Monday, July 16, 2018 didn't go as planned.
Backstory: Another rescue had agreed to take these animals if we helped capture and transport them. On the scheduled day of transportation, the other rescue completely abandoned Little Brook Farm and never showed up at the rescue location. After we had all the animals loaded and ready to go (with Summer suffering from heat stroke due to the stress of the events and environment), and the horses getting hot on the trailer, the last minute decision was made to bring the horses to Little Brook Farm. This other rescue was taking donations from their supporters for the rescue of Nate's equine family, but hasn't forwarded a penny to us.
The goal was for Summer and Nate to meet at the horses' location at 11am (nearly 4 hrs from us) to begin catching the mares, foals and stallions in order to transport them to another rescue facility. Lynn arranged a shipper, Gary, with a 30 ft. stock trailer, to meet everyone there. It was terribly hot, much too hot to move horses, but the alternative was worse. The shipper's truck had an issue with a tire which was corrected, putting him there around 1:45. The other rescue hadn't arrived yet, so Summer, Nate and Gary caught horses and loaded in 100 degrees. They managed 5 horses in the front, 6 in the back of the stock trailer. The horses couldn't wait in a trailer in the heat so at 3pm, when we hadn't heard from the other rescue, the decision was made to bring them to LBF instead. Summer and Nate followed with 2 other horses in our farm's trailer. By the time the trailers pulled in at 7:15pm, a wonderful, small army of volunteers had shown up to help, knowing 13 feral horses would be a challenge.
This is an incredibly stressful situation. What began with Little Brook Farm rescuing a crippled mule, Nate, ended with us single-handedly rescuing 15 of his friends and family, 13 in one day alone, that were going to be slaughtered. With over 80 horses already in our care, we don't have the resources for the extra time, effort and expense of these animals even if we had had time to plan for their arrival, and it's been monumentally difficult since we only had a few hours notice that they would be coming to our farm.
This whole situation is further complicated by the fact that the herd is largely WILD, some pregnant and/or babies. Summer has been working all week to gentle them, with the help of octogenarian trainer extraordinaire, Bob, and other volunteers, so that they can begin the process of having the vet vaccinate and examine them. We don't have the time, space, or extra funds for this endeavor, and yet we will throw ourselves in to the project because we know the alternative for the horses and we will not let that happen to them.
It is hard to find homes for horses in general, even harder for feral horses, so the pressure is on to at least give them some basic handling and vet care in order to ensure their safe and successful placements.
Donations are desperately needed for vets, food, farrier, and supplies such as halters and leads.
On behalf of Nate the mule's family, we thank you for choosing to donate through one of the options below.
Paypal email
(or click Paypal link below):
Mail checks to our 501(c)3:
B.I.T.S.
P.O. Box 127
Old Chatham, NY 12136
Physical address for supplies:
Little Brook Farm
548 County Road 13
Old Chatham, NY 12136