Update. All horses safely transported to their temporary digs ( until they get their forever homes)

Truck not fixed - hopefully 1st thing tomorrow.

Babies still not sorted, but we will work on that while truck in the shop. Praying for a good and safe drive home without too much weather.

Prayers for safe travels and a not too expensive repair please

I have to say next time folks want to "save the horses from slaughter" I hope they are able to keep on being part of it til it's done. People forget that the saving is only the beginning. Then the hard part starts. Apparently there were several large groups who were going to be part of this (at least that is what I was told). At any rate, this is the now situation.

It is really hard not having enough funds to buy the equipment that we need and to only have a few folks with boots on the ground. It is simply overwhelming sometimes.

Guess you can tell I am a bit frustrated. (But mostly just thankful we I didn't get in a deadly accident and hurt other folks or any horse kids).

We never signed up for this, none of the folks on this project really did but it basically fell into our laps and there was really no choice. Slaughter is not an option.

What I mean by that is as a responsible rescue, you have to set limits

You cannot save every one, even though You want to. But you have to be realistic about what you can handle as far as supporting, and being able to afford proper care n feed. We were definitely not set up to care for n feed this number of horses, so obviously I would not have chosen to take this on.

But God put it in our lap so we are doing everything we can to help the folks who are busting their butts to keep these horses safe.

But it is back breaking and we still have a full day tomorrow before we can come home.

So we appreciate all the love and prayers. We definitely have Angels all around us 😀

If you would like to help these horse kids and help get the truck back on the road you can go to [email protected] at Paypal We so appreciate y'all making this possible.

Thanks. Palomino

My heart is breaking, and I can hardly see through the tears as I write this. I am so very sorry to have to tell you that we lost Lil Bit today. The picture above is her out on the range.

Matt and I were at a "meet and greet" with Honey Bandit, when I was called out on an injured horse emergency. While I was there, I called Shirley about the injured mare and this is what she told me. She could barely speak and I knew she was beyond devastated.

Shirley did what she promised and stayed with Lil Bit 24/7. She was watching Lil Bit and standing beside her in case she needed help while she was up and walking. All at once there was a "snapping noise" in Lil Bit's leg, and she crashed, pinning Shirley under her. It took about 40 minutes for Shirley to get free, but Lil Bit was done. She absolutely could not get up again. Doc was on his way and Lil Bit would be set free from the pain and suffering. No one was expecting this, especially not Doc, but apparently she blew out either her ligament or tendon and it was horribly clear that she cannot recover or have any type of quality of life.

We want to thank everyone who stepped up to help this little angel. As I sit here I am physically ill and the tears won't stop. Sometimes you wonder "why - why do we keep doing this?" Your heart is broken so many times that you think it may not keep beating, and it is nearly impossible to even breathe, the pain is so harsh. The worst part of it is that every time you lose one, it not only devastates you but brings back all the pain of each and every other one you have lost. Sometimes it is just too hard......

So now Lil Bit has had her last visit from Doc. He was gentle and kind when he freed her from her pain and this world that was so cruel to her, and she was wrapped in Shirley's arms, knowing only love and kindness while she left this world.

I remember being at Shirley's and watching her "run". She was awkward and clumsy, and oh so proud. The thing I will always remember is the look of life in her eyes. She wanted to be here and she enjoyed her little romps, never realizing she was "different". She had lots of spirit and spunk and she would give you "what for" if she decided she had enough. _This was not a sick little girl who was moping around. She "lived" in her own little fashion and played and ate and slept like a normal little one. She LOVED LIFE!_

The only thing left we can do is cry, and then make sure we are ready for the next baby that God puts in front of us. Sometimes I think we even fight harder (though that really is not possible) for the next one in honor of those that have been lost. In our world, they never stop coming. I know how devastating losing Lil Bit is for me, even though I only got to help take care of her a little bit now and then, but I know for Shirley it is like the day we lost Mav. Her world just ended (again) but she always keeps going......

We try so hard to make the right decisions, and according to everyone in the know, her vets, (2 separate opinions) and her Mom, she still had a chance. But today it was clear a different choice had to be made. And as much as it destroyed everyone involved, the right decision was made for Lil Bit.

Folks ask - how do you do it? But can anyone ever look one of these innocent creatures in the eyes and say "no - I won't help". I certainly don't know very many folks like that.

So our hearts will keep breaking, and we can only pray we have what it takes to save the next one.

Sending love and prayers for all the hearts that loved this little girl, and so many thanks for all who supported her, whether it be with love, prayers or donations.

Update -
Just got a call from Shirley - YOUR PRAYERS HELPED - LiL Bit is still with us. This is the basic information I got this evening.
There are no obvious fractures
Spine looks intact bonewise
Did x rays and ultra sound - no damage visible in these tests that would cause this type of issue
Docs think there is soft tissue damage and a nerve that has been injured or pinched in her back and hindquarters.
Do not know at this point if recovery is possible or not.
Doc is doing a more indepth study of pictures at office - will call with news tomorrow. They took pix from the top of her head to the top of her butt.
At this point treatment involves literal 24/7 care and she will be receiving steroids to help ease the swelling.
Shirley is doing what we do. She is spending 60 minutes out of every hour with her so she won't fall. She can move forward in a straight line, but when she turns she falls. This is what we do. Nothing else gets done - just that baby is watched and helped each minute of each hour of each day.
Please continue your prayers and thank you for those who have helped us start to pay the vet bill.
If she reaches the point where it is unkind to give her any more time, she will be helped to leave this earth, BUT AT THIS TIME - the vet, (and Shirley - who has been taking care of her all these months) feel like we should keep on trying as there is no reason not to. She is comfortable and eating and drinking like a champ. She whinnies to Shirley when she is done resting and she helps her up and then watches to make sure she doesn't fall.
Last night was a hard night but apparently today was not quite as hard.
The chiropractor will be coming out in the next day or two, after the swelling goes down a bit.
The prognosis is definitely unknown. Only time will tell if this little miracle gets more time on this earth. At this point time is what she needs.
These are the types of babies that had no chance when I volunteered for 8 years at a sanctuary. I was not allowed, nor given time to help foals like these and had to watch so many babies leave this world without any attempt to help them. It broke my heart.... (I understand this was due to the fact that there were so many healthy babies who needed homes and there was not money allotted for babies like this, but it definitely did not work for me.)
But this is what we do here at Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang, Equine Rescue & More, and what Shirley does at Lucky Horse Rehab in NV.
We do everything we can (within reason) and always keeping the comfort and best interest of the babies we are helping in the forefront of every decision made. But we never get the easy ones, and we don't go looking for the ones we get. But when God puts a baby like this in front of us I believe with all my heart that we are supposed to do everything we can.
So the good news today is that the vet did not feel it was right to euthanize her and gave us a bit of hope. Thank you again for your continued prayers and support for this little girl.
SHIRLEY ASKED ME TO PLEASE PLEASE MAKE SURE I SAID THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF HER HEART. SHE WILL SEND PIX AND A BETTER UPDATE WHEN SHE CAN GET TO HER COMPUTER, BUT RIGHT NOW SHE HAS TO STAY WITH LIL BIT.

Lil Bit has fought long and hard, and it looked like she was getting better every day. Unfortunately, and it is certainly not uncommon, her Mustang Fight and the Will to Survive and Thrive may be outdoing her physical body. She has had many happy times where she ran and played (in her own crippled fashion) and has enjoyed so much life and the best care possible from her mama Shirley Allen.
However, today is the day we find out if she can be saved or keep fighting. We are so very careful how much of the donated funds are allotted to babies who are struggling and fighting the up hill battles. We never just "throw money away" - we look at the whole picture. How many horses do we have to care for. What are the realistic and good odds for this baby. Sometimes we will fight and struggle with a baby who seems hopeless - until you look in their eyes - and they will beat all the odds.
Honey Bandit is a prime example of that. He died 3 times at the veterinarian's office, but came back and today is thriving and happy, although with a couple of minor health issues. He is still kind of a "special needs", but has been an ambassador for the wild horses and made a huge difference in the awareness of our fight for the wild ones.
Honestly it is not looking good for Lil Bit. But we have to give her this last chance, and the vet is coming out today to make that decision. We are not "throwing money away", but making sure we give this baby every chance she deserves based on the mad progress that she has made. To date she has been a little miracle.
We want folks to know where there donations go and that is why we try to keep y'all updated. Honestly we can use a bit of help with today's vet visit, as she needs some tests. But we simply cannot throw her life away after she has improved so much and fought so hard. At the same time we have to keep fundraising for all the other horses and their needs.
We appreciate all the love and support you show for these critters, and we would also appreciate lots of prayers for Lil Bit. God bless and thank you!
Please remember we still have mustangs ready for adoption at Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang. They are ready, or will be soon, for adoption and you are more than welcome to come and visit them. 530 474 5197 if you would like to chat. Our mailing address is Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang, 34694 Sidebottom Rd., Shingletown, CA 96088
You can go to Youcaring - https://www.youcaring.com/let-em-run-foundation-for-55-wild-horses-orphaned-foals-415297 to help us save these horses.
You can go to Paypal - [email protected] or go to our website
www.chillypepper.org if you would like to help us help the horses.
We so appreciate all the love and support you show and for being part of the solution for these horses. Please remember that your donations are tax deductible and what a great write-off :)
Thank you as always for making this happen!

It's been awhile, so here is a quick overview of what is happening with our wild ones. The two horses in Utah are settling in well at Best Friends Animal Society.

Goliath and Granny Maude have settled in to their new homes and are doing wonderfully. They were two of our "special needs" kids.

Honey, (the Warm Springs foal who lost her mama to slaughter) has also been delivered to her new home in Southern California and is receiving all the love and care one could hope for.

We continue our "community education and sharing program" and were honored to be invited to participate in the Veterans Day Parade. Our rescue supports all veterans and it is an honor to share the day with them, and the smiles Cowboy brought were heartwarming to say the least.

The group of 9 have been delivered to their new home so we are slowly getting the horses placed. However, funds are tight as just getting the 9 horses to their new homes with the legally required paperwork and shipping was over $1500. Bloodwork, health checks etc. can be a bit trickier when you are working with wild horses, and they have to be transported to a special facility so we can get them ready.

We are fighting the weather and as soon as we can we will be transporting 3 of the babies to our place for training and adoption and then 4 others will be heading to their new homes.

Placement of these horses seems to change like the weather, so we always strive to "git 'er done" as quickly as possible when we have a good home. However, shipping, vet checks, blood work and the other paperwork needed to move these horses to their new homes is taking a huge chunk out of the budget.

At this point we are still hopeful and looking forward to the adoption of the group of 10 which is currently being held up due to the weather and the details are being ironed out at this time.

Matt and I were able to get a really good deal on some culled lumber so we could replace the large hay storage with a smaller building that we will actually be using for shelter so we can take more babies and get them ready for their forever homes.

Right now we are struggling to keep funds going for all of the wild ones and although we celebrate each adoption, the costs are still adding up. Even though expenses can seem high to get these horses transported and placed, it is worth it for them to have a "forever" home. We so appreciate the love and support for these horses and look forward to the day they are ALL safe in those much needed homes. Until then, however, we need to keep feeding and caring for them.

Thank you for your continued support and for sharing this information. Together, we can save these horses.

Please remember we still have mustangs ready for adoption at Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang. You are more than welcome to come and visit them. 530 474 5197 if you would like to chat. Our mailing address is Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang, 34694 Sidebottom Rd., Shingletown, CA 96088

You can go to Youcaring - https://www.youcaring.com/let-em-run-foundation-for-55-wild-horses-orphaned-foals-415297 to help us save these horses.

You can go to Paypal - [email protected] or click the DONATE button on our Home page

if you would like to help us help the horses.

We so appreciate all the love and support you show and for being part of the solution for these horses. Please remember that your donations are tax deductible and what a great write-off :)

Thank you as always for making this happen!