Thanks ASPCA for our 2013 Equine Training Grant

Our grant report to ASPCA is due next week. A report about how we used our Equine Training Grant. I wanted to wait until Bryna Helle finished her Pay it Forward event here though, because it's all related.

It all started about a year ago, when we applied for and received an ASPCA Equine Training Grant. We wanted to have a Resident Instructor here to help some of our rescued horses and help some of our volunteers and sponsors who love and care for these horses here at our GFAS sanctuary.

In May 2013, Licensed Parelli Instructor Bryna Helle stayed here and provided lessons and workshops. Seven of our younger rescued horses received approximately 100 hours of training. Roman, now a big energetic 4 year old, received 26 hours with his partner Britt. We rescued Roman 3 days before the loose horse (slaughter horse) sale he was going to. He was a 2 year old then.

Lily, a beautiful 8 year old APHA mare, received 21 hours. Lily has become a great riding horse and has been on several trailrides. She was rescued from starvation as a 3 year old. Her friend died of starvation, but we were able to save Lily. Lily excels at riding and also at the "online" levels in Parelli Natural Horsemanship. She enjoys jumping and standing on pedestals and playing with the big green ball and things like that!

 

Rocky had several human partners in May and received 20 hours of training from our ASPCA grant. Here he is with his most regular current partner, Taryn. On the left is Parelli Instructor Bryna Helle with her horse Holly.

 

Jewel received 12 hours of training. Jewel still does not have a regular sponsor. she is a beautiful APHA mare (no spots though), about 10 years young. she does have some trust issues around her face and ears (she came here that way and needs a consistent human partner to help her get over it.) She is a beautiful mover and has been a riding horse at various times but needs a person to be consistent with her. So, we are hoping someone will want to consistently and long-term partner up with Jewel in our horsemanship program and help her through her trust/confidence issues. This is a photo of Andrea sharing some undemanding time with Jewel, during a lesson with Bryna Helle in May 2013.

 

 Minerva received 11 hours of training from our ASPCA grant in May. Minerva is already a nice riding horse. We rescued her as a wild, starving yearling. But she has come a long way. she has a long story including quite a few foster homes and even an adopter. But nothing really worked out for Minerva until finally we just brought her here to the sanctuary to live and trained her as a riding horse, at which she excels! But there is still a lot she can learn, she is so smart; so our ongoing, progressive horsemanship program is great for her. Here is Minerva with her current rider/sponsor, Lisa, during a lesson with Bryna Helle (and her assistant Emma) in October 2013.

 

Shadow received 10 hours of training in our May event. Shadow is a living miracle and is quite stunted from his starvation as a baby and again as a yearling & 2 year old. (this too is a long frustrating story, but officials gave him back to owners who starved him for a second year in a row. We finally got ownership of him and have promised him a forever home here.) Even though he is small and went through horrible times of malnourishment during his critical bone/joint development years, he IS sound so far. so we are riding him now, very lightly. He is a very smart boy and certainly does enjoy life now! Here he is with his friend Angela during a "Horsenality" workshop with Bryna in May. Angela has been a horse sponsor here for about a year now. She does not care which horse her sponsor money goes toward; she simply loves and learns from them all.

 

And our Beautiful Bella received 3 hours of special lessons with Bryna. Bryna was going to spend a lot more time with our Bella, but we are having some trouble keeping Bella sound. She is fine for several months, and then has a little lameness issue, an abscess or something related to her club foot. We have had her to the Vet several times and done xrays, etc. Just one of those mystery things that happens to about 50% of our young rescued horses who go through severe malnourishment during their critical bone/joint development years. Bella is available for sponsorship though and right now appears to be 100% sound. Here is beautiful Bella, with her buddy Shadow in the background. They are survivors together. They survived the same terrible years together, and we have promised them both a forever home here at our GFAS sanctuary.

 

Some of our other sanctuary and rescued horses received some lesson time with Bryna too, but these 7 were the biggest part of our ASPCA grant money.

 

So then, after Bryna left here in May, she spent a couple of months in Colorado and completed an Internship Program at Parelli Campus in Pagosa Springs, CO. She received a scholarship from Parelli Education Institute and promised to "Pay it Forward." (We are working on a separate story about this.) Bryna chose our organization to receive her "Pay it Forward" gift.

And so, from Oct. 4-13, 2013, Bryna and Emma and her horse Holly stayed here and gave lessons again for our sanctuary horses and some of our volunteers and horse sponsors. Bryna donated about 40 more hours to us and our horses.

 

Bryna plans to return here in May 2014 for about a week and is trying to secure another grant to again donate lessons and workshops for our horses and their sponsors.

 

And so, you might want to think about getting started in our horsemanship program here. And then you will be eligible for Bryna's lessons in May.

 

And it all started with our ASPCA Equine Training Grant. That's the way these things are supposed to work. And all of the other people who took lessons and observed our workshops, etc., they and their horses at home benefited too.

 

Do you Pay it Forward? I do! I am a full-time volunteer here, and I personally sponsor many of the rescued horses who live here (because we really don't have very many other horse sponsors right now). Thank you to our volunteers and sponsors. We are a small but mighty bunch! If you would like to help sponsor a horse or start our horsemanship program or help with chores, etc., give me (Darci) a call 605 359-0961 or email doublehphorses@alliancecom.net

The horses here sure Pay it Forward, every single day, they help humans figure things out.

 

Thanks to Parelli Education Institute and Instructor Bryna Helle.

Thanks to ASPCA for the Equine Training Grant

that got the whole thing going!

 

 

 

 

 

taking your old clothes to goodwill

Our website/blog makes it pretty clear that we are available to assist law enforcement in cases of severe/extreme neglect and starvation, or trailer/truck accidents, floods, other disaster type instances involving horses.

If you are just like us, a horse owner, and you want to "get rid of" one or more of your beloved beauties (something which we personally would never ever do), and if you can still afford to feed your horse, please do not call us. We Are Full! We have helped to rehab and rehome so many horses over the last 12 years.

We really do now need the responsible horse owners to stay responsible. If you previously owned a horse and especially if you bred that horse, and now know that the current owner is trying to "get rid of" that horse, you are the  responsible party. Especially if you are financially blessed. know what I mean?

Do you know that in our state alone there are thousands of horses every month that go through sale barns/auctions, as loose horses. These are the lost souls. the ones who go to slaughter. only because their previous owners should never have bred them in the first place. Many of these are very young, just no one to train them. the poor souls.

Do you know that an organization like ours gets calls daily from horse owners just like you who want to "get rid of" their beloved beauties.

Do you know that we get no funding for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are, as I said, just like you. Horse Owners. Except that obviously we love the horses more. We would never ever think to get rid of any of them. If we found out that one of our previously-owned beauties was now on the "need to get rid of" list, we would be there in a heartbeat to save it. We would never expect anyone else to do that for us.

If you previously owned a horse and even thought that you loved it for a moment, and then sold it for whatever reason, you are still responsible. If you know that the horse's current owners needs "to get rid of it" (I'm sorry but those are the words of the horse owner, those are not the words of a true horse lover), anyway, if you know that, and if you can afford it, you need to take over ownership once again of that horse. Because there are thousands of youngsters, yearlings, weanlings, two year olds, who are being shipped to slaughter every single month, from our beautiful state of South Dakota. Just because people won't stop breeding. There are too many horses being bred every year. and so, if you can afford to continue to care for yours, please do. thank you very much.

you think you have problems with your one horse that you "need to get rid of?" I don't think so. If you could afford him for 10 years, you can probably afford him for one more year while you take the time to find him an excellent new home. Know what I mean?

ok. If you in fact do not have any hay, pasture, water or shelter for your horse and you truly need help, please let us know that if you call.

but, if you can afford to care for your horse that you now want to "get rid of" then please do so, while you search for that horse's next home.

I know I don't have to apologize, but for anyone who may feel offended by this. I'm sorry for opening your eyes a little wider. I know it hurts. It hurts every morning when I listen to my voicemails and read my emails. From all of the people who are financially able to continue or resume care for their beloved beauties but just don't want to. Boo hoo and boo to you and shame on you all.

It hurts it hurts it hurts. Please be responsible. Take back your old guy if he's in trouble. You, more than anyone else, should want him back.

Parelli Professional Bryna Helle will be here Oct. 4-13 for lessons and workshops.

DoubleHP Horsemanship Program:
Help to sponsor one of our rescued horses, and we'll help you get started or advance in your horsemanship journey. Our horsemanship program is so much more than riding lessons.

Our Summer 2013 hours are
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., by appointment. (when Bryna is here we will have some extended hours including Sat and Sun.)

We will help you through various levels of horsemanship, at your own pace. Starting with “groundwork,” basic safety around horses, haltering, assertive but not aggressive, space& distance, and playing some fun and educational games with your horse. You will see how all of this relates to riding. If you are already an experienced horseperson you will of course move through this level very quickly. For others, it may take a few weeks or possibly a couple of months (depends on how much time you are able to spend with your horse).

Once you are through this first level, you may begin riding. We will continue to help you through this second level where you will learn to ride more confidently, softly, freely. (The bridle is not there to hold you on).

Our scheduling goal will be to arrange at least two 2-hour sessions for you and your sponsored horse each week. Of course you may visit more often than that! How much supervised or unsupervised time you have with your horse will depend on your level of horsemanship. Your need for supervision should decrease as your horsemanship level increases. Once you get through the second level, which includes riding, you will be well on your way! 

Here’s a promise: We have promised these very special horses a forever home here; you don’t have to worry about saying goodbye to them. These horses live here. This is their home.

Your sponsorship contribution in 2013 will be $160 per month. Your sponsorship money goes to Horse Help Providers, Inc. (DoubleHP), the 501c3 nonprofit organization that rescued these horses and is responsible for their care. Your sponsorship money helps to feed and care for these rescued horses. Not a penny goes to a person. It all goes to the horses.
For many reasons, including consistency for horses and humans, we follow a specific horsemanship program that is strongly influenced by Parelli Natural Horsemanship Levels (though we do not have a permanent Parelli instructor here, we try to have one here several times a year). Learn more about Parelli Natural Horsemanship at www.parelli.com.

have you "liked" our facebook page yet?

We have nearly daily posts on our facebook page. have you "liked" it yet? www.facebook.com/newhopehorses

We put lots more daily info and photos on there. like this one. We really do have fun here!

Thank you South Dakota Magazine and writer Rebecca Johnson for the story in this issue! Christina and I showed Shadow his picture in this most-famous magazine.

The story mentions our DoubleHP horsemanship program. If you get started in it now, you will get a bunch of lessons and workshops with Parelli Professional Bryna Helle in early October! Here is some info on our horsemanship program. http://www.newhopehorses.org/p/doublehp-horsemanship.html

Just call if you have any questions. 359-0961.

Pam & Mae's annual rummage this weekend in Sioux Falls, includes 4 saddles

rummage sale Fri & Sat including 4 saddles & lots more
Pam and Mae are having their annual Rummage Sale for DoubleHP Horses this weekend, Aug. 23-24, 2013, Friday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Sioux Falls at 2517 S. Main (just south of 33rd).

some special items this year include 4 donated saddles. 3 are in great/excellent shape. the other needs some cleaning up etc. THESE WILL BE PRICED TO SELL!!!! Also leather breast collar, cinches, halters (some mini/foal), a small fly mask (mini/foal size), riding pads/blankets, "buddy" stirrups for very small kids, etc. Also a few pairs of mens boots including Carhart and cowboy boots size 10.5 to 11.5. Also a beautiful K size bedspread with skirt, gently used and freshly dry cleaned. A few antique items including a very large framed print (wildlife, elk) in great condition. and 2 of those oblong mirrors, framed, could probably use some cleaning up. Lots more stuff. Lots and lots of clothes for all ages.

If you would like to donate stuff you may call Pam 310-2094. They sell a lot of kids clothes, books, and of course horse stuff. and garden stuff. and Xmas stuff. So these are always good items to donate and shop for. along with much much more. Donate horsey stuff, household, garden, flower bulbs, gift certificates, just about anything! Donate items all year long. Just call Pam. Thanks!

Depending on how much more gets donated in the next week or so, they may do another rummage at this same location on Sept. 6-7.

They collect stuff for us all year long, so you may donate it any time. and they'll put it on the next sale. We are 501c3, so donations are tax deductible.

If you don't have stuff to donate, come and rummage and shop! thanks.

Summer design doublehp logo shirts in our zazzle store

now available in many styles, colors and sizes. In our Zazzle Store. Summer time shirts with DoubleHP logo. short sleeved, tank, racerback, doubledry, etc.
http://www.zazzle.com/gentlereins*






On most of these, you can click on the Customize it button and change color, style, size, etc. You can put these logos on other designes too like hoodies and longsleeves. mens, kids, etc. You will find designes with our original logo and web address there too.