The Story Of Our Journey
The thought of any animal being sent to a slaughterhouse is heart-wrenching, but when it’s a sweet and gentle horse like the one we rescued, it’s especially devastating. Journey was just moments away from being sold to a slaughterhouse on Easter Sunday, with less than 24 hours left to live. But thankfully, we were able to pull together the funds needed to bail her out and spare her life. The story of her rescue is a testament to the power of community and the importance of never giving up hope.
This is Her Story
Journey had spent her entire life serving humans as a carriage horse, first in New York City and then in Austin, Texas. She was a senior Belgian draft mare, sweet, and kind soul who faithfully performed her duties every day. But when Covid hit last year, the carriage business she worked for was forced to shut down, and Journey found herself without a home or anyone to care for her.
The company that owned Journey had no use for her anymore, and so they sent her to an auction house in Texas. Unfortunately, no one was interested in buying her, and she was sent to a kill pen/feed lot in Louisiana. Her future looked bleak, as she was scheduled to be sold to a slaughterhouse in Mexico on Easter Sunday, with only 24 hours left to live.
Fortunately, Sanctuary Stables heard about Journey’s plight, and they stepped in to save her. Along with their founder and president, Nikki Hock, and their Equine Assisted Therapy partner, Angelica Guajardo, they raised the funds needed to bail her out of the kill pen and transport her to their stables in Anza, California.
The journey across the country was long and arduous, but Journey finally arrived at her new home, where she was given the love and care she needed to recover from her ordeal. She was fed nutritious food and given all the attention she needed to gain weight and regain her strength. Slowly but surely, Journey began to look like the beautiful horse she had always been.
At Sanctuary Stables, Journey will live out her days in retirement as a much-loved therapy horse. She will be part of a natural herd environment and have plenty of yummy food to eat. She will have the opportunity to play and socialize with other horses, and she will continue to bring joy and comfort to people through her work as a therapy horse.
The team at Sanctuary Stables is grateful for the support they have received from the Nemeth Foundation, which has provided the hay, supplements, and hoof care needed to care for their therapy horses, including Journey. Thanks to their efforts and the generosity of many others, Journey is now safe, happy, and loved, and she will never have to face the threat of the slaughterhouse again.
How You Can Help
Are you looking for a way to make a meaningful difference in the lives of animals and people in need? If so, we invite you to consider making a donation to Sanctuary Stables. Your support can help us continue to provide a safe and loving home for horses like Journey, who have been rescued from neglect and abuse.
We welcome donations of any size, and all donations are tax deductible. In addition, you can also choose to sponsor a horse or program, which will give you the opportunity to make a more significant impact on our work.
To learn more about how you can support Sanctuary Stables, please contact us today. We appreciate your generosity and look forward to working with you to make a difference in the lives of horses and people in need.
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