The Story Of our Tammy, The Belgian Mare and her filly, Treasure.

This is Tammy, a 10-year-old Belgian mare who now resides at Canyon Creek Farm Horse Rescue. The photo below, was taken in Canada in July 2005, with Tammy's baby at her side, a 2005 filly whose daddy is a well-bred Peppy San, Quarter horse stallion. We purchased Tammy and her beautiful filly we named Treasure. In their previous home – a farm in Alberta, Canada – Tammy was not just a horse, but an employee, a "working girl" whose estrogen was needed to make the female hormone replacement drug, Premarin. To make this drug, Tammy was kept pregnant each and every year. Treasure is her seventh foal. When some of the farms closed down in 2005, Tammy and her entire herd were offered for sale. We visited Tammy and Treasure at the farm and purchased them, as well as 60 others.

Tammy and Treasure, in Canada, July 2005

Many of the horses from Tammy's pasture had already been purchased by another buyer. This buyer had another plan for the horses he purchased. One day, a double-decker trailer showed up at the farm to pick up his horses. Tammy and Treasure were suddenly seperated and our little Treasure was mistakenly loaded on his trailer. Tammy screamed for her baby but no one noticed that they had taken the wrong horse! We got a call from Canada that she was gone and that we were not able to get her back. Our hearts sunk as we knew her fate – she was on her way to the feedlot where she would grow fat, for soon she would be slaughtered for human consumption! The farmer offered us a replacement for Treasure. We readily accepted the new horse (another Peppy San bred colt quarter/belgian that we named Bruce Almighty), but we did not understand how or why this happened. We were heartbroken! Tammy finally arrived at our farm in December. She is a beautiful sorrel mare with kind eyes who is quite athletic for her size. She soon grew to love us, and she adores being handled and brushed. We have had many calls inquiring about our Tammy, but we are hoping to place her in our horse program to help handicapped adults, where she can be forever honored and loved by many.

Tammy alone in California December 2005

It is a struggle to compete with a market that desires horses as much as we do but for a completely different purpose. We rarely get a chance to save these big meaty horses. We honor and protect our beloved horses, as they are our companions, our friends, our dreams . . . they are not food. Treasure, and the others we have lost, represent the thousands we are so desperately trying to save. The funds that are so kindly donated by concerned people are going to be used to help save another herd of threatened horses. Tammy thanks them, and Treasure thanks them, too. Although Treasure is gone, she is not forgotten. Her memory will remain in our hearts forever, and our mission will be stronger because of how losing her made us feel.

Our Story of Sugar and her sister Newfie!

"Sugar" and "Newfie" are two beautiful APHA registered Paints that we found together in Canada. Both were rescued and bought back off of the feedlot where they were being fattened for slaughter. We can not for the life of us, figure out why, two beautiful, sweet, registered and sound mares would need to suffer that kind of fate. They came down to us on July 17th, and from the moment they arrived, we knew they had a special bond. Not only are they from the same breeder and share the same grand sire, but they are best friends. And they are both beautiful young black and white paints. They spend their free time grooming each other and never fight over carrots or affection.. So we felt that it would be a shame to break them apart. We promised them that we would hold on to them until the perfect situation comes along. We would get offers everyday, believe me both would have already been placed, but in all of our dreams, we imagine them as two matching trail horses, one for him and the other for her! ( English or Western, performance or pleasure these two talented young mares deserved the very best forever homes!) Newfie is two and a half years old, and doing wonderfully under saddle. She is showing talent as a jumper and could make a nice event prospect. Newfie naturally knows flying lead changes and has really smooth gaits. But she would be just as happy being a trail horse if she could ride along side, sister Sugar. Newfie is expected to top off at 15.2 hands - she is still growing. Everyone is amazed at her beautiful blue eyes. Sugar, is 4 years old and also working well under saddle, she is going Western, and English - she has really nice swingy gaits and a cute, cute trot, she moves well from behind. Sugar has brown eyes and the build of a quarter horse. Sugar and Newfie have wonderful personalities and love people (and carrots, sometimes apples too). We are very proud out "our" two girls.

Adopted! Thank you Sharon & Dave - we love you!

Dreams do come true!

Our beautiful girls found a wonderful home with Sharon and Dave. Here is the most recent photograph of them together at their new home in April 2006. What a story this is for all of us. Our first rescues, saved from slaughter. We brought them to California, loved and trained them and held on to them until the perfect home was found. In the meantime both girls were photographed and appeared in Horse Illustrated Magazine in March 2006, shortly thereafter they were adopted by Sharon and Dave! Read the whole adoption story and the many more that we are so very proud to share. Thank you for caring, your kind hearts help make these dreams a reality!

OUR HORSES ARE ARRIVING IN MANY DIFFERENT LOADS, DEPENDING ON WEANING SCHEDULES AND PAPERWORK. OUR TRAINERS AND ALL OF US HERE AT CANYON CREEK WORK DAILY WITH EACH HORSE TO INSURE IT'S PLACEMENT IN THE BEST OF HOMES. We feel that with so many horses at risk (especially the pasture raised, halter broke mares) we can only insure their successful placement in homes that are able to handle their temperament as well as future ability. We do not want to see the horse or the new owner placed in a compromised or unsafe position. We hope to create a lifetime friendship between you and your horse. We are horse lovers- not horse dealers so we will not rush you into a decision about a horse. As our horses are brought in from the farms, they learn about separation and stall confinement as many will go on to live their lives in smaller quarters. Our horses are handled daily, they are in excellent health and they are washed, groomed and taught to load in a variety of trailers, they tie, pick up their feet for the farrier and have ground and barn manners. They are each taught round pen work, as we practice natural horsemanship techniques and offer follow up training for adopters. We also hold clinics. Often we video tape the training sessions so that the owner has a reference as to what training the horse has had. Many times these PMU horses go to first time horse owners, with this commitment we go far beyond what most rescues offer, but to us, pairing the right horse with the right owner creates a safe and rewarding and most importantly LASTING relationship, and that is what Canyon Creek Farm Horse Rescue is all about!

PLEASE LOOK AT THESE HORSES BEFORE YOU CONSIDER PURCHASING ANOTHER. THAT IS ALL THEY ASK. AT THIS TIME WE ARE COMPLETELY SELF FUNDED. Prices start at $1,200.00 for grade weanlings and average $2500.00 for the registered AQHA and APHA and Draft Cross weanlings. Mares in training start at $3,000.00. Their prices increase with the training and time invested in each as well as consideration as to their breeding and local market values. All profits from these horses are used to purchase and save and train more. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR LOVE OF THESE BEAUTIFUL HORSES. Please let us keep our promise to the ones we left behind so that they too, can experience the love and future homes that they each deserve. Sincerely, Canyon Creek Farm Horse Rescue

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