In North America at least, stories from the California fires are dominating news feed. With dozens of human fatalities and many more missing and unaccounted for, thousands of homes and other buildings burned and over 200,000 acres destroyed, there are fears that more will be lost as more fires are cropping up. Horse owners and other animal lovers have been scrambling to move their animals out of harm’s way. But out of the devastation heroes and stories of bravery and ingenuity are arising.
Mule in a Pool
One of the most remarkable stories is about a mule found hiding in a pool. Whether the mule ended up in the small pool by accident or its own ingenuity, we will never know. The mule was found tangled in a pool cover, which kept it immersed without drowning. When it was found by a group of people checking on the fate of their homes, the mule was shivering violently and was said to look ‘defeated’. Rescuers unhooked the pool cover, pulled the mule into shallow water and it was able to scramble up the steps. The mule was later removed from the area and taken to safety. Many versions of this story say this was a horse. The homes and lands around the area where the mule hid in the pool has been totally razed, with no buildings or vegetation left standing after fire swept through.
Horse Owners Pitching In
Horse owners without resources or time were forced to leave horses in the paths of the blazes. But thankfully, many were saved due to the bravery of people willing to go back into the danger zone and bringing out as many animals as possible. Convoys of trailers have been organized and not only horses have been saved. Those planning to save horses find they’ve returned with trucks and trailers carrying other pets and livestock. Working with officials, one group of rescuers despaired after receiving several hundred calls to rescue horses and other animals. Many of the horses found and rescued are suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.
Other’s without trailers have been riding their horses out as people on foot raced out of the path of the flames. One woman who returned to pick up two horses who were left behind on her ranch ended up bringing back up other animals as well.
Donations to Rescue Organizations
Of course the Humane Society has had a hand in the rescue of many animals in California. The efforts were noticed by celebrity Sandra Bullock and her family, who donated $100,000 to help rescue and care for animals rescued from the fires. In fact, response to the fire prompted the Humane Society of Ventura to post on their Facebook page that at this time, supplies of feed and other supplies were plentiful. But the one thing they are short of is volunteers. As the HSVC faces keeping many of the animals long-term, monetary contributions are welcome.
If you wish to donate to help horse and other animal owners The New York Times lists Caring Choices and Huff Post lists the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation as reputable agencies collecting funds to help animals affected by the fires.
I’d be the first to claim that there is nothing more relaxing than a solitary ride out on my horse. But, sometimes being on a team can be fun too. Being on a team often requires showing up for practices, buying and wearing a team ...
When it comes to horsepower, sometimes there is no substitute for the real thing. Clydesdale team Molly and Prince normal pull logs and sleighs. But after an early storm left roads slick and snow covered they came to the aid of a ...
The Appaloosa breed began in the mid-west. It’s truly an all American breed. The horses we see today are descendants of horses selectively bred by the Nez Perce (French for Pierced Nose), an indigenous people who lived in central ...
While many of us love the look of a beautifully braided mane and tail, and may even thin the hairs to achieve the look, there’s no denying the romance and beauty of long, wavy manes and tails. Most horses have tails that reach jus ...
Every day, you should give your horse a visual check and ideally, you should run your hands over it to check for swellings, heat or other problems that indicate an illness or injury. While grooming is a good time to do this. A ste ...
Back in 1973, Secretariat set a track record at the Kentucky Derby of 1:59 over the 1.25 mile distance. Since then, not a single horse has broken that record at Churchill Downs. A look at Equibase records of the various tracks in ...
Twitter is so cluttered, Facebook is just a mess, so Instagram is refreshingly free of politics, angst and other distractions. So many beautiful photos! Here’ are a few accounts to follow if you love horses. ...
These are little exercises that will help you learn some skills while having fun. So they are good for those times when a full out schooling session isn’t possible, or you just don’t feel like it. As you try these things, it’s bes ...
By 
