Keep Callie Safe
Callie shown above with her dam, B-Bar-D Wendy's Maia, shortly after foaling in Spring 2011
History of GSH and Callie
Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue & Sanctuary is a registered non-profit corporation in the state of South Dakota. We have submitted our 501(c)(3) paperwork and if approved, donations will be considered tax deductible retroactive to early January of 2014. In the winter of 2010, we made the transition from a private family rescue to an incorporated public rescue when contacted to help rehome a herd of Morgans from a person who could no longer care for them all. All in all, 41 registered and registerable Morgans found homes. Some of the mares were pregnant, with 6 more foals born the spring of 2011.
Callie shown as a foal, spring 2011.
Callie is one of those foals. Her dam went to a fabulous home who brought her to health and took great care of her while Callie was born and up to weaning. He then found both of them great homes, with our blessing. The Morgans were placed under a Transfer of Ownership contract with first right of refusal, however the babies fell into a legal gray area and so Callie was able to be rehomed without our First Right of Refusal contract. We have since changed our policies and contract and do not use this format anymore, specifically because of this type of situation.
Callie shown above with her dam, B-Bar-D Wendy's Maia, at 4 months old, Summer 2011.
We have been informed that Callie is now consigned to the Buckeye Morgan Horse Auction in Ashland, Ohio this March. As a three year old, she is listed as "kid broke to drive and ride." This auction is a reputable auction, requires that the Morgans be registered, and there is a chance she will go to a good, solid Morgan home. We'd be thrilled with that outcome and will NOT interfere if that happens.
Unfortunately, the auction is also heavily attended the the Amish. Most Amish owned horses have a high risk of someday being brought back to auction - Sugarcreek or New Holland, for example - when they can no longer perform their jobs. A large amount of horses that go through those auctions end up in the auction pipeline and/or heading to Canada or Mexico for slaughter. While there is no guarantee that Callie will end up in this situation if she's purchased by an Amish home, we work hard to keep in touch with the horses we have placed and offer a lifetime safety net for them. We do not want to see her disappear into the Amish community.
We are fundraising for her purchase price at or prior to auction. As a rule, our rescue does not focus on auctions as we prefer to educate and offer an alternative to owners before they get to that stage, and to help with neglect and abuse cases. We also do not typically pay for horses that are taken in to our rescue. However, we feel a moral obligation to follow up and do whatever it takes to keep the horses that have passed through our care safe.
This is NOT Callie, it's her Sister
This LOVELY girl was a suckling at the time of rescue, and is picture in the album linked below with their dam, in a trailer. Those two mares and foals spent four days in that trailer until we could convince the breeder to let them out. All we could do was make sure every time we were there we offered water and hay. He didn't even leave buckets of water in there for them. Lea, above, is a beautiful, healthy 4 year old mare now and a full sister to Callie. I only include this photo as a representative of what we expect her to look like since people have asked. :)
What We Need & What You Get
We already have a local foster home in place. We need to raise her purchase price - which we can only guess at right now - and potentially transport costs if we can't get those donated.
If we are unable to secure Callie for any reason, we will contact contributors and offer a refund of your contribution less the Indiegogo fees or ask if you'd prefer they be redirected into another use. We are unable to receive a refund on the Indiegogo fees.
Any additional funds above and beyond her purchase price will be used to help cover her costs in foster. If funds remain after that, they will be used to start a trust fund for future situations like this with adopted horses.
The Impact
Our rescue has helped nearly 200 horses in the last three years. Your help with Keeping Callie Safe helps us continue to grow and expand and stand by our promise to the horses we help.
Other Ways You Can Help
Please share this campaign, like our Facebook page, and help spread the word!
Find Us
Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue & Sanctuary Website
Facebook Album of the Iowa 41 herd at time of rescue. Note: Callie was in utero, so not pictured. Her dam, Wendy's Maia, is one of the mares inside the trailer with her foal.
