Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to everyone, and thanks from the horses staff and volunteers at Redwings.

One of our dear supporters, Leora, made this lovely greeting and we thought we'd share it. The horse is Alisage, who has enjoyed many many Holiday seasons since she was rescued from slaughter.

Have a fantastic new year.

Three Severely Neglected Horses Rescued

SPCA for Monterey County have rescued three severely emaciated horses abandoned in a pasture in Salinas, California, and have offered a $1000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator. These three horses are under emergency veterinary care. You can help them by donating to SPCA for Monterey County [click here to donate].

Please track this story at the SPCA for Monterey County Web site. They have posted and will continue to post updates about this case.

[Photo hosted by SPCA for Monterey County]

A Letter From the President

Since taking on the title and duties of President of the Board of Directors for Redwings Horse Sanctuary in June 2009, I have been blessed with many great opportunities to bring improvement to our organization and to help our rescued equines in numerous ways. I would like to acknowledge all the people who have contributed to this effort as we look to a new year at Redwings.

Our long-time supporters know me from our days in Carmel, California, and I have been associated with the work of Redwings since 1993 and have been on the Board of Directors since 1995. I have been directly responsible for the horses’ health as Equine Care Coordinator for many years and still hold this position. However, our able and very talented Equine Care Provider, Delilah Kasting, has stepped up and taken on more responsibilities, allowing me more time for my varied duties as President. Our Veterinarians Dr. Richard Clarke and Dr. Heather Baker are another huge part of the success we have in caring for our rescued horses.

Board member and Volunteer Coordinator, Roz Bailey, has taken on Vice Presidential duties and has been a constant source of advice and help. Along with our other Board members, we all volunteer our services and work incredibly hard for our horses and their welfare.

The daily running of the Sanctuary could not function without our dedicated staff. From our office staff to our ranch hands and trainers, we find enthusiastic, talented, and hard-working individuals who care passionately about our goals and feel proud of the work we all do for our rescued horses and our education mission.

Volunteers also hold a great place in our hearts. These people graciously give their time and love to help care for the rescued horses of Redwings Horse Sanctuary. We would not be as effective without their help.

As we all know, the last couple of years have been very difficult for many people throughout America, and we all have had to work extremely hard to cope with an increasing number of abandoned and starving horses. We can only help so many before affecting the limited resources we have for the horses we care for daily. However, 2009 has been a banner year for our Sanctuary. With the help of donations, grants, and bequests, we have installed much-needed irrigation and replaced the footing in our stall areas. Yet there is much more to do.

We cannot do any of these improvements without your help. Every dollar you donate to Redwings helps us care for our horses and allows us the opportunity to advocate, educate, and promote humane and responsible equine ownership. $12 buys a fly mask; $15 buys a bale of hay. Our on-going irrigation project has cost $76,190, and our new footing project—supported in a large part by the Hind Foundation—has cost $13,000 so far. Our annual budget for hay alone is $26,611 and our annual budget for medicine and supplements is $16,799. We receive no state or federal assistance—we do it all with donations from our supporters.

Please remember Redwings and our horses in 2010 and send your donation today.

Thank you

Michelle Beagle

President, Redwings Horse Sanctuary