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Helping Horses, One Bale of Hay at a Time

December 01, 2009 - NEW GLOUCESTER -- With only 10 days worth of hay left, founders of Open Gates Equine Rescue are turning to the community for help to feed the 15 horses in their care.

"We're in kind of hard shape just like some of the people out there," co-founder Linda Walker said. "We didn't expect that to happen. We have had support, but this year has been really bad."

With the downturn in the economy, she said, Open Gates has seen few donations, and grant applications are being turned down because foundations have tightened their budgets as well.

Grain, hay, water and bedding cost about $3,500 a year per horse, said Walker and co-founder Debby Hutchins, and that doesn't include incidentals, farrier visits and vet bills.

The two have dipped into their retirement funds and asked friends for financial help, but Walker said you can only do that so much.

So now, they are reaching out to the community and asking them to participate in a "hay-a-thon." On their Web site, people can donate per bale of hay or select a dollar amount. As an added incentive, for every $5 donated, Open Gates is giving out raffle tickets for various gift certificates valued at $50 or more.

Maine Animal Welfare veterinarian Christine Fraser said she has seen similar problems across the state at animal shelters as well as equine rescues. She said everyone seems to be running short of funds.

For the equine rescues, the problem has been compounded by poor hay seasons driving up the price per bale the fact that more people are looking to surrender horses they can no longer afford.

"There are a lot of people willing to surrender (their horse) but very few places for those animals to go. Rescues are trying to take some of those animals, but there never seems to be enough room for them. They are expensive to keep," Fraser said.

A number of the horses at Open Gates are there because they were starved or neglected by their previous owners, Walker said. Some were surrendered, and several were seized by the state, Hutchins said.

"We always get calls and have to turn people away. We can only hold so many horses, but there is still quite a need out there," Hutchins said.

The cost and effort to maintaining a horse is something Open Gates Equine Rescue volunteer Darcy Soucy has realized in the past year and a half of helping out at the barn.

"Ultimately my goal is to own a horse, and this is a good learning tool," Soucy said. "The financial aspect has been an eye opener for me. At some point, I thought I could just buy a horse and call it good."

A misconception many first-time horse buyers have, Walker said. For now, Soucy is fulfilling her desire for a horse by taking time out of her schedule to volunteer most Sunday mornings and stop in one day during the week to muck out stalls and work with the horses.

"They've really taken on something that, especially in this economic time, is getting really tough," Soucy said.

By EMMA BOUTHILLETTE, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald, November 25, 2009


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