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Arlo
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« on: July 05, 2008, 11:30:42 AM » |
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I got back from the Midwest about a week ago. The shelter and some local vets gave me supplies (meds and food and water) to take out there. When I got to Iowa they asked for help rescuing some horses. I know nothing about horses; I am a city kid. They said I was calm and wouldn't be scary and to please try. I ended up walking horses out of mud and water, cleaning and drying hooves, and walking, walking, walking to prevent colic. The sad part is there were very few college kids. They were the ones who used to volunteer all the time. College has gotten so expensive, they must work all the time. I realize the baby boomers are getting smacked around a lot, but we're still the guys who help in a crisis. We're not that selfish and bad.
What is that movie quote: "Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa."
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« Last Edit: July 05, 2008, 11:43:19 AM by Arlo »
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To insult someone we call him "bestial." For deliberate cruelty and nature, "human" might be the greater insult. ~ Isaac Asimov
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MarySmith
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« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2008, 12:21:25 PM » |
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I'm glad that you able to help out, Arlo.
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MarySmith
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trudy1
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« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2008, 01:08:37 PM » |
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Arlo did a wonderful job doing the rescuing of the animals. Staying whever He could and doing whatever was asked. He should be rewarded. Yeah, Arlo.
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Arabiannikki
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« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2008, 02:05:55 PM » |
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What a great job. Horse lovers across America thank you. I know horses can be real scary but the most of them are gentle giants. They also have a keen sense of knowing when someone is trying to help. Kudos to you and others out there doing what they can.
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petslave
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« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2008, 03:07:55 PM » |
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Aren't they interesting animals, Arlo? So huge but so together in their horse way of being. And they have their own set of health concerns, like colic, that you have to know about to help them. It sounds like you were able to help out a lot there, great that you were able to take the time to pitch in.
That's sad that few younger people were helping out. I do hope it was from needing to work, and not due to a lack of caring or wanting to help.
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lesliek
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« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2008, 07:21:39 PM » |
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Arlo great job with the horses ! They really are very gentle and appreciative of help. It is a great shame that high school & college students mostly all work now on breaks & summer vacation. Not only are they needed as volunteers,but I think helping others is a great experience for them. Our middle school & all the local churches & synogogues require community service for the kids to graduate. We have a regional high school system with 5 schools,& they all run toys for tots drives along with other charitable efforts. It would be nice to see them encouraged to work with needy animals also.
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"the world's most inept extortionist"
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catwoods
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« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2008, 07:26:29 PM » |
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Bless your heart for helping with the horses, Arlo. Horses are amazing animals. They are rather large! But they do respond to serenity.
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« Last Edit: July 05, 2008, 07:48:00 PM by catwoods »
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pygmypets
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« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2008, 08:23:53 PM » |
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Arlo thank you for helping the horses. Horses are dear to me and I can not imagine my life without horses in it.It warms my heart that you spent so much time and put so much energy into not only helping the horses but learning about them too.
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Mom to cute cats, tiny pygmy goats, fat horses , mini donkeys and one great dog.
"Never does a man know the force that is in him until some mighty affection or grief has humanized the soul."
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Poco
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« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2008, 11:40:44 PM » |
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Thanks for helping out in the Midwest, Arlo. They had flooding here in rual areas last winter, and it really stressed the local groups trying to help farm animals. The loss of feed was a problem for months.
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"Our country is now geared to an arms economy bred in an artificially induced psychosis of war hysteria and an incessant propaganda of fear." ----General Douglas MacArthur
"American GIs are not toy soldiers to be moved around on some global game board." ----General Colin Powell
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JJ
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« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2008, 11:57:54 PM » |
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Arlo if you are not rescuing and then adopting some of your rescues you are out helping others rescue animals who may well have died if not for people like you.
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'Life isn't about how to survive the storm,
But how to dance in the rain.'
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JustMe
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« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2008, 06:56:08 AM » |
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What is that movie quote: "Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa."
Field of Dreams. Love that movie. I'm amazed at all you do, Arlo, truly amazed. |
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I'm living the dream.
Pet food posts are solely observations on my pets' reactions to the foods I feed them, not recommendations.
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Arlo
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« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2008, 08:32:45 AM » |
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I was able to get away because I'm between semesters. I am way behind on everything else now, but this was something I always wanted to do. My wife was too ill during the Katrina aftermath, so I couldn't help then.
Several of the horses had hoof problems from standing in water/mud/manure. The knowledgeable people were very concerned about colic from bad hay and feed. Just about everything was moldy. A long distance trucker in my area is going to be saving a corner in his truck for bags of feed and will drop it off on a couple of farms in Iowa. He did this after Katrina for some places in Mississippi. The shelter has already gotten a number of 50 pound bags, and cash contributions for gas money.
It was interesting. I got an incredible amount of help from a couple of biker groups. Some really rough looking guys, but hearts of gold. They really loved the horses, but were also rescuing barn cats, raccoons, opposums, etc. Local teen religious groups helped out, but I couldn't find anybody from my area to share the drive with. The college and the shelter got together supplies and a little gas money for me, but no human beings.
Now that I've done it once, I will definitely do it again. It's quite an experience.
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« Last Edit: July 06, 2008, 08:36:22 AM by Arlo »
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To insult someone we call him "bestial." For deliberate cruelty and nature, "human" might be the greater insult. ~ Isaac Asimov
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catmom5
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« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2008, 08:44:29 AM » |
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You are a most special human being, Arlo. I'm proud to know you on the forum. Wish we had a lot more just like you!
I couldn't go to the Katrina areas but did some remote reunion work (about 2 years worth) and the stories were both heart breaking and heart warming. Never did find the doggers "my" people were looking for. Bless you for being able to do what you did! And bless those folks who stood beside you and the donaters and truckers and bikers . . . just goes to show that you can't tell someone's heart by his/his appearance alone.
Blessings and much gratitude
catmom5
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catbird
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« Reply #13 on: July 06, 2008, 01:08:08 PM » |
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It is really wonderful that you gave your between-semesters break time, Arlo, to help these poor animals in need. I am also happy to hear about the rescues of barn cats, raccoons, possums, and the like. So often the wild critters get forgotten.
When I was a little kid, a relative owned and trained harness racing horses (trotters and pacers) in the same general area of Iowa as Cedar Rapids, where the flooding was so severe. I can remember going to county fairs, and being allowed to walk the horses as part of their cool-down after racing, under the watchful eye of my relative. I considered it a real privilege. Today, I am amazed that these competitive large animals let nine- or ten-year-old kid hold the line and walk them around and around. But they did. They are really wonderful animals.
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"When Mother Nature saw fit to remove the tail of the Manx, she left, in place of the tail, more cat." --Mary Stewart
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Fizzy1
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« Reply #14 on: July 06, 2008, 08:28:20 PM » |
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This world is a better place because of you. Thank You.
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