Our Saturday started early with the arrival of Hanna, a blind Appaloosa mare from North Carolina. We had agreed to take her a few weeks ago after getting a call from her owner, a riding instructor named Annette S. Hanna had been one of Annette's lesson mares for many years, and was a real favorite of her students. Annette had lost the lease on her property and had to move her riding operation to another farm that couldn't accommodate a blind mare.
Annette thought she had found a place for Hanna with a horse rescue in Virginia, but the arrangement fell through and she suddenly was running out of time. No other horse rescues would take a blind horse. Annette offered to pay the full cost of shipping Hanna out to us. (This in itself is very unusual, because most people who call us hoping to place a blind horse here don't want to spend another dollar on the animal, let alone $1,200 or more to ship it.)
I originally told Annette 'no' ... we had only one open stall space left in Beauty's Barn and planned to save that for an emergency case, and we were reserving the only other stall space for a blind horse caught up in a court case in Great Falls, Montana. (We still don't know whether that horse is coming here or not.)
But I could tell how crushed Annette was when I said we couldn't take Hanna. I hung up the phone and felt awful. Alayne and I talked and we finally agreed to give Hanna the stall we were saving for an emergency case. I called Annette back with the news. She was elated ... and then she cried. She was just so relieved to have found a place for her beloved mare.
We got in touch with our horse transportation outfit, Grand Champion Horse Transportation, and began planning Hanna's trip out West. Jeff Marks, who owns Grand Champion, has hauled several blind horses for us in recent years, including Nikki who was just a few months old at the time.
In the first photo Jeff is beginning to unload Hanna. This was the first time we'd seen her. She's a very sweet and pretty mare, and a big girl, too. She came right out of the trailer without a problem, as you see in the second photo. In this photo Hanna is in her stall in Beauty's Barn, where we fed her breakfast before turning her out into a corral to get some fresh Rocky Mountain air and exercise. By the end of the day, she already seemed to be settling in just fine.
(Click on photos for larger image.)
we miss you hannah! the barn family does and will always send you our love!(especially ms.nettie and ms.yvonne)thank you to everyone who helped in getting our baby to montana safely! god bless you! xoxoxo, sheridan oliver
Posted by: Sheridan and Patty Oliver | February 05, 2006 at 07:33 PM
Hanna, you look very comfy and cozy in your new home! thank you mr. steve and mrs. alayne for giving hannah the home that we all know she deserved! thank you, you made ms. netties life so much easier! xoxoxo, sheridan oliver(good luck hannah, our barn family sends you our love forever and always):')(ms. yvonne misses you so much hannah!)
Posted by: Sheridan and Patty Oliver | February 05, 2006 at 07:30 PM
We will miss Hanna, but We're so happy that she is there, and we heard such wonderful things about how Mark cares for the horses he travels with.
Jaylie and Jeneve McMann
Posted by: Jaylie | February 03, 2006 at 07:28 PM
Universally, your reserved stall must have been meant for Hanna! She's darling and looks to have a super sweet demeanor.
What a blessing that Annette paid for her to be shipped. Thank you Annette!
Best of luck to you all! :-)
Posted by: Leilani | February 02, 2006 at 06:11 PM
I am so glad to see Hanna safein her new home. We will miss her terribly here. Annette's barn family in NC can't thank you enough. We've all decided that horse heaven is Montana. Love to you H.
Deb, Cassidy and Corinne
Posted by: Debbie S | February 01, 2006 at 09:35 PM
What a pretty girl. She looks like she is thinking, "I am sure glad I have my coat on, 'cause it is really cold!" And, "Gee this hay sure smells fresh and good, Yum". "I think I am gonna like it here."
Posted by: Karen SA/TX | January 30, 2006 at 05:27 PM
Thank you so much for taking her! A gift of love to Annette, probably even more than to Hanna. Obviously the emergency stall was meant for Annette's emergency!
Love and Blessings to you all.
Nancy
Posted by: Nancy | January 30, 2006 at 12:06 PM
Way to go, Steve and Alayne! In the future, I'll bet you'll be hearing from Annette wondering how her baby is doing. Hanna knows she is in good hands, too!
Posted by: Nina | January 29, 2006 at 01:06 PM
Welcome to a wonderful place, Hanna! You are a super lucky lady and you are a beauty. From the photos, it looks like you are taking to the ranch rather well, & we are so glad that you are. We are sending you hugs to welcome you to you new home.
Posted by: ginger & Tobias (the greythound) | January 29, 2006 at 11:54 AM
Welcome to the ranch, Hanna. Annette can rest easy now that you're here. Thank you Steve and Alayne.
Posted by: Roz | January 29, 2006 at 10:11 AM