The Interview Which Explains It All; Raising the Spirit

For those who wonder how we got to where we are with the Meadowlands, a radio interview (mp3) with Jeff Gural and Hollywood Heyden on Sirius Satelite Radio's Down the Stretch Saturday morning, which Standardbred Canada reported on Sunday afternoon explains it all.  If the teller's union is content in knowing  they had their moment of bravado and think clearly, they will decide to vote on the offer Gural made to them and approve it.  If they decide they want to go out in a Thelma and Louise moment, then the Meadowlands is history.

Whle Jeff Gural and Hollywood Heyden are somewhat optimistic and think something will happen, I can not be that optimistic.  Hopeful perhaps, but not optimistic.  If there is one thing I have learned about unions, is their are fraught with politics and hidden agendas something quite honestly, the rank and file doesn't necessarily know about.  Yes union leaders are supposed to represent their rank and file but there are times these hidden agendas trump the rank and file's interests.

On a less sinister note, each mutuel clerk gets an equal vote.  A person who works at the Meadowlands full time may vote 'yes' to keep their job, but the clerk who works two or three days may say WTF and vote no as they won't miss be hurt by missing that once or twice a year paycheck.

We will just need to wait and see what happens.  At this point, it's all in the hands of the tellers.

But yesterday was a day for raising the spirit as it was Horse Rescue United's Open House.  You donate all year knowing you are doing a good thing, but it is really something when you see the results of your work and yesterday was that day.  Thanks to my wife for taking the day off, I got to go to visit with some of the volunteers and horses being retrained by Horse Rescue United. 

. 
Here is a picture of Trolley, a quarterhorse that was found at an auction with a hole in his face and a white sock glued in there.  After two surgeries to repair the injury, there is only a small hole remaining.  Trolley heads home to his adopter now that the open house is over.


  

Then there was Tristan, a Belgian draft horse who was purchased for $35 from New Holland.  Tristan has eye cancer which spread to his bone and has been determined to be terminal.  Horse Rescue United has decided he will live out the rest of his life royally at their facility until the time comes to be euthanized.  Here, I tell him I expect to see him next year.

But being the director of Horse Rescue United is a standardbred trainer, you know standardbreds make up the a large number of the residents.  Here is Jessica a former broodmare waiting to be adopted out.









And here is Cooper, another standardbred looking for a new home.  In the meanwhile, Cooper is enjoying life at HRU.

In addition to meeting some of the horses you help, you get to meet some great people.  Giving money is easy but you get the chance to meet the volunteers who do the hard work day in and day out and you get to catch up with some friends.  I've shown only four of the horse HRU have under their care and there are many more available for adoption.  You may check out their Home Page or check them out on Facebook.