Leroy meets the herd

Leroy is an ex-Amish Belgian workhorse, rescued off a feedlot through Another Chance for Horses (www.ac4h.com). He's been here almost 2 months, and today is the day that I opened the gate to let him meet "the girls". Yes, he still has much weight to gain, but he is coming along, and is learning to trust humans again.

Lakota is an 11 year old Curly Appaloosa mare and lead mare. Ana (the bay filly) is 7 months old (Lakota's niece), and out of Morningstar Jen, Lakota's sister and also a rescue. Whinney the Pooh is an elderly shetland pony mare, and April is the little palomino mini. Missing from the video was Jen, Ana's dam, who was in the lower paddock, still eating, her favorite past-time (understandably).

**Update -- Leroy crossed the Rainbow Bridge in August of 2008. He went peacefully on his own, with a full belly and a happy retirement.


You can see both their stories at www.chestnuthilldesigns.com/Leroy.html, and www.chestnuthilldesigns.com/Jen.html.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• horse
• belgian
• curly
• bashkir
• appaloosa
• rescue

[IknowImasd]

OMGoodness what a sweet old man. I read your blog re him. I thought the Amish were kind to their animals but they can't be if they left him all beat up like that? Thankyou so much for giving him just a little of what he deserved in life,some feeling of belonging and love and when

HE thought it was time, a piecefull death. Thankyou for making the effort of saving him and crying for him when he died. I am crying for him too. If Iever get there I hope to compare animal stories with ya in heaven!

[shellyct]

@IknowImasd Amish are like anyone else, some are abusive, some are kind. But animals are tools for the Amish, it is ther eway of life. So their animals are not treated as pets, but as commodities or for work.

[IknowImasd]

Hey mrdeleted,

Hope you faired better than the poor old horse. Unlike the horse at least you had the option of voting with your feet and becoming an Ex-Amish.

My best wishes to you

[IknowImasd]

Godly folk who would not abuse any of Gods creations for any reason. I now stand corrected on that issue. Thanks for that. Again it makes me sad that a people that seem to rely so heavily on animals to live would treat them so badly. Without any sentimentality at all it only makes sense to look after your 'tools' so that they can serve you the best way they can.

Anyway as was my original intention I would like to express my thanks to the person who provided the horse with a decent ending.

[IknowImasd]

Hey shellyct, OK I realise people are people, some abusive and some not, even the Amish. I'm an Aussie bleeding heart with an extremely soft spot for innocent animals even if they do happen to be animals breed to work for or to be eaten by us. They deserve as best a life and death they can possibly have no matter who owns them, what their purpose is and how long they live for. Being an Aussie I don't know much about the Amish but from what I have read I had the impression that they were very

[mrdeleted]

I am an Ex-Amish too :)

[doryble]

How beautiful Ana was -- you must miss her so much. I am glad you have these videos.

Wonderful to see the joy of their romping -- I needed this tonight, having just heard of the death of a friend's horse in Idaho...

[mewsicmama]

forgot to rate this - hope I did it correctly.

[mewsicmama]

It is so wonderful to see all your kids and to see how terrific Leroy looks now. I am so proud of you for taking care of my favorite animals that can't take care of themselves. If we ever get to move out of Southern CA I will be rescuing a horse or two myself. as I was reading Leroy's site and seeing his progress through your eyes my own were tearing... God Bless You!

Shari in CA

[Samsunspot]

Great video! This is a good job of filming the horses just interacting naturally and sorting themselves out. Loved the commentary, too!