**Murphy** - Yearling Belgian For Adoption

This is Murphy! He's about a year old and ALL Belgian! He's healthy, happy and CUTE. But, make no mistake, Murphy is going to be a big boy. He has been gelded! He's ready to go to his new family!!

Murphy's Story -

Murphy was rescued in March from an auction near Rochester, NY. His hero, a woman named Jonna, rescues Standardbreds normally but she could not pass up the little weanling Belgian. So, she took him home.

Murphy at the auction!

 After she got rid of the lice and matted fur, she saw how malnourished he was! And thus, Murphy's road to recovery began. Jonna has done an amazing job. Also, he was gelded!

He was so young when he arrived at Jonna's he was still having suckling tendencies. He would sass the other horses like some babies do. Although we can't be sure, he had no idea what grain was (or what to do with it) which is a good indicator that he was taken from his mother and went to auction. Though we don't know his exact age, it was clear that he was just weaned! He was a typical, mischievous colt. 

She contacted me a week ago because Murphy is already getting to be so big that the tack she has for the Standardbreds are starting to become too small. Plus, he is starting to act like a Standardbred. We're going to bring him here so he can get some quality draft horse time and find him a family!!

E-mail me at info@atonoflove.org to inquire about Murphy!!

Thanksgiving Eve!!

(Stephanie Writing)

I was going over my mental check list of what tomorrow is going to be like and I decided that I could write it down because it would be both informative and serve as a way to double check that I have all my lower case 'j's dotted! (Wayne's World II reference for those of you will appreciate it.)

Tomorrow: Wake up. Barn AM - Feed. Ride with Aunt Sue.

Then, return to my post as sous-chef behind the all mighty Lucille Creighton! On the menu: First - Appetizers of cheese, pepperoni, cracker platter, pickle and olive plate. Main Course: Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Mushroom Casserole, Carrots, Candied Yams, and Cranberry Sauce. Then, Deserts: Apple Pie, Cheesecake (Strawberry), Pecan Pie, and White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Macadamia Nuts.

Then the horses get Carrots and Apple Feast - per request of Missy at Milfer Farms. Followed by a nice warm mash of Alfalfa Pellets, Beet Pulp, a little extra molasses, and applesauce -- Topped off with some Corn Oil and Sweet Feed. (Note: This is not their normal meal. They're getting thanksgiving too.)

Chester lying next to the wood stove. Literal warmth of our home.

The cats and dogs will get a few pieces of turkey and then their own can of Turkey and Liver Giblets with Gravy courtesy of Purina!

We are all very lucky to have such a bounty of food. On Friday, we're going to the auction -- perhaps we will find someone else to bring into our circle of love and warmth. I am so grateful to have my friends and family and pets! Life is just so much better with them.

Let's just be so thankful that God has given us all these blessings. Sometimes it seems like life is hard but this is the good stuff. :-)

Our First Rescue...

As long as everything goes as planned, we should several horses that will be arriving in the next week or so. Just in time for Thanksgiving! Believe me, we will be giving MANY MANY thanks!!!! One of the reasons that we'll be thankful is for the little someone who literally wondering into our path. 


My Aunt and I had gone to Norwich to buy some horse food and look around Country Max, our favorite store these days. On our way home, we took a country road and happened upon a wayward cat sitting in the middle of the road. He was very scared. We asked the only person who lived nearby and he said that he'd never seen him before but that people just drop cats off in the middle of the road all the time. Apparently so, because he had several cats that he had taken in from the same situation.


Well, Aunt Sue and I brought GOLIATH home. Since he wasn't neutered yet, we put him in the barn. We don't have any outdoor cats around our neighborhood and my four cats are house cats. Goliath was still very nervous and he disappeared for about twenty-four hours. Then, Kevin (a friend who boards his Quarter Horses with us) said there was a cat sleeping in the hay.


Well, a week and a half later Goliath is the king of the barn. He winds in between the horses legs. He has a little kitty hut where he sleeps leisurely during the day. He has already left us gifts of dead moles right next to where we keep the grain. I guess he felt he needed to contribute to the food pile. He is very cute and snuggly.


My friend Dona, of Little Mews Cat Rescue put me in touch with All Animals Matter and he will be neutered on Friday at Compassionate Care in Norwich. We are so happy to have him around. The horses even seem to enjoy his presence.