Urgent: Please Support Susan’s Recovery And Horse Care!

Dear Friends:

Help! This is an urgent fundraiser. Thank you for donating, to help me through my difficult health struggle and your contribution to keep my two horses safe! They depend on me. I would appreciate too, if you could share this fundraiser to others, who care. Thank you ! ❤️

My name is Susan, a College teacher who has lived frugally in an apartment for 30 adult years and gained success as a teacher and artist, through hard work and patience! It’s been an interesting journey for which I’m thankful! I’ve been so lucky to meet and work with insightful and talented friends and mentors, and pass forward their legacy of teaching Art, Art History and Archaeology to another generation of students and scholars!

I haven’t been that lucky physically though, the past couple years! Along with the arthritis many of us have, as well as a serious injury to my foot (I require an operation so I can walk again, normally) I was also struck down with Long Covid two years ago, causing me to retire from my job of 18 years! I’m only now beginning to recover but still struggling with fatigue and memory loss.

However, I will start teaching again in April and receive a paycheck again, most likely in May. For this I am thankful. Teaching online instead of the classroom, will allow me to battle the debilitating fatigue from Long Covid, at home! Under a doctor's care, I’ve been healing, but it’s been a long road, starting with a troubling brain fog and strange exhaustion. Formally being an active person, I had no idea this was referred to as “Long Covid” but this terminology helped me find medical assistance, finally!

My Two Horses need urgent help!

I bought a friend's horse to ride in the arena and on trails, at a wonderful barn where horses are well cared for. I could not walk well anymore on my broken foot but I had ridden horses when I was a child and at college. The riding and posture helped me develop balance, strength, and allowed me be to be in the forest and in nature, as I could not walk well myself!

I also saved a second horse that had been abused and I realized that by walking with him, we were both learning not to be afraid, together. It brought up memories for me of my own abuse in childhood, which took all the courage I had.

We developed a very special bond. We slowed down time for us- we took all of the time in the world because I realized we were taking this trip for courage, together. We learned together what requires a cautious approach or which experiences we can face bravely, but won’t cause harm!

We are still partners together, he helps me walk and I help him learn about the scary things in an unfamiliar world. He is gentle and courageous, so does the same for me. I may create a children’s book about him someday. I’m presently training him to be a therapy horse as well, because he is so intuitive!

And then this training, riding and healing experience, came crashing down. I had to quit my job of 18 years, to recover because of Covid and I couldn’t go to the stable, frequently, as I had. We have been at the stable for eight years, the horses are happy and bonded with their pals and I have made progress in every area of my life because of the horses and fellow riders.

My horses keep me courageous and building muscles, trying to increase my strength, but then when I became ill recently, I couldn’t focus or work! For now, a friend is riding the Arena horse and pays a small amount for trims and vaccinations and for the attentive barn manager who turns out the arena horse, daily. The other horse likes the pasture and shelter with his friends. VAX is covered until spring, thank goodness!

So, Im asking you for angel donations, to pay horse board for the two boys, through April, it’s not easy to ask but I must.

For 16 yesrs I have helped friends rescue horses in need. We have too often seen horses end up in terrible homes or shipped to slaughter, even with efforts by humans to place them well. We know of too many innocent horses “falling through the cracks” this way when owners fall ill or sadly pass away. Economics often push owners to let go of horses and it’s heartbreaking, especially without guarantees for their safety and care!

Because of this debilitating illness, at the end of January I’ll be two months ($1180x 2) behind on board at the barn, where my two horses live, and where friends, a reasonable price, good hay, and excellent care, exist! I know the owner cannot wait much longer for payment! I’ve been there with my horses for 8 (eight) years paying consistently and now my horses are healthy seniors, so the kind barn owners have given me until NOW.

I must pay her an average of $ 4-500/week until the end of April, to catch up and in addition, pay the monthly board for February, March and April, until I receive a paycheck again! February $ 1180 March $1180 April $1180. *

*the barn fee went up 50.00/month (annual increase) so where we see $1180.00 above is now $1230)

Since July, I have been trying to get a roomate for my apartment which could defray costs but people are terrified of the town and area I live in. It’s a good community for the Arts and colleges, but It used to be so much safer! I was here to teach, as my job was close by. Crime has increased the past three years! I’ve been trying to find a reliable boarder or roomate since summer, with very little luck. Twice, people said they would move in, I was ready to pay the board for the horses from their rent payments! But then, potential roommates checked out the neighborhood, misunderstood the unique international culture, struggling as we all are, with economics. So, they changed their mind, before they put down their deposit! This caught me off guard a bit, as in the past it’s been fairly easy to rent out a room here, close to public transportation! This delay put me back further while struggling with health concerns.

A long range goal:

I have been receiving help from doctors. With the return of health and work teaching steadily again by Summer, I may hope to eventually purchase an acre+ where I’ll care for my horses the rest of their lives, so they are never abused or sent to slaughter and can still be together and well cared for. I’ve seen enough horses end up in one of these predicaments after being resold, especially when they are seniors and it’s heartbreaking! I will care for my two horses, the rest of their lives. But right now, they live at a safe barn with good people and food so I’ll keep them there as long as I can, hopefully at least another year.

The horses are more important to me than a fancy house and I’m an outdoor lady who loves nature! I’m a Gardner too who loves to grow fruit trees. It’s been especially hard recently though. I’m astonished by my lack of strength, these past couple years!

I’ve helped save horses, and other animals both online, and with friends on location “boots on the ground” for years! I didn’t realize that one day I would need help myself!

Thank You, you are angels and I appreciate your donations here! With your help I can urgently pay the board owed to the kind owners who board my horses. They need to buy hay as part of the board, and it gets harder into the winter! When I know my horses are SAFE Then I can continue to focus on getting my health back and teach online classes for the late spring and summer semesters. Eventually, I’ll even be able to locate the correct surgeon to repair my foot so I can walk again with greater ease!

I retired and was awarded an “Emeritus” in teaching by my peers, who I greatly miss. Though as a teacher, I can never really retire fully and like all of us, must make a living. Soon, with your help, and with the two horses SAFE, I can start healing under my Doctors care and teach again! I’ll be able to be with my two Boys and ride again, because as we know, horses are healers themselves.

Thank you so very much!

Please share this urgent fundraiser also, that will help a great deal.

I hope someday I can help you as well, if you fall into an urgent abyss! Helping each other gets us back on our feet, so our crisis is temporary!

Gratefully, ❤️ Susan

I wish you the very best also, your health and happiness for many beautiful years come! : ) ❤️

I am urgently asking for:

1) The Barn owner is accepting an average of 4-500.00/week

which SAVES the two horses

please see the amount needed by month below:

1) The Barn Board fee is 1180.00/month

I owe two months past: 1180x2

3) January and February have been paid.

4) March has been paid thanks to you! ❤️

5) 1230. needed for April

6) 1230. needed for May

6) I start working again teaching, end of May

7) Paycheck end of June

thank you ❤️

Susan

❤️‍