A Story Retold

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Sagetopaz
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A Story Retold

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In many civilizations, storytellers tell the same story over and over again. They believe that each time a person hears the story, she/he comes to it as a different person. The story has a new light and the characters are seen in a new way. Hearing the story repeatedly is a way to measure personal growth. Returning to tell a story for the Horses In Need Documentary Project feels like that to me.

I had the opportunity to find a horse through Emerald Valley Equine Assistance (EVEA) in 2003, so in 2009 when I saw an chance to participate in the Horses In Need Documentary Project, I felt called to the project. In the process of completing projects for the Horses In Need Documentary over the years, I have learned a lot about horse rescues and their operations. Each year I go back to EVEA to see how things have changed. Each time I go back, it’s like the story is being retold, and it’s true that I see it in a new light now. It’s tempting to just see the problems and the needs. I try to see how my character fits into the story. I ask myself,” What’s my role this year?” Sometimes it’s just to take pictures and sometimes it’s more.

Things have changed at EVEA since I found my first horse in 2003. Currently, EVEA only takes Animal Control seizure horses into the rescue. Unfortunately, that keeps them busy enough. EVEA now maintains a very low profile in the community, much like a shelter for domestic violence needs to. They no longer have a website, but I maintain a Facebook page for them. In the county where I live, Animal Control is not known for having a speedy response for horses in need, so by the time EVEA is asked to get involved and rescue the horses, the horses are in crisis and possibly tied up in legal red tape.

Two years ago, 6 horses were removed from a home in Cottage Grove, Oregon a town about 10 miles south of where I live. There was a stallion, 2 mares (Simee and Ilyah), 1 yearling filly (Emma), 1 weanling colt (Ozzy), and a foal not yet born. Animal Control got involved because the horses kept escaping from the make shift pen they were kept in. The backstory reveals the 2 mares had come from a neighbor who had died and the person who had them thought his mother would enjoy seeing them from her window, so the man who had them took them in. Nobody is quite sure where the stallion came from, but where the youngsters came from is obvious. The mares and the youngsters went to EVEA. For me, the story begins last year when Ilyah gave birth to her filly.

Feb. 21, 2017: The Foal Arrives
I got a message from Sandy at EVEA telling me Ilyah had just given birth to a filly and I should come see her. I thought that was exciting and a visit would make for some fun foal photos to use on EVEA’s Facebook page. I made arrangement to see the filly the following week. I thought it would be the usual story, rescued pregnant mare gives birth…. Cute baby, take some photos, maybe write a story, and move on. I didn’t know this story had a plot twist waiting for me.
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Last edited by Sagetopaz on Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:14 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: A Story Retold

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Filly at 2 weeks old
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Re: A Story Retold

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The foal was born at the home of one of the trainers who works with EVEA. Ilyah and her filly were lucky. They had a great place for the birth and lots of attention. I visited the filly every week and took more cute foal pictures as she grew up.But Ilyah and the filly couldn’t stay there forever. Three months later when they needed to move, they came to my property.
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Re: A Story Retold

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Horse people love to talk about breeds and what breeds can do or what they are good at, what their traits are, etc. When people ask me about the filly, I don’t know what breed she is. I don’t know what to expect for how big she will be. Her mother looks Arab and they say sire looked Welsh Cobb. A lot of times it’s hard for foals to get adopted from rescues because there can be so many unknown factors. I named this filly D’Or because all we really know about her is that she came from a town known for gold mining in the past.

Not all rescue stories are sad. They may start out that way, but with any luck the plot twist changes and the characters lives improve for the better. In this story, all the horses have a safe place to live now.

Emma, the oldest daughter of Ilyah is living at Fawn Hills Animal Sanctuary. She is a smaller horse, around 13 hands and still looking for a forever home, but happy where she is.
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Last edited by Sagetopaz on Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Story Retold

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Ozzy, the colt who is now a 2 year-old has been adopted and lives not far from us. I imagine him going trail riding with us some day.
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Re: A Story Retold

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Ilyah is currently weaning D’Or and is back with the trainer where D’Or was born, learning to be ridden. On New Year’s Day Ilyah participated in a trail ride with 26 other horses! And she led most of the way. The plan is for her to return to me in March and continue her training.
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Re: A Story Retold

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D’Or is here to stay! The story has a new ending this year.
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