Where Are They Now? -- Auction Trip 3/23/18

A year ago today, I was able to go with Ashley and Charlie to Sugarcreek for my first auction trip.  There, I was met with horrors that I never thought were possible from Human beings.  I watched men sell and buy horses for slaughter without blinking an eye.  I watched ten horses packed into one multiple times while most of the facility was empty.  I watched horses get shuffled through the sale pen with flags used as whips, scared out of their minds.  I watched four horses sit in manure up to their knees.  I watched a sweet horse go to his death.

However, I don't regret that experience because we saved four amazing and beautiful lives: Charlie, Jasmine, Jake and Layla.  These horses hold such a place in my heart since I was actually part of the process of saving them.  One year later, these horses are healthy and happy in their new homes.

Jasmine, who we bought for $600 right from the auction owner himself, left our care shortly after her quarantine ended.  Sweet and calm, Jasmine took care of every rider that sat upon her. 

Jake, the Belgian we bought right from the kill buyer who bought him, gained hundreds of pounds of weight, shattered his shoulder in July and then made a full recovery.  Jake is now owned and loved by a family who takes lessons at Happy Tails.  He will be moving to their property come Spring, when the barn is built.

Charlie was our challenge pony.  Young and green, Charles quickly learned to take riders for an unplanned ride, including me.  He eventually find a home with Rita, the baby who was born to one of our other rescues in May.

Layla went to her forever home today, a year exactly after we saved her.  At 25+, she has been a staple in our lesson program but it is time for her to be loved by a family.  Layla has been a great teacher and an energizer bunny.  This mare will always have a special place in my heart as she was the first horse we saved in my first auction.  I will never forget the feeling I had when she walked into that auction pen and I wasn't sure if we would be able to save her or not.

As much as we hate to see them leave and we miss them, we know that this opens up a spot in our barn to save new horses.  We wouldn't be able to continue our mission to save every horses that we can if we don't say those bittersweet good-byes.

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If you would like to help us save more horses, please donate at Gofundme.com/saved/.

If you would like to read more about this auction trip, you can read about it here: https://ascioliosaat.blogspot.com/2018/03/auction-trip-32319.html.