Saturday, January 3, 2015

Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue- For the Love of a Horse

This is Nicky Branch, the owner of Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue.

She has done some amazing work saving abused horses. This has been a very challenging task in recent years with the failing economy and horse owners not being able to afford to feed their horses. I have been watching the amazing transformations that Nicky has facilitated over many months through Facebook.
I want to tell you share with you the story of Blizzard and Happy, whose lives were saved by Nicky these past week.
I will post her photos and comments as they come on Facebook as she shares them.  When you see these poor babies that she rescued, your heart will weep!

And so their recovery begins with the rescue:

First, we saw simply this post from Nicky:

"Trying to save two starved horses on the Soboba Indian reservation. OMG"

Then the photos started to come, and the tears started to fall as we held our breath hoping that she could get them out of that horrible pen. 


The horse laying down is a mare. She's has a tattoo and it is found that she is a Thoroughbred. 
We next see this post from Nicky:
"Partial tattoo lookup please. Mare is about 15 tat is i3683 Dk bay tb mare no socks with a star"

Quickly, the answer comes:
"And we have a winner! Her registered name is Belindy, tattoo I36818"
http://www.pedigreequery.com/belindy

Belindy is an ex-race horse and the stud colt with her is her son. 

The horses are on an Indian Reservation, hidden behind a house and Nicky has to pull strings to get access to take the horses from Indian land. 

Then we saw this:
"Okay the mare who is emaciated loaded easily into the trailer she appears to be about a 15-year-old thoroughbred mare I'm not sure of the first letter on the tattoo. The other thoroughbred is about a five-year-old stallion, probably her son. He had never been handled before so it took a while but Dr. Moss sedated him and he finally got in the trailer. They are headed over to a safe house in Hemet currently where they can be Fed properly and taken care of."


So while everyone is enjoying New Year's Eve, after the coldest storm that Southern California has had since I can remember-meaning that it snowed in places that I have never seen-Nicky is out in the cold saving these horses.
The next post that comes:
"Soboba Indian Reservation New Years Eve Rescue photos.

A ten year old thoroughbred mare named Belindy and a 5 yr old cryptorchid stallion who we think is her son were rescued from a neglectful home with the help of a relative who reported them. Reservation security escorted myself, Dr. Jeffrey MossAmanda Smith, and Lynn Evans who hauled and is fostering these poor guys in Hemet . Riverside AC officers will follow up with Soboba Tribal Council regarding the owner. Thank God she made it through the night. How can this happen you ask? Well...some owners are just cruel and heartless no matter what race or how much money they have. Dr. Moss just about got kicked by the stallion, now named Happy for Happy New Years, as he has not been handled before and jumped when touched with a stethoscope. The poor mare, now named Blizzard since that's what happened last night!, was sweet and has been through the trauma of living in hellish conditions and losing her baby. Thanks to Lynn for meeting us there, hauling and now fostering them to health. Blizzard saw the shavings and immediately went to them to rest her weary body. She will be slowly fed small portions of alfalfa until she can get up to normal rations. Thank you for caring! It takes a village and you guys are it! So sad to think Blizzard went from a well kept racehorse to this...but it happens all the time. They were in a back yard and not visible from the street. Thank God for the relative reporting them."

Does the condition of this poor girl not break your heart? I lightened up the original photo above so that you can see how emancipated this sweet girl is. 

The horses arrived safely to their foster home where they will be fed small amounts of food several times per day to help them heal and get up to a healthy weight. 








Nicky's New Year's Day
 post:

"My name is Blizzard and I have to admit that "I" caused the blizzard in So Cal last night...but...it was just so that we could get noticed that we were starving! God works in drastic ways. He listened to my prayers. They worked. 
Believe."

Belindy's new name is Blizzard. Her son is now named Happy.
As more photos come of their progress I will add them to this post. See how dull her eyes are? 
We will see them sparkle soon...Stay tuned....


If you want to donate money to help pay for food and medical care for these horses or others like them, Here's the info from Nicky's FB page:

Just a few more hours to get in your tax deductible donation to help the horses!!!
Or send a check to:
FalconRidge Equine Rescue
PO Box 1500
Valley Center, CA 92082
Be sure and date your check December 31st, 2014!!!!
Happy New Year and THANK YOU!
The HORSES THANK YOU!!!


*********Update********
Jan. 4, 2015
Here is Blizzard 4 days later. Cleaned up and after having 4 days of good food.  No sparkle in her eye yet, but it's coming. She will be feeling better soon. 

Happy doesn't look as thin as his mama.  Most likely this is because he took what ever food that they were given and Blizzard got nothing.




*********Update********
Jan. 10, 2015

                                                                 Just look at Blizzard!

 *********Update********
Jan. 14, 2015

Blizzard after two weeks of love, food and attention. Her eyes are starting to shine. She sure loves her shavings!
Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue has been saving horses since 1996. If you want to donate to help rehabilitate Blizzard, or even to sponsor one of the other sweet horses that Nicky is helping, you can go here to donate. 


*****Update January 29, 2015*****

It's been almost a month since Blizzard's life was changed forever. Rescued from certain death, she is slowly gaining weight. Look at her today!


This sweet girl got so lucky!! 

*******Update Valentine's Day Fed 14-2015******

It's been 6 weeks since Blizzard was rescued emancipated and near death by Nicky of Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue. She is enjoying a nutritious diet, kindness and care now. Here she is today:





From this:
To this in 6 weeks. 


Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue is amazing...Stay tuned for more updates. 

******Update-March 6. 2015*******

Look at Blizzard today!!! She is on her way to being the beautiful Thoroughbred Mare that she once was. Her coat is shining and she is putting on healthy weight. 





*****UPDATE 4-5-15*****


Blizzard has been moved from her foster care home to Falcon Ridge. She is doing so well. Here she is 4 months after Nicki rescued her on New Years Eve from the Soboba Indian Reservation. She was severely emaciated and close to death. 




I am so happy for Blizzard. She will be at Falcon Ridge until she finds her forever owner. Bless Nicky for saving so many horses like Blizzard.

If you want to donate money or supplies, or if you are looking for a best friend in a horse, You can learn all about Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue at their webpage here


Go Blizzard!! I hope that you will find a wonderful family and never, ever be hungry again. 








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