One way and another, a busy month! All over the place! Whew!
We started off with collecting ROMANO from Fairview Racecourse as he had finished his racing career and his owner wanted him to be adopted out. Very shortly after posting on Facebook, he was snapped up and left us for a new and loving home. Go well, boytjie!
Carla scooted off to inoculate for AHS the four mini ponies at Maranatha Centre.
We received a Complaint of a stray donkey in Kirkwood and which was never claimed. So a couple of days later, Stanley headed out to go and collect him. As he cannot talk to us and tell us his name, we have named him Gnutoo and he is now available for adoption.
This following is a bit difficult to write. We were relieved to hear that the attacker who has been intimidating everyone here (Sally) and in the township (Stanley) with his ‘bad’ behavior, was sent to his Maker for judgment and will no longer be harassing us and visitors to AWS! Some mother is crying, but not us!
The two stray ponies on Cape Road were brought in as stray. When the owners realized that their ponies were with us and contacted us, they were then visited by Carla and Stanley and read the Riot Act. They feel that the two boys are out looking for girls, so we said OK, we will geld them at our cost. Job done, and then they were returned to their owners who now know that if they are found stray again, they will be kept by the Unit and adopted out.
Our Sally, now volunteering before heading for the UK permanently, visited the Protea Children’s Home and gave the children and their minders a ‘lesson’ on the keeping of donkeys and Stanley visited a few days later to give them a hoof trim. Well done Sally and Stanley! In due course, thanks to a kind donation, Stanley visited to give a pile of clothing for which they were thankful and at the same time, did a trim of hooves.
A pony and donkey that we had gelded were returned to their two different owners. Vet Fee paid by both. Thank You!
SHADOW left for his new home and we wish him and his new family all the best for the future.
Carla and Sally caught up with our RED SCENT, DANCER and STOMPIE now in J Bay. Looking well and being loved!
Carla went to the Maranatha Street Childrens Home and vaccinated for AHS Calypso, Molly, Picasso, Piccolo and Talia. On their way home they found 2 stray donkeys on Victoria Drive and brought them in.
We told the story last month that our scanner had been stolen during a break-in at the Unit. This was quite a problem as Stanley often uses it in Transkei. On confirming that the AWS dog scanner ‘worked’ on microchipped horses, we approached VIRBAC to purchase one from them. They however, donated one to the Unit!! Wowzer! How grateful we all are!
Stanley delivered two full harnesses to a donkey cart owner in Uitenhage and at the same time trimmed the SPCA donkeys.
On a Saturday that had Stanley on duty, he received a panicky phonecall from our Cartie in Walmer Township. Stanley duly visited and found a piece of wire in the hoof which he removed and returned home. Well done, Jackson, for phoning!
A far flung Complaint received about underweight horses was received and only having 1 vehicle, the other one in for repair, we were unable to visit and with the cost of fuel it would have been wasteful expenditure. Fortunately, the local SPCA was already on the Case but were extremely difficult to contact and to discuss the Case with and it is bad manners to go and ‘intrude’ when another organisation is already busy with the Complaint. The owner of the horses had already done what she needed to do.
We were surprised to receive a tearful visitor at the Unit, complaining about bitting in Haarlem – waaaay down the coast – and wanting to alleviate the plough horses’ mouth problems. We were able to sell and give him some of our Tack Shop bits and have placed an order with the suppliers for donkey bits that are also needed.
Following on a Complaint received, Carla visited and found 14 horses with shocking hooves. Carla made a plan with Stanley and he went and did the required hoof care. Hopefully it will mean a difference to the horse’s lives! Ongoing rechecks will ensue to ensure that horses are kept in good ‘standing’.
Another Complaint was received, and Carla recommended Coolstance and this is already making a big difference.
A further Complaint was addressed, again, by Carla and we hope that environmental conditions will improve. Again, rechecks will be done!
It has taken two years for us to get to the Closing Arguments in the Court Case, and hopefully the Judgment will happen soon.
It was a little ‘weird’ when on our way home from the Court at St Albans Prison, we found a bloke leading a horse and a pony down the busy road. We offered our help, but he knew where they came from and so off we went to the owner to ask her to fetch her stray horses. Well done, Stephen!
A cry for help was received on Carla’s weekend on duty about a horse doing ‘funny stuff’. After discussion, Carla suggested that it was Choke and the horse needed Veterinary help to solve the problem immediately. Our Humansdorp Vet, Dr Van Vuuren was asked to attend and yes, it was a bad one! But the Doctor perservered and now Magic is up and running again! Thank you, Doc Van Vuuren!
A sudden unexpected power surge blew the work phone and Stanley’s phone that were both on charge at that time. Unfixable! And boy oh boy, do we need the phone! So Carla and I went off a bought a ‘cheapie’ and we are now back in contact but have lost all our numbers!! Aaaargh!
One of our adopted out donkeys managed to get himself snared by a snare set to catch wildlife. A very concerned parent phoned for help and Carla visited. All’s well that ends well, but best to check your grazing paddocks in case somebody has laid a snare and you don’t want your horses or donkeys being wounded.
And… then it was RACEDAY 2018. After months of planning and getting sponsorships, the day was upon us.
We thank our Sponsors MINING PRESSURE SYSTEMS, 9TH AVENUE VETERINARY CLINIC, RITE AID HEALTH, CAPE BREEDERS CLUB, VILLA FELICE STUD (in memory of the late Mr Peter Fenix), MAURITZFONTEIN STUD, WILGERBOSDRIFT STUD, for their generous sponsorships. Without your help with funding, we would be well and truly ‘cut down to size’. It’s a case of the racing industry paying it forward for our gorgeous Thoroughbreds. Our Staff and Volunteers enjoyed our lunch, after which Stanley headed north to Transkei. In the evening we had the Auction of the Sunday Derby Runners, which has brought in some much needed cash to the Bank Account. We also thank the Racing Association and Phumelela for their ongoing support and Dorrie and Karin for advice and assistance.
We need to put it ‘out there’ that we are bound by the Criminal Procedures Act to look after our Confiscates and Surrenders and it therefore costs us R3000.00 every two weeks for fodder alone for all the equines, never mind the cubes! So we are very grateful for funding.
On Sunday 28th October, our HASHIMOTO, surrendered to the Unit for his ‘second life’ and missing a bullet just in time, adopted and ridden by Kate Roberts, gave an awesome demo on the poly track in a Musical Kur (dressage to music) and showjumping that the attending crowd really enjoyed. Knowing his history and seeing how magically he performed was a highlight for us. Our Thoroughbreds off the Track go on to do many things in their Second Lives. Bravo, Kate and Hashi!
We thank the BOARDWALK HOTEL for their generous donation of a weekend worth R6000 for our Raffle. Fantasmagorical! Won by Mr and Mrs Laing.
We also thank Alasia of NEWTON PARK SUPERSPAR for her generous donation of gifts for a Lucky Draw for our Lunch guests. Much appreciated! Winners of the R500 gift voucher were Dumo, Mariska, Mr Le Haze and Tracy!
Tavcor visited on Saturday morning to hold their Amazing Race and this was enjoyed by all, including the equines!
Sally’s Surprise!! Thanks to Jackson’s jenny foaling down, Sally now has a namesake!
DONATIONS OF TIME AND AUCTION ITEMS FOR WHICH WE ARE SO THANKFUL!
Eugene – donated auction items
Ayanda – donated a horse shoe tack rack and ingenious horse shoe hoofpick.
LINTON GRANGE ANIMAL HOSPITAL – donated teff roll.
James – donated 10kg bags carrots for all the equines
Taryn – donated grass roll and clctd Carla.
VOLUNTEERS – Tanika, Robin, Eugene, Sally and Grant
Banking Details: Standard Bank Account 080733875, Code 0512001. Reference: Your name or project
Facebook: EAST CAPE HORSE CARE UNIT
Contact numbers Office cellphone 072 357 2505
SO glad October is over!!
M