Joe is my hero

In my little blog roll over there on the left I have TBFriends listed. This is not a typical blog, so it never gets moved to the top of the list when it's updated. But it's updated daily. That's right, seven days a week you can read how Joe and his wife Cathy are helping horses, and recently, helping kids. I don't know their story, I only started reading their web page late last year. They have been saving thoroughbreds otherwise headed to slaughter for many, many years out in CA. Times are tough for TB breeders right now. Tracks are closing, tracks are coming down hard on trainers and breeders sending their horses to slaughter, some just because they aren't winning any more. Perfectly sound and healthy TBs are being bought for pennies on the pound at auctions by meat buyers. Then they call Joe to make a profit from his big heart. Hey Joe, I got a healthy one here that I want to make a couple of hundred bucks off of rather than cart them up to Canada, you willing? Of course Joe says yes. He can't help it.

The demand for horse flesh is so high right now that Canadian slaughter houses are offering kill buyers dinner and motel coupons, as well as fuel vouchers. Buyers that used to go to Mexico, now go to Canada. Or they go to Joe. Who should have a No Vacancy sign at his ranch with over 100 head of horses right now. But the number of horses coming in seem to be matched by the number going out. Joe has approved adoptions flying out of his ears. Girls and families from all over CA come to him for a horse. People from all over send Joe money for to help save and feed horses. So Joe keeps saving them.

Joe is my hero.

And maybe I'm weepy for a female reason, but for the past two days Joe's posts have had me all teary eyed. Not only is he saving horses and making girls happy all over CA, but now he's helping a selfless little girl that takes her school shopping money and gives it to Joe for a horse called Cope.

I want to grow up to be just like Joe.

Joe's posts only last a day, there's no archive that I know of. So get over there and read it. You won't regret it.