The Rescue of Jodie

(Your generosity can help get Jodie and her unborn foal to their Forever home.
Donations are being accepted through JERAS (Journey’s End Ranch Animal Sanctuary http://www.jersanctuary.org/) to help offset the transport cost of $900.00 to get them from Texas to California.  No amount is too small and will definitely help.  If there are extra funds collected they will be used by JERAS to help other rescues.  You can use this link http://www.jersanctuary.org/ or the link at the end of her story to contribute. Click on the “Donate” tab or “make a donation” to go to the donations page.  Click on the One time donation option: “Donate” button.  You will be directed to the Journey’s End Ranch Animal Sanctuary PayPal donation page.  Be sure to add a note, “JODIE”, on the donation to insure that the donation goes to Jodie’s transportation cost.  JERAS is a Non-Profit 501 (c)3 organization so your donation is also tax deductible.  The following is Jodie’s story.)

This is Jodie, she is a 14 yr old BLM Mustang Mare. Jodie was almost a statistic in that the eventuality of her going to slaughter was a real possibility. Then she would have become one of the 100,000 horses that do go to slaughter annually. She has been starved, abused & beaten (whip marks on face). She is but one Wild Horse rescue and this is her, story… 

Jodie’s story starts in Nevada where she was born free and wild. We know certain information about Jodie since she was once owned in part by you, as she was briefly protected under the Wild Horse & Burro act and considered a ward of the Government & protected by it, she is an American Mustang of which all are in legal terms property of the United States of America you the American Tax payer.

Jodie came from the Augusta Mountain range in what is called the “Battle Mountain” HMA (herd management area) The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) is in charge of the land  as the land is own and maintained by our US Government under the office of the DOI (Dept of the Interior). At some point the BLM conducted a round up and Jodie was captured. We know most of this information from the freeze brand on Jodie’s left side of her neck. She was processed & adopted out and then was titled and officially became private property on August 28th in 2002, her titled date. She was then 6 yrs old. She was one of over 33,000 Wild Horses being kept in long term Government holding pens waiting for adoption. All of this at the cost to you (tax payer) of $100,000 a day for the daily up keep and feed of the Wild Horses in the holding pens. She was one of those Mustangs held in over crowded pens for her first 5 yrs. of life as she was brought in as a foal or weanling.

It is after her adoption things went from bad to worse for Jodie. All of what she suffered, what she was made to endure and all of her sorrows happen after she was adopted. This past June 2010 Jodie became a neighborhood concern in a small town in Texas to many who lived around her. She was found in a garbage filled yard along with 3 other horses, 1 mare & 2 studs. Her starved condition became apparent to the neighborhood and she eventually came to the attention of Kindle a local animal lover and previous rescuer. When Kindle saw how skinny and obviously starving Jodie was she immediately jumped into action. Jodie and the other mare were purchased outright by Kindle and JERAS, Journey’s End Ranch Animal Sanctuary, which is run by Catherine Ritlaw.

Jodie was so weak she didn’t even have the energy to be scared or fight about being caught by strangers and taken to a new home. Once safely stabled & safe at Kindle’s she was checked by Kindle’s Veterinarian. It was determined at this point that not only was Jodie starving, she was also newly pregnant. As she was examined the whip mark scars on her face, up and down her hind quarters and back legs stood out. Where ever the last 8 years of Jodie’s life had brought her too were apparent, she was literally carrying the scars of those hard fought years on her body & her soul. In these early days of being rescued Jodie didn’t like to be touched, but without the energy to fight back she would endure it. Then it was noted that obviously starving, she still had bigger concerns in her mind. If little children were any where around she was nervous and would shake & although starving she wouldn’t eat. Sadly we will never be privy to those private thoughts that were turning in her head. We can only respect the fact that from this point on she would never have to worry about those thoughts turning into reality ever again.  Not if Kindle, Catherine or eventually I would have anything to say about it.

A farrier was called out to access the condition of Jodie’s hooves. Typically Mustangs hooves are very hard and so sturdy with needing little care except for the occasional trim job and rasping (filing). Mustangs are considered “sure footed” and owning 5 Wild Horses myself know this to be true. Jodie on the other hand did have some issues. From conversations between the farrier and the Vet it was determined that her back left hoof had endured an infection at some point. An infection so bad that that hoof is cracked from the bottom where she touches the ground to the very top where her heel is. The infection had healed on it’s own. Some how this little starving mare’s own body just dealt with the infection and the only remnants were the crack up and all the way through. Jodie will completely heal from this but she will not be ridden for at least a year until that hoof wall has a chance to repair itself completely. All the discussions & diagnosis only confirmed what a brave courageous little Mustang she is. 

Kindle has been taking great care of Jodie but she has known all along that she wouldn’t be Jodie’s final stop because Kindle has her own horses to take care of.  Catherine put out requests for adoption homes and that is when Jodie touched my heart. I responded to Catherine’s call and after she deemed me and my home appropriate and loving it was decided that I would be her and her baby’s forever home. 

I live on a ranch in the Sierra Nevada’s in California with my husband and two adult daughters.  We have 13 horses of all shapes & sizes. We have now including Jodie 6 BLM Wild Horses, 2 TB’s, 3 Quarter Horses, 1 Curly mare & 1 Belgian Palomino.  They share the ranch w/2 BLM Burros, 7 dogs, 3 cats, 2 Brahma bull calves & a few chickens.  We are one big happy family and this is for one and all their “forever” home.  We have the room, the experience and the love that it will take to make Jodie whole again. I know this is going to be a big job but I know the reward that waits at the end.  The reward is a happy confident well adjusted Mare that never has to say good bye to her baby. The two of them will forever be “ranch mates” here at our home, The Full Circle Ranch. 

Jodie at present is still in Texas at Kindle’s ranch but the Veterinarian has determined that Jodie will be ready for traveling the last week of August. This window for moving her is a small one but a doable one. We have transport booked w/a nice couple that will take the extra steps to insure the safety of our pregnant little rescue.

Thank you for taking the time to read about Jodie’s plight.  She and her unborn foal will never have to endure these hardships again and your donation will include you in their story and you will become part of the wonderful future that awaits them.

Please use this link: http://www.jersanctuary.org/ and click on the “Donate” tab or “make a donation” to go to the donations page.  Click on the One time donation option: “Donate” button.  That will direct you to the JERAS PayPal donations page.  Be sure to Click on the “Add special instructions to the seller” link and Note “JODIE” with your donation to insure that the funds are marked for her transportation cost of $900.00.  Any additional funds will be used to help JERAS in their continuing efforts in rescuing and caring for the animals that other’s have forgotten, abandoned or abused.  JERAS is a Non-Profit 501 (c)3 organization so your donations are tax deductible.