The Team

Lonesome Dove "Rascal" crossed the Rainbow Bridge 2005

The rescue is in your honor Rascal. Each tear shed over you will become another horse's life. The first was Elijah pictured below. As God welcomed your spirit home, he breathed life into many, many horses that would not have survived.

Cowboy is sponsored in honor of the Southampton Press by Shirin Kerman and Monica Graham! He is a resident paint gelding.

The world's finest horse...Bay...he is the anchor of AFER and every person and every horse's favorite friend!

Christine and Captain Jack Sparrow

Beauty was adopted by the person who adopted Misty!

Holly (Public Relations Specialist), Danielle (Vice President), Paul (Husband and special helper), Michelle (Vice President), Lorraine (Secretary), Susan (Events coordinator), Robbie (Media training), Katinka (Exercise rider), Lauren (Supreme safe kids programs horse extraordinaire!)

Our MASCOT! Pilgrim Mulie! Hahahahahaha! He is playing "bounce like a superball!"

Sierra is an awesome horse who helps us teach. He is sponsored in part by the Vorhaus family!

Lancelot is sponsored by Denise!

Octaveous is sponsored by Elaina!

Christine's truck before the rescue:

Christine's truck after a few months of the rescue:

I wish someone would sponsor the truck! It needs tires and an oil change!

The horse trailer:

Michelle is a Vice President. Aramis looks concerned about this photo doesn't he?

Michelle is "senior stall mucker extraordinaire"! Vice president Michelle personally adopted Trooper and helps all the Amaryllis horses.

Mary Ann is secretary/volunteer and cares for 3 horses here! She is devoted to the rescue and Abraham, Karma and Comanche LOVE HER!

Ronnie is piggie tamer!

Becky Duckie and Daisy Duckie are in NEED of sponsors!

Aramis loves the duckies! And all living beings, actually. Sweet, sweet boy. As of July 1st, he is DESPERATE for a SPONSOR!!!

Sixteen years ago, Little Boy was sitting in a pen at the horse auction, minutes away from meeting his fate. As a small pony, Little Boy wouldn't bring in more than a hundred dollars or so in meat, but he had ended up at the auction, where most horses suck in their last breath of fresh air before being loaded up into trucks with their legs bound together, headed on a long journey to the slaughterhouse. But when Little Boy went into the arena, he met Christine di Stefano, his guardian angel. Christine would fight the horsemeat dealers for him and, after pledging to spend $200 -- over $50 more than his meat was worth -- to save him, she would take him to Sagaponack, where he would live out his days teaching children to ride, comforting disabled children and nervous horses and, as of last year, modeling for Vogue Magazine. After sixteen years of love and attention at Amaryllis Horse Farm and Equine Rescue, Little Boy has grown so sleek and handsome that world-renowned photographer Bruce Weber chose him to pose in a photo spread for Vogue starring British supermodel Kate Moss. Little Boy had actually gone to the shoot with Heartbreaker, a beautiful little Paint filly with a heart-shaped brand on her hip, to keep her company while she had her picture taken. But when Bruce saw Little Boy, with his tousled blonde mane and wise face, he knew that he would be the perfect pony for the job.

Although this sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime story, fairytales such as these happen every year for the lucky horses who find themselves whisked away from the kill pens at horse auctions and slaughterhouses around the country to Amaryllis Farm and Equine Rescue, where Christine allows them to shed their fears and become happy, friendly, well-adjusted horses. Christine accomplishes this by giving all her rescues ample turnout time and training them with Pat Parelli's gentle natural horsemanship techniques. Christine's goal with each of her horses is to make them "bomb-proof," so even beginner riders can ride them with confidence, knowing that they will not hurt them. Building this trust between her horses and riders has made Christine's horse rescue the most reputable and trusted horse rescue on Long Island. When someone adopts a horse from Amaryllis Farm and Equine Rescue, they can be certain that they know everything there is to know about their new partner and that if they have any trouble getting acclimated, Christine is only a phone call away. Amaryllis Farm and Equine Rescue also offers reduced-rate board to horses adopted from the rescue, making it even easier to save a horse's life and afford to make your own dreams of having a horse of your own come true.

Although Little Boy is not up for adoption -- "He's our main finding source," joked Christine -- there are many beautiful, well-trained horses at Amaryllis Farm and Equine Rescue who are ready to go to loving homes.

Aramis, who was rescued from a kill pen at the New Holland livestock auction last year, has grown into a sleek, handsome thoroughbred gelding with limitless potential. He is a tall, dark bay with an elegant strip of white down his face and a gentle demeanor. "He's a typical young Thoroughbred, always alert," Christine said. "But when you work with him, he's really quiet. He's very solid and non-reactive -- he's not spooky at all." And at only six years old, this elegant young horse has his whole life ahead of him and he is ready to be trained in any discipline his new owner wants him to do. He is sound and has looks even the most discriminating Hampton Classic judge would appreciate. There are dozens more at Amaryllis Farm and Equine Rescue in every color, size and ability level, that are as easy to ride and train as Aramis. And if you don't find the horse of your dreams at Amaryllis Farm and Equine Rescue now, chances are, you will find him there soon.

With 100,000 American horses being sent to slaughter each year, Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue is constantly in need of pastureland, hay, grain, grooming supplies, volunteers and donations to help them save as many horses as they can. On their wish list right now are such easy-to-find items as split-rail fencing, de-wormer, blankets, tack, pitchforks, sand, a first aid cabinet and grass seed. To make a donation, visit www.ForRascal.com or call (631) 537-7335. Amaryllis Farm and Equine Rescue also conducts a pony camp and teaches riding lessons, all with the help of Christine's grateful, "bomb-proof" rescued horses. Christine also teaches English, Western and Dressage lessons at the farm and the board prices are the most reasonable on Long Island. Not only is Amaryllis Farm and Equine rescue perfectly situated in the middle of the Hamptons, every penny spent there on lessons, board or pony camp goes directly towards saving horses' lives.

It has been said that the United States was founded on the back of a horse. Had our founding fathers not been able to swiftly ride into battle against the British, and the pioneers not been able to ride in wagons pulled by these sure-footed animals, the United States as we know it would not exist. This year, as we celebrate the founding of our country, please help these beautiful creatures by supporting Amaryllis Farm and Equine Rescue's efforts to save them.

SAVING HORSES IN SAGAPONACK, ONE AT AT TIME

By Christian McLean
There are a lot of horses in America and when they can no longer be cared for; when funds run low, when the horses don’t perform well, or are outgrown, something has to be done with them. They get put up for adoption, they get put down, they become dinner. There is factual evidence that Native Americans used to eat horse. That doesn’t happen in America anymore. No one here eats horses, but in Europe and elsewhere horse is still a regular part of the diet, actually more of a delicacy, and at $15 bucks a pound it rivals that of Long Island lobster.

I was in Japan a few years ago and tried to get my hands on some horse sushi because I heard it had a fantastic texture. I wasn’t able to find any, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Different cultures have different customs. Many believers of Hinduism find it appalling that people eat cows, yet we hail Bobby Van’s for their burgers and steaks. So what’s the big deal that people overseas eat horses?

To Americans, horses are icons of strength, beauty, and everything American. We have Ford Mustangs, Budweiser Draught Horses, Denver Broncos — what’s more American than cars, beer, and football? And the horse, though eaten by Native Americans, was also an important part of their lives — both for transportation and companionship. Today, we drive cars, but the companionship of horses is still an important relationship in the equestrian life, a life celebrated in the Hamptons. Tending to horses teaches responsibility and leads to maturity. I still remember waking up at six in the morning to feed and water our horses as a child and those days stay with me, as I recall the bond I created with those animals because horses, unlike many varieties of livestock, also develop relationships with people. Like dogs, they have the cognitive skill to learn and solve problems, as well as the emotional ability to show affection. These traits alone create an ideal creature to co-exist with humans and one could experience this symbiotic relationship if they were to spend any decent amount of time with a horse. Whatever the reasons, the American public does not eat horse, but we do lose our horses to the international “restaurant trade,” at a steady, if not increasing rate.

On a national level, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act is being put before Congress as early as September 5th, less than a week away. This act would ban the sale and transportation of horses for the preparation for human consumption in the United States, this would also prevent the horses from being transported across the border to meet the same fate. Congressman John Sweeney, of New York is leading the charge along with Congressman John Spratt, Jr. and Congressman Ed Whitfield of South Carolina and Kentucky, respectively. Several reasons cited by Sweeney and HR 503 for the ban are:

1. Horses and other equines play a vital role in the collective experience of the United States and deserve protection and compassion.

2. Horses and other equines are domestic animals that are used primarily for recreation, pleasure, and sport.

3. Unlike cows, pigs, and many other animals, horses and other equines are not raised for the purpose of being slaughtered for human consumption.

4. Individuals selling horses or other equines at auctions are seldom aware that the animals may be bought for the purpose of being slaughtered for human consumption.

We should put pressure on our congressmen and women to pass HR 503. The East End of Long Island is known for its horses, revered for its scenic pastures, picturesque barns, and split rail fences. But the Hamptons are also known for their unending fundraising events from ARF to The Retreat. Yet, horse rescue for the most part has been somewhat ignored. That is, if you don’t include the work being done at Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue, on Merchant Path in Sagaponack, which has saved 31 horses destined for slaughter in the past year.

When Christine Barrett-Distefano’s horse Rascal died of natural causes a little over a year ago, she began searching for a new horse. She found a website which listed horses which were in need of rescuing. There was one horse that caught her attention: a nameless, three-year-old Liverpool chestnut which had been basically ignored, left in a stall and was barely fed for the majority his life. The horse’s hooves had grown to 12 inches in length, making it painful for him to stand. He was at a feedlot being plumped up until the next trailer came to take him away.

On May 15, 2005 Christine met this horse, named him “Elijah,” and the rescue farm began. She had more empty stalls and decided to save as many horses as she could. In 15 months 31 horses have escaped becoming basashi or cheval burgers, but this is a labor of love and requires a great deal of help. Separated between three barns, in Southampton, Bridgehampton, and Sagaponack, the Farm has already had 15 of their horses adopted. The stories behind these rescued horses are horrific, but need to be shared.

When “Ginger” was found she was a nappy, emaciated horse that looked like she was on her last leg, and in some ways she was, but now the 23-year-old thoroughbred has filled out and is stunning. Strong and muscular, Ginger looks like she could still win a few races.

One of the more wonderful stories is that of “Nicky” or “Nick of Time” who was just a foal when he was saved. When Amaryllis Farm rescued him in December he had a broken bone in his leg, which no one seemed to have noticed at the farm where he was kept. In the past eight months he has healed nicely with the help of Veterinarian Dr. Andresen, who set the bone and treated Nicky’s wounds. He shows no signs of favoring the injured leg and should grow up to be a handsome horse of 15 hands.

Without sounding melodramatic, there are 29 other stories just like these, horses with productive lives ahead of them. But the cost of caring for them is immense. Each horse eats almost $10 worth of hay a day, that’s $3650 a year per horse, just in hay. These horses are beautiful, majestic creatures. Many are as gentle as can be, well-trained and perfectly suitable for riding. They need adopters and benefactors; people whose love of horses is as strong as that of the all-volunteer staff at Amaryllis Farm. Supplementing feed costs or vet bills can go a long way in providing these horses with the lives they deserve. There is a wish list on their website (www.forrascal.com) stating the different sponsorships available. For $15 a month you can be a Carrot Sponsor, for $20 a Basic Vet Sponsor, $75 a Vitamin Sponsor and so forth. If you would like to make a one time donation that is also greatly appreciated. Also to augment the funds which support these horses, the farm offers lessons in western and English styles, equestrian yoga, pony clubs, and camps which allow children to work first hand with these amazing creatures.

At the Hampton Classic last Sunday, I fell in love with “Amaryllis Heartbreaker” a four-year-old brown and white paint horse that is at the Farm’s display in the Exhibition Tent. If you attend the Classic this weekend, make a trip to the tent (behind the Grand Prix stadium) to visit with Christine, the rest of the staff at Amaryllis Farm and some of the stunning animals they have saved, including the grand daughter of the only undefeated Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew. There you make a donation to support these efforts.

If you can’t make it to the Classic, you can visit their website, www.forrascal.com or give them a call at 631-537-7335 to find out about adoption or how you could support these horses.

But with so many stables in the Hamptons there have to be other open stalls. Amaryllis Farm can’t be the only place with a few extra spaces. Why aren’t more farms stepping forward and saving the lives of these horses — horses that were once owned by people just like you and me?

http://archive.sagharboronline.com/sagquery/20050630/news5.htm
THE SAG HARBOR EXPRESS
ISSUE DATE: 6/30/05 June 2005

Horses Find a Rescuer Here

by Beth Young

Among the horse set in the Hamptons, there's little talk or thought about what happens to horses when they are deemed unfit for their role in our lives. From racehorses who don't perform up to exact standards to horses whose medical bills may outweigh the love of their owners, unwanted horses are a real problem.

The sale of horse meat for human consumption is illegal in the United States, but three foreign-owned slaughterhouses operate here (two are in Texas, one is in Illinois) and ship the meat overseas, where it can sell for as much as $15 a pound.

Christine Barrett-Distefano, who opened the Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue on Merchant's Path in Sagaponack on June 1, says she's the last person standing between the horse and the slaughterhouse.

At 2 a.m. Sunday morning, she greeted a shipment of four horses from Washington who had been on their way to the slaughterhouse. Two were thoroughbreds, one was a three-year-old white mare, and another was her foal.

Distefano, 38, grew up in Southampton, and she spent her entire childhood dreaming about horses. She got her first job leading a pony around a pen at Sears Bellows park when she was eight years old, and has worked at nearly every stable on the South Fork.

Then, Christine's horse Rascal died at the age of 32 and she decided that just working with horses wasn't enough. She wanted to devote herself to caring for horses that other people might have forgotten.

In its first month of operation, Amaryllis Horse Rescue has received eight horses, one pony and a three month old foal, which are boarded on a seven-and-a-half acre property Distefano is leasing on Merchant's Path.

"I wanted to do this since I was five - well, I wanted 40 acres," she chuckled as she looked out at her new charges, the mare and foal, who were huddled together in fright in the center of one pasture.

"Every time there's a good hoof and mouth disease scare in France, the price of horse meat here goes up," she said. Prices here are around 60 cents a pound.

Distefano said that the USDA had admitted that 92.3 percent of horses on their way to slaughter were "young, fit and healthy," and where they come from is as much of a surprise.

Thirty thousand to 40,000 horses are reported stolen annually in this country and 60,000 horses are killed for human consumption here every year. Most of the ones that are stolen are not recovered and chances are, they're on their way to the slaughterhouse.

Distefano said that alerts are posted on the internet when horses go missing and that once she'd read one in which a 13-year-old girl reported her five-year-old horse missing, and had to identify the horse by its hide at an Illinois slaughterhouse

Distefano had been working in real estate and teaching yoga at local gyms, but now, at 38 years old, she doesn't care what anybody thinks - she plans to throw her whole heart and every red cent she has into rescuing horses.

She has just filed the paperwork to become a 501c3 non-profit corporation, and hopes to offset the cost of rescuing horses (she has to pay for the horses, shipping, and medical expenses, not to mention boarding and feeding them) by teaching lessons and bringing her mild-mannered pony to parties. She hopes, once many of her horses are trained and taught to trust people, to find permanent homes for them without charging a small fortune.

"If you don't have $20,000" to spend on a horse, she said, "you can't even start looking."

Distefano hopes trainers can find more affordable horses for their clients at her farm, but many of them are still unaccustomed to being loved or cared for and need extensive training in order to trust people.

Distefano's training crew is an eclectic group - she has a rodeo rider who's used to riding bulls if she encounters a particularly unwieldily horse, an event rider and a steeplechase jockey. They all come to be around horses and put the time in riding, but Distefano does most of the work running the farm (she can't even afford anyone to muck the stalls) herself.

The first horse to arrive at Amaryllis Horse Rescue five weeks ago was three-year-old Elijah, a horse who bears an uncanny resemblance to Distefano's old horse. The difference, though, was that Elijah had never been touched in his whole life.

He had wolf teeth, his feet had never been clipped, he hadn't been gelded. He couldn't move, all he could do was pivot, because he'd spent so much time in a tiny pen.

"The first time I turned him out, he didn't know what grass was," she said. "It took two-and-a-half weeks before he would eat a carrot. Then he saw my pony schnarfing down carrots."

Elijah came over to her from across his stall, nuzzling, looking for love.

"He doesn't have his good looks for nothing," she said. "He comes from some of the best bloodlines there are."

Distefano said there is only one other local horse rescue, in Manorville, which takes horses after they are no longer able to compete at the race track. The difference between that and her rescue is that she's the last person standing between the horses and the slaughterhouse.

Distefano hopes that a new bill in Congress stopping slaughter of horses for human consumption for one year will be extended forever if people become more aware of where horses actually go.

"Who eats horses? We don't eat horses here," she said. "I hope it will end for good."

In the meantime, the horses here are looking for sponsors to assume some of the cost of their medications, boarding, and, most importantly, their carrot supply.

"Horses don't care about rent, feed and overhead, but they do care about carrots," said Distefano.

The Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue can be reached at 537-7335.

A Call to Save Horses

By Beth Young

Christine Barrett-Distefano has rescued 27 horses from slaughterhouses in the past year, but she still believes that not enough people know that horses are actually being slaughtered in this country and shipped oversees to be eaten.
Christine, who owns the Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue on Merchants Path in Southampton, held a candlelight vigil on Long Wharf in Sag Harbor on Memorial Day to help raise that awareness.
She billed it as a "nationwide candlelight vigil," and began calling other horse lovers in Washington, Georgia, Florida, Virginia and Maryland, asking them to hold vigils of their own.
In Sag Harbor, the turnout was mostly kids, which Christine finds to be very hopeful.
"We're continually trying to raise awareness, with field trips," she said. "Everyone that comes is stunned that the slaughter even exists. We have kids writing letters to the president."
Several foreign-owned companies have horse slaughterhouses in the United States, and import the meat to Italy, France, Belgium and Japan. In Japan, fresh horse meat is such a delicacy that foals are often tied up outside expensive restaurants to be picked out, killed and eaten on the spot.
A bill that would ban horse slaughter, known as HR 503, is currently sitting in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Christine is hoping to use the Internet, and letters from kids, to send a message to congressmen who are working on the bill.
"If this comes out to be voted on, there's a strong possibility we could end slaughter," she said.
Christine currently has 19 horses at the horse rescue, and nine strong workers, all girls, helping her keep them cleaned and fed.