Your donation to Calan Horse Sanctuary gives horses the life they deserve…
There’s nothing that makes a horse feel safer than when its needs are being met. At Calan Horse Sanctuary we attribute our ability to provide a sense of safety and high quality of life for the 23 horses currently living here, to the ongoing donations we receive from our generous supporters. We believe in transparency and felt you’d appreciate knowing how you’re donations are being spent.
Every fortnight a truck comes down from Perth en route to various deliveries in the region and drops a load of grain at our gates here in Highbury. The costs, depending on the time of year and what our equine residents’ needs are, range from $619-$1128 per truckload (exclusive of any veterinary/dental or other expenses).
Most of our horses require an individualized diet due to their age and/or health condition. There isn’t enough space to tell every story in this update although here are 3 we’d like to share (If you click on the links below you’ll be able to read about all past and present horses who found refuge here since our beginnings in 2005):
Brodie, the little white pony who is over 33+ years old, continues to keep calm and carry on with courage and dignity. He’s lost nearly all of his teeth, has required extensive dental work and in recent times we thought he was giving up on life. Your donations directly support Brodie with specialized meals twice a day of:
Wheaten Chaff – Day 1
Oaten Chaff – Day 2
Flaked Barley
Pony Cubes
True Gain
Maxi Soya
Whole Lupins (soaked for 24 hours)
Rice Bran
Brodie’s come good although every winter challenges our elder horses. Brodie has suffered the loss of several close mates whom he has loyally stood watch over- Mercury Pilot (deceased), Topaz (deceased), Mae (deceased), and Matilda (deceased). When the rest of the Calan herd make their way to the back paddock after brekkie, Brodie, accompanied by Big Ben, remains close to the stables or house.
Your kindness also has enabled our sweet, ‘soft as butter’, Omar, to receive herbs, antibiotics, and good veterinary care which addressed the greenish-blue nasal ooze he had upon arrival at CHS. It lasted for 4 challenging weeks. Alan did his best to sort out and care for Omar by administering daily treatments to rid him of this strange condition.
Today, Omar is thriving and has gained weight despite losing his friend Lightning Jack (aka Beriah). Lightning Jack was an old horse who arrived at CHS in bad shape and nurtured back to emotional and physical health by Alan. After Lightening Jack died, Omar befriended ‘Honner’, a horse here who has survived with one eye since one year of age (You can read about Honner on our website link below). Omar and Honner are two peas in a pod. It is common for horses to establish pair bonds- an essential component of equine well-being.
AND-It’s not only horse-to-horse friends that are important. Your financial support enables Alan to adopt and keep a close eye on horses that no one else is except him. Dear Tex had a shocker of a day three days ago. Tex would nibble for about an hour and then basically crash to the ground.
At the end of the day, Tex came down for his hard meal and for a horse who LOVES his tucker he nibbled about half came out of his stable and crashed. Alan got the impression it was not colic (gamble) and felt it was further to his hind end as he kept hitting the ground with a hindfoot etc.
He set about giving Tex an enema of six litres of water that was gravity fed. Waiting for the gush of returned water, Alan witnessed Tex pass a hard ball of dried grass. What a wonderful sight for Alan that upon starting the early feeding the next day, there Tex was standing very close to his mate Devon and has not missed a trick since. (This is not the first time that an enema has rescued a horse with a blockage. Alan has had to do this to save the life of several of our horses).
We’re fortunate to have donors who support us financially and/or who donate knowledge and products when one of our horses needs special help. One donor purchased herbs that worked to treat Omar in tandem with the treatment by our veterinarian. Sometimes donors give us tarps, water barrels, their skills, or time.
As you can see, no matter how long or short a horse resides at CHS, food, water and friends are essential elements to their feeling safe and happy. We thank you and hope you’ll continue to help us help them thrive as we navigate the uncertainties of 2020. We also encourage you to inquire about any or all of our horses at any time. Our contact information can be found on our website link below. It is certainly taking an epic global effort to make sure the horses in our care receive a high quality of life and that their future remains bright.
For current Horses: http://www.calanhorsesanctuary.com/our-horses
For Horses in Heaven: http://www.calanhorsesanctuary.com/horses-in-heaven
On behalf of the Calan Horse Sanctuary herd, we sincerely thank you!