Hi everyone.
My name is Angel. I have just been named the “Face” of Adopt-A-Horse, a non-profit horse foster program. Not to brag, but I overheard people talking and they say I won the job because I am just so dang cute. Their words, not mine.
My story? I’m not sure where to start, but I guess the beginning is as good a place as any. I am a 25-year-old, black and white Tobiano, Mini mare—Tip of my ears to the ground I am a whopping 31” inches tall. Clark County Animal Protection and Control found me locked in a dark stall with two other minis, my best friends, Lucy and Ethel (both of whom have found great new homes). To be honest, I was so tired, I didn’t really care what was going on around me—all I remember from that time was some angry muttering about the floor being 3-feet deep in manure and littered with our teeth.
It was not till later that I realized Animal Control had taken and delivered us into the care of the Clark County Executive Horse Council’s Adopt-A-Horse program, a non-profit horse rescue . . . and into the loving care of the true angel in this story–my foster mom, Heather Tyrrell.
I am told I was shockingly thin—mere bones—and my rescuers were not sure if I would make it. A nice vet named, Dr. Anne Marie Ray of Ridgefield Equine Clinic rated me as a 1.5 on the BCS. I didn’t know what that meant and was too tired to care. But later found out they were talking about a BCS Score (Equine Body Conditioning Score—a scale that measures equine body weight from 1 to 10.)
I don’t really like to think about my past. Instead I like to think about my new life and my own personal angel–my foster mom. My first two weeks with her are still kind of blurry, but I do remember her feeding me small amounts of warm mash around the clock and monitoring my temperature day and night. Apparently, I could not regulate my body temperature and swung widely from violently shivering during hot August days—requiring double blankets—to drenched in sweat and needing to be cooled down with wet towels. My hero, Heather stayed with me through it all. Can you believe, thanks to her great care, that meany, Dr. Anne told her to cut back a bit on my groceries? And that I am getting a little chubby. Okay Dr. Anne really isn’t a meany. In truth, she is great, but seriously, a diet?
As I said, I like to think of my foster mom as an angel, it was she who gave me my name. She kept saying I was such a sweet angel—I guess it kinda of stuck.
I like it—it reminds me of her when I hear it.
So now I am Angel, the official Spokes(horse) for the Adopt-A-Horse Program. I can’t wait to start in my new life and share my story with the world.
—Angel
According to Lynn Jenkins, director, Clark County Executive Horse Council (CCEHC), Adopt-A-Horse Program. We are very excited to introduce Angel as our new ambassador “There is going to be doing a quick dress rehearsal at the CCEHS’s Winter Woolies, February, 27, 2022. Then her big premier appearance will be at the Washington State Horse Expo, March 3-6.” Angel will be in the Kids Corral all three days of the show. “Not only can people meet the sweetest little mini ever, they can learn her story and how Adopt-A-Horse . . . and a very special foster mom . . . stepped in and made all the difference in the world to this little girl’s life.” Check the Expo schedule for the exact times of her appearances,” said Jenkins. The Expo is just the start of Angel’s new journey, according to Jenkins. “She will attending, farmer’s markets, feed stores, equine events, etc. We are even hoping to visit seniors outside their facilities.”
As excited, as Adopt-A-Horse is to introduce Angel to the public, according to Jenkins, her well-being is first and foremost. “We had her evaluated by a professional trainer to assess both her suitability and comfort in the role—everything, from loud noises, lot’s of attention, obstacles—even approached and circled by someone using a walker. ‘She is A plus, plus,’ said our trainer (Jon Hadley of Cantera Equestrian). He went on to comment that she far exceeded even his most optimistic expectations.”
Please help us to continue to help Horses, like Angel, who are in need. A non-profit 501c3 we operate with the generous support of partners like you. Each contribution, no matter how small—can make a BIG difference in the life of a horse in need.
Please use this URL https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=HBGJSEFY3V656 — to help partner with us in making a difference in a horse’s life. Thank you.
Follow Angel’s story on the Adopt-A-Horse website, www.clarkcountyhorses.org and their Facebook page.
For more information about the Adopt-A-Horse Foster and Rescue Program, contact Lynn Jenkins at [email protected].
Lynn Jenkins, a freelance graphic designer with a life-long passion for horses, worked at her first newspaper (Sheridan Sun, Sheridan OR) while in high school. Enlisting in the Navy after High School, she became a Navy journalist. During her ten-year enlistment, she received both military and civilian journalism training, including a year of journalism studies at Syracuse University as part of a special military graduate photojournalism program.This led her to the staff of the Navy’s flagship magazine “All Hands” and assignments around the world. Following the Navy, Lynn joined the Disabled American Vets in Washington, DC. working in their Marketing Department and on the staff of their monthly magazine as a writer and photographer. After returning to the Northwest, Lynn worked at printing companies, color houses, and an ad agency honing her technical production skills. In 2011, she decided to live her dream of being a graphic designer and LynnJ Graphics was born. Currently, in addition to her day job as a Graphic Designer, Lynn has started volunteering her time as the Director of Adopt-A-Horse, a Clark County Equine Foster and Rescue Program. [email protected]
