The Conquistador Equine Rescue & Advocacy Program
The Conquistador Equine Rescue and Advocacy Program
Phoenix, AZ
ph: (480) 430-4011
contact
Rescue stories
The Conquistador Program has rescued and rehabilitated scores of horses since July 2001 when Conquistador was rescued, we would like to share a few of the stories of these wonderful horses and the people who helped them.
Blue's story
I met Blue for the first time about two years ago. Blue (then called “Cancer”) was safely ensconced at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Animal Safe Hospice II (MASH II), the facility built by MCSO, under the guiding eye of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and with hours of volunteer time from MCSO staff and donated materials.
The first neglect case for Blue:
The facility had covered stalls to house about 30 horses and other large animals. I was training officer for the Sheriff’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Posse (MPCA Posse) and was at MASH II for a training session. Over twenty of the stalls at MASH II that night had lovely horses who had been nursed back to health after being so neglected and emaciated that they were seized from the “owner.” One of the horses was a truly lovely little paint with one eye sewn shut. Her name was “Cancer” because of the removal of that eye. Cancer looked very good when I saw her and a lot younger than her 20 some years. However, she did not look so good on the day she was taken to MASH II starved and emaciated with her other fellow horses. It had taken the deputies and trustees who work with them months to bring Cancer back.
The case went to court:
I was elated when I found out the case was going to court, that everyone involved hoped for an outcome in which Cancer and the others would be permanently awarded to MCSO so that good homes could be found for each. Later, I was not so elated when I learned that the judge ordered the horses back to the person who had neglected them. I was outraged. I felt better when I learned that MCSO staff had been worried about the horses too and had spent time educating the custodian, repairing stalls, building her new stalls and doing what they could to try and reassure the care of the horses.
Starved a second time:
However, in November 2006, I received a call from a very compassionate livestock inspector for the Arizona Department of Agriculture. She told me the story of this little horse she called “Blue.” The inspector said that Blue was a paint, 22 years old, with one eye sewn shut, who had been first at MCSO. I started to see red. The inspector went on to say she had been forced to seize the horse again because the horse was skeletal and dying. The inspector had taken Blue (Cancer) to her home to nurse her back from her second bout with starvation in the hands of the person she had been returned to. The inspector told me what I already knew that under the state law, ARS 3-1721 (D), after petitioning to take custody of Blue, being granted the petition to take Blue, nursing her back to health, she was obligated by law to take Blue to auction at the Pacific Livestock auction in Maricopa County . This is the facility used by the State for seized horses, and a facility notorious for patronage by killer buyers who purchase horses like Blue at rock bottom prices and then ship them thousands of miles on crowded trailers to slaughterhouses in Mexico or Canada.
Rescued a second time:
The livestock inspector did not want to have this happen to this sweet little horse who she had nursed back to health after Blue’s second bout with near fatal starvation because she was returned by a judge to her former “owner” who had now starved her for a second time. I made some phone calls. Colonel Newlin Happersett, owner of Blue Grass Arabians, a kind man with a big heart and a lovely horse facility offered Blue a stall and to pay for her feed and her care. My husband and I donated the veterinary care and the farrier care; the livestock inspector posted the public notices and held the auction at the horse facility in Cave Creek after the required public notice time had elapsed. My husband put in his bid, Colonel was on standby too, but no one else showed up, and Blue was ours and safe; but what an ordeal for Blue who really had done nothing at all to deserve her condition.
Finally safe for Life:
Blue is doing fine now. She spent time recovering with us and with Colonel Happersett and then she went to a wonderful sanctuary program for animals taken by law enforcement from cruelty and neglect cases. It is Healing Hearts Animal Sanctuary in Wilcox, Arizona. We are deeply grateful to Director, Betty Welton, and her staff for giving Blue a lifetime home with the best of care and love everyday.
Patricia Haight, Ph.D.
The Conquistador Program
Sunrise becomes a star
Sunrise was only four months old when she was rescued by Pat and Bill Haight with the help of many kind people. She was living in filth with Conquistador and many other horses outside of St. Johns, Arizona. Sunrise was a throw away, an accident of birth, the cutodians told the Haights.
Sunrise photographed by the Arizona Deparment of Agriculture in 2001 shortly before she was rescued with Conquistador and several other Peruvian horses.
Sunrise recovers and shines
Sunrise was adopted by the Haights, and with much love and care, and with the help of many kind people, Sunrise recovered and flourished. We gave her the Spanish name her trainer Juan Garayar suggested she should have, Hija de Sol Y Luna (Daughter of the Sun and Moon). With the help of friends in southern Arizona, the parents of Sunrise were located and rescued, and the family was reunited. Today, Hija de Sol Y Luna, has won many blue ribbons in regional competition in Arizona under the kind training of her chalan, Juan Garayar, and on Arpil 13, 2008, Sunrise and won took first place in mares in halter and reserve champion halter mare at the big Peruvian paso Championship show in Pomona, CA. Sol Y Luna is coming into her own as her own star.
Sunrise and Juan Garayar took first place in mares in halter and reserve champion halter mare at the 2008 SCPPHC Spring Championship show at the LA Fairplex.
D.O.R. Velocipedo was located by friends in Southern Arizona and rescued by the Conquistador Program with the help of compassionate and brave friends. Velocipedo is the father of Sunrise. It took 5 years, but now the family has been reunited.
There are happy endings.
The Conquistador Equine Rescue and Advocacy Program
Phoenix, AZ
ph: (480) 430-4011
contact
