When Good Intentions Go Wrong....

I woke up this morning to this alarming note from Helping Hearts Equine Rescue. Two days ago, I asked our network to help with the Thoroughbred mares with foals at their sides that a NY Breeder was attempting to quickly get rid of. We initially were told that the horses would be shipped the following morning to Camelot in New Jersey (an auction lot). The man that was making the decision to eliminate his stock, had to be off his property in 10 days, and from subsequent conversations had said he had been trying to find homes for the horses since November. Whatever happened to this person to make these decisions, was not at issue. What was at issue, were the horses and trying to re-home them in less than a day, while they were still available and safe.

Well, to my dismay (NOT shock), this is the message greeting me this morning. Read on:


ALL RIGHT FOLKS - The man Donald Jones, who asked for help with his TB mares/foals, is fed up with rescue & says he'll never call a rescue again and he'll never recommend ANY rescue again. So these horses are out of our hands -- God knows where they will wind up.

WHY? BECAUSE PEOPLE, DESPITE OUR REQUESTS, CALLED THIS MAN TO HARRASS HIM AND GIVE HIM GRIEF. They also called authorities to file complaints, claiming that horses weren't cared for. Colleen S saw the horses & facilities-everything was clean & well cared for, horses were clean and well -fed, buckets were scrubbed, etc. etc. . They even called the Tb racing authority and filed unjustified complaints with them.

THIS IS HORRIBLE, THIS IS A SMACK IN THE FACE for all rescues. He's now got a story to tell, a sadly TRUE story that rescues are BAD, that they won't help people/animals in need, that they cause problems. How can you expect people to rely on us or trust us to assist horses in need????

Never mind the fact that we cannot now help these horses. Where-ever they wind up ~~~ auctions, feed lots, slaughter, it will be directly due to the irresponsible actions and the "High and Mighty Attitudes" of some individuals. THAT is NOT rescue! THAT is just causing trouble and grief, plain and simple.

WHOEVER YOU PEOPLE ARE THAT MADE THOSE CALLS -- SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!!


The following was my exact reply to this post:


This is exactly why as of today I will NO LONGER be involved with these situations. I am TIRED of the same OUTCOME over and over and over again! It's like a bunch of religious zealots shouting "witch" (yes, that has happened to me this week), and I am OVER it!!
When I created The Second Race, it was to work directly with race tracks, not auction lots and all the craziness that goes around it. This is no different.
The efforts were made, genuine conversations were handled with this man, and everyone knew the game plan (in the beginning), and I know headway was made. THEN someone thinks they have a better plan and like a ROGUE go out on their own and mess it up. I am done, done, done!
Now what, those who wanted the horses will have to pay the BROKERS ridiculous sums of money to bail out these horses, when they were FREE!!!!!!!!!! DONE! and yes, SHAME ON WHOEVER DID THIS!

So my conclusion.....the Internet works, and it doesn't. It's only as good as the people operating the keyboards. When will people who have no idea how a rescue works learn? (and in this case it WASN'T a rescue--YET), it was a person who genuinely was working with STRANGERS to solve his IMMEDIATE problem. I have to be honest I KNEW as soon as I saw that the person had given their phone number, there was going to be trouble and I wish I had said something sooner.

If we are to help the horses, then we need to respect those that are trying to do the right thing. We need to respect the group or individuals at the helm in these instances and their requests, and we need to make educated decisions that are in the best interest of all involved.

The Second Race was created to work directly with the race tracks, et al. But, with the Internet and social networking as our main source of re-homing horses; we have to respond when appropriate to other horses and needs. I know our network has made a difference, we have galvanized many times with a positive outcome, and we will continue to do so. But a line has to be drawn, to protect the integrity of many, including The Second Race. If "rescues" go bad over and over again, those that work hard to save horses or re-home them will ultimately lose heart and turn away and that would be the saddest outcome of all.