E quin e Sandhills
Publisher
BIC R Media, LLC
Editor: Cassidy Oeltjen
Layout and Design: Ines Ritter
Contributors:
Mary Kate Murphy
Cassidy Oeltjen
Veronica Green-Gott
Lisa Miyamoto
Jason Jackson
Ines Ritter
Pam Jensen
Daryl Kinney
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Cover: Adobe Stock
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Sandhills Equine Monthly owned by BIC R Media LLC 360 Fairway Dr Southern Pines, NC 28387
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Correction to the October issue: The image on page 22 was taken by Pam Jensen Photography.
Equestrians Help Equestrians
Sandhills Equestrians help WNC Equestrians recover after Hurricane Helene.
Equestrians are no strangers to helping strangers in need. There is an unspoken code of conduct that horse involvement involves, and it is when another horseman is in trouble, others step in and do whatever they can to aid in the situation.
When the projected path of the Category 4 Hurricane Helene shifted slightly west, the mid-North Carolina residents breathed a collected sigh of relief. There have been times in the past when a shift in a storm’s travel hasn’t gone our way, and this felt like a bullet dodged.
But that meant our friends to the west were in the crosshairs, and an already bad situation was going to get worse.
The week before September 27th brought large amounts of rain to the mountain region, soaking the ground, swelling the rivers, and taxing the region’s ability to take on more water. But more water is what they were given, with many locations recording more than two feet of precipitation from Hurricane Helene.
The relentless storm bobbed and weaved and stalled its way through the
area, creating tidal waves of mud and debris. Rivers that have spent centuries sculpting their way through valleys were rerouted in the matter of hours, and people’s lives were changed forever.
As the bad went to worse, the equestrian community of the Sandhills did what we knew how to do… help those in need. Within hours of the initial reports, people were gathering supplies, loading trucks and heading west.
As in any emergency situation, sometimes those with good intentions wind up creating a bit of havoc by
Cassidy Oeltjen
Photo: Moore Equine
Photo:WNC Regional Livestock Center
Photo: Moore Equine
not understanding where they can be most helpful. Several individuals and organizations in the Sandhills area were quick to mobilize, making sure that everyone’s strengths were utilized in productive ways, ultimately helping the most people by their efficiency.
Quick thinking by the young members of the Sandhills Pony Club (who immediately questioned how the stranded animals would be fed), led to approximately $50,000 of funds raised. Their first caravan went out two days after the storm hit with seven truckloads of hay. The trucks were driven by volunteers who all met on social media, and the sight of them taking to the road seemed like a beacon of light among what was to be some very dark weeks.
volunteers, deliver pallets of dog food, and round up necessary supplies.
donated supplies and rescue equipment, and set out to help bring stranded animals into safety.
While food and water were the initial necessities, the need then grew to farm supplies, necessities for the rescue workers, food for the search and rescue dogs, and organization of all of these things so as to not overwhelm those who were already operating on a thin line of stress and sadness. Equestrians stepped in to fill freezers with food to feed the
Moore Equine and Aberdeen Supply (among others!) coordinated with the Pony Club and other volunteers to facilitate the deliveries of equine items, including tack, vet supplies, and farm necessities. Area vet clinics, businesses, and individuals all donated time, money and supplies to fill multiple deliveries every week to the WNC Livestock Yard in Canton and other staging areas set up to take supplies.
Those with the technical skills needed to safely navigate the treacherous conditions also loaded up their rigs with supplies and headed to the areas hit hardest. Members of the 4-Hooves Large Animals Services and those trained in veterinary care packed their emergency response trucks with
Once the rescue workers and volunteers entered the western part of the state, they immediately were consumed by the vast army of those who were there to help. Everyone became a part of the greater good and, just like those contributing to the efforts back home, their purpose became part of a collective effort. Western North Carolina was experiencing some of its darkest days, but people from around the country were bringing it light.
It’s now been two months since the hurricane hit and, while the initial chaos has subsided, the aid and efforts of those in our area have not - because as equestrians, we know that there is always work to be done. There are silent auctions and events taking place as benefits, donations are still rolling in, and volunteers are still taking loads of supplies into the areas hit hardest.
As one volunteer stated, “As equestrians, we have the opportunity to be caretakers of incredible animals and those animals teach us humanity, compassion, and a way forward. Here there were donors of money, donors of time, organizers, lifters, drivers, but most importantly, caring individuals.”
Sandhills Equine is joining this collective effort by producing its November/ December Issue and Holiday Gift Guide as an digital edition in order to contribute to the ongoing need. You can access the digital issue on our website: www.sandhillseqm.com where there is the added ease of clicking through to the direct link for your favorite gifts and advertisers.
Members of the 4-Hooves Large Animals Services helping with the rescue of horses from Black mountain.
Photo provided by ASAR.
Photo: Moore Equine
Imperial Dream
2024 Painted Pony by Caleigh Conlin
