kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 10, 2014 18:21:34 GMT
For you to understand where I am coming from, let me give you some background. March 28,2012 I went to Oklahoma and got a pony I'd been watching the craigslist ad for 3 months. A 20 year old blind in one eye, limited in the other pony. At that rate she was headed for the slaughter house. When I was leaving with her, I was told their stud had "gotten to her". I did blow that off, at her age, a one time thing, odds way against. The eye she was blind in looked like this; "Good" eye looked like this; Because of eyelashes rubbing on the eye, we opted to remove the bad eye. As time passed I figured I'd play it safe and get her preg checked. Yup, pregnant. By the grace of God, she had a perfect pregnancy and gave birth to a perfect filly on March 14, 2013. I got lucky and was present for the birth. I do have some videos, if anyone would like to see. As the baby, Belle, grew into an active little girl, I wasn't sure if I has the energy for a youngster. Met a young woman who feel in love with Belle. She was looking for a baby to raise and train and love forever. On Sept.17,2013 my heart broke as the trailer pulled out of my driveway with Belle looking out at me with a final whinny. Let me do this in parts because my computer and satellite can lose things if I take too long!
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kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 10, 2014 18:47:21 GMT
Please forgive a few pics! Oh, how could I forget! On July 31, 2013, with Belle being 3 months, 17 days old, she managed to jab a wire into her fetlock joint. Yes, that is the wire that was in the joint! The next pic is Belle and her dam being led into the Equine Hospital at Kansas State University. Four days later and $2,000. lighter. They came home with a clean bill of health! In November I was told that the woman was taking Belle to New York. The last time I saw Belle was on Nov.16, 2013. The contact became less and less, until I was informed in may 2014 that Belle had been given away. On Aug 5 I was told that the woman was "getting rid of Belle". She'd had cancer and a double mastectomy. According to the woman I had given Belle to, the woman had become a "psycho bwitch" had locked the filly in a stall for two months. I had begged for the new owners name, any contact info and kept being ignored. I asked about a facebook page, if there was any way to see a picture. I was told that I didn't want to see Belle, that "she doesn't look good". My heart was breaking all over again and I felt I had betrayed the filly after going through so much with her.
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kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 10, 2014 19:05:56 GMT
With lots of help from very good people I was finally able to contact the latest owner B. It was through the craigslist ad for Belle. That was Aug.12. Now began a trip through Hell. B had been needing to sell Belle because she didn't have the strength after having the double mastectomy. The ad had dissapeared the day before our contact began. B said that her son and grandkids had seen the ad and were heartbroken, the son had offered to help. All the contact I was having with B sounded great. The first woman, that I had originally given Belle to had been lying and intentionally causing me pain. Belle seemed to be in a great home, well loved and cared for. Then on Aug.16 B contacted me saying she, again, needed to sell Belle for financial reasons. I understand that even with insurance her cancer and surgery would be expensive. I asked if she had spoken to her son, no. I went ahead and looked into transport, the first offer was $1,200. I found a group called Fleet of Angels, awesome people that is a group of volunteers that help out in disasters; flood, tornados, hurricanes, etc: and provide low cost or free transport to rescues getting horses and sending them to homes. B got back with me and said son would help. Okay, more good contact until Aug.27 when she offered to give Belle to me. I would have loved to go for it but needed to make sure it was real. No, she hadn't talked to son. Well, son and grandkids were too sad. More good contact, until Sept.3 when B again needed to sell. This time she had spoken to son. B's hubby has MS, it's just too much. This time is real. Belle is mine for $300.
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kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 10, 2014 19:29:35 GMT
Friends I had found on a different site and through Fleet of Angels stepped up and made it possible! Begin Again horse rescue in New York was one of those contacts. The bad news was that people from the rescue recognized B. She has been on their "radar" since Feb.2013. The words used were "wacko" and "hoarder", her place is a dive and no horse should live there. Everyone felt urgency to get Belle out of there, fast. Sept.3 was a busy day. B told me about selling, I got back with a woman from the rescue who said I could use paypal to donate the funds to Begin Again, she would get the money to a woman I had found that offered to pick Belle up. I made the donation. The woman picking Belle up could only do it after work the next day. Sept.4 was a long day of waiting. The funds had been exchanged and we all prayed B would do as she said she would. It was 5:15pm, 6:15 New York time that I got the word that Belle was in the trailer on her way to her temp home! Tammy S is fostering Belle for me at the price of her feed. Tammy L is looking for someone for me to catch a ride with. I been going through a ton of horse transport sites, had contact with several transporters. Tammy L said no, we will find a ride. She knew there are several shows in Oklahoma City and Tulsa Oklahoma. Someone would help me out. Understand I am offering $500. towards gas, I do not expect a freebie. We finally found a ride to Tulsa for the Color Breed Congress the first of November! Every single part of this has been totally new for me. The only reason any of this happened was by the grace of God and some of the most wonderful people in the world!
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kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 10, 2014 19:52:28 GMT
Let me share two pictures that are my favorites of her since the tiny baby ones. Everybody that has met Belle have loved her. She is very laid back and easy going. I'm told that she is starting to push her boundaries, do a little testing of her limits. I'm glad the person with her is able to nip that in the bud! I'm sure she will test me. That's alright, I have raised a couple of babies, I understand the process. I do not believe in abuse, but I do believe in discipline. One well placed, properly timed smack can make a world of difference. Allowing any horse to think they can push humans around is cruel because then the horse can become dangerous. I'm not really expecting too much of our reunion. She'll recognize me with a look, if I'm lucky maybe a whinny. I will do my best, in a strange place with people I don't really know, to get pictures. Maybe even a video. The reunion I look forward to is mother and daughter. That one I can control. That one will have a video! Right now it is a waiting game. I'm not very good at waiting! I did have one job this morning, calling the vet clinic to pay for the coggins and health certificate.
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Oct 10, 2014 20:12:16 GMT
Thank you so much for putting it all down for us! I'm so excited that she'll be home soon. I'm glad she's not with B anymore, too so you can at least rest easy about that part. Wow, what a roller coaster. I can't wait for her to go home and see some pics and videos!!
I almost forgot, she's a little beauty! And bless you for taking in her mom.
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Post by horselady on Oct 10, 2014 20:45:46 GMT
I am glad you put this on in stages , and she is a beauty and i know her and her mom will just be overjoyed at seeing each other. that attachment never dies. and i am sure belle will remember you also. just let her smell you, as a mare that i had for a few years and than for 8 years she was gone. and one day i got her back. that mare sniffed me from head to toe and actually began to cry, and she put her nose near my face and inhaled i knew she was home forever. so glad you have people helping. wish i could have done more for you but in the east part of the state it was not possible.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Oct 10, 2014 21:25:27 GMT
Thank you for writing down Belle's story. I remember reading it before, but I didn't remember all the details, and it is wonderful to see pictures of her sweet face again.
I'm so glad you've found so many wonderful people to help you get Belle out of a bad situation and get her back home to you. What an ordeal! I don't know how you did it!
I can't wait to see pictures/video and hear all about the reunions between you and Belle, and Belle and her mother.
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Post by diamondgirl on Oct 10, 2014 22:03:00 GMT
I know what you mean about the waiting. I am anxiously waiting too. I have followed Miss Belle from the beginning. I am soooooo looking forward to her coming home.
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 10, 2014 22:16:43 GMT
There is a GOD....and a love for animals and creatures great and small.
A beautiful story soon to have a even better ending....
The end of this journey is in sight....
I can't wait to see the reunion pictures and video...such cherished memories for all involved!!
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kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 10, 2014 23:35:36 GMT
I'm so glad you've found so many wonderful people to help you get Belle out of a bad situation and get her back home to you. What an ordeal! I don't know how you did it!
The grace of God, terrific people and a lot of determination! Oh, a funny. The woman I gave Belle to, M, at the end of the winding path of lies she was telling me. Even though the rescue had been watching B, when Belle was picked up she was calm, loaded quietly and was not skinny. No sign of any abuse or neglect. Everyone was still glad Belle was out of there. M's tales of being locked up and "doesn't look good" were lies. I will admit that to get B's name from M, I had to promise not to contact B. I didn't have any luck with M's info, she spelled the last name wrong. Through the others I did contact B. I guess I broke a promise. At one point, looking for a ride, M had said she was going to get her mare. I called her and asked if she was, that I had Belle. M went ballistic about me "going behind her back". There ended up being three short messages from her, not once did she ask if Belle was okay, not once. She told me I was never to contact her or any of her friends, ever. After H offered to haul Belle, M messaged me saying she had a friend who could haul Belle. Megan had renamed her Prada and only referred to her by that name. A tiny part of me was tempted, I would have had Belle home almost 3 weeks earlier. Everyone was screaming "don't trust her!" I don't trust M as far as I could throw her. I messaged with her for just a bit to see what she was pulling. I was brief and to the point, I would say business like. At one point she said I should be nicer to her, since she's trying to help me. Really?
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Oct 10, 2014 23:51:05 GMT
She's so cute. What's the V shape mark on the side of her head? I can't wait to hear she is back with you again.
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kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 11, 2014 0:09:07 GMT
I am glad you put this on in stages , and she is a beauty and i know her and her mom will just be overjoyed at seeing each other. that attachment never dies. and i am sure belle will remember you also. just let her smell you, as a mare that i had for a few years and than for 8 years she was gone. and one day i got her back. that mare sniffed me from head to toe and actually began to cry, and she put her nose near my face and inhaled i knew she was home forever. so glad you have people helping. wish i could have done more for you but in the east part of the state it was not possible. Every prayer, every thought, every kind word, was incredibly helpful! The support I received kept me going. You did more than you know!
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Post by horselady on Oct 11, 2014 0:13:24 GMT
thanks, if you are in a jam you know i will take her in . at least she will be here and you know well taken care of. hopefully she will be on her way soon. she deserves to be home with you and her mom. oh and have that camera on video when it happens so you can share with us the happy moment.
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kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 11, 2014 0:19:05 GMT
She's so cute. What's the V shape mark on the side of her head? I can't wait to hear she is back with you again. That was a little boo boo from being an inquisitive filly. As horses always do, she found the one broken wire in the fence. I must say, that one was sure a lot less dramatic! I never did figure out where the wire in her fetlock joint came from. It's just a very old farm and every time the wind blows or it rains, all kinds of crap comes up out of the ground.
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Post by diamondgirl on Oct 11, 2014 1:25:42 GMT
As one old Kansas farm owner to another, I totally understand. I am constantly amazed too. Glass, wire, combine parts. I even hit oil when I was digging on the pond. Used, dumped, motor oil, just buried out there.
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Oct 11, 2014 2:29:54 GMT
She is a nice looking girl. I'll be so happy for you when she arrives.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Oct 12, 2014 0:26:43 GMT
She's so cute. What's the V shape mark on the side of her head? I can't wait to hear she is back with you again. That was a little boo boo from being an inquisitive filly. As horses always do, she found the one broken wire in the fence. I must say, that one was sure a lot less dramatic! I never did figure out where the wire in her fetlock joint came from. It's just a very old farm and every time the wind blows or it rains, all kinds of crap comes up out of the ground. It just looked like such a perfect v - almost like a brand! My grandparent's farm is the same way. We are constantly picking up broken glass after it rains.
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kskatt
Junior Member
Posts: 833
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Post by kskatt on Oct 12, 2014 0:59:08 GMT
I find things that I don't even know what they are! For those not familiar with this story, here's a pic of daddy. There was a lot of guessing what color baby would turn out to be on the foal watch! Her being so solid was not one of them. Of course she could still get Appy spots. We will get to see! The next question is height. Dam, Luvy, is 13.3, measured numerous times pretty darn consistent. The brain dead people that had her, and didn't even have proper fence for a stud. Otherwise she couldn't have been bred. Taking their word, sire was 14.1. I did see him, when I was there and the size sounds right. I have been told, by everyone, that Belle is 14 hands. She's only 19 months old. We shall see.
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Post by 1fatmule on Oct 12, 2014 1:16:32 GMT
my appy started coloring the spring of her 3 rd. year. boy howdy, mom, and dad look to have some good breeding, and Belle had quite a fanny as a young lady!! i cant wait!!
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