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Our first submitted piece describes who we are and what we do here.

RESCUE MORNING

The whirring noise of my computer fan says it isn’t ready to dial up yet. Time to grab another cup of coffee before I begin. As the modem dials up, I look out my home office window to watch the silhouette of my white gelding pass by in the early morning darkness. I love having that pasture so close to the house. We planned it that way, he is so close I can almost open the window and touch him.

Messages begin to download. I watch as each one appears the subject lines are all similar. “Help this Horse”, Horse in Need”, “Rescue Needed” – today there are 161 emails to read regarding help for our noblest creatures. I glance at my lottery ticket on the desk, look up and whisper “Oh Please, God, one day let this be the good one, we will make you proud of the things we will accomplish saving your horses”.

This begins another day of horse rescue and sanctuary work. But we wouldn’t trade it for the world. We are Misfit Acres. We are a small horse sanctuary and rescue in southern Minnesota. Our goal is to provide a “forever” home for formerly “unlucky” horses who had no future. We are only one of hundreds of horse sanctuary and rescues across this country. We all have the same goal – Save horses from abuse, neglect, and live slaughter for human consumption. Within our little herd of residents are individual stories of how each one came to live at Misfit Acres. But they are here and safe now.

Not really sure who started horse rescues or how long ago. We do know that the majority of American public sees horses in a different light from cattle, pigs, and more commonly recognized farm animals. Horses are our greatest athletes and constant companions. People admire their nobility, courage, strength, intelligence, and majestic stance. Horses help to build this country. Horses work for us on a regular basis through law enforcement, military service, and therapeutic horses. Horses are prominent in almost everyone’s daily lives. The Budweiser Clydesdales, the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions, The Black Stallion, Trigger, and Silver are all well known to any American citizen. As any parades draws to a close, you can hear the gasp of the crowd as the parade horses become visible. The ground shakes as the draft horses pull their wagons by. The saddle horses, some in costume, prance down the pavement drawing applause. The pony carts inspire many smiles and chuckles from the crowds.

Horses wind up in rescue for any number of reasons. Extreme medical circumstances for the owners, job transfers, bankruptcies, divorces, all appear on the list of reasons why horses need to be relocated. Aged horses and lame horses which can no longer be ridden or worked often times top the list of horses in need. Horses live a long time, sometimes longer than the owners attention span especially when the horse can no longer provide entertainment or competition needs. Unfortunately many of these innocent souls find themselves at a local auction where their chances of being purchased by a loving family are diminished by the presence of “kill buyers”. Kill buyers scour auctions where they can pick up horses to be sold to one of three slaughterhouses in this country. Many times, the previous owner of the horse has no knowledge of this industry and leaves the auction with the proceeds of the sale certain that “Beauty” will get a good home at the sale. We only wish this were the outcome for all auction horses.

Many rescues hold fundraising events to gather the cash to attend these auctions and save these doomed creatures. When they are fortunate enough to outbid the kill buyers, these horses are given a second chance on life. Rescues are often called upon to pick up horses that have been abused and neglected by their owners. Rescues which can accommodate this need are basically on call 24/7. The majority of rescues are comprised of volunteer staff – again with the same goal of saving horses. And all are ready to grab truck and trailer on a moment’s notice running to load up starved, neglected, or beaten horses. These kind hearted saviors have no idea what to expect from these frightened animals –many of which have never been in a trailer. Nonetheless, they are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to help these mistreated horses.

Rescues take the animals home, vet check the animals, determine their level of training and temperament. They in turn seek new adoptive homes and monitor the progress of the horse and the new family. The rescue is available to help the new family with questions or concerns about developing a relationship with their new addition. For the rescue, this is a never-ending cycle.

The equine sanctuary provides a loving home to horses whose futures were bleak. It is a heartbreaking labor of love since the horse will eventually leave this earth but will always remain a part of those who cared for him. On occasion it will be a judgment call between the sanctuary operators and their trusted veterinarian as to the quality of life for the horse in sanctuary care. The concept behind sanctuary care is to keep the animal as healthy, pain free, and safe as possible. If illness, old age, or mental stability of the horse become major problems, it may be time to “set the horse free” from all that ails. .

Perhaps if society as a whole would take a better responsibility approach to the animals we chose to own, not so many horses (in all fairness, all pets) would not need the services of rescues, sanctuaries, and shelters. Each week brings any number of phone calls and emails to us regarding horse placement. Last week alone, brought news of a 30-year-old mare, a 20-year-old gelding, a 27-year-old mare, (all special needs horses) and four other unridable younger horses with severe medical problems (all results of injuries endured while under saddle), all needing new homes since the owners can not afford to maintain a horse they cannot use. Quite frequently the owners do not wish to bear the expense of medications, special diets, or euthanasia. These horses are no less deserving than the starved horse scooped by the rescuers, but these horses are entitled to death with dignity. They do not deserve to be tossed aside and shuffled around when owners are done with them.

But we will try to find them a spot on this earth where someone will love them for what they are and accept what they cannot do. The work continues even though, frustrating and painful, as it is sometimes, we are proud to be a part of “Saving one horse at a time.”

Visit us at www.misfitacres.com to read more about the sanctuary horses of Misfit Acres. Learn how your trash can help the horses in sanctuary care.