Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Passing of Calvin, the "Good Horse"


We sadly had to experience the passing of the beautiful appoloosa gelding, Calvin, on Monday of this week. Calvin has been at our ranch for about a year and a half, retiring at a very young age due to "Moon Blindness", a common form of blindness in appoloosas. Calvin's owner, Lis Sadler, started a horse treats business called "Calvin's Cookies" before he came to us, and she donated enough cookies to keep our horses happy all the time. On the label of the cookies, she told the story of the "good horse" who changed her life. Lis has asked that I post the following letter from her:


Dearest Friends:

Thank you so much for your kind words and the outpouring of love.

So many people loved Calvin also known as as the "Therapy Horse, Cookie Horse, Designer Horse, and the Spa Horse.

Jesse and I have decided to set up a memorial for Calvin at the Strides Ranch where he was retired July 2004. He loved so much "just being a horse" with the other horses (free and running) for this past year and a half.

Strides Ranch offers riding lessons to the handicapped (children and adults), and provides a "Heaven on Earth" home for rescue horses as well as a well-deserved retirement for older equines.

We feel this is a way to keep Calvin's spirit alive and helping others as he would have wanted.Please donate generously to the community at Strides Ranch that does so much good and that Calvin loved so much:

Calvin "Remains A Cowboy" Memorial
Strides Therapeutic Riding Centers (a 501(c)(3)non-profit)
P. O. Box 572455
Tarzana CA 91357-2455
Tel 818-341-4737

With Love,

Lis, Jesse, TinkerBelle, & Spanky