With special thanks to Patti Lippert, November 14th, 2016 April Trimmer writes:
April 9th, 2016 was the day Hip #7599 came into my life.
After seeing her on the PA Kill Pen Network page, all cut up and thin, I saw something in her video that made my heart ache for her.
When I first saw her picture, I knew her name would be Lacey.
I have never been so anxious to get a phone call in my life, the one that would let me know I could bring this sad girl home.
I was sitting in Chick Fil-A that Saturday morning when the call came. Unable to finish my sandwich from excitement, my boyfriend and I ran home, hooked the trailer up and headed up to PA.
When we got there, the old man led her out the very closed up barn, handed her lead to me and said, “This the right one? Here’s your horse miss.”
She walked right in the trailer, not knowing where she would be going, but betting it had to be better than where she had been.
I gave Lacey her first horse cookie, which she denied at first, but quickly changed her mind.
Some people may call me crazy, but as I stood next to her, I could feel an aura. This mare was special.
The old man told me that she had been worked with a teammate pulling a hay mower, and when something happened to her partner she ended up in the auction scene.
If those people had only known what they had…
If it’s one thing I want people to take from this is that you don’t have to own a $30k warmblood to be competitive. There are so many horses out there that have talent if they would only be given the chance to shine.
Fast forward 6 months and 5 days.
Lacey is getting ready to compete at the USDF Region 1 Col Bengt Ljungquist Memorial Championships at Training Level.
She qualified at her second show ever, only 3 short months after standing in a kill pen facing slaughter.
She had scored many times in the upper 60’s and low 70’s, winning a few classes.
As I was eating lunch before her Championship ride, it really hit me how much this horses life had changed in 6 months and 5 days.
I wondered what she thought of her life standing in a cushy bedded stall body clipped and mane braided under a fleece cooler.
I know she is thankful, and she is the most beautiful soul I have ever met.
Our championship test wasn’t the great, neck ribbon winning ride I knew she was capable of, but I was so proud regardless.
She made up for it 4 days later at the NC State Fair Light Draft show where she won her Champion neck ribbon in halter.
In a class judged on only her, everyone could see what I always saw under the dirt, wounds and shaggy hair 6 months ago. “Redeemed Lace” will never have to stand in a pen of horses unwanted and unworthy ever again.
If it’s one thing I want people to take from this is that you don’t have to own a $30k warmblood to be competitive. There are so many horses out there that have talent if they would only be given the chance to shine.
Just ask this big old pinto plow horse turned ballerina standing in my barn. ❤️
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CANADA SLAUGHTERS HORSES FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
It may be hard for some to believe that tens of thousands of horses, including pets, are routinely slaughtered in Canada, for human consumption.
Some of the meat is consumed in Canada and much of it is shipped to the European Union and other markets, including Japan.
The barbaric slaughter of horses is currently not legal in the United States, BUT horses, including pets and ex-racehorses, from the United States are shipped to Canada and to Mexico to be slaughtered.
In addition Canada allows for the transportation of live horses to Japan, to be slaughtered for human consumption, and unfortunately the transportation of horses destined for slaughter within Canada, and by air, is far from humane.
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