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1 Day Ranch
The website for my rescue is being built and I will have something up in the next week or so… But until then, I’m going to just continue to use my personal site. For those who don’t know, my rescue is called “1 Day Ranch”.(more explanation on the name later) We specialize in severe abuse and neglect rehab and rescue for horses and dogs (Though right now we are focused on the horse side) When the website is up we will be selling items that will directly support the animals in the rescue. I’m very excited about this and hope everyone will check it out as soon as its up! We will have items just in time for Christmas!I
However, I have had some people ask about making donations… I cant tell you what some donations would mean to us. I dont want to beg or bug my friends and followers on facebook and twitter for donations ALL The time.. that is why I’m so excited for our site and the items we will have for sale to help support the cause. But, if anyone out there would like to make ANY kind of donation, we would gladly accept. Things are rough at the moment. Even just a few dollars or spare change adds up.
**If you would like to donate online, I have added a “DONATE” button on the left side of this page and you can make donations through amazon payments. If you have any questions or would like to help in another way feel free to contact me at Maeghan.hadley@gmail.com**
Also, I have added a page to post little pics and bios about all our current horses in the program… stop by and check them out if you would like! (click the link “1 day ranch horses” on the left.)
Just so anyone who would like to donate can see where the money would go.. I have listed some of our daily expenses and things we really need right now below.
———
FYI, Each horse eats a quality sweet feed with alfalfa pellets added 2 times per day (some rescues who are severe eat 3 or 4 smaller meals, it just depends)
1 bag of feed (sweet feed and alfalfa are sold in 50lb bags)=$13.95.
*We go through almost 27lbs of feed per day right now.
1 Bale of hay=$10.25
*Hay prices have gone crazy. We go through almost a bale per day. I have an awesome supplier who gets me some of the best hay in the state. Many places charge much more, but he is running out so I am going to have to stock up for winter.
1 Round Bale of hay=around $100
*Because of the drought, the pastures don’t have enough hay for the horses to graze and get all the quality roughage they need. So, we supplement with round bales that they can munch on free choice. We are currently in need of 2. They last 1-3 months (depending on which horses eat it)
Blankets=$50-$75 per blanket.
*With winter coming fast the rescues who are under weight will need blankets for the winter. At this point we dont have enough for everyone to have one. This is not okay so I’m doing everything I can to get more.
Shavings=$5 per bag
*Most of the horses sleep in a stall at night. The shavings keep them comfy and warm.
Farrier=$30per horse every 6 weeks.
*Normally the horses who come to me have never had proper hoof care. It is imperative that they get their hooves back in shape and have proper attention. My farrier is one of the best and he does what he can to keep my cost down and their feet in the best shape possible. That helps keep vet costs down too!
Vet costs= Varies.
Some of the horses are still in need of vaccines. These cost around $35. On top of that we just received the final bill for Max’s surgery. The extra costs for his complications and extra time spent at the hospital added quite a bit. Due to the AMAZING kindness of people in OKC he was able to have the surgery to keep him alive. The fee to have the surgery was $900 which we had fully donated. Sadly however, he had some complications… Because of this we now owe them $700 more. #headdesk On the bright side, I have been given some time to get the money together and make payments. So that is a blessing!
Jessie, 33 days later.
33 days ago I met a little horse named Jessie. I have talked about her a lot on twitter and facebook, but thought I would take a minute to post an update on her progress!
This is what Jessie looked like on August 18, 2011.
Jessie on Day 1.
I wasn’t sure if Jess was going to make it through the night her first night here. She was SO sick and SO skinny. She couldn’t hold her head up past her shoulders and I had to hold her head up so she could eat and drink. I realized after a few minutes with her that something was wrong with her left eye and I could tell she was blind. Her breathing was rough and she couldn’t walk more than a few steps without having to stop and take a break.
The vet came out and looked her over the next day. We found that she is only about 6-9years old. (still quite young) She is blind in her left eye due to blunt force trauma (she has a large scar that runs through her eye, probably human caused), she is hundreds of pounds under weight, had HUGE infected saddle sores where her previous owner RODE her in her condition, badly infested with internal parasites, and she had pneumonia in both lungs. We were not completely sure she would pull through…
…but she did!
Jessie, Day 33
These pictures were taken this morning- September 21, 2011.
33 days later- Jessie is pneumonia free, internal parasite free, and she is slowly starting to gain weight! The first week she was here all of her hair fell out due to stress, but its now growing in a darker, almost black, bay color. Its really pretty. She is still blind in her left eye of course, but that never slows her down. She LOVES attention and wants to be loved on 24/7….and because my life isnt crazy enough… It looks like she is probably pregnant! We did a blood test Monday and will know for sure next week.
It is dangerous for a horse in her condition to give birth, but we are doing everything we can to make her as healthy as possible for when the time comes. If any horse can make it through having a foal in this condition, I think it is this one. She is very strong, shes not afraid to fight, and she is very brave.
It is amazing the difference that 33 days can make… Please keep her in your thoughts though, she still has a long way to go… but, like I said, this girl is a fighter. :-)
I will update as soon as I find out if we are going to be having a baby out here sometime soon! oh lord… this could get interesting…
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love, happiness, fairy tales, and rainbows
Some people would say that I am a bit cynical in regards to the “love, happiness, fairy tales, and rainbows” department… Ok, maybe a bit more than cynical. Jaded? perhaps. However, every once in a while something happens that forces me to put aside my cynical ways for a minute…. Well, mark your calendars folks-cause today is one of those days.
When my little sister, Maddison, was a freshman in high school I was a freshman in college. I had just moved to Stillwater and wasn’t living at home but I remember my mom telling me on the phone one day that Maddi had met a boy and they were “boyfriend and girlfriend” now. I’m going to be honest here and admit that I laughed, a lot. She had JUST turned 14 and I found the concept hilarious to say the least. Assuming that she would have TONS of boyfriends by the time she graduated, I didn’t think much of it.
Well…. her and this boy (whos name I later found was “Alex”) didnt break up that year… or the next… or the next…. or the next… They went to dances, and Jr. prom, then Sr Prom, then Graduation… (I think you get where I am going with this)… They didnt break up after high school either… they went off to college together (and then decided they hated Texas and came back home together. lol) They are both going to UCO now. There is not another person who makes my sister happy like Alex does… and as it turns out my family loves this boy and his family too.
Yesterday was Maddi’s 20th birthday… and after being together almost 7 years, Alex proposed. He got down on 1 knee right in the middle of my parents living room. I was there, as was my mom, dad, and Allston. It was one of those moments that is so sweet it is hard to put into words. It was a very personal moment for them that Alex was kind enough to allow us to be a part of. (My dad, brother, and I knew he was going to do it.. but Maddi and Mom were pretty in the dark)
Over these past years Alex has become a brother to me… and his family is my family too… I’m so excited that it will be official now. I told Maddi that, while it was her birthday, I feel like I got some presents too! In the form of 2 new little brothers and a new little sister! (Alex has a brother named Zach who is 15 and a sister named Haley who is 12. They are awesome… and I didnt even have to change these new siblings diapers!)
Do things like this happen often? no. Do people meet the person they want to spend the rest of their life with when they are 14? no. When Maddi was talking about her boyfriend she held hands with in the hall at school did I expect to see him put a ring on her finger? no. But it did happen… And this cynical girl who doesnt believe in fairy tales very often? could not be happier about it. :-)
Quick Update
While I have an extra 10 minutes I thought it was time to update the world (ok, maybe not the “world” but those out there who care at least…) about what has been going on these past few weeks!
The term “getting the ball rolling” on a project is quite appropriate to use in this case…. Though, it is more like a wrecking ball. We started renovating the ranch that will serve as the rehab/rescue center on July 11th. Let me tell ya, things are looking CRAZY amounts of different now! The horse stalls are almost finished, the rest of the horse barn is getting put together as well, the “dog barn” area got its walls put in last weekend (eeek they look so good!) and the house is looking wonderful. I got the front of the property fenced in and my absolutely fantastic grandfather built me a gate that I am quite certain could withstand a hurricane.
I have no words for how thankful I am to those who have been helping me these past few weeks. I feel like the fact that all this is happening THIS summer is most definitely a test from God to say “You really want this? Really? well then lets see how committed you REALLY are then…” For those of you who are perhaps not from Oklahoma… this is turning out to be the hottest summer on record. Its not uncomfortable hot, its unbearable hot. No one should be expected to do ANYTHING when it is 110 outside. However, we are out building barns in it… Crazy? perhaps.
My grandfather, Joe Martin, is my hero. He has been out 3 or 4 days a week and every saturday since the 11th. All day, in this heat. Welding, cutting through walls, digging holes for posts… you name it. My brother, Allston, has been out as well. Poor kid, we use him as a pack horse. He can lift and carry 2X more than the average human (for those who dont know, my brother is a freak of nature in the best way. He is basically a titan, in real life) I so appreciate him. His friend Justin came up to help all the way from Dallas 1 weekend and did a ton. My aunt and uncle have spent the past 2 weekends helping put in the dog barn walls. (bolting in metal in this heat is not fun times) Derrick Parkhurst (@thirtysixthspan) and Matt Mills (@photomattmills) spent an entire sunday sweating it out with me in the horse barn and we got 10X more done than I ever thought.. Matt helped me design the stall doors and they are going to look great, and Derrick figure out how to install the wire fronts on the stalls when everyone else was all “i have no idea how you are going to do this..”. and last but totally NOT least…My mom, dad, sister, and grandmother are the only reason that I am able to live in my house now (moving myself in was a last priority at this point and they pretty much did it all), and my best friend Janell (@edotter) and Cj Metcalf have made sure my sanity has remained intact through it all and totally saved my butt when my car decided it was going to break down right in the big middle of it all…
Basically what I am trying to say is…….. These people are wonderful.
I know this was a very long rambling post. But, I just wanted to get some “thank you’s” out there and update on what is going on. Today is supposed to be the hottest day ever recorded in Oklahoma, so please stay safe out there!! And remember your animals… NO animals should be outside without a HUGE amount of water and fans if possible.
“You’re doing what?”
While some people know what has been up these past few weeks, I haven’t wanted to really say anything about it until I knew that it was actually going to happen… But, as much as I kinda cant believe it, it is! So here we go….
Over the last 5 or 6 years I have had some crazy ideas and dreams for what I want to do with my life…
1-I want to start a brand/Merchandise line.
2- I want to start a rescue center for abused and neglected horses and dogs.
Well, after a very weird series of events… I am.
Yep, you read it right. I am….
Most people know that I have been working on a merchandise line for the past about 6 moths or so. Hopefully we will have something real to show soon! Its crazy to think about.. but I am looking forward to the end results! Especially since I feel like everything is really coming together now…
Now, the part that might be really unexpected to some…
I “officially” break ground on my Rescue and Rehabilitation Center tomorrow morning!! I have a small acreage about 25minutes south of OKC and West of Norman. I am going to be doing a marathon renovation of the barns and the house over the next 2 weeks and will hopefully be able to be up and running by August!
The center will cater to horses and dogs who have been victims of abuse and neglect. My hope is to give them a safe place to recover both mentally and physically… and after they have done that then they can be adopted or moved to other rescues to be placed in foster or adoptive homes. The animals that most rescues might not take because they simply don’t have the time, experience, or resources to deal with? Those are the ones I want. My center will give chances to the ones that might not get it otherwise…
To say that I am excited about what is happening right now is a total understatement… I know how much work is ahead of me… Trying to start a business while also starting a 501(c)(3) charity organization is going to be a pretty intense rollercoaster ride… But it is a good thing I drink a lot of coffee!
If you are at all interested in helping out with the rescue center then contact me! I am going to need any help you are willing to give in the future.. Volunteers are a rescue center’s friend!… Also, in the next 2 weeks I’m renovating EVERYTHING. Sooooo, if you are someone who just really enjoys painting? Building? Busting out old plywood and sheet metal walls? Well, I have a job for you if you want it… I pay in beer/dinner and eternal love!! ;-)
hehe… Jk. If you do want to help I will happily take it! (and yes, i will buy you beer and/or dinner!) but, I know everyone has a crazy life. I am just really happy to be doing all of this and cant wait to have everything going! Please forgive me if I am a little more out of it than usual in the next 15 days though… I’m fitting a few months of remodel work into this time frame… aaaahhh!!!!!!!
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Lessons Learned… goodbye, Spike.
This week I had to say goodbye to a special friend. I have had a lot of questions about what happened so I think this is the best way to explain it to everyone…
——————————Background info…
Spike’s early life was a true example of the worst in humanity. He was horribly abused and had he not encountered the people he did when he was young, I know without a doubt he would still be here today. I wont go into detail here but having his ears quite literally CUT OFF of his head was probably not the worst thing he had happen to him… and as it turns out his emotional and mental scars were far worse than his physical ones..
The more time I spent with Spike the more I saw just how painful his previous life must have been. After a few months of fostering him through the Bully Breed Humane Society I decided I would keep him and officially adopted him. I hoped that over time he would learn that the world was not as scary as he thought it was.
We developed a much stronger bond than I ever imaged we would. To the very end he was never anything but the sweetest creature in the world to me. He liked to cuddle and sit on the couch/watch movies. He was missing a few teeth so he got special softer chewy treats and those made him bounce up and down he was so happy. He was more than happy to spend every moment of every day glued to my side, and he would have fought to the death to protect me (I know for fact because someone tried to break into my house once and he hit the door so hard that he cracked the door down the middle).
Even though he was the worlds most perfect dog when sitting next to me, the outside world obviously contained demons that he could never get past. For 2 solid years we worked… Sadly, nothing made him better. He shut down in fear at things that I could never even figure out, and his fear would quickly come out as aggression. The worst part was that you never knew what would cause him to get upset. As time went on the bad days started to outweigh the good… The last few months Spike wouldn’t allow anyone to touch him but me.
——————————What Happened?
I dont know what happened on Sunday… Spike got into a fight with another one of my dogs and the situation ended with one injured and Spike more upset than ever. He still never tried to bite me, but I knew that things were just going to keep getting worse. (he had never been dog aggressive before) That is when I made the decision to put him down on Monday.
The life of fear that he was living was not fair to him, and the life of fear for me was no way for me to live either. Constantly being afraid that something would set him off was not okay, and I wouldnt have been able to forgive myself if he seriously hurt someone.
——————————What Matters.
So there you have it. A very long story and I hope you get to this part…. Because this part is what matters. What matters is Spike was a kind, sweet, creature who had a place in this world. His life mattered. He taught me a lot. I’m sure this whole thing sounds to some people like “wow, this is a crazy dog lady” but I choose to believe that animals have souls and we can learn a lot from them if we let ourselves. Spike taught me how to accept the bad days and celebrate the good. He taught me about beauty (albeit unconventional ear-less beauty) and how to laugh about things when there is nothing else you can do…. And in the end he taught me how to let go when its time.
Even though humans caused him unimaginable pain, Spike still allowed me to be a part of his life… I loved that crazy headcase of a dog, and I think he loved his crazy headcase of a human… In a way, we really were meant to find one another. haha.
I hope that the last 2 years allowed Spike to be happy. I hope he felt loved and learned how to be a real dog. I hope I taught him that all people are not evil, and I hope that people can learn from his story someday. I am in the process of opening a small specialized rescue that will cater to severe abuse rescue and rehabilitation. More details about that will come later… but I hope Spike knows how much he has impacted my decision to do that.
**He is proof, you really cant save them all…. But that doesn’t mean they don’t all at least deserve a chance**
Rest In Peace, Spike. You were a 4-legged, mentally unstable, ear-less teacher (who would start yawning and falling asleep if you even SAW a brush)….. and I wouldn’t have traded my time with you here for the world.
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Jess: Hi.
Rory: Hey.
Jess: Hi.
Lorelai: Hi…
Jess: Hi.
Luke: Hi.
Rory: I have to get to school.
Jess: Yeah, me too.
Rory: Bye!
Jess: Bye. Bye.
Lorelai: Bye?
Rory: Bye.
Lorelai: Bye!
Rory: Bye.
Luke: Bye.Rory and Jess: The Early Years
I am okay with admitting that this made me smile today…..
Yeah, I’m a dork. So what?
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Mark.
I’ve decided to break up the next few posts but I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t write this first… The time between 11pm Saturday night through Sunday morning goes down as one of the worst segments of time in quite a while…
The world lost a one of a kind person on Saturday night. Mark Robbins was someone you meet and feel like you have known for a long time. Though I only spent time with him sparatically over the past 2 years or so, I feel like I knew him longer. Mark was one of the funniest and most caring people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in quite a while. He made me feel welcome in any group or situation and could always make people laugh no matter what.
I don’t know all the details surrounding Mark’s death. I know he got sick and everything went down hill fairly quickly from there. All I do know for sure is he is no longer in pain and that he will never be forgotten.
(pic credits go to Matt Mills… This is Mark and my friend Katie from last April)
As one of Mark’s close friends said in a blog post the other day “He was Mark Robbins, and they didn’t make two of him”
Rest in peace, Mark. Thanks for everything.
AAAAHHHHHH
The past few months have been a marathon.
Work, trips, old friends, new friends, no sleep, dog rescues, sketches, Natural disasters, the world was going to end, the world didn’t end, weddings, dresses, even less sleep, more dog rescues, more sketches… Its all a bit of a blur.
Since the last time I posted something I have started fourteen (yes 14) posts about a variety of different relevant and incredibly fascinating topics…. They are all still sitting in the “Drafts/To be posted” file… Maybe they will see their way to being posted at some point.
If you are reading this right now there is a good chance you already know about my activities over the past 5 days. After the tornado hit the town near my house I ended up organizing the rescue of all the dogs in their shelter. It is a bit of a long story and while fielding the INSANE amount of phone calls I’ve been taking since that horrible night and organizing all the fosters, adoptions, apps and such…. I haven’t really had time to answer any them.
So, if you are interested in the details of what went down or would like to see all the pups that were saved that night be sure and check back tomorrow (er, today? its after midnight so today i guess..) Either way, check back in the next 24 hours.
I promise the story has a happy ending and there might even be cute puppy pics. :-)
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1-I am not ashamed to admit that I have seen this movie more times than I can even remember.Thus, this makes me smile.
2-My dad and I had conversations like this almost daily when I was in high school.
Oooh, high school maeghan, you really were a gem.
Source: fuckyeahquotestosavealife
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