Written by pebbles (the herd rescue mascot)

Thank goodness memory is a powerful thing in one’s life, or I would not be here to welcome you to my world within Helping Equines Regain Dignity, known as HERD Rescue. If a Shetland pony that looked just like me – gorgeous with a chocolate dappled coat and very blonde mane and tail – had not taken great care of little Miss Heather B, I would already have been served on a dinner plate in some far-off land.

Oh, I forgot to mention that my look-alike pony twin lived over five decades ago; Heather wants me to keep that part vague.  Her first pony rides were supervised by adoring grandmothers Edna and Jeanette, who lived in the same house together for over 30 years. They picked their grandchildren up from school and took them on outings including the pony rides. They preferred watching the weekly event from their comfy blue Cadillac, windows up to keep the smell of ponies and the flies at bay.   

Let me introduce myself. I am four years young Pebbles. I have already reared a foal and cheated death after a very harrowing close call in a kill pen. Some in my family were not so lucky, but I am getting ahead of myself.

Thanks to Facebook, I captured the attention of Heather one evening while she was at her computer working eight plus hours north of home in Washington, D.C. When no one stepped up at “last call,” she bailed me from Kaufman Kill Pen-Ship, a final stop before a long trailer ride to central Mexico for slaughter. I was saved for $375 on PayPal and then Heather had to find quarantine and a ride northeast for me.  All this was a big learning curve for us both. She had never saved a horse so far from home and had only recently begun participating on Facebook on a personal level to help horses.

So, first I got marked ‘safe and sold’ on my Facebook posting. Then I was chased around the crowded pen to catch me so I could get a Coggins test and health certificate for more travel to who knows where. Men ran me around with red flags until I could gallop no more. I passed the examination. Then a nice rescue lady, Jessica Palmer of Shepherd Mountain Horse Rescue, came to get me out of this hellish nightmare and onto her trailer, which was filled with “dirty load” horses she was picking up to send to her rescue. Let me be clear, I was being transported, not shipped like my unfortunate sister Goldie. She did not get saved and was only three and a pretty 34-inch tall palomino.       

I arrived at Jessica’s farm and immediately won her affections. She wrote Heather saying how I was a pistol with a fun-loving personality, but that I was now sick with a temperature, snotty nose and in truth I was feeling very punk. The vet was summoned to help me recover with antibiotics and a prescription for a month’s rest at Shepherd Mountain. Jessica of course sent photos of the adorable me, and informed Heather that my worm count was also terrible and steps had to be taken to address this once I became strong enough to deal with this parasite cleansing effort.   

Finally, about six weeks later, I was full of life again and it is time to be loaded back into another horse trailer to head east to my new home.  I arrived to HERD and was welcomed by Heather and her husband Scott right at sunset. I was ready to stretch my legs and take a good roll after a full day’s journey.  After being shown to my new accommodations, a safely fenced pasture with a run-in shed full of fragrant pine shavings, I trot around with my head held high. I am home and will win over everyone here that meets me. I spied three dogs, several curious cats, two parrots in the open greenhouse and horses in the distance. Look who is watching me now, Pebbles the magnificent, who has cheated death and will become the ambassador to all who come to visit, including my new HERD volunteer Cheryl Hoffman, who will be my person. She will help me adjust to this new place and my duties.  Catch me if you can, Cheryl. Boy I love this game!

To learn more about Helping Equines Regain Dignity visit www.herdrescue.org

derby pie
(Off to the Races for Pebbles and easy to make.)

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips

1 frozen unbaked pie crust
(thaw to room temperature)

Instructions:

1. Combine softened room temperature butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the 2 eggs and vanilla and continue to mix well.

2. Next add salt and flour, and mix well again.

3. Fold in pecans and chips.

4. Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust and bake in middle rack of oven at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

5. Let cool for 1-2 hours before slicing. Great with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.