that goes on behind the scenes

You may see a cute video with a horse enjoying a hose off. You might not see the person who fed, mucked, and it’s 100 degrees and this is the 5 th horse that’s needed hosed off they’ve not even had a break

But really we mostly want to see sweet or funny videos. Sometimes the heart wrenching stories of horses that were in bad shape that have made recovery or found homes. That’s great stuff on social media and the work rescues should be accomplishing and sharing with supporters. But what about all that other stuff? I think that’s the difference between enjoying and understanding.

The actual day to day, that’s not shared enough. Many that start rescues put themselves last or don’t want attention. The focus is the horse. So writing about these topics - they might feel they are just complaining. Or people will interpret it that way. Better to not talk about that at all -sort of thinking

But over time I think that minimizes the immense amount of work and yes stress, that’s part of every horse rescue persons life

Many rescues don’t last more than a year or so. They get overwhelmed. It’s really hard to find a proper education on starting and maintaining a rescue You can imagine it’s hard work, but until you do it, you really don’t understand the depth

We have seen rescues close , and even suicides. There’s just not enough support out there. Even a great mentor could make the world of difference. But rarely do we reach out to each other. To ask or to offer Why is that?

A horse or any animal that’s turned into a rescue, - for that horse and all the horses -someone has to get up everyday and feed the horse, clean the stall or provide turn out. Groom that horse bath the horse pick up the feed and hay and bring it home and stack it.

I mean that goes without saying but really, would you volunteer to do that for a friends horse or a strangers horse? Generally not. Not day in and day out.
You’ve got work, appts, a family, vacation, I mean you can’t be expected to give up your whole life. Or could you

If it’s 100 degrees or it just snowed 2 feet overnight. Every day of every week of every month that horse is at the rescue -Someone, is caring for that horse

We provide comfort to the horse (or rescues that handle dog or cats ) that doesn’t really know why it’s here. Is it for a day? Forever? They don’t actually know

We introduce them to herd mates. Try and figure out what training they may have. Try to fill in gaps. Evaluate them for what home they might fit best

Address any disclosed or undisclosed medical issues.

Take pictures, list the horse, review applications, meet with potential adopters. Create and have signed adoption contracts.

This is such a huge weight for every animal that comes in.

We keep in touch with adopters, and have to be prepared to take the horse back in need be.

That’s really a full time job.

All of that with the worry-
Where is the money coming from to feed and care for the horse, especially with unexpected medical issues

So on one side of the screen a person sees a horse coming in, a horse going out. Maybe some updates on medical or training, but true hard work, that’s generally not shown or understood because we dont do enough to show the day to day Rescuers- we dont share OUR stories

That’s why it’s so crucial that rescues have enough volunteers. To spread the work, emotional support and understanding. Compassion fatigue can set in just like it does for vets.

The emotional weight we carry when a horse is so thin and so shut down and you lay in bed at night with the age old question, how is it possible that someone has done this?

You are physically with this horse day in and day out and it’s impossible to not take in the utter sadness of seeing a horse so broken.

We don’t always do a good job of showing how incredibly hard this is. Physically, emotionally, and financially.

Be kind to your rescues.

I bet there is a rescue near you or one that you follow that would love a phone call and to hear the words - How can I help

Picture of Stevie saying Hi to a mini Donk

We are Track to Trail Thoroughbreds- rehab, rehoming, and rescue of ex-racehorses

07/22/2024

Jovie and Cinder. Best friends. 🧡 🩶

07/06/2024

“Did you touch my drum set?”

If you know you know 😆

07/02/2024

Did you know that horses are subject to white sclera bias? This is when the horse’s white part of their eye is visible or they show it often. Some people call this whale eye or pig eye. Pig eye is a totally different subject and really gets into breeding, genetics and a humans perception of a horse’s intelligence.

Wren, pictured above is a horse that shows the whites of his eyes. Jane and Tess also show the whites of their eyes often. This is considered to be an attribute of a nervous, spooky or mentally unstable horse. The Amish will not keep horses who show their sclera as they believe “the devil resides inside of them” which is ironic to me because as a whole they do not believe animals have souls.

I have to be honest, all 3 of the horses I mentioned above are nervous horses. They spook easily and are wary of new people. But all 3 calmed considerably when they settled into our sanctuary.

The other day I was walking Wren to his paddock and some of the grass turned brown from all the heat we’ve had. It’s a small patch and we had walked over it 4 times prior. As we approached this patch his eyes started to bug out of his head, he side stepped several times and I had to circle him twice to collect him and prevent him from turning into a kite and taking me with him (lol). I stomped on the grass myself to show him that it was safe. I’ve done similar things with puddles before. Sloshing through them to get him to follow me.

Imagine Wren in inexperienced or less understanding hands. What direction would he take? Learned helplessness, explosiveness, would he injure someone? How many times would he be sold? He’s stunning, young and athletic so his sales ads would garner attention…but he’s a nervous horse and he waffles between sound and not. How many times would he change hands? How many auctions?

This is why we don’t adopt horses out. No matter how someone looks on paper, no matter how strict your contract, no matter how often you try to check in on them… the vast majority of the equestrian industry still is what it is. Equines are classified as livestock and property. Contracts don’t mean much.

Which is why Wren is safe with us, white sclera and all.

07/01/2024

This past week I had the opportunity to work with a volunteer one on one. Ava was gone that afternoon and we needed another set of hands to do the more tedious medical work, barn swap and horse handling. This volunteer is dependable, dedicated and extremely hard working. She knows animals but she’s new to equines. I have to be honest I love it when someone comes to our farm without any preconceived notions about horses. With equestrians I usually have to ask them to slow down, soften and be less task oriented. On the contrary with a new horse person I’m usually pushing them to be more assertive and set a boundary with our horses. An example of this is Wren, he’s a young massive horse who’s a bit goofy and doesn’t know his size. He can knock you down or step on you if you aren’t careful. A preemptive outstretched hand on his chest when he approaches can keep your toes from getting crushed by his giant feet. At the same time Wren comes from a background of harsh handling so everything with him must be slow, gentle and methodical. Awesome (pictured above) has that same Wren vibe. Pushy, loves treats and will step all over you if you let him. But his foundation (his early training) was good. He’s not riddled with anxiety like Wren is.

Most of my communication with horses is done with body language. Whether that be showing my intentions so that they can mentally prepare for a halter, doctoring or bringing them into the barn. Or the opposite, where I bring down my energy and focus on my breathing so that I can collect a horse who’s hard to catch. This very thing I’m speaking of is hard to teach. It’s an unspoken communication between you and the horse.

We are working with 1000+lbs flight animals who can severely injure or even k*ll us. It can be intimidating. But horses are peaceful animals, at their core they desire harmony and to just belong. In the wild their very existence depends on it. We offer the horses here at our sanctuary peace and they reciprocate.

But back to this lovely volunteer. Our troubled horses love her, they are drawn to her energy. She is a horse whisperer, she just doesn’t know it yet. She will find out soon enough though ❤️‍🩹

06/22/2024

They even made a documentary movie about this famous Italian harness racing champion, a movie where he was imagined telling his own story, by picturing it as a wonderful fairy tale to dream about. A fairy tale where he proudly remembered all of his sporting results, all of his important victories, so happy to have traveled for years all around the world competing in front of his enthusiastic public....And then here is a random picture of him being published everywhere, to celebrate him while he so proudly enjoyed his job, with all of his joy and happiness to be there being so clearly painted into his expression....Again I'm sorry for my usual sarcasm, but I'm really tired of this constant brainwashing about horses being "happy willing athletes being so loved and living like Kings", just to keep exploiting them for the human earning and entertainment under a false good appearance. Horses deserve so much more, at least they deserve the truth being told 💔

06/21/2024

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞/𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫?

When I first began learning about horses, about how they learn, thrive and survive I found licking and chewing to be such a fascinating behaviour.
Many moons ago, I’d watch Monty Robert’s and be in trance watching him turn a wild horse into one that was quiet, facing him and showing the “classic” signs of relaxing by licking and chewing.
I remember thinking I need to try this on my horse! I was so excited.

Fast forward today, I’ve done a little more studying and realised that many behaviours we interpret to be “calming signals”, “relaxing signals”, “Processing information signals” are actually stress, tension, frustration, confusion and sometimes fear signals.

I’m so passionate about being able to effectively communicate with my horses, that I spend majority of my spare time studying equine behaviour and how they communicate. I’ve found that licking and chewing is probably the number one behaviour we still misunderstand, many trainers, equine professionals and horse owners believe that this is a sign of a horse processing information and relaxing.

𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

This study was performed by M.Sc. Margrete Lie and Prof. Ruth Newberry, where they spent 80 hours observing feral horses in herds, (google the study it’s interesting!)

Now, what I’m very interested in is seeing whether horses who undergo positive reinforcement training lick and chew? Do horses who are handled with positive reinforcement show lesser stress signals than those who are handled with “traditional” methods or negative reinforcement?

Conclusion, non-nutritive licking and chewing is actually a sign of the horse trying to release/process a stressful situation.

06/14/2024

Drinking from the hose always hits different 💧

06/13/2024

We are a non-profit horse rescue and sanctuary. We couldn’t stand by while so many horses face homelessness or worse. We offer respite to horses in need but we aren’t a retirement facility for people who no longer want to pay for their horse. It’s time for the equestrian community to do better.

Your horse is not a donation.

There’s no therapy program waiting with open arms to retire your horse for life.

Retirement is part of horse ownership.

Horses are companion animals and a commitment. Through thick and thin.

Yes we KNOW they’re expensive. You already know that. Plan accordingly.

They aren’t sports equipment. They’re sentient beings.

The money you were spending on riding equipment, lessons, board and shows is 3-5 times what good retirement would cost you.

Your “best friend” has no where to go. There are no green pastures with people who want to take on the expense of owning a horse who has riding limitations, is lame, aged or special needs.

Auction is never the right place to send a horse.

Create a living will or advanced directive that allocates money to care for your horses. Spell out what your loved ones should do with your horses if the worst case scenario happens.

Don’t buy a horse if you can’t commit to 30 years of care.

We know this post will upset some folks. We’re ok with that. We’re here to advocate for horses, not humans. None of the above applies to people who experience true hardship. We help so many people who find themselves in horrible circumstances. But “can’t” and “won’t” aren’t the same thing, and we won’t pretend like it is.

Rescues are tired. It’s time to do better. Keep your horse.

06/11/2024

There will never be too much baby Cora content. This angel is doing so well. ❤️

06/09/2024

Such an important read.

6 Ethical Challenges of Equine Domestication

The domestication of horses, and the resulting human-horse relationships, present several key problems that are important to consider:

1. Loss of Autonomy and Agency:
Domestication inherently involves the subjugation of an animal's autonomy and natural behaviors to serve human purposes. Horses lose the freedom to live according to their own rhythms, instincts, and social structures within a herd. This compromises their wellbeing and denies their status as sentient beings with inherent worth beyond their utility to humans.

2. Exploitation and Instrumentalization:
Domestic horses are often viewed and treated as commodities or tools to be used for human benefit, whether through labor, competition, or leisure activities like riding. This reduces horses to mere objects for human consumption and pleasure, rather than recognizing their intrinsic value and right to self-determination.

3. Structural Violence and Coercion:
The domestication of horses has historically relied on various forms of physical and psychological coercion, from harsh training methods to the use of restrictive tack like bits. Even when the overt use of force is minimized, the ever-present threat of violence underlies the human-horse relationship, denying the horse's ability to give genuine consent.

4. Disruption of Natural Behaviors and Rhythms:
Confining horses to stalls, separating them from herd structures, and subjecting them to rigid schedules and tasks disrupts their innate behavioral and temporal patterns. This can lead to stress, stereotypical behaviors, and the erosion of their wellbeing.

5. Selective Breeding and Genetic Manipulation:
Selective breeding of horses for specific human-desired traits, such as docility or performance abilities, can compromise the horses' health and genetic diversity. This represents a form of biopolitical control over their bodies and evolutionary trajectories.

6. Anthropocentric Biases and Lack of Interspecies Understanding:
The domestication of horses has often been predicated on an anthropocentric view that places human needs and preferences above those of the horses. This inhibits the development of genuine interspecies understanding and empathetic relationships built on mutual respect.

Addressing these problems requires a fundamental re-evaluation of the human-horse relationship, moving away from domination and control towards more collaborative, consent-based, and ecologically-attuned modes of coexistence. This represents a significant ethical and practical challenge, but one that is necessary to uphold the inherent dignity and autonomy of these remarkable animals.

Support this work: https://www.patreon.com/StormyMay

06/06/2024

The Whispers of Willow

Willow had always been able to hear the whispers of the animals around her. From the chirping robins in the backyard to the gentle nickers of the horses at the local stables, their voices rang out as clear as day in her mind.

It was a gift that both fascinated and troubled her. Fascinated, because Willow found deep joy and comfort in the intimate connections she forged with the creatures of the natural world. Troubled, because she so often heard messages that seemed to contradict the assumptions and assertions of the people around her.

Take her friend Lily, for instance. Lily loved to regale Willow with tales of the insights she gleaned from her beloved mare, Ember. "She loves it when I ride her," Lily would say with a dreamy smile. "I know how much she enjoys our outings together."

But Willow couldn't help but furrow her brow whenever she heard these proclamations. For in her own interactions with Ember, the mare's voice had conveyed a very different sentiment - one tinged with resignation, and discomfort, at being saddled and mounted.

"How can you be so sure Ember truly enjoys being ridden?" Willow would gently probe. "Her feelings might not be what you think."

Lily would just laugh and wave a dismissive hand. "Oh, Willow, you worry too much. Ember adores me, and I know she's happy when we ride together. You're just too sensitive to the animals' moods, that's all."

Willow wanted to believe her friend. She longed for the simple joy and unquestioning trust that Lily seemed to share with Ember. But try as she might, she couldn't silence the quiet, insistent whispers that reached her ears - the ones that told a very different story about the true nature of the human-horse relationship.

It was a burden that Willow carried with a heavy heart. For how could she refute the authenticity of Lily's bond with Ember, when her own connection with the animals around her must feel just as real and profound as Lily’s? Who was she to say that her perceptions were any more valid or trustworthy?

As Willow grew older, she learned to navigate these murky waters with care and compassion. She didn't try to convince her equestrian friends that their cherished relationships were built on false assumptions. Instead, she focused on finding her own ways of engaging with horses and other creatures that honored their autonomy and inherent dignity.

Through patient observation, attentive caregiving, and a posture of deep reverence, Willow forged bonds that transcended the traditional trappings of ownership and control. She became a conduit for the voiceless, amplifying their whispers and helping others tune in to the wisdom that pulsed through the natural world.

And though the doubts and conflicts never fully subsided, Willow took solace in the knowledge that her path, however unconventional, was a testament to the profound interconnectedness that binds all living things. In the end, she knew, it was not her place to judge the experiences of others, but rather to stay true to the whispers that echoed in her own heart.

https://stormymay.com

06/06/2024

Silver Song and Rue. These two have been bonded since Rue was a baby. This is a long story but I will do my best to give you the cliff notes.

A mini horse named Hazel came to our Sanctuary heavily pregnant. Rescued from a killpen she arrived sick along with our boy shown below Silver Song. We were originally just going to QT Silver Song for another rescue but he bonded with Hazel and stayed on here with us.

When Hazel arrived to the killpen she had a yearling c**t on her hip. They sold him off and broke Hazels heart. Silver Song arrived with his Mom and she was separated and sold off as well. So it makes sense that these two found each other and bonded in these horrific circumstances.

In quarantine Silver and Hazel relied on each other as we nursed them both back to health. Hazel was due to deliver at any time so eventually we moved Silver to the stall across from hers and turned them out together. They both had finally healed and we anxiously awaited Hazels baby, praying everything would go right.

Hazel delivered Rue at 4am and was fine for the first hour. They bonded and Rue nursed, thankfully she received colostrum in that hour. Unfortunately Hazel started to show severe neurologic signs and we had to rush her and Rue to New Bolton. Silver Song was beside himself missing his friend.

Hazel and baby Rue spent 2 weeks in the hospital. Hazel was alive but she had severe brain damage. She had either had an abscess burst in her brain or a stroke. Either way her prognosis was grim.

We brought Hazel and Rue home and attempted to rehab Hazel. She would allow Rue to nurse but could not Mother her in any capacity. This was devastating for all of us. Insert Silver Song into the situation. He was all too happy to be a big brother to Rue and was gentle with Hazel in her delicate condition even though he was a playful youngster. Silver has an amazing head on his shoulders and is a natural born leader and problem solver.

We unfortunately had to euthanize Hazel when Rue was 6 months old. We had hoped that with time and love she could come back from her TBI. She never did. Silver Song continued to be an amazing friend to Rue and here they are 3.5 years later. 🥹

Rue has two Dads now, Silver Song and Charlie. This trio is inseparable and even with all of Rue’s hardship she is one lucky girl. She has the stability of our sanctuary and a horse family who adores her.

Pictured below are Rue & Silver Song today ❤️