Valentines Day and Wedding Gifts! Happiness is Sugar and Newfie finding a forever home together. And happiness is Sharon and Dave, finding their dream horses. When I received the call a few weeks back, I immediately knew that someone had fallen madly in love with two of our girls. It was not the typical call asking about what horses were available. It was call of great alarm, "I am on your website and I need to know now, if I can come and see Sugar and Newfie!" It was Sharon Williams on the phone, and she was sounding a little nervous. I was getting nervous too, because I had set in my heart that the girls, our first girls, Sugar & Newfie were going together no matter what. All of us here at the farm pretended that we would just have to keep them, of course that was because we were in love too. It can be a difficult thing finding the right home for one horse but finding the right home for two could be even harder. "We are coming up this weekend" Sharon told me, "I can not believe that you have these two beauties!" She went on to tell me all about herself and her fiance Dave, and how it would be a dream for the both of them to have matching paint mares to ride together. "If they are anything half as nice as you describe to me," Sharon said, "we want to adopt them."

Sharon's Diamond!

Many hours were spent discussing things on the telephone before they visited. All I could say was that Sharon and Dave were going to have to meet Sugar and Newfie in person. Questions arose on what horse would be Sharon's and what horse would be Dave's. None the less Sharon had already fallen madly in love and apparently so did husband to be, Dave. The weekend came and so did Sharon and Dave. It was love at first sight. Sharon and Dave have been together for 8 years and were preparing for the big wedding. Sharon is so excited that she told Dave that the girls were all that she wanted for her wedding gift. And Newife's beautiful blue eye would make the perfect diamond. What more could a horse crazed woman ask for?

Dave and his girl Sugar. The couple tried out both girls under saddle. Silence fell upon everyone at the farm as we all watched. It was perfect. Newfie fit Sharon to a tee and Dave paired up with Sugar. It was true love for this couple in love. Sharon and Dave had absolutely no reservations, they were being adopted, we all knew it, and they wanted to complete the paperwork before they left for their long drive back home. They would be keeping the horses with us for a month or two until their facilities were completed and this would work out for all of us, as we wanted to make sure that Sharon and Dave were completely up to speed with all the training that we had put into Sugar and Newfie. We will be doing some trail rides with them and helping them select saddles and tack... We will be there for them should they need us and we will always stay in touch.

Newfie & Sharon

When Sugar and Newfie first arrived to us on the trailer from Alberta, Canada, I was wondering how they had faired in the 100 degree summer heat during their 40 hour haul. I meet up with the haulers at the gas station in town, and was pleased to look into the trailer and find them head to tail grooming each other- their favorite pass time. I knew that they had comforted each other during their long journey and that assured me that they were going to be fine. I will always remember the anticipation of our very first load of horses, Sugar, Newfie and our mascot Napoleon, all feedlot rescues. Napoleon will forever remain with us as our farm mascot. And Sugar and Newfie will remain in our hearts. So all is good, but still goodbyes are hard. I am not anticipating the day that they leave our ranch but I am aware that that day is coming soon. It will be very hard to look into the pasture and not see "our girls". The beautiful black and white mares that are always looking over the fence wanting attention. But they are now loved by Sharon and Dave and they are appreciated, not just as horses, but members of their family. That makes us all very happy.

Newfie loves Sister Sugar!

As for us, we will go forward as this is what we do. This wonderful experience of finding Sugar and Newfie, and finding their forever homes with Sharon and Dave, assures us that we are doing good things. There will be more Sugars and Newfies at the feedlots and we will do our best to save these quality horses ,all born in the wrong place at the wrong time that desperately need our help. If you are reading this and still need reassurance that the horses that we are saving are of lesser quality in any way please check out the Horse Illustrated March 2006 issue. The photograph below is Sharon Fiblekorn, staff photographer for Horse Illustrated and Sports Illustrated magazines, during a photo shoot at our ranch in December 2005. The horses that grace the cover and the entire article (6 full color pages including the pull out centerfold) are all Canyon Creek's horses! By reading the article you would never know because we did not get any credit, but none the less we are proud that our "rescues" are good enough to be shown to the horse world in a magazine that focuses on breeds. Look for Newfie (pullout section back) before page 73, and Sugar in english saddle with Lauren on page 70! Thank you for taking the time to read this, knowing that you care too makes our mission that much stronger!

Horse Illustrated March 2006

Lauren and Sugar photo from Horse Illustrated March 2006
	This is a photo from the March Horse Illustrated issue of Lauren and Sugar. We saddled up all our horses for them to show everyone what we do everyday. Sugar gets a pat from Lauren for a lesson well done!

Laurnen and her, "Newfette" in training. After the adoption paperwork was filled out, it became a weekend of great emotion and many tears, and the horses had not even left yet! These girls hold a very special place in our hearts. Trainer Lauren has a bond with Newfie, her little "Newfette", as she calls her. Newfette, was by choice, always her favorite ride of the day, and Lauren would always be smiling when she rode her. She is a very talented and athletic mare that could have a future in many areas . Sister Sugar was one of my all time favorites, a gentle mare that has the most beautiful face and has turned out to be a suitable mount for just about any level of rider. April our volunteer, neighbor, (and adopter of Target), also rides her often and many times Sugar would go english. Vikki was head over heels about Newfie, I know that she secretly wanted to keep her as her horse. Silently Vikki took it the hardest. Everyone here was so sad that no one spoke for hours afterwards. Back at the house we all sat in a daze. I had to keep reminding everyone that this is our mission and that this is exactly what we had planned and dreamed about for our girls. Yes, we all understood and were very happy for Dave and Sharon, who are going to be giving them undivided love and attention. But Newfie and Sugar, were our very first horses. Together they were rescued from a feedlot in Canada, (these two beauties were going to slaughter for human consumption - just like beef cattle!). Born on the same farm, two years apart, they share a common grandsire. No one knows why two young sound and registered paint mares were sold to the feedlot, possibly the farmer could not afford to feed them any longer, possibly he lost his farm? This situation has taught us so much about the slaughter industry. I called the APHA (American Paint Horse Association) and asked them about the situation. They told me that this happens all the time. They also told me that they would transfer the papers to the new owner and take care of contacting the previous owner for his signatures.

Just say no to Horsemeat! We would like to say a special thanks to Sharon and Dave, you have made two horses and our farm very happy. We also have been reassured that when we find two horses that choose to be placed together that it is really not too much to ask! God Bless you both and may you have a life time of joy together, Sharon & Dave, Newfie & Sugar!

Sharon & Dave Fall in love again!