Mea Ola's Place

01/08/2025

Lots of Southern Ca fires popping off with insane wind.
Please pray for the safety of everyone in harms way. Firefighters, humans and animals.
We are safe here at MOP and no damaging winds so far for us. But we’ve been in the middle of too many of these fires and understand.
(Not sure this news lady has though)

01/01/2025

Happy New Year! I hope everyone brings in the new year happy a safe!
I’ll be hunkered down with the critters praying it’s not a repeat of last year.
It was horrible with fireworks and guns. It sounded like a war zone. 😩

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you!❤️

12/22/2024

https://www.facebook.com/100000985090364/posts/9016095285099885/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Here is a link to sign the petition to keep our local burros at a sanctuary that is on the lands they already roam.
The fact is SBC was offered services by experienced WILD B***O individuals (including a veterinarian) in this county, and Donkeyland was CREATED for these herds! Instead SBC decided it was best to round them up, have them all tested for coggins and ship them to a rescue in TEXAS!
How does this make any sense?’

12/20/2024

12/16/2024

Ugh!!!!

12/15/2024

I did it! I graduated today and start January 1st.❤️

12/14/2024

Oh my…I’ve been a bit busy and realized it’s National Day of the Horse!
First, if you have never been to the Museum of the Horse in Kentucky, it’s a must! Horses have served humans in ways that they have never gotten credit for!
There have been many horses in my life. Like most young girls, I loved them before I could ride them.
I’ve been blessed to have horses in my life since before I can remember. There are two though, that really shaped my life and changed so much of my destiny.
First was a horse named “OH BOY”. I never had a connection with a horse like I did with him before I met him. He was the horse that taught me the depth in horses. I was 24 years old. This horse had the personality of a dog. I could feel his excitement to see me and how he enjoyed every moment with me. He was one horse in a string of horses that I worked with at Callaway Hills Stables in Missouri. So much history there that is now long gone and will soon be forgotten. Although as a show horse he did earn his championship, he was a “nobody” in the big scheme of that show world. But, to me? He was my everything! I was married and had children, as well as my own horses….I loved those relationships…. But this relationship with THIS horse was out of this world.

Oh Boy and I parted ways at the Tattersalls sale in KY in 1996. I moved to back to CA just after the sale. I honestly stayed to see him through the sale before I made the move.

One year later, I went back to KY trying to find him and visit him. I learned he had been sold weeks before I arrived.

When I returned home I wrote to the Saddlebred registry to find him. (Internet was not a big thing then) To my absolute surprise, he had been sold to owners here in California!

The next month there was one show left of the season for Saddlebreds and I drove to San Diego just hoping he’d be there.

I walked down every stall isle calling “Silly Butt”?? Silly Butt… (that was my special name for him)

And at the 3rd isle I heard him. He was squealing like a pig. Literally squealing and turning circles, bucking and winnying. (That’s what he always did when I was near… like some of my donkeys do, and I just realized that). He was one isle over and had a stall that had the top door open.

I ran as fast as I could to the sound that I knew was him! When we saw each other I can’t explain the emotions I felt and I know he felt them too!

That reunion is still one of the best memories of my life! Some of these pictures are of that day. He was the best hugger!

The trainer came and saw us hugging over the door and let me in with Oh Boy when I explained who I was. I was Oh Boys groom that day of the show and from there I was hired to work with him again… until his death in 2004.
The mark OH BOY left in my heart and soul taught me that every horse has that same potential to connect. This is why I was able to save and change horses like Mea Ola and countless others. Our programs and everything about MOP horses, them being WILLING and FAITHFUL participants…. is because of the lessons that this horse taught me.

Horses are not machines unless treated as such. They are the ultimate athletes with hearts and souls bigger and deeper than most people! EVEN many “horse” people , never realize this in their lifetimes.

Today, I will honor my Siily Butt…. Champion OH BOY… on this Day Of The Horse.

Man, have I been blessed in this life!

Love you, my Silly boy! I have missed you on many occasions and I know that we met for a reason. I learned the lessons you taught me. I hope you are proud of me for seeing you in all of those that came into my life after you. I know you are enjoying the greenest grass and I hope you have a girl that loves you like I did! We were something to behold, weren’t we?

12/13/2024

Hi all! Happy Friday! It’s our monthly feed drive. I’ve been super busy and would like to share about what I’ve been up to. As you know, Mea Ola’s Place is now a division of our mother non profit, Mea’s Outreach Programs.
With my age and health issues ( mainly c-spine) I’ve pondered the future and knew that I couldn’t sustain the level of rescue we once accomplished. However, the commitment to those still here, mainly our seniors, pushed me to find a way to continue to provide a safe place and permanent home for them.
I graduate tomorrow as a certified R*pe Crisis Advocate. Next year I will be working in a field where I will be able to incorporate equine therapy on a whole new level and these horses will be able to share their magic once again.
As a survivor myself, I can attest to the healing power of these beautiful souls that God gave to us. Mea Ola herself, changed the trajectory of my life. I’m so glad that her legacy can continue.
In the coming weeks I will be sharing more and believe that I have a duty to use the platform I’ve been given to open people hearts and minds to the reality of the brokenness out there and the hope and healing that is possible for both horses and humans. I’ve never truly shared the depth of Mea Ola’s story and our story starts with her. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here to share this, nor would we have saved so many others and I wouldn’t have ever connected to any of you!
As this year comes to an end, I hope you will remember us and the horses so many of you have come to know, love and support.
These monthly fundraisers are still our life-line, and I hope you realize that by supporting these, you are a direct link to the mission!
You can always call the Feed Barn directly, and we do get a discount…. 760 868 4840,

https://www.paypal.me/meaola

Or Zelle 661 557 2680
As always, I can’t thank you all enough! We are going into our 13th year because of all of you!❤️

(I had to share a picture of the candy the Feed Barn gave us as a gift. The paper is even black and white like Mama Mea Ola herself 😊)

12/07/2024

Facebook is always changing. I tried to post this last evening but it only created a reel. Anyhow, here is Westly doing a “red mare” impression at feeding time, lol. 😂

12/02/2024

I do love ponies and I think that those of us that ever had one or two as kids became good riders, with a respect for the ground! 😜
However, I always recommended that people get an older horse for their kids first. This is exactly why. Many kids are intimidated by a horse’s size, but it’s a lot better than spending a lot of time on the ground, lol.
Love the little boogers!
And donkeys have a bad rep for being stubborn…. ? 😂😂😂

https://www.facebook.com/share/14KKBU9Pjs/?mibextid=WC7FNe

11/30/2024

Hi all! I am in Georgia with my oldest daughter’s family for the birth of her second son! (My 5th grandchild!) I am so blessed!
Wanted to give a shout out to Emily and Morgan for holding the fort down. Morgan even gave everyone treats for us the other day!
I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend! ❤️

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving!

11/15/2024

Hi all! Happy Friday!
It’s our monthly Five dollar Friday Feed Drive. We can’t do this without you!🥰
Mea Ola’s Place is now a division of Mea’s Outreach Programs Inc. Our “mother” tax exempt organization. There are other divisions added. And there is a new EIN for you to use for tax purposes. I’ll put that at the end of this post.
You can donate directly to The Feed Barn (we do get a discount) 760 868 4840, Pay Pal https://www.paypal.me/meaola or Zelle 661 557 2680.
The horses and donkeys of MOP will be used in programs again next year! We do still have a few adoptable, but most are seniors and the chances of them finding a forever home are slim. More than half of them here are over 25! We all know that they still have a purpose and have had this safe landing because of all of you.
My hope is to gain new monthly sponsors next year and we are so thankful to the ones we have, but the fact is we still rely on these monthly fundraisers to make the feed bill. I’d love to find a sponsor(your sponsorship is tax deductible) for Carmen whose owner abandoned her here. She is the sweetest old gal and I have not been able to get ahold of her owner for over a year now. Carmen has now been a part of the herd for 5 years. Originally she was a boarder but she belongs to MOP at this point. 😢
There are many other expenses like daily help( I’m still looking at surgery after the first of the year, so I’ve had to pay for regular help since I am not 100% my physical self) farrier, equipment maintenance, emergencies and regular vet care (vaccines and deworming, teeth, etc). So, these feed drives make all of the difference!
I’ll be sharing more of the vision and other programs that Mea’s Outreach Programs Inc (EIN 33-1384938) is doing, but know that it was created with the horses and donkeys of Mea Ola’s Place in mind and to make sure that they, and any new rescues that don’t find a home, will all have a purpose and be taken care of, even long after I’m gone. ❤️

My surgery should leave me better than I’ve been the last couple of years. I am looking at a disc replacement. Which is a piece of cake compared to the fusion I had in 2011. (C-spine, not my back thankfully)
I have used this time off work on temp disability to really focus on our future. It has been a blessing in disguise!
Thank you all for supporting and believing in MOP. We will be going into year 13 in January! ❤️❤️❤️