128 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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The Bottom Line
Thank Goodness for our Friends
The Bottom Line
- While sometimes our group of cyberspace “friends” can seem distant because we don’t really know them – it
turns out they are not only friends, but also lifesavers. From sharing Jeanette’s burdens to rescuing Esme, I am so proud to be part
of a community that looks out for each other. Cheers to all my friends on Facebook. Keep up the good work!
By Jan Westmark-Allan
Thanks to the high tech world that we live in, we can have lots
of “friends” if we want them. Not real fesh and blood friends; but
cyberspace friends from Facebook and beyond. While I enjoy
my computer friends, there are days when I wish I could toss my
cell phone out the window, unplug my laptop and ride off into the
sunset.
But then a strange thing will happen. I will post something on
the Sidelines Magazine Facebook page and watch - often in
astonishment - at the power of our friends in cyberspace. During
our Sidelines Horse Supermodel contest, Jeanette Gladwin, of
Ontario, posted a photo of her two year old Warmblood stallion
Flechazo, who they fondly called Flame. He had died of Potomac
Horse Fever at midnight the night before she sent in his photo and
it sent shock waves through the Sidelines Facebook community.
All of our “friends” rallied to offer Jeanette support, sending her
well wishes and messages of shock and sorry. It was not only
touching; but wonderful to be part of a community that banned
together to support one of their own – a fellow horse person.
“In the short time that Fame was with us he had made his way
into many people’s hearts, such a gentle and wonderful creature
that touched everyone who knew him. We may have lost Fame
but if we can help prevent anyone else from loosing their beloved
horses to Potomac Horse Fever by spreading the knowledge,
than I’d like it done,” Jeanette said.
Jeanette’s story wasn’t the only Supermodel Horse Facebook
story to resonate with our friends. When Kelly Conner, of Charming
Acres Rescue in Pennsylvania, entered a mare named Esme and
her foal Bogart in the contest, it was apparent the mare and foal
already has friends – or should we say fans.
Esme’s story started when Kelly found her on Facebook
listed with another rescue. Esme, who was very pregnant at the
time, was in a kill pen in Virginia and would ship to slaughter if
she wasn’t “bailed” out. Kelly recalls the story. “We posted on
our Facebook page that we wanted to bail her out from the kill
pen, by paying the bail fee of $665. The Facebook community
grouped together and shared the information and posted asking
for donations. Most were strangers! We posted and cross-posted
for donations all through the night and for the next several days
and we fnally reached our goal. We went and picked her up the
following Monday! She was fnally safe! Some of the people that
donated were so happy to be able to save her life. I even had a
lady donate the last $109 as her birthday wish!!”
Unfortunately Esme’s troubles didn’t end with her rescue. After
she gave birth to Bogart, she foundered. It was determined that
Esme needed to go to a founder specialist and once again Kelly
turned to Facebook for support. While the rescue is still raising the
funds, (they need to raise $1,500) Kelly remains positive. “Esme
has a long road ahead of her and we are actively fundraising to get
her rehabilitation care paid for until she recovers! But her foal Bo
is growing by leaps and bounds and will be available for adoption
when he is six months old. I am hopeful that Esme will make a full
recovery and move on to a wonderful forever home where she will
be loved and never see an auction again!”