An Appalachian sunset. Feral foal Shanti.

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@quietappalachians
An Appalachian sunset. Feral foal Shanti.
This isn’t truly a blog, just a place where I share photos of my home for those who would like to see, but consider this post “bloggy”, and please do read if you have the time.
When I first began this Tumblr it was to share photos of Appalachia, but slowly it became about the horses of Appalachia that I dearly love. Yet they are as Appalachian as anything else I post, maybe even more so, because these horses are now as a part of our land as the mountains themselves. They make their homes in the hills the same way we do. They are hardy and resilient, just as any Appalachian woodsman must be to survive here. And survive they do, for as long as they can.
But this post isn’t totally about them, though I hope you guys enjoy seeing them. This is about two rescues who are fighting tooth and nail to save the horses of Appalachia, be them feral or not. These are two organizations that have beyond proved themselves worthy of your love and support, and I hope that any who can will donate their time, money, or goods to help them fight this onslaught of poverty in our area that doesn’t just affect people.
First up is the Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC) located in Nicholasville Kentucky just outside of Lexington. This is a beautiful piece of property spread over 70 acres that is currently home to 49 rescue horses, many of which were pulled straight from our mountains. (Their capacity is 50 horses, by the way.) This is also the home of Millie, formerly Kiah. Now, if you don’t know who Kiah is, she is the first baby born on the mountain last year. She was foaled around April 1’st, 2016. She is the youngest living daughter of the oldest stallion on the mountain who was over 25 years old when he sired her. He is now presumed passed and a new stallion has taken over his herd.
I watched Millie grow from the time she was a few days old over the course of a year. To me, she was special, being my first foal encounter and belonging to such an old stallion. Then, a couple weeks shy of her first birthday, I found her alone, down, and unable to stand. For an hour I carted her water up and down the mountain until finally I said “Please, show me you want to live, and I swear I will find a way to get you off this mountain.” She wanted so badly to live. She made it very clear. And it was done.
After much calling and crying and running around, we were able to make a ridiculous rescue, and the next morning Almost Home Shelter Pet Rescue (Almost Home) from Hazard Kentucky sent a trailer (the driver of whom did all this only for gas money) and sent her to KyEHC who had her sent directly to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. She spent a solid two weeks at the hospital receiving ‘round the clock IVs, hay, feed, and hand walking. And, true to her incredible nature, Kiah, who became Millie, led. She allowed herself to be handled. She was kind and accepting. And now… you guys just wouldn’t believe it. But luckily I have photos.
I was able to go back and see Millie and speak with her rescuers about her in more detail. The yearling I met wasn’t the fearful filly I walked up on on the mountain. She didn’t balk at my touch. There was no fear in her eyes. Instead that panic held curiosity and joy and kindness. She was playful and oh so happy. For the first time in her life I got to see her play and let loose without worry, and she may have a future as a therapy horse, all because of what Almost Home and KyEHC have done for her.
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The next rescue is another special one, whose own motto is “Saving the horses of Appalachia”. They are incredible have saved some very incredible horses. They have many of our feral horses in their custody, improving their lives dramatically.
Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue INC. (HOP) is based in Shoals West Virginia. They are dedicated to saving horses in need in West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and Southern Ohio. Recently HOP has begun a program called the Appalachian Trainer Face-Off, a competition in which local trainers are paired with an untrained/unhandled rescue horse and are given 100 days to gentle, train, and exhibit the horse for adoption through HOP rescue.
This rescue takes in some of the most abused, neglected, emaciated horses I have ever seen in my life, supporting them all through donations. Anytime I have asked them for help they have responded and stepped in to at least try.
Horses built America. They built most of the world, in fact. They toil for us, love us, are loyal to us, and in times of hardship they feed and clothe us. If there is anyone or anything in this world we owe ourselves to, it is them.
Both of these wonderful rescues accept donations of money, goods, and time. If you are interested in somehow donating or just following their horses please check out the links in their information above and below. If you cannot donate, please share!
Also below are links to a couple previous posts about Millie (which include previous posts about Millie). **The third and fifth images belong to KyEHC’s Facebook page.
Links to Millie’s original story:
Plea for help
Full story
KyEHC Facebook / Website
Almost Home Facebook
HOP Facebook / Website
Appalachian Trainer Faceoff (pssst, I’m on #HOPTeamDune)
Earlier I posted about Millie, the first foal born on the mountain this year. If you would like to donate to the rescue to help please click THIS link to learn how to do so.
As promised here’s the story. You can also follow Almost Home Shelter Pet Rescue on Facebook to keep up with her progress.
TL;DR is at the bottom. So sunday I went to Dingo as I usually do. I dumped out food, visited, and rode around. When I saw this filly, I thought maybe she was just sunning. But what baby suns without a herd? When I checked on her, she didn't run. She didn't even toss her head. She just looked at me with a panicked eye that begged me not to eat her alive. Any attempt she made to get up and away from me ended with her back on the ground, totally exhausted. Through the fur, she has a body score of one, with pale gums and labored breathing. I sat with her for two hours, loving on her and carting her pans of water up and down the mountain and picking whatever grass I could find for her. A few times I thought she'd died on me, or was coming pretty close. But she always tried to get up. I told her "If you have a will, I swear I will find a way." and when she showed me she had more than a will, I ran for help. After almost two hours of calling and messaging, getting hung up on and told I'm, unfortunately, too far, I made a decision. Either she was coming off that mountain and home with me, or a bullet was going in her brain. Either way, she would not lay there and suffer anymore. So armed with a brother, and a truck, a .44 mag. and a very trusty sidekick, we went to the mountain after dark and lowered the tailgate. Like I ever had any intention of shooting a yearling that desperately wanted to live. We haltered her, slipped a rope under her barrel, and let her brace against us as we held her up and walked her down the mountain, hoisted her into the truck bed, and took her home. We did what we could last night. This morning I went back before the sun came up and found her awake and interested in the things around her. She spent all day munching on hydration hay, dried grass, ferns, and sipping gatorade. Passing stool was a burden on her. Chewing too long wore her out to the point of exhaustion. A couple of times she just fell back, put her head in my lap, and had to sleep before she could keep eating. I had to turn her from side to side to keep pressure even, had to blanket her and keep hay beneath her to help her keep warm. And then came the cavalry. Almost Home rescue responded, they sent a trailer, and when I came back to help load her,she was already loaded. And STANDING! Once she had help getting to her feet she was able to walk herself to the trailer and keep standing even after it moved. She left the property standing on her own and headed on her way to Rood and Riddle to get the veterinary help she needs so that she can be adopted when she recovers. This filly was born about April 1st 2016. She was the first foal born last year. Her mother was a bay mare, her father a black and white stallion, the oldest on the mountain, 25+ years. She has never been touched by a human hand before and yet she trusted all of us to get her the help she desperately needed. Her name is Kiah, meaning Start of the season, A beautiful place, and God is strength. And she is living proof you don't just give up on something because it seems impossible to others, and sometimes even to yourself. TL;DR: Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.
Currently we know that Kiah (now known as Millie) only weighs 250 pounds. But she has a strong heart, good bloodwork, and an extraordinary will.
Today she stood on her own.
A video of her
Photo foal updates
Hey guys, we need your help.
Do you guys remember this foal? She was the first foal born on the mountain last year, around April first. She is the daughter of a bay mare and the 25+ year old black and white stallion, presumed granddaughter of the Big Mare. She was a beautiful girl, very spunky and full of life.
I found her on Sunday March 7th down, alone, unable to stand. Long story short (full story will be in a separate post that will be linked below) she is now at Rood and Riddle equine veterinary clinic in Lexington KY. From there she will hopefully be going to Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC) in Lexington.
Her bill, as of right now, is looking like it is going to be around $2000. If anyone out there would like to donate to the KyEHC for her (and their other residents) I will link to their donation button below. Her name right now, through them,is Millie. You can donate generally or you can click “Yes” when it asks if this is in honor of someone and use her name.
Below is a link to the KyEHC’s donation button (through FB & their website) and their website, and Almost Home (the rescue that came to take her).
Donate to KyEHC (Facebook) ~~ KyEHC (Website Donate)
KyEHC Website
Almost Home Shelter Pet Rescue
The Explore Kentucky Initiative is hosting an educational group hike through Blanton Forest in Harlan County KY.
The Explore Kentucky Initiative is hosting a day hike in Harlan County in Kentucky’s largest Old Growth Forest. They currently have 12 slots open for the Sunday hike on March 12th. The hike will include opportunities to learn about the old growth forest as hikers head up to Knobby Rock then around to Sand Cave.
More information can be found on their Facebook page: Explore Kentucky’s Ancient Forest and on their Website. Tickets are $15.
Dom’s herd at sunset
The stallion called Knight.
The little mare we call Arya.
Shades of purple.
Harlan, KY.
We be on Instagram now! Currently addicted to uploading.
AppalachianWind
Spend time in nature. Seriously. Bond with it. Don’t just go for a walk, a hike, a run with your headphones in. Take each step mindfully. Sit and touch the grass, the moss, study the mushrooms, close your eyes and listen to the wind. Sit with your back against a tree and talk with the tree spirits. Spend time in nature and treat it like an old friend. There is so much magick there! 🌿🌲🍂🌸🌱
Such truth.
Blanton Forest State Park, Watts Creek trail, 12/27/16
This was my first time hiking in Blanton Forest and I’ve been itching clear down to my bones to go back and go even farther. How have I gone all these years and never experienced this beautiful place?
Mike Howard, The Mountain Santa, has been bringing joy to the children of Harlan county Kentucky for 41 years.
He's not the typical Santa, but to the poor children of Harlan County, he's very real
I got an EasyBake oven from the mountain Santa when I was a little girl, in a trailer park not unlike this one.
This man does so much good for our community. Sick parents, disabled parents, parents who are working like dogs for big wigs who couldn’t care less often rely on this man and what his elves do to help their children have a Christmas.
I loved my EasyBake. I hope a lot of other kids loved theirs too.
I’m sad to report that this colt has died.
We found his body on 12/3/16. The entire year he has been... off. He would never come down to eat with the rest of his herd or play with the other foals. I don’t believe it was starvation as much as something internally wrong with him.
I did not take a photo of his body as predators had been hard at work on it.
There’s something about a mare.
My niece and and the old mare Catelyn.
Hello Curious Folk and stalkers alike!
It has occurred to me that I am up to 325 followers and though I don’t know how many are active, to me that’s quite a lot of people!
So I was wondering... is there anything any of you would like to know about this blog? Any requests for photos of my home, the horses I harass?
I will likely be making some blog changes soon but in the meantime I have opened up my asks.
Fire Away