Meet Phoenix

Phoenix

Arrived 15th December 2015

“Escape Artist” was the tag given to the new arrival at Calan Horse Sanctuary. His story did cause us to evaluate the viability of his inclusion to the existing herd. Were his well documented escape tactics going to impact on the existing security and tranquility of the sanctuary?

This beautiful, black, seven-year-old, standard bred would break out of his owner’s property causing the public to call the shire ranger and report him causing damage, eating their gardens, and posing a hazard on the roads. The horse was impounded several times and notices sent to the owner, who eventually would retrieve him. After his final escape, the owner chose not to take ownership.

With just a short time frame available at the shire pound, Senior Ranger, Cara Kimber contacted Maree Ernshaw and her wonderful team at, Animal Actionist Limited to see if they could help. Immediately, they responded and offered short stay accommondation with the offer to secure him a safe and permanent home.

After several phone conversations with Carla from the Gosnells Shire and Maree from A.A.L., C.H.S. agreed to give him a home, keeping uppermost in our minds though, the welfare of the other residents. Maree and her dedicated team delivered what had once been a neglected soul, into our care with papers to verify ownership. Once placed into the large secure holding pen, the equine family came to introduce themselves with all the usual vocalization, head tossing and stomping of hooves. This also gave us the opportunity to inspect him. Once again we found we had a horse with badly, neglected hooves, worse than Mae-Lee’s. After 24 hours on the soft ground cover in the holding pen, the over grown hoof walls, broke off up to the white line maybe indicating he had been tightly confined for long periods. Then after a period of a few days C.H.S. set about bringing them back to a condition they should have been.

With each new arrival, we try to avaluate each one’s physical needs as well as their emotional needs. With this seven-year-old, we noticed he lacked the social skills required to join up with the herd. We found him standing behind a building or in a corner out of sight, but after eight days of us opening and shutting various gates, he was slowly forced to join the sixteen other residents. Of course like each and every one, he has had to adjust and find the ‘pecking order’ and we are thrilled to see this beautiful horse slowly fitting in.

Because of his chequered past, with maybe death the final solution, C.H.S has named him ‘Phoenix’.

We would like to commend the folk who played a major part in the ‘fall and rise’ of Phoenix from the ashes. The care and concern by the Gosnells Shire and ‘Animal Actionists’ has been exemplary. What great satisfaction it is to us at C.H.S. to be able to combine the efforts of such fine people who strongly believe in the protection of all defenceless animals and are prepared to go that extra mile.