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Presents Jedai!  A horse's fate can turn on a dime, quicker than the national reining champion. That's how it was for Jedai, a teenaged Missouri Fox Trotter. One phone call, and he was picked up by a broker, placing him at risk of slaughter. That is where our stories began to link. The explanation I got when arriving upon the lot was that his previous owner could no longer afford his care. Maybe he needed a fast buck. I try hard not to judge people, but it does seem the ultimate betrayal, for a horse whose life has been devoted to service facing the risk of slaughter. It was said he had been a field trial horse. Falling into the category of a trader horse is a step above, but it is a horrid fate and often the beginning of the end. I found a very friendly--and large!-chestnut gelding that met me at the fence with his ears up. I'm not sure if he wanted a scratch, a treat or a trip out of there, but he got all three. His fate had just spun again and this time it was for the good. With funds raised by the Fans of Barbaro, Jedai's "bail" or "ransom" was paid. By becoming a rescue horse at Winding Road, his safety was assured as much as we can humanly guarantee. He needed a few pounds and some serious work on his hooves. He was shod and the shoes had been on much too long. He was a dominant horse and quite pushy, but he took on the role of Winding Road's Mr. Congeniality. He was an attention-loving, people-oriented horse, eager for any interaction, but I would have to admit he was a frequent "space invader". However, training volunteer tried him out under saddle and took him three miles down the road. The horse never faltered. He would make a solid trail horse. One person who came to look at him found him too big and too intimidating. (And he is a big horse with a big motor! Can that horse foxtrot!) Jedai's story proves that bad things happen to good horses, and darned good horses wind up in rescues, through absolutely no fault of their own. And Jedai's story was just getting started! This summer, The Humane Society of the United States contacted us to invite us to participate in a joint venture with the HSUS and world-renowned natural horsemanship trainers Pat and Linda Parelli. We were asked to provide a rescue horse to be in the spotlight at a Parelli Celebration, an event that does exactly what it says it will do: celebrate the horse and what they mean to our lives. At each of the Celebrations, the HSUS works with a local horse rescue to bring an adoptable rescued horse to work with Pat Parelli for a three-day development program from ground work to riding. At the end of the Celebration, this horse will be available for adoption through the participating horse rescue group. How cool is that? A few months ago, Jedai was facing probable slaughter, and today he's prepping to share the spotlight with an internationally-acclaimed trainer and clinician. I told you a horse's fate could turn on a dime! For decades, world-renowned natural horsemanship trainers, Pat and Linda Parelli, have been helping horse owners reach new levels of communication and partnership with their horses through humane and caring training techniques. Now, they've joined forces with The Humane Society of the United States to spotlight the intelligence and trainability of rescued horses and help them find forever homes. Jedai is one of these very lucky horses to share three days of training with Pat Parelli. The more education a horse has, the better his chances are at a good life. At such an event, thousands of people will see what a wonderful horse that Jedai is, and it is very likely that there is someone out there who was made for Jedai and Jedai was made for him or her-not a passing relationship, but one for keeps. Partners. The Parellis are renowned for their gentle training technique that uses knowledge about herd dynamics, horse behavior and communication to help people and horses communicate effectively and build trust-based relationships. Parelli Natural Horsemanship is a personalized method of training which is based on the development of the horse-human relationship in a manner which is extremely considerate of, and natural to, the horse. Unlike some training methods that emphasize brute force or focus only on riding, the Parelli method emphasizes the importance of building a successful, trusting relationship with your horse-both in and out of the saddle. Thousands of horse owners in the U.S. and beyond have benefited from the Parellis' engaging and straightforward approach to horse-human interaction, and thousands are going to be in Kansas City on July 24-26, watching an extraordinary hard luck horse with the master himself! Winding Road is just one of hundreds of rescues across America that acts as a voice for the thousands of at-risk horses. Some are older, some have special needs and will have permanent sanctuary here, but the majority of them are just like Jedai, good horses waiting to be adopted into a forever home. It's a daunting task. We screen our homes; follow up on the success of the adoption, because we assume responsibility for that horse's all of its natural life to the very best of our ability. We are so very grateful to the Humane Society of the United States and to Pat and Linda Parelli. We look forward to the exposure for our rescue, but with our starfish-one-horse-at-a-time attitude, we are so happy for Jedai. Sometimes it seems a little hard to believe. Only a handful of horses get this opportunity and we feel so blessed that this happened for one of our own. Taking the big picture into account, this isn't just about Winding Road. It's for rescues everywhere and the horses enjoying safety with them. There are some great horses out there looking for somewhere to hang their halters for good; to develop a long-lasting relationship with someone as special as they are. www.hsus.org www.parelliHSUS.org Or email us at info@windingroadequinerescue.org. The story of Clever Allemont is almost what fairy tales and movies are made of. This storybook stallion continues to deliver a message of hope to horse lovers everywhere, and to anyone who may be facing what seems like a hopeless situation. Read Kristin's story of how Winding Road helped this aged Thoroughbred stallion escape the risk of slaughter to retire at Old Friends in Georgetown, Kentucky. Winding Road Equine Rescue Blog In honor of Clever Allemont, plans are underway to construct an addition on to the existing barn that will provide for six more horses. If you would like to contribute, you may do so through PayPal or directly to the ranch. Please specify what your donation is for. Links to Clever Allemon's Rescue Stories: Thoroughbred Times Bloodhorse The Ottawa Herald (YouTube Video) Horse-Racing Emporia Gazette Media Span Online The Horse In December, thirteen curlies found their way to safety at Winding Road. Two have gone into foster care and the others are waiting on their forever homes. These horses have had very little human contact or handling and are amazingly serene. They are also very curious! The amount of progress they have made in such a short time is amazing--they are gaining weight, and just as importantly, they are gaining trust. Please help in supporting the Curlies! FROM THE CURLY HORSE RESCUE WEB SITE: About the North American Curly Horse North American Curly Horses are a rare breed of horse, with an estimated 2,000 currently living in the United States and Canada, and a small handful in Germany, France, Finland, Norway, Holland, Sweden, Austria and Australia. The Curly Horses most admired feature is their distinctly people-oriented temperament, and kind, willing nature, gentle inquisitiveness, and bold, sensible demeanor. The Hallmark of the breed is its unique Curly coat, which ranges from tight pincushion type curls to soft marcel waves, and a wide range of curl types in between. Curly horses also exhibit curled up eyelashes, long curly fetlocks, a mane that ranges from light waves, to double-split mane with long dredlocks, to no mane at all! I think the most interesting tidbit about the Curly horse is their hypoallergenic qualities. Most allergy suffers find that they are not allergic to Curly horses ( although there can be a range of symptoms exhibited from individualhorses), and at the very least their allergies are greatly diminished and tolerable. |
UPCOMING EVENTS May 25, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Kristin Chambers, (785)733-2640 or (620)794-7019 or info@windingroadequinerescue.org Winding Road Equine Rescue and Retirement to hold Family Fun Day EMPORIA Winding Road Equine Rescue & Retirement will hold a Family Fun Day, called the Winding Road Roundup from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 6, 2009, at the Flinthills Mall 1632 Industrial Rd, Emporia. The roundup will feature fun for all ages including pony rides, face painting, balloons, silent auction, a cowboy poetry reading featuring Sam Kiefer, and much more! Hamburgers and hot dogs will be on sale. There also will be several booths at the event. Come enjoy a day of fun, horses and great food with Winding Road Equine Rescue &Retirement Volunteers are needed for the event to help with the pony rides, face painting, balloons, and help with the booths. Items also are needed for the silent auction. Booth space will be available as well for nominal fee. Please call Kristin Chambers at (785)733-2640 or (620) 794-7019 for details and to volunteer for this first annual event! Winding Road is a nonprofit public charity committed to the rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing of abused, neglected and unwanted horses. Our Mission Statement The purpose of WRERR is the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of abused, neglected and unwanted horses, as well as providing a safe sanctuary for those who are too old, infirm or injured to be re-homed. We are dedicated to working with individuals, groups and organizations, primarily youth, who can benefit emotionally from involvement with horses. |
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Page updated on 07/13/09 Site Maintained by White Wolf Enterprises |
