Excess
02-07-2008, 11:12 AM
I am not sure if I can post this here, but if not, feel free to delete it Admins! Or to ignore it.
Anyway, every year for the last...gosh 8-10 years now, I have been working closely with a string of tourist trail horses in the remote region called Las Galeras on the point of Samana Bay. When I first went there these horses were ridden with girth sores so big that they would be dripping oozing blood the whole time they were being ridden or just standing there waiting to be ridden. When their saddles were removed you could see each bone-notch in their spine (as in there was no skin left and it was bone and flesh) - and they were STILL BEING RIDDEN and these horses behaved PERFECTLY! I just can't imagine what pain these horses were in.
Over the last few years I've been using as much of my own $ that I can to bring down tack and supplies for them. In the Dominican Republic they really don't have much by the way of tack. "Saddle pads" are just pieces of foam. Their bits are anythng from wires twisted together to pieces of sisal rope (my family rescued this one fino that now if you so much as touch his gum with your finger it starts to bleed profusely. It's like he has permanent blisters). Their headstalls are either pieces of twisted plastic to strips of tire or some other rubber. Their "saddle blankets" are pretty, BUT they're just strips of fabric weaved into burlap sacks. Saddles are often just wood wrapped with banana fronds and fibres. Girths are sometimes just a single rope....
I used to bring down money for these people but they themselves are in such need that I think they pocket the money and it doesn't go to the horses. So I started to collect old pieces of tack and medicines that I didn't use anymore, I set up bins at local tack shops and ask tack shops to ask people to donate something, I sometimes buy "lots" on ebay or go to a cheaper tackshop to get some things - granted I wish EVERY horse had the benefit of a Tom Balding bit, but for these horses ANY bit no matter if it's a $5 nickel low port piece of crap it's a Tom Balding bit to them.
They literally need anything and everything - but WESTERN products. Here is a list of things they need:
brushes
combs
headstalls**
shanked bits**
curb straps**
saddle pads**
shampoo
conditioner
medicines
reins**
girths**
I'm sure I'm missing things, but they NEED IT ALL! I have brought down some English-type stuff in the past - even snaffles - but they refuse to use them. I have also in the past brought them translated training books and horse care books - BUT they are illiterate so that didn't go over real well. This year I am hoping to do some mini-clinics for them to try and teach them how to do things correctly and care for horses correctly as what they do need is education. I may not know much, but I know enough to keep these horses from getting sores and being a little happier =)
One time I did bring down snaffles for them and they looked at them as if they were something from outer space. I explained it was a bit, that it was kinder than the bits that they use. We put together a headstall with one and they put it on a horse they consider "dead broke" and were convinced the horse wouldn't stop with it. I tried to tell them to let ME get on so I can show them how much better it was but they refused to let me on - they were convinced the horse would run away and were convinced that me being a woman doesn't know anything and convinced that I'd get hurt and convinced that my father would string them up by their toes if I got hurt (which is probably true).
So if you think you can help, please let me know. You can go to the consignment section, go through your tack trunks, go to your boarding barns, go to tack shops, whatever - just if you can donate. PM or email me if you can help in any way.
They'd be much appreciated by these horses.
Two Cents or Cinch - wanna come give a clinic? =P
Anyway, every year for the last...gosh 8-10 years now, I have been working closely with a string of tourist trail horses in the remote region called Las Galeras on the point of Samana Bay. When I first went there these horses were ridden with girth sores so big that they would be dripping oozing blood the whole time they were being ridden or just standing there waiting to be ridden. When their saddles were removed you could see each bone-notch in their spine (as in there was no skin left and it was bone and flesh) - and they were STILL BEING RIDDEN and these horses behaved PERFECTLY! I just can't imagine what pain these horses were in.
Over the last few years I've been using as much of my own $ that I can to bring down tack and supplies for them. In the Dominican Republic they really don't have much by the way of tack. "Saddle pads" are just pieces of foam. Their bits are anythng from wires twisted together to pieces of sisal rope (my family rescued this one fino that now if you so much as touch his gum with your finger it starts to bleed profusely. It's like he has permanent blisters). Their headstalls are either pieces of twisted plastic to strips of tire or some other rubber. Their "saddle blankets" are pretty, BUT they're just strips of fabric weaved into burlap sacks. Saddles are often just wood wrapped with banana fronds and fibres. Girths are sometimes just a single rope....
I used to bring down money for these people but they themselves are in such need that I think they pocket the money and it doesn't go to the horses. So I started to collect old pieces of tack and medicines that I didn't use anymore, I set up bins at local tack shops and ask tack shops to ask people to donate something, I sometimes buy "lots" on ebay or go to a cheaper tackshop to get some things - granted I wish EVERY horse had the benefit of a Tom Balding bit, but for these horses ANY bit no matter if it's a $5 nickel low port piece of crap it's a Tom Balding bit to them.
They literally need anything and everything - but WESTERN products. Here is a list of things they need:
brushes
combs
headstalls**
shanked bits**
curb straps**
saddle pads**
shampoo
conditioner
medicines
reins**
girths**
I'm sure I'm missing things, but they NEED IT ALL! I have brought down some English-type stuff in the past - even snaffles - but they refuse to use them. I have also in the past brought them translated training books and horse care books - BUT they are illiterate so that didn't go over real well. This year I am hoping to do some mini-clinics for them to try and teach them how to do things correctly and care for horses correctly as what they do need is education. I may not know much, but I know enough to keep these horses from getting sores and being a little happier =)
One time I did bring down snaffles for them and they looked at them as if they were something from outer space. I explained it was a bit, that it was kinder than the bits that they use. We put together a headstall with one and they put it on a horse they consider "dead broke" and were convinced the horse wouldn't stop with it. I tried to tell them to let ME get on so I can show them how much better it was but they refused to let me on - they were convinced the horse would run away and were convinced that me being a woman doesn't know anything and convinced that I'd get hurt and convinced that my father would string them up by their toes if I got hurt (which is probably true).
So if you think you can help, please let me know. You can go to the consignment section, go through your tack trunks, go to your boarding barns, go to tack shops, whatever - just if you can donate. PM or email me if you can help in any way.
They'd be much appreciated by these horses.
Two Cents or Cinch - wanna come give a clinic? =P