Cinders Story

This morning sitting with my coffee looking at Facebook, news, and e-mail which is my custom I happened to see a little Mustang mare at the Bastrop Kill Pen in Louisiana. Usually I can scroll on past thinking what a horrific place to send a horse. I looked again, this little mare was limping, dirty, scrapes and abrasions over most of her body and a cut over her left eye that was clearly swollen and infected. A once luxurious, flowing mane matted, so thick with filth it didn't even move as a mane should. This little one would not get bail, she was too thin, probably too old and not flashy in the least bit. She would ship to slaughter crammed in a semi trailer with many more poor souls and more than likely not even survive the trip.

How can someone throw her away like so much trash? How many auctions was she run through before she arrived at the kill lot, or was there just one, the one that no one bid on her except the kill buyer.

I hope she was loved at least once in her life, maybe when she was first adopted when her new owner had grand plans for her. I wonder what happened when one day someone looked at her and didn't care anymore.

I kept watching the video of her, over and over, reading comments like she looks so sad and someone please save her. No one was going to bail her out, she would ship to slaughter. My stomach starting turning over, this little mare was not shipping to Mexico, she was coming home to me, to Grey Oaks Farm Equine Sanctuary to live the rest of what life she had left in comfort.

With the help of a good friend I was able to make her bail, she was mine, but now I had to find a way to transport her from the middle of Louisiana to southern Oklahoma. She would be moved to quarantine at the kill pen until transport could be arranged at the tune of eighteen dollars a day. Her care would be marginal at best.

I starting calling transport companies that regularly went to Bastrop Kill Pen to haul rescued horses, some were fairly reasonable, some extremely high. I got the distinct impression that since this little mare was a Mustang and not a pedigreed TB or QH she wasn't going to get the attention she deserved. One hauler even told me she'd never make it out of quarantine, advice I didn't need or want.

Then after calling twice I found A&A Transport out of Washington, LA initially they had told me they just didn't have room for her on the truck the next day and it would just be too long for her to wait. When I accidentally called them a second time thinking this was one I hadn't called yet, I was frantic to get her to safety, Ashley told me she had thought about it and if there was any room at all on the truck they would pick her up the next day. Needless to say I was beyond thrilled my little girl may be getting out of that place.

I was on pins and needles the next day until Ashley called in the afternoon and told me she was on her truck headed to quarantine! She would receive food, water, vet care and most importantly some degree of love and affection.

(c)2016 Linda Sullivan-Simpson
Grey Oaks Farm Equine Sanctuary
All Rights Reserved