A lot of people ask us why we do what we do…
First off, let me introduce myself. I am Allison Aldrich, a happily married mother of seven beautiful children. Five of them are biological and two adopted! My husband, Nathaniel, and I started a church in Monmouth IL three years ago. Between pastoring, Nathaniel flipping houses, homeschooling, and “horsing around,” we live a very busy life.
We had a couple of horses for the grown ups and my oldest daughter to ride and our boys had been begging for a paint pony just their size. My oldest boy would not ride any horses we had because he felt uncomfortable on them…We had heard about the kill pen sale on Facebook…And figured it was possible we could find a broke paint pony so we made plans to go. I had followed an amazing woman named Savannah Simo, who runs a nfp program called For the Love of a Slaughter Horse. She does amazing work and has rescued rehabbed and rehomed somewhere around 140 horses over the past few years. I really had no idea what was in store for us when we showed up at the sale.
There were well over 200 horses cram packed into loose pens. They were so closely packed in inside the pens in the building that one could probably have just walked across their backs without having to stretch.
The pens were filled with mules, old horses, young horses, broke horses, unbroke horses. There were a few with BROKE TO RIDE spray painted across their bodies, or braids in their manes, perhaps a note pinned to their tail. There were horses that were emaciated, and some that were fat. There were horses with overgrown hooves, and gashes and infections, some with snotty noses and cut up faces from being in close quarters with other horses who were also stressed out.
If you ever want to experience chaos, visit a kill pen sale…These horses are sad, stressed out and crammed in, with people jumping in the pens with them trying to wrangle a halter or bridle on them to see if maybe they are broke. Sometimes they ARE…Sometimes they aren’t and there’s a buck or rear involved…Sometimes people are kicked trying to help them. They don’t know…They just know they are scared about what’s happening to them.
We looked and we found a horse that we liked. We didn’t know if she was broke or not, but she came through almost at the very end of the sale. We did not find a paint pony for our kids that sale, but we did find the sweetest little black pony and that was their second choice. We wrote her number down and when she came through the ring we bought her to bring home with us for our kiddos. She had a cut bridle path, and shoes that were removed when she had her coggins pulled. We hopped on her to see if she was broke or not in the pen, and she did ok with a rider in just a halter. We were pretty sure she was an Amish broke pony and broke to drive as well.
When it was time for bidding to begin, it was shocking how quick the sale moved through. They open one door, drive the horses in and they are in the ring for about one minute, or maybe two…and sell so fast, if you’re texting your friend you’re going to miss it. The auction crowd is full of all different kinds of people. Rescuers, individuals selling, individuals maybe buying, horse traders who buy large numbers of them and circulate them through different auctions, and kill buyers. It became apparent before long who some of the kill buyers were in the audience.
Over 200 horses were sold that day out of the kill pens. Some went to individuals. My wonderful friend rescued TEN, and we got our pony for our kids and a very very skinny mare we planned on getting back to health and finding a home for.
We paid for our pony and mare, and my husband and I made our way back to find them in the pens in the back. We found our pony and it took quite a while to find our palomino mare…Meanwhile, we got shooed into a pen because the kill truck had pulled up and they were getting ready to drive a load of horses onto the semi trailer.
We both stood and watched as horses young, and old…Beautiful drafts, horses that were well kept, as well as some scrawny neglected ones…all were yelled at and poked along with a long paddle and herded as a group onto a semi trailer. About 25 or 30 horses went onto that truck. And it broke my heart. I cried in that auction pen holding onto my cute little black pony who’s buddy went onto that truck…
We tried to find the guy to buy the big beautiful black draft that left on his semi the next day…And he was already most of the way to Mexico when Nathaniel contacted him…
Then and there, we decided we wanted to do what we can to make a difference. We can’t put a stop to slaughter in other countries, but we can help save a few lives who are otherwise destined for destruction. A study has shown that 80-85% of horses who go to slaughter are in good health and with minimal medical attention (like trimming hooves, or having teeth floated, etc) could potentially be a good horse for working or riding.
We are not a nfp 501c3. We are not a rescue…We do what we do, because we want to make a difference. Once a month we take a trip and rescue what we have the funds for from the kill pen. We have rescued a total of 9 over the past few months. Horses, ponies, and a mini donkey.
In between doing this, we have our own personal horses, and we take in project horses and put time on them and get them ready to be a good horse for someone to ride, and we will occasionally take in one who is injured or sick and can no longer be cared for. Sometimes we go on a hunt for a specific type of horse for someone if they are looking.
We have the vet come and see each new rescue a day or two after they arrive on our property. We get their feet done by a farrier. If they need weight, we feed them accordingly to make sure they get back to health, and we quarantine until they are ready to be turned out or to a new home.
A lot of time, effort, cash, and love goes into these guys. And we are just thankful to be able to do what we do! So, if you’re ever looking for a horse to be your life partner…Contact us, and follow our page Aldrich Equine Adventures…And watch for posts on our new blog… Freedom Reins
–Allison Aldrich