Website Update Notice

Hey Guys, I haven't had much time to update this blogpage in a while, sorry Im so far behind. I have just posted a few stories but have so many more to go. At the moment we have 40 sick / injured horses in care and my days consist of 16 long hours, sometimes even longer. I will post what updates I can as soon as I have time but if you are on facebook don't forget to join our rescue facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Vellas-SAHA-Horse-Rescue-and-Sanctuary/118509848170896

We post daily updates and photos on there and its much easier to follow the progress of your favourite rescue horse as well as keep up to date with new horses and rescue missions we are involved in.

Thank you all so much for your kind support and love and I hope you enjoy watching the progress of our babies as much as we love showing you :-)

Kindest Regards
Amanda Vella
President :-)

Trixie - One special mare

This little pony is a fighter, she has a light burning inside of her soul brighter than anything I've ever known. She has something to teach people, a story to tell and a life to live.

I cant remember the exact date, but it was in November this year, myself (Amanda), Jennifer, Lori, Lace, Hannah and Helen went down to the Grafton meat sales to rescue one horse. We only had one space left at our over full Sanctuary as it was but like most people there is no way you can go to one of those sales and only came home with one horse. It was our Secretary Jen's first ever sale experience and she didn't cope so well at all. I remember watching the tears stream down her face only after the first few horses had gone through and in true Jen style she bought one of those horses. After an hour of watching horse after horse get bought by meat buyers we arranged to pay for our mare and head home. We had bought a beautiful big Chestnut TB mare who's name we discovered later from the Australian Studbook was "Miss Chicane". Jen and Helen went to pay for the mare and I told them that Lori and I would meet them both at our horses pen to help load her and for the first time since I arrived at the sales (Lori and I arrived late forgetting the hour time difference in NSW) we walked through the remainder of what horses were left to go through the meat ring. There at the back of the yards were two chronically emaciated little ponies of about 11hh, one bay and one grey. Both were in shocking condition, both very weak and both had been running with a stallion. Just as we arrived at their gate the auction worker opened the gate and chased them down the walkway and into the ring. I stood still and told Lori that we must listen to who buys them and for how much. They sold for $30 each to a knackery owner I know well and had bought off before. We head back to our mare and load her onto the float then on the way home I call the lady who I deal with at that knackery and tell her that their buyer has two sick ponies that I want to buy. She agrees to ask the owner and get back to me. They agreed to sell me the ponies for $200 which I was happy to pay. Sadly the little bay mare was far to weak and she didn't make it, the grey mare was just as weak but she fought and fought and im happy to say she is now doing so well. We named her Trixie-Belle and she is one special little pony.

Tuesday

This is a story of fate. On the 25th of October, I went to the Warwick Horse Sales to check out what kind of horses were sold through the meat section. I had never been to the Warwick sales before and I wasn't prepared to buy any horses nor did I have the transport arrange to get any home. The visit was a spur of the moment decision to see if it was small or large and whether it was a true meat competition sale or not. I was horrified and the amazing horses standing in the meat pens and due to not being organised to actually buy a horse and get it home, I left before bidding started. Warwick is a 2 hour drive from the Sanctuary and we were pretty full at the time as well. On the way home, I felt sick about leaving without buying anything but I couldn't buy a horse and leave it in the pens until I could arrange transport. I am a planner and must have everything perfectly in order before making such decisions. Anyway, 3 days after the sales our Secretary Jennifer gets a call from the gentleman who runs Warwick sales to ask us if we wanted a little unhandled wild as hell filly that had been left behind. A knackery buyer had bought the filly but somehow when loading all of his horses onto the truck she was forgotten. The filly was offered to us for $60 and we arranged transport to get her straight to the trainer for some handling. She was crazy and wild as hell, never had a human hand touch her body before. After 2 days of handling she calmed down and allowed the trainers to do her feet which was such an achievement.

Tuesday has been in care for two months and Im happy to announce that yesterday she went to her forever home with one of our volunteers (Lace) who has been doing all of her handling and care. Lace's partner knew how much she loved Tuesday so he arranged her adoption application etc and adopted Tuesday for Lace for her birthday, it was beautiful. Tuesday doesn't know how lucky she is but I do believe in fate and it wasn't her time to die. She is going to be something special this little mare :-)

Gidget - SAHA's first Goat Rescue Mission

I got a call one morning about a little baby goat which had its nose and mouth almost ripped off, knowing nothing about goats at all we couldn't leave her there so decided to rescue her and take her straight to the vet for an assessment. The poor little thing need immediate surgery to have its nose reconstructed because not only was it extremely painful, she couldn't suckle on the bottle either. The first lot of surgery wasn't so successful so we tried again and the second lot was 100% successful. I don't actually have photos of it before surgery, we only had her about an hour before the surgery so just didn't have time to snap off some photos. You can however see in the photos below the scar around her nose. Gidget's treatment has cost us just over $2,000 but she is a special goat and deserved the chance to have a beautiful loving life. Gidget was fostered by one of our experienced foster carers and her daughter has bonded with this little goat. They are best friends. I think they may just adopt her when she is ready :-) I love happy endings.

Mia

Mia was sold in the meat section at the Gympie sale in October this year to a knackery up near Bundaberg QLD where she was going to be slaughtered for pet food. We paid $450 to rescue her and she is just the sweetest mare. Mia has a few trust issues but once you gain her trust you can do anything with her. She is a few spot Appaloosa with pink skin which was badly sunburned when she arrived but we have rugged her up with a Paige Hill flag sheet rug and she is just loving life. Mia is about 20 years old, 14hh and perfect in every way.

On arrival

On arrival

On arrival

On arrival

2 weeks in care

Haven

Our beautiful Haven was bought from the knackery on the 8th of October as a heavily in foal mare. She was transported down and was so sick we had the vet to her immediately. I had never seen such a horrific worm infestation in my entire life and before she was even wormed she was passing massive amounts of live worms. It turns out Haven wasn't in foal and the huge belly was because of the massive amount of worms living inside of her. She was wormed 3 times over 6 weeks just to get rid of them all and has since turned into a beautiful healthy mare. Haven is meant to be 23 years old and a registered stock horse from a station out west, but who knows if this information is correct or not. All I know is that she wasn't a well mare and she needed our help which we gave her. Its been 2 and a half months since Haven was rescued and she is now almost ready for a home :-)

On arrival

Massive amount of live worms before we even wormed her

Having her teeth done

Haven 2 months in care

Logan

Logan was found wondering the streets of West Brisbane and impounded by the Logan City Pound, he wasn't collected by his owners and was offered to us for $115. Logan came in emaciated condition, full of worms, his feet her shocking and his teeth hadn't been done in years. He has been in care for 2 months now and is doing really well :-) Once he is perfect weight he will be assessed under saddle to see if he will make a nice plodder for someone. He is around 18 - 20 years old and by the look of it is a little pure bred Arabian.

On arrival

On arrival

On arrival

5 weeks in care