Follow the Foals journal

Follow the foals along their journey from Canada to CT where they will start their new lives.

Frank Weller, Leslie Legan and I (Donna Cloutier) left on Monday evening, November 3, 2008 from Roxbury, CT to drive the approximately 20 hrs to Omro, WI where we will be meeting the foals and preparing them for their journey home.

Please check back to this page often over the next week as we will post notes, photos and YouTube videos documenting our trip.

Please email us at followthefoals@shezanifty.com and we will check that email as often as possible during our trip.

You can also view the photos of the new foals on our foals page in www.foalrescue.com

It's a new day, the sun has risen, jumping up into the sky during our 10th hour of travel across the great state of Ohio. It's hard to believe its election day and will be 75 degrees when we pass through Chicago. In past years, when we have met the foals its been cold and wintry. One year, we clearly remember the foals jumping off the trailer into Sanctuary in Albany, NY, under a full moon while the first flakes of snow were falling and the Red Socks were winning the World Series. We are so excited to think of what these new foals will be like. We have seen their pictures but those were taken in August, they must have grown and matured a lot since then. As we drive along thinking and talking about the foals we find ourselves anxious to discover their individual personalities and how each foal will change and uplift their future families. Upon seeing their pictures people have commented that they are a colorful, funky and eclectic group, we can't wait to find out.

Take a look at their photos on www.foalrescue.com and let us know what you think!

Only 158 miles until Chicago, the foals are probably just finishing up at the Canadian/USA border and getting ready to head to Wisconsin for our rendezvous this evening. We've just caught up to the trailer that will be hauling them back, as Patrick, the driver is also on his way to Wisconsin. We are very impressed with the roominess and comfort provided for the foals by Patrick's spacious trailer. We have to give a big thanks to Leslie Ballotti and her family for making Patrick's trip possible so that the foals can all travel together on their journey home. We wish she could be enjoying this trip in person but what you are reading is the next best thing to being here. We'd like to thank you all for joining us and we'd love to hear from you. email us at followthefoals@shezanifty.com

I am so happy that the foals have crossed the border at approximately 11:00 AM. They are now in Grand Forks, North Dakota heading towards Fargo, ND. Personally, my first foal, Toby, crossed the border on the infamous day of Sept 11, 2001. It was in those crazy and terrifying days that I very quickly came to know the therapeutic value of these magical foals. Spending time gentling and socializing Toby had the same gentling effect on me. I didn't have to worry about global current events but I only thought of Toby's current events and milestones. He was, after all, escaping slaughter and the very act of rescuing him rescued me. It was Winston Churchill who was often quoted as saying that "The outside of a horse for the inside of a man". Indeed, just the act of grooming a horse keeps one in the moment and is a powerful connection to those noble souls. However, it is in discovering the personalities inside of these grateful foals that I find sanctuary from a frequently cruel world.

We have just settled into our hotel and are able to post another update and check for messages. It's been a very long day yet we are still very excited to meet the foals. They should be arriving sometime between 10:00 and 11:00 tonight. As soon as we get the call we are up and on our way again. We hope to be able to post more about the foals and more photos and even some video in the morning after the foals, as well as ourselves, has had just a bit of much needed rest. For now I would like to thank those who sent us messages. I'd like to share a few of those with all of you. Please write us, we really do look forward to hearing from all of you!

Hi Guys,

It's Kathy here in Omro, Wisconsin waiting for the arrival of

y'all as well as the little angel babies. Fun to track your trip

on the site as you move along. The indoor arena has been

watered and dragged, and the sand is all soft and fluffy for

the comfort of the little ones. Now will take a peak at the

youngsters on their way.

Have a safe trip!

Kathy

Kathy, Thank you so much for hosting the babies overnight. They will greatly appreciate the effort you've put into making them comfortable. We would also like to thank you for opening up your home and barn so unselfishly. Without people like you willing to help out we would not be able to do the things we do for the horses!

The photos are soooooo cute! Love 08-12!!

Looks great! Good luck! Give them all a kiss for me! Nancy

Nancy, Thanks for taking the time to look at the babies and to drop us a note. It make the trip so much more fun to know we have your support from back home! We'll send each and every one kisses for you!

The 15 rescued foals experience a "Transformational Moment" of their own, taking their first steps on American soil towards their new loving homes. We are privileged to witness each innocent baby jump off the trailer. It is like watching Christmas presents being unwrapped as each little fresh faced life hops off the trailer after a long and tiring ride to freedom.

They revitalize us as we enjoy their energy and inspire us as we consider how we and they are on a new adventure that will see many lives uplifted.

Kathy, who has graciously hosted the foals over night, has written about their first night and I'd like to share her words here with all of you.

It was great to welcome the foals with Frank, Leslie and Donna along with those from my group, my kids Chad and Cortney and one of my best friends Brad, who has been the biggest help to me in preparing for their arrival. Even after 1:30 a.m., all of us had a hard time pulling ourselves away from watching them. As they slowly creep past that barrier of not quite trusting us tends to be addicting. Baby steps to what is to come.

At my 4 a.m. check, everyone was still up and nibbling except one who had succumbed to a welcome slumber. I stayed and watched for a bit, and then went back to bed until my 8 a.m. check. My plans were to check all of the water containers and supply them with some

My daughter, now 17, will be coming home from school for lunch and then staying home to see them all on their way again, just as she did 6 years ago. Back then there was a special foal that specifically picked her and who is now a very important part of our family. Molly, as Cortney named her that day, was very happy to see Frank once again and also liked the treats she got from everyone.

Thanks so much to everyone who has visited with us and the foals during our trip. I've spent the morning downloading my photos and videos to my computer and uploading the first video to You Tube. We are now on our way back to the foals to prepare them for the second leg of their journey. I will post here as often as I can along the way but sometimes its difficult to find available internet. We also don't want to make the foals trip any longer then it needs to be. But please check back often and please write to us...we look forward to hearing from all of you and will do our best to reply to each of you. Thanks again....until we meet again ~ Donna

Three hours left until we arrive at Ray of Light Farm. We've been out of touch because we've been concentrating on driving through the night from Wisconsin and we are soooo tired! But think of how the foals must feel, they were barely off the trailer for 15 hours and have been traveling since Monday morning at 3:00 AM. The first leg of their journey, which started in Canada, was 885 miles and in 3 hours they will have completed a trip of almost 2000 miles over an 86 hour period. To be as careful as possible, when we were planning the trip, we had invited a vet to come out before their departure from Wisconsin on Wed morning. In hind sight, it was an even better idea because one of the foals had suffered some facial lacerations while in the trailer coming from Canada. The vet, Dr. Gary, suggested we give that foal some antibiotics. We immediately went into foal gentling mode and within an hour and a half we had corralled two foals and very calmly administered 4 injections of penicillin into the injured foal. Now those two have gone to the head of the class and should be doing their dressage tests next week! We'd like to thank Dr Gary for his gentle nature and showing us how extraordinary a good country vet can be.

We have however been taking lots of pictures and video to share with you all. We hope to post those as soon as possible, when time and internet availability permit.

We have been in constant contact with our friends and home base support system who have been keeping us updated of all your emails and wonderful words of encouragement, prayers for safety and emotional feelings about the foals. As of this posting 3 potential adopters have expressed serious interest, another 4 families have expressed interest in fostering.. This is especially wonderful considering they are still several miles away from CT.

This has been an amazing journey and is far from over. Because of your overwhelming response and show of support this journal of the Premarin Foal Rescue Caravan will continue as we follow the foals to their new homes. Please bookmark this page and follow along, along with the foals, watch us grow. Remember, we love to hear from you!

We're on our way home from Ray of Light farm and are feeling a bit like we've just left our children at sleep away camp for the first time. The comforting feeling knowing they are in great hands and the proud feeling of knowing they have just taken another step towards a promising future help to alleviate our feelings of missing them so much. The final 3 hours of the journey actually became 5 hours as we encountered pouring rain, darkness and limited visibility. In spite of the severe weather the foal unloaded calmly and appeared to be happy to settle into more stationary surroundings. We were excitedly greeted by Bonnie, Eve and volunteers from Ray of Light, where they all helped to feed and water the tired foals and tuck them in for a restful nights slumber.

We would now like to take this time to thank all the people who have made this incredible rescue journey possible.

Helen Meredith from United Pegasus foundation who helped us put this great group of foals together and photographed them in Canada back in August. Kathy, Cortney, and Chad Sabin and their friend Brad who warmly welcomed us at their farm, Sabin Andalusians. They all pitched in to provide safe and comfortable overnight accommodations for the foals in Wisconsin. Dr Gary, who as we mentioned, provided excellent veterinary services above and beyond the call of duty. Patrick Dunn, who was the expert chauffer for the foals, with his well appointed trailer, who gave the foals a safe and caring lift over many hours of travel. Brooke and Wood Baxter, who gave us a much needed break and received us with warmth and hospitality as we made our way across the country. Ray of Light Farm, their staff, volunteers and especially Bonnie and Ev for helping to plan and manage this difficult yet rewarding rescue. Vivian Grant from Fund4horses.org who's enthusiasm is contagious and who's organization has given us prominent coverage on their website. Leslie Ballotti and her family for taking on foals, mares, and being a strategic partner in this rescue. Donald and Za Manocherian and the staff of Centerline Stables for making this rescue possible and for giving us so much support with so many smiles along the way.

And mostly, Thank You, the readers, for following the foals along this life saving journey and for sharing our story with all your friends.