A home for every horse. It is the greatest holiday wish we could ever see fulfilled and we do our best to grant that to as many lost, abandoned, neglected and otherwise ‘homeless’ horses that make themselves known to us at Calan Horse Sanctuary. ‘HOME’ means as many things as there are residents here-four legged and two.
For little white pony Brodie, nearing the end of his golden years, Calan Horse Sanctuary is a ‘Home’ where he never has to train kids to ride, no tiresome hours at work and where he can finally enjoy sunny days, munch on pasture and choose for himself who he wants to share his time with. His ‘spending time’ happened to be with an ex-racer named Mercury Pilot, ‘Merc’ for short. From the day they met, Merc was never left unguarded by this little white angel and who died with Brodie yelling at the heavens for someone to help save Merc who had gone down in the paddock.
Brodie shows a spring in his step now and again however has never gotten over Merc’s death and as of late, is up and down in his health and spends most hours of the day in the company of elder horses Big Ben and Mae Lee. Big Ben thinks the world of little Brodie. Ben found a ‘Home’ here for himself in 2014 when at age 17 and arthritic, Calan was his last resort.
Many of you expressed concern for gentle Omar, recently re-homed at Calan and who was dumped here swiftly with green slime oozing from his nostrils as he exited the float he arrived in. ‘Home’ now is a place where people see his brilliant light and value ‘just because’. Generous supporters of Calan Horse Sanctuary have made sure Omar received a series of conventional and holistic herbal treatments to uproot the stubborn green slimy nose affliction Omar had suffered with for months. Where before he couldn’t breathe, he can now peacefully snooze in the middle of the herd around the sand patch on the back 40 acres.
A storybook for sure of tales we could tell that speak of HOME for all of our equine family. The number buried here unfortunately increases every year, their final days spent knowing they were and continue to be loved and cherished by humans who understand what is just becoming known by science- that animals have social and emotional lives and respond to pain and suffering in similar ways to humans. The number of horses we’re unable to take in also increases daily as there are humans who are either struggling to stay afloat financially and desperately try to rehome or there are those humans who readily toss away animals, other humans and all sorts of relationships out of their own ignorance and disconnection from seeing all life as precious and beautiful.
With Mr Gent now 80 years old, we will continue to need and rely on your support. As a committed friend of Mr Gent, supporter and co-steward of Calan Horse Sanctuary, I would like to personally appeal to our supporters and the public to partner with us so that Mr Gent’s vision and legacy continues now and into the future to make life better for the resident equines so they live out their lives in the beautiful place that has given them a Home and much needed PEACE ON EARTH. – Mae Lee Sun, author, Brumby: A celebration of Australia’s wild horses
As a suggestion – A month without latte’s ! Donate instead to our Go Fund Me Campaign and your break from coffee will provide feed for an old horse like Lightning Jack (Beriah) and supply continued herbs and medicine for Omar. During the Summer, your donations mean life-giving WATER which we have to have delivered and pay dearly for.