I wanted to share with you a story from our volunteer placement coordinator and lover of ASAP horses in Ohio. This is a recent journey Pam took and the effort she put forth to find the perfect home for License to Dream.These are the kind of people who represent our organization and don't always get the recognition they deserve. Pam, we salute you!

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Oh Susan, Saturday was such a Spirit-filled day. Sissy at LAHRR is truly a awesome person. The journey to get Dream to Sissy's was unique. We were delayed by an hour due to a "way too long" church meeting. She loaded just fine and away we went. 3 of my kids, my husband, myself, a horse and trailier all being towed by my mighty van. (Our very old truck had a 'come to Jesus' experience earlier that week.) It took about 4.5 hours instead of 3.5 hours and we only got lost once. We blew a tire on the way home too. Dream trailer just fine for all that time. My kids did ok too. It didn't hurt that I packed plenty of snacks to keep them happy. Sissy's place is very nice. We drove up a long lane with horses flanking both sides. It almost look like something from a picture. Sissy has 70 acres with a stream and woods, deer, wild turkey running around. Just beautiful for any horse. There are 2 older barns where the very blind or ill horses are housed. They also are working on a new 3rd barn in which she hopes to be able to rehab more horses and have some programs for volunteers. She is really a neat person and I am so glad that I made contact with her. You would really like her. By the way we put Dream in with some of the older horses to get her used to the place. She walked right in and behaved just like she had been there all her life. It almost made me cry.

-Pam M.

January 6, 2004

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It is now 2004 - time for renewed hope for mankind and the world as we purge on in our everyday lives in our very unstable and unpredictable universe.

I am saddened by the events of the last week as far as ASAP goes, and grief-stricken for two horses that have recently lost their lives while our organization fought so desperately to get them out of neglectful circumstances.

We have been working on a questionable case of neglect in the state of Illinois in Lake County since November. We received on complaint and pursued investigating that complaint. After gaining some assistance from Illinois animal societies, ASAP continued repeated calls and emails in order to gain the cooperation of the person who had the horses to allow a vet onto the property. This whole ordeal took time - messages upon messages left - ASAP officers frustrated, knowing the consequences of taking action on another's property without proper legal procedures being followed.

Finally, a call - an email, and permission granted for the horses to be moved to a nearby Illinois farm for veterinary attention and legal paperwork.

It was only days too late for one horse, and the other mare is in serious condition but has been safely taken to a sanctuary where she can eat, stay warm, and be loved. The third horse was a gelding, and he was the first to die before our organization became involved intensely.

I am angry because we cannot cross state lines with a horse without the proper procedures being followed, and this held us up greatly, since so few people in Illinois offered to assist us in taking the horses. I am grieving this, and wondering what to do differently next time. Is there anything that can be done?

Just as I was feeling a little "down" on the human race, along came the Anderson family while I was out of town. They arrived on a Sunday. The Andersons have adopted three wonderful horses from us: Dudley the Dragon, Legacy Lin, and another horse whose name escapes me right now (sorry Mary!!). Mary and her daughter drove across state on that Sunday on December 28 with a truck load of high-quality feed, boxes and boxes of horse treats, more bags of horse treats, deworming paste, and Weight Builder. IN addition was a golden basket full of holiday treats for my family which included homemade sugar cookie mix, hot cocoa mix (with the real chocolate chips in them), and candles. I was so very sorry that I missed them. I wanted to give them a huge kiss and hug for thinking of the horses and ASAP, but I was out of town on holiday travel with my hubby and kids! Mary's daughter was asked by Mary what she wanted to do on her birthday. Her daughter replied that she would love to go to the ASAP farm to give attention to the horses that were waiting for homes, and to dote on the sanctuary horses. Talk about a selfless teenager!!! We are so very blessed to have met such wonderful people over the years through ASAP! Thank you, Anderson's, and I promise next time to be here when you come!

Talk about getting away for a few days? Well, I guess they say no one can take care of things like mama can, and this short getaway was no exception. We took the two little dogs Cookie and Tina with us, but Raffi had to stay behind, and Magnum and Blue. We had people to care for the small animals, and our nephew to feed the horses and pigs and rabbit. The good news is that all animals were safe sound and chubby when we got home. The bad news is that Sarapig and Freedom triumphantly ravaged through bags of feed in our barn, ripping holes mercilessly in them and leaving quite a mess all over for the mice to gather.

The pigs had knocked over all garbage cans and storage bins in the barn, and our nephew must not have had his contacts in or glasses on during this whole travesty because it never got cleaned up. Stalls were left uncleaned, and the garage, which housed Magnum and Blue at night, was full of diarrhea and dog pee in every nook and cranny.

I guess Craig doesn't appreciate coming home to this sort of sight or smell after 10 hours of driving in one day, and neither one of us appreciated burning the midnight oil to clean things up. I guess my standards are a little different than others', but in the end no one got hurt and no one died, so that's the important thing!

Jackson the Saddlebred is waiting for his ride to his new home in Minnesota, Tax Day left for Minnesota last week, and it sounds like Francis G. just might be going to his new home in the near future. That will free up space for the horses waiting at Bell Valley Farms, while Derby the Arabian appears to have become a permanent fixture here. Doesn't anyone want an almost-free Arabian??? LOL.....I guess the right person is out there somewhere.

The grief of losing Wolfie is still evident, but I have found some fiercely faithful friends who have shared my sorrow and consoled me greatly. I want to thank Andrea Hanson and Rhonda Hanson for coming to see me last Saturday and bringing me a book entitled, "Dog is My Co Pilot", which I have thoroughly enjoyed reading. And, I have a question to ask you.....would I be absolutely INSANE to try and fill the void that Wolfie has left by giving a home to a dog in need? I received a call two weeks after Wolfie died from a woman whose friend saw Wolfie's story on the web site. She said that she didn't know if I would consider this or not, but she sold two Alaskan Malamutes almost two years ago to a gentleman in Chicago who had a reindeer farm. He passed away rather unexpectedly, and his family contacted this gal, who took the dogs back to where they had been bred and born. Her question was, "Would you consider giving one of these dogs a good home?" Well, I have refused to be impulsive about this decision, and have been looking at a few sites that have puppies for sale. It is interesting, but I am drawn to these homeless dogs - the one whose owner died about the same time that Wolfie died... could God have a reason for this woman calling? Am I to respond?

Well, I've talked it over with Craig, who is cringing. We are going to give this a two week trial to see how it goes. This Malamute's name is Louie, but I will call him Prince. He gets along with all animals and loves children. Before he comes, I want to be sure he will be good to Raffie, because Raffi is a primary concern since he cannot defend himself (our cat who has cerebellar hyperplasia). If this works out, I will be overjoyed. Of course, there will NEVER be another Wolfie..........but just looking outside and seeing something looking back at me that looks like him and probably acts like him will bring comfort and will complete the part of me that has gone missing since Wolfie died. Maybe I'm crazy? Let me know what you think by emailing me at
asapinc@mwt.net

Okay, January is a busy month!

Jan. 10 - IHHA Recognition Banquet at Balmoral Park in Crete, IL
Jan. 24 - ASAP Dinner at Balmoral Park Call to reserve a spot - so far 12 are committed - I'll get a block of rooms at Super 8 at Monee!
JAN. 10 - CALENDARS WILL BE HERE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE!

As always, we continue to need people to provide hauling and foster care for some incoming horses. Call me at 608-689-2296 if you can help.

Hope you all had a great holiday!
Hugs,
Susan