Nevada Rescue Effort (www.refugefarms.org)

There have been many emails, telephone calls, and even telephone meetings over the situation in Nevada. In each, there is the sense of panic which seems always present in the world of rescue - regardless of the creature being rescued. Whether human, dog, cat, horse, cow, or bird we all feel the panic and the sense of urgency that the rescue needs to happen now and the crisis must be resolved now!

It is my assessment that the situation in Nevada is cruel. Indeed. It's real. For sure. But unfortunately, it's common.

The "holding area" where these mares and foals and pregnant mares were first sighted is just that - a holding area. These corrals and pens are found all over the country. In fact, there are 2 of the largest in the states within an hour of THE FARM. The people that operate these pens are sometimes called "horse jockeys". And not because they ride the horses, but because they "jockey" the horses around in an ever present attempt to achieve a financial profit.

These pens are where horses are kept until sold. It's who buys them that is the rescue part. Or the cruel part.

You see, anyone can purchase one of these horses for the price dictated by the owner of the business. The price may be reasonable or not - that's not a factor and the price is not negotiable. Typically the price is high because the business person knows that if you want to buy one of his horses, your heart is involved and your head is taking second stage. Remember, it's just a business to this person.

The horses in the pen will be "thinned out" periodically where the weaker ones, the sicker ones, or the lame ones go in a steel trailer and off to slaughter. The stronger and more substantial horses are left in the pen until the next thinning when the evaluation and comparisons begin all over again.

Conditions in the pens may be good with hay and access to water. In fact, one of the holding pens close to THE FARM actually has pasture with trees! Or the holding pen may be a dirt corral-like area with minimal or no water and scarcely any hay.

The horses fight as all horses will do in a herd. Only these fights are more intense because of the lack of room to flee and the sense of panic the horses feel at being cooped up. The weaker horses may die due to injuries or from just flat out giving up. Sometimes an entire pack of weaker ones will "herd up" in a corner trying to get out of the way of the more aggressive horses.

Regardless, holding pens are a fact of life in a country where we raise so many horses and where, when we tire of them, we can easily discard of them to the local horse jockey. Out of sight, out of mind.

My first visit to a holding pen was one of those events that stamped me and impacted me for life. I still cry when I think of the big Belgian who pleaded with me to take him, too. In many instances, getting in the steel trailer is a gift. Getting out of the pen may a relief. Very seldom, do people purchase a pet from such a pen. Usually it's a hauler who loads his trailer or a rescue organization that comes to save as many as the trailer and the budget will allow.

In Nevada, the holding pen happened to be where mares, foals, and pregnant mares were deposited by a local horse jockey who happened to be in the right place at the right time - by the phone. A relatively close breeding farm needed to thin out it's population. This, too, is common, as well.

And to thin out their stables, the weaker horses, the accidental pregnancies, or the mares that weren't throwing the best foals were selected and sold to the jockey. Where these horses went was not a condition of the sale. Remember, the breeders, too, are in the business for the financial aspect. Thinning and fine tuning the herd is a part of producing a select line of animal.

Was this cruel? To me, it sure is. But I'm not a breeder. And my heart would overrule my mind and wallet, and I would ship none. And I would go broke in less than 12 months. And then my entire stables would need to be rescued!

So the holding pen had mares, foals, and pregnant mares in it. Yes. It happens. Yes, it's cruel. At least to me and those of us working in the world of rescue - public or private.

Will there be more mares and foals in this pen? Probably. In fact, I would bank on it. Most certainly the next time the breeding stables needs to thin out their stock.

In this particular case, a rescue organization in California was able to financially support a rescue of several of the mares - one just about to deliver - and one foal. Perhaps this organization will keep an eye on this pen for the recurrence of such a situation. Hopefully.

All funds received by Refuge Farms for the Nevada Rescue Effort have been sent to the organization who rescued this first group - "NorCal". Those of you that contributed will be sent a donation form from Refuge Farms with such information noted on the letter.

But do not take my message as resignation! Keep up the vigil! Do not become complacent! Do not believe there will never be an end to "it"! Remember, one life saved is just that - one life! Work hard in your local communities to rescue those in desperate situations and help to curb the explosion of horses being born every day!

Keep all in the world of rescue in your thoughts and prayers. It's cruel, but it's real and it's common....

Sandy Gilbert
Executive Director, Refuge Farms