Parents angry children exposed to horse neglect
I am so glad Joe is sticking to his guns with the content of his website. Even small children need to know how to treat animals, and they need to know there are humans that don’t treat them right. The world is not all sunshine, rainbows and unicorns. There are some more posts coming that show just how much good a child who cares can do in this world. Keep on doing what you’re doing, Joe. You’ve got more fans than you know.
Now, as always, check out Joe’s daily blog on your own, and if you can spare a donation, please send it his way. All his contact information is at the bottom of this post.
Wednesday, September 10th… So cold two shirts are needed. Barn cats who dislike each other during the summer are now cuddling. Still very dark outside. Delicious coffee with praline cream is from Nob Hill. Microwave waffles with maple syrup are made by Krusteaz. White nectarines from a close by produce stand. Wheat Chex cereal with sliced banana. Fresh blueberry muffins from our new best friend Lindsey. Way too early for Rod Stewart, but there he is on the radio.
I know our readers average a very young age, but I refuse to be swayed by angry parents. If I show you a starving horse, or a race horse with a badly broken knee, this is what we do. I share the world of horses in trouble. Of horses who need help. Yesterday I showed you Bear, a race horse with a fractured knee. There were several phone calls from mothers of young girls asking why must I post these kinds of pictures? Their daughters click on Tbfriends to read about happy adoptions. Not to see horses who are suffering.
There was a mom from Minnesota who said her 8 year old daughter would not stop crying after seeing Bear. In the future mom will screen first before allowing her daughter to read Tbfriends.
Two summers ago we bought a starving to death thoroughbred gelding from a feed lot. He was shipped to us on a Saturday afternoon, and there were several young girls in our yard. The gelding died soon after arrival. I told the girls in advance he is dying. But dying with us, instead of on a stock trailer headed to slaughter, is a much better option. This is the real world. I see those commercials saying in America a car is stolen every 5 seconds. I wonder how often a horse dies of starvation? I am willing to wager at least 10 a day. Probably more…
The dad of one of those girls phoned and did his best Robert DeNiro impression. Very creative with his swearing. How dare I allow his kid to witness the death of a starving horse?
The daughter was here. The horse arrived. Death came quickly. What was I suppose to do, pretend none of this was happening? Maybe serve pizza in the back yard?
There was a phone call yesterday from a mom who wants to know why do I associate with horse racing? It is disgusting the way horses are injured and killed. The mom said she herself cried when she saw Bear.
Tbfriends stands for Thoroughbred Friends. Race horses are thoroughbreds. And there is your connection.
Bear is a dance in the park. We have healed a thousand broken knees. We have greeted race horses off the trailer who were unable to make the long walk up our driveway. Broken legs. Broken shoulders. A broken hip. Bear and his fractured knee will recover just fine.
I like to share the romance of horses. Which is why this website attracts young readers. But we are a horse rescue ranch. There is good and there is not so good.
And in my way of thinking, it is okay to be outraged when you see a horse in trouble. Anger soon becomes concern.
Thousands of horses have been helped because of our concerned readers. Cathy and I bought this ranch in 1997. Still a few more years to go until lights out. Angry parents aside, not a bad gig at all…
Joe
My cell number is 530-383-2120.
Our mailing address is:
Joe & Cathy Shelton
15891 County Road 92C
Woodland, Ca. 95695
You can send your letters to tbfriends@aol.com
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