From The Manure Pile

Holiday Newsletter 2010

This year has gone so fast, summer gone without a blink. Earlier in the year we got a call from the DOT- a Semi loaded with carrots went off Hesperus Hill- they were going to clean it up the next day, did we want to go gather carrots- you bet! We sent one of the volunteers the next morning-( 7AM) they neglected to tell us the carrots were loose baby carrots..................we had carrots for weeks, but boy what fun....( They were all down the hill!) we do appreciate our volunteers.
It has been a tough year with so many horses in trouble- if we had a thousand acres we could fill it with horses- and still there would be more needing some where to go. We placed more than 30 outside horses in good approved homes, plus another 16 from the rescue, not a wonderful year for adoptions.
Our beloved Misty went to greener pastures in November from her greasy heel. I think she was ready, 38 years is a good life- 7 of them with all the love and carrots she needed at the rescue. True went to Texas to spend his last years in a warmer climate, Sally went to Granby to live with some great folks who will give her loving everyday and to keep their other horse company. 3 of our young horses went to professional trainers to be cutters and reiners. We took in a new 4 month old, 1/2 Percheron filly with an injured leg, Tara is very refined, quiet, & shy- couldn't see her loaded on the truck, she will soon be for adoption, and will make someone a wonderful riding horse. Calvin, Bentley, Rio, Taffy, Rivers, Chloe, Jilly, Tori, Colton, Attie, Bella, Bonus, Cassie, Lightning, Stormy, Eve, Pacino, Eric, Zack, Playboy, Jack, Morgan, Jake, & Tara would like to wish everyone a WONDERFUL holiday season Me Too
Happy Holidays
Diane

Memories at Spring Creek

Becca Steinbach

Last winter I was on my way to empty the mucking cart at the back of the many corrals at Spring Creek. The fillies were turned out, having their daily exercise running, playing tag and "kicking up their heels". The glistening, hardened snow was about 18 inches deep, making the corrals a bit shorter. Up and back the fillies ran, really having a joyous time when LuLu, a 2 year old registered sorrel quarter horse, was blocked from making a turn and over the panel she went. She stopped Immediately and looked back, saw she was not with the others. Her look said, "Where am I"? And "What Happened"? And "What now"? One option Diane knew was to bolt out to "open country"! Diane quickly came down, opened the gate, and talked to her, and back in she came to her safe haven (as Spring Creek Horse Rescue is for all horses)
Always, after LuLu jumped that fence, she would pass by and have her eye on that spot in the fence where she "caught air" and I am sure thought about that winter day when she saw new horizons. LuLu has since been adopted and is seeing new horizons on Arizona, her new home.

The Mane Event

Iris Davidson

It's hard to imagine what the horses at Spring Creek Horse Rescue have been through by just looking at them. Well fed and cared for, I never would have guessed that some of the horses were nearly starved to death, or that the 2 and 3 year-olds were bound for the slaughter house when first brought to the rescue. Diane McCracken is an incredibly ambitious woman who almost single-handedly runs SCHR. She knows all of the 27 horses that reside on the property by heart, and can tell you every one of the stories behind their arrival in Bayfield, Colorado. She is especially passionate and if it weren't for the lack of property the rescue resides on, she surely would not turn any horse in need away.
With most of her day dedicated to feeding and cleaning pens, there is a constant demand for volunteers to interact with the horses to better rehabilitate and ready them for adoption to suitable homes.
I have been part of a student group in Michelle Bonanno’s Ecological Citizenship class this fall at Fort Lewis College. Throughout the semester, Jonah Begay, Katherine Sumrall, Shandy Abrahamson, Tiffany Tsosie and myself worked closely with Diane. By visiting SCHR and hearing the sad stories of all the horses Diane maintains, our group was more able to connect to the issue and feel passionate about helping to make a difference. We discovered that the rising number of unwanted horses has been caused by a number of factors: The fallen economy has lead to a rise in fuel and feed prices making horses even more costly to responsibly care for. In many instances, horses are bought by inexperienced, irresponsible, and unknowledgeable owners who are not fully aware of the costs and responsibilities required to manage horses. There are also a number of owners who do not breed their horses responsibly and end up creating unmarketable foals. Lastly, the closure of the equine slaughter houses in the United States has contributed to the rising number of unwanted horses by dropping the market price to nothing.
With more "homeless horses", and with a large number of horse rescues across the country at capacity (like Spring Creek) there has been an increase of newer, smaller and unorganized horse rescues. These illegitimate horse rescues have created a disproportionate dispersal of grant money, and donations, thus taking precious dollars from productive horse rescue operations. Because of this, SCHR is in need of more money to maintain the horses throughout the winter with hay and feed.
In response, we worked to organize a change drive at a few local stores, put on a fundraiser at the Ore house, and our main efforts were to organize a larger fundraiser at The Irish Embassy Pub called "The Mane Event". During the fundraiser, we handed out brochures and had conversations with guests about the mission of SCHR. We felt it was important to educate others and bring awareness to the still growing number of horses that end up at horse rescues like SCHR for various reasons. We were impressed by the compassion and generosity we witnessed and would like to thank everyone that could attend.