Refuge Farms (www.refugefarms.org)

As a follow-up to last week’s blog, I wanted to share an email with you from one of our cornerstone members of The 'Other' Herd.

This volunteer had expressed her concerns to me that this whole fostering program was costing THE FARM money. No one had to pay for us to find a new home for their horse. No one had to pay for the fuel to go and pick the horse up. And no one had to pay for the delivery of their new horse. Why would we do this when THE FARM is so much in need of funds to pay for hay, for crying out loud?

And really, most of the volunteers and certainly not the general public, even know that we do this kind of thing. Is it really a part of our mission? Should we really be doing this?

My feeble attempts to explain what was in my heart were inadequate. She left THE FARM that day frustrated with me and my poor decision making. Then she read the blog and here is her response. Her email speaks volumes to me and, with her permission, I am publishing it for the whole world to see.

And I am publishing this email with the note that no one knows what it’s like in someone’s shoes until you are standing there. So no one is to blame. No one is bad and no one is good. It’s just life - reality - and how we all choose to deal with the decisions we must make. Like the blog says, I don't do this fostering for the owners or the new owners. I do it, quietly, for the horses….

Dear, Sandy, thank you for the new blog! After reading, it has put my fears and doubts to rest! Guess it is a part of the cycle of THE FARM that has never been really talked about during Ways of the Farm or any other place. The horses are the most important consideration and hopefully, it causes some of the "owners" to take pause and take inventory about some of the choices they have made, and in the future do it better. thank you for being you.

Amen, LB. Amen.

Enjoy the journey of each and every day,
Sandy and The Herd