~ Mission Impossible ~ACCOMPLISHED~

Maida started working with zeal on this "Mission" I nicknamed "Mission Impossible". She submited a request for the "Lido Fund", kept in touch with the owner of the horses, wrote a a plea for a fundraiser on FB, and she was so happy to receive the only pledge of $25, from a sweet gracious lady, Deborah, on FB. What truly touched me was the way Maida reacted, she could not have been more excited, had she received $2500! This is exactly what I like to see, appreciation for the "intent" we at WHF appreciate any and all donations, because we know that the smaller donations often come with more sacrafice. When she received a very generous grant from the Lido Fund, we knew, that perhaps  we had a real chance because now she had nearly half of the funds needed for the rescue. I stepped in and talked to Katie who did the transport,  we had a good rapport, she had done hauling for me 3 times previous. She agreed to take payments on the other half, actually one third. Then my friend Simrat pitched in her one third up front and now we had a plan. Maida thriving on faith, said I can take out $500 from my college funds, I know people will step up and help.....they just need some time to think on it" Katie said she could do the transport in two phases with a 2wks layover at her ranch. So she picked up the horses on the 31st of July, and 14 days later transported them down to Eugene, Oregon, where we met her and the following day headed back to California. The day before we set out Maida scrubbed the truck and trailer squeky clean, and she told me, that she was so excited that she doubted if she could sleep at all. We were sitting across the table in the kitchen and she said "Anne-Marie, Thank You! ....this is the most exhilarating and satisfying feeling I ever had in my life. To hear this, reassured me, that I was truly on the right tract with the Foundation. I told her I could not have been more pleased to hear that, and how proud I was of her pulling this rescue off against all odds. I also asked her to share this with her contemporaries, let them know that doing an act of kindness can be exciting and a good feeling, and that kids didn't need to have purple hair or body piercings and or huge tattoes to feel noticed and feel good about themselves. She said she was totally up to this. We got up bright and early and set out on our adventure, it was a long, long drive, 10 hrs. We arrived to Eugene around 8Pm, our transport from Washington was running late, so we visited with Simrat, and saw her other two Spanish Mustangs, one a recent rescue. Simrat graciously invited us to stay at her house for the night, which was super nice of her and we gladly accepted. We went out to the ranch where the horses were going to be stabled. It was dark and Simrat found some glo sticks and ballons and Maida was standing in the middle of the road decorated with glo sticks like a christmas three, and just as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. Finally we saw the headlights of Katie's truck, and Maida squiled in delight, they are here! The horses unloaded nicely and I noticed how thin the mare and her gelding son looked like instantly. They were about a 2.5-3.5 on the HS body condition. We lead the horses to their pasture and was time to pay Katie. Maida whispered, ".....you have to write my check.....I said I can't write your check, why? She said, "I never wrote a check before....." I just had to smile, and said, nothing to it, I'll coach you. She wrote out the check and ran back to the young gelding, with whom she was smitten instantly, to say Good Night!

                                          Simrat Khalsa Photo

                  Simrat Khalsa Photo                                    Simrat Khalsa Photo

Simrat Khalsa Photo

Next morning we were up at 5 am and ready for the long haul back to California. Simrat waited for us with freshly grinded organic coffee, a welcome aroma. Then we drove out to pick up the horses. I was somewhat concerned if we were going to be able to catch them on the big field? My worries were over nothing, it was rather picturesque to see the small Family of Spanish Mustangs huddled together at the far corner....looked liked a painting. I was emotional, hated to tear them apart, my heart went out for the "Papa Mustang" we were leaving behind with Simrat. If our finances were better I would have taken him too. However I knew  with Simrat he would have the best of care and home. Looked like he knew it too since he headed towards her with a soft expression in his large beautiful eyes. The first one however was the young gelding, who started hesitantly towards Maida, and the old mare had no choice but to be satisfied with me. Maida haltered the gelding she named "Anasazi's Chaco" (to honor my deceased foundation stallion's memory) without any problem, and the tall gelding followed her to the trailer. It was "love at first sight" anyone could see! Chaco loaded up easily after his Mom. While Beau the "Papa Mustang" looked calmly on standing quietly with Simrat....all was well, no dramatic Good By! I sighed with relief. The first part of the journey was very pleasant, cool weather beautiful scenery. We stopped every 2-3 hrs. to offer the horses water, re-fill Chaco's haybag. Poor fellow just ate non stop. He was the one in the poorest condition. I was somewhat concerned as the mare was getting tired and half way through Chaco was showing sign of fatigue. The one good thing was that they drank real well. Chaco was super good since we had a grid on his fold down window, we had to go in and water him that way. He was good and calm, he even stood for Maida putting water over his back to cool him, as we reached Redding California, and the heat was just sweltering. As we were about 30 miles out of Sacramento, all of a sudden the trailer lurched and swayed, like the horses were jumping around. I immediately pulled over suspecting one of them was in trouble. They were both upright and Chaco was trembling slightly. however my ABS light was on. I asked Maida to text her mechanic friend, and moved along a slower pace until we could exit at a rest stop. I checked the rig, no sign of smoke and the brakes were working, then when I re started the engine, the light was gone. Another sigh of relief! The rest of the trip was uneventful and we arrived around 9:30PM. Our Spanish Mustangs and Ranger were greeting the rescued Mustangs with a huge whinny and nickers. We had settled them in their large comfortable paddock and shelter with clean shaving, fresh water and lot's of grass hay! I was weary to the bone, but a warm and fuzzy feeling enveloped my heart....the world was a better place and all was well!
Mission Impossible ......Accomplished, thanks to a bright eyed young girl's unwavering FAITH!
Maida is still short of $900 for the cost of this rescue...and the horses do need a vet check dental, worming and extra supplements. One of our "Horse Angels", Connie surprised us with a donation again and we are grateful for her heart of generosity! Maida is sure others will follow suit, you can't help but believe her!
Donations big & small are appreciated and much needed. Currently all donations are applied towards feed and care of the Mustangs.
Make checks payable to Maida Parsons, (WHF in the Memo) and it will be tax deductible as soon as we receive our IRS #.  PM for address please and or PayPal info.

Simrat Khalsa Photo

~Mission Impossible~

.Early in June I received an e-mail from my good friend Simrat from Akkal Ranch in Oregon, asking me if WHF could help save and re-home a 20 yrs old SPMustang mare and her 12 yrs old son. She said she would take the third horse who is the castrated sire, the head of the little family. My initial response was to say yes, especially when I found out that the mare was a daughter of my beloved foundation stallion Anasazi. I had to do a reality check, because the horses were nearly 1600 miles away up in Washington state, and WHF already was running full capacity with the 5 rescues we have done within the year. I had a bad year, off   disability and no job in sight. I was truly distraught, because I have rescued so many other horses and now here is this lovely mare, who is kin and I can't save her from a horrid and uncetain fate? The owner considered handing the little family over to the  Rodeo Association for "re-homing". One does not need too much imagination to figure out that they could easily end up at the local kill pen in Washington. Rodeo and livestock folks don't usually keep old horses, or have much respect for Mustangs for other than bucking stock. I was torn up over the whole issue and in tears one afternoon, when my young rider, and friend, 18 yrs old Maida came over. All of a sudden she said, "....we can do it...I'll do it!" I was looking at her, beaming with confidence and excitement, and I blurted out how?? She had a million ideas for fundraiser and going to the local farmer's market  to set up a table for donations. I had no heart to dampen her enthusiasm, especially since it was getting contagious. Before I realized, I was saying, well there is a small rescue fund for Spanish Mustangs, called the Lido Fund, you could start there. The rest is almost history; Maida was consumed with planning and having millions more ideas, stopping by daily keeping my spirit up and slipping peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, to keep me going helping with chores. All of a sudden my whole outlook brightened.....because I must confess I was down in the dumps. I have experienced hard times before, however never as bad as this. I had no money coming in at all, I applied for temp. unemployment and I still haven't gotten the benefit, and I had 11 Mustangs to feed, a cat with an eye injury, and not much response from putting out repeated pleas for help. I understood that these were hard times financially, yet I could not help feeling disappointed and let down. Maybe it was a crazy idea to try launching a 501C3 right in the middle of a recession? When you have a "DREAM" with a double good mission, it is hard to give up. Saving Mustangs and helping children and the youth to redeem themselves and find a purpose for a brighter future! What could possibly be bigger then that? All of a sudden here it was right in front of me that my philosophy was working, the Mustangs in need were coming to me and the young people too. I realized that this was my opportunity to test my "FAITH" and all of a sudden the world was a better place!

 Simrat Khalsa Photo

Stay tunned for part II.......the account of the "Mission Impossible"