Since August 2015, in order to provide a small, quality refuge for Blanchette and Negrette, I have been renting a house with 5 acres (2 hectares) of land. It has been good to have them right there so that I could give them daily attention. Blanchette is better trained now to give her feet for hoof maintenance and Negrette's skin allergy has been under control. Recently I saw changes that indicated Cushing's disease, a veterinarian confirmed it, and so we started treatment. They are responding well to the medication and it is great to see them having energy and being in good spirits again. However the medication must be given daily and it is expensive in France (only one manufacturer) at over 100 euros a month for the two horses. I hope to find a way to get it in the USA for less cost, but for now donations are needed to help pay for the medication here.
Cost in also one of the reasons that the refuge and I are making a big move, leaving the south of France to live in the Burgundy region, an hour north of Lyon. There I can rent a house for less, and there are horse lovers to donate a place on their land for Blanchette and Negrette, thus reducing the cost of doing the refuge. There will however be an initial cost for their transport. A professional transporter charges .90 per km (520km) plus gas, so around €550. Our transport will be provided by Ervin of Association Cheval Affairs, who maintains a horse refuge with over 30 horses; so paying him for the transport helps to earn some money for his costs as well. This doubles the value of donations, helping two horse refuges at the same time!!
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| Ervin Van-der-Weele of Cheval Affaires in SW France |
Merci Beaucoup,
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| Sherri Opiel from Portland who stayed with me in 2015 and made a generous donation for the horse refuge. Maybe there are others among you who would like to stay with me in France in exchange for a donation to the refuge ! |
