This is the time of year we are all shopping and spending buckets of money on our loved ones (and some on ourselves?).  Hopefully you aren’t running yourself into debt just for the holidays.

We begin the shopping season with Black Friday…although retail stores and society have made the disgusting decision to begin infringing on Thanksgiving.  [Sidenote: I participated in Black Friday twice and stopped the year they began sales before midnight.  I refuse to go to those stores on a family holiday.]

Following Black Friday we have Small Business Saturday, and two days later Cyber Monday.  For the rest of the season retail stores feature other “sales” to entice shoppers to plunge into their wallets and throw away the budget.

We’re all about giving to our friends and loved ones.  No matter our financial situation  we always manage to find a way to get at least a little something for someone we love, don’t we?

This year I’d like to challenge you to find a way to give only one more important gift.  Today is Giving Tuesday.  Please take some of your budget and consider giving it to a charity today.  Whether it’s $2, $20, or $200 every little bit counts.

When choosing a charity it’s important that you first do your research.  Make sure that the money goes where it should instead of purchasing mansions and luxury cars for the top ranking officers.

It should be no surprise that my chosen charity is Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation, with whom I am fostering Zeno Bay and Vai Via.    I met Susan Kayne, the founder, through a wonderful neighbor when I was looking for a solution to my horse being alone.  Susan began Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation to help save the lives of the numerous ex-racehorses that are at risk of slaughter.

To my surprise the first horse that prompted the Foundation’s creation was Stalwart Member, a horse one of my very own friends had adopted from Unbridled. Talk about a small world!

Thoroughbred aftercare is something that doesn’t get a lot of attention.  These horses are removed from the track.  Some find homes and make wonderful second careers.  Others, and I’d say a majority, ultimately find themselves in the shoots and pens of a kill-buyer.  The kill-buyers sell to plants in Canada and Mexico and drive these horses in overcrowded usually double-decker trailers to be slaughtered for meat.

Slaughter was banned in the United States in 2007.  Whether you think that’s good or bad the fact remains that we continue to have a problem here with the abandoned unwanted horses.  They are still being slaughtered but now they must travel further to get there.  Too many horses are being bred and not enough people (breeders & racehorse owners) are being held responsible.

It’s not enough just to save these horses. After we have rescued them we must still provide excellent care and find them homes.  Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation currently has over 13 horses, not including Zeno Bay and VaiVia.  They all need vetting, farrier, dental, hay, feed, and the land they live on.  This isn’t cheap.  Susan takes no income from the donations made to Unbridled.  In the short time I’ve known her she pours her heart and soul into these horses from before dawn to well after dusk.  She accounts for all of the horses, provides clarity and education for those interested, frequently updates supporters through Facebook to ensure transparency, and welcomes donors to come visit and get hands on.

If you can spare even a couple dollars I ask that you consider Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation.  A gift of only $15 will cover the average daily expense of one horse.  There are many ways that you can give:

• AMAZON!  Yes, buy purchasing items on Amazon you can simultaneously help Unbridled.  Simply go to https://smile.amazon.com/, choose Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation in Kinderhook, NY as your charity and shop away.  The prices are all the same but Unbridled will receive a small amount of that.  Remember EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS NO MATTER HOW SMALL.
• Donate to the foundation.  I have included a link to the Facebook and to the website.  To make it easier, you can click here to donate via PayPal
• Purchase a calendar. You can buy a 2019 calendar with many of the Unbridled Horses in each month for $35 plus $2.50 S+H.  Visit the site to get more information.  Calendars make great gifts plus you’d be helping to feed the horses at the farm.
• Donate your birthday:  Facebook now allows you to donate your birthday as a fundraiser.  Unbridled has been the recipient of several of these and can use your help.
• Sponsor a Horse:  Visit the site to see how you can sponsor a horse at Unbridled

If you give after 8am Eastern today GIVING TUESDAY 11/27/18 Paypal and Facebook will match the first $7,000,000.  Will you help double your donation by giving this morning?

If you’re not yet convinced I’ve made it even easier.  Below this collage of the boys you will find some of the top sites about Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation.  News articles, the great nonprofits profile, the website, and the social media.  See for yourself that your gifts will be directly helping these thoroughbreds and more to come.  Help secure the future for UTF!

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Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation’s profile on GreatNonprofits.org:

 https://greatnonprofits.org/org/unbridled-thoroughbred-foundation

Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation website:

http://www.susankayne.com/foundation.html

Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/UnbridledThoroughbredFoundation/

Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation Facebook:

https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/833778800042127/unbridled-thoroughbred-foundation/?hl=en

Article from BloodHorse.com Announcing Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation’s creation with Stalwart Member’s retirement:

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/178405/new-retirement-foundation-next-for-stalwart-member

Article from ThePlaidHorse.com about Susan Kayne and Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation:

https://theplaidhorse.com/2018/04/07/susan-kayne-and-the-unbridled-thoroughbred-foundation/

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