It is just a foodie fun weekend this weekend. This evening we went to Glenmoore Deli and Country Market which is located at 1941 Creek Road, Glenmoore, PA 19343. (Phone 610-942-4321)
The proprietress/chef is Christie Keith and she is another kitchen wizard I am lucky to know. Her place is a cool little joint in the delightfully sleepy village of Glenmoore. It’s a weekend breakfast and lunch place and it’s another hidden gem that more need to visit.
I will warn you, it’s a cell signal no man’s land, so call ahead to make sure they are open and when you get there, you unplug and enjoy your meal.
I know, I know I have kind of turned into a breakfast and lunch and brunch person. It’s what I really like.
Every once in a while, Christie does a special dinner. There is no liquor license here, so you can BYOB but a lot of people just don’t. There is always some wonderful teas or lemonade or coffee or infused water served.
This evening it was a Polish dinner. It was nothing short of amazing. Pierogis that were delicious and light and fluffy. Kielbasa. Tiny meatballs on fresh arugula. Borscht. All sorts of homemade fresh pickles. Cucumber salad. Kolaczki. Honey Almond Cake.
It was delicious. We were seated with a lovely local couple as the tables are sort of family style after a fashion. People came with their families, and young and old and every age in between, we just enjoyed a wonderful meal.
Christie is calling this her Comfort Food Series and we can’t wait for the next one!
Check out Glenmoore Deli and Country Market for breakfast or lunch one weekend. They have a Facebook page so keep an eye out for Christie’s next fun dining adventure!
I am hearing from neighbors (across from Lloyd house) the developer isn’t tearing the circa 1795 house down. I hope that’s true! A bunch of us walked the house. Teens have vandalized it yet the house is solid. Something like 9 bedrooms!!
I met a lady in town whose mother grew up there. Her mother’s mother died when she was young so the father took a job at Lloyd farm taking care of the stables and horses and they lived in the house with the Lloyd family! (We assume based on dates it was the Lloyd family)
Sending photos I took. It’s such a huge old house.
Abandoned Steve photography documents old Chester county houses before they’re torn down. He took photos as well. His are better than mine.
Lloyd Farm. Sigh.
In December 2018 I had posted about Lloyd farm in Caln being at risk. Sources tell me that they had quite the crown turn out the other evening who turned out to protest this?
Things that people are worried about include will that historic farmhouse be torn down no matter what? Is it true that farmhouse does indeed have a fairly new roof and if this land was part of a William Penn Land Grant as in the guy who settled PA, how can this even happen? And what about the component of the big pipeline easement? How should that affect density of any development plan?
Things also being wondered about is this developer just looking for plan approvals to flip the parcel with approvals to yet another developer? And is this developer the guy who owns Suburban Propane?
Is it true that Caln’s solicitor was snippy with residents? And isn’t she the same gal who USED to hold or holds a similar position in West Goshen? East Goshen? Does something in Easttown and more places? Why does she seem so pro-development? Is she going to be mad I ask these questions? Aren’t we allowed to ask these questions? Will she try to stop me from asking these very reasonable questions?
And as for the category of “in the audience” who was the mystery attorney who seemed to object to some community flyer? Who was he there for? Apparently they also objected to residents concerned about development jacking up traffic?
So the meeting was paused until January, 2019, correct? And then there was this update January 5th that a reader posted:
Update on the Lloyd Farm. There is no public hearing being rescheduled. The people have spoken and the Commissioners have heard you! While this plan isn’t going to get through, REGAL WILL BE BACK. As quickly as they can. Yes they have a right to develop land the own and paid $4.6M dollars for. But they need to do it in a manner that is acceptable to the Caln Twp residents. We will be watching and reporting so keep a look out for news here and on www.calnwatch.info
I was driving by Lloyd Avenue while in Downingtown on Saturday with a friend, so is this part of that parcel? See below:
Is this part of “Lloyd Farm”?
So a recap is in order before I press on, ok?
Super historic. Known as the “Lloyd Farm”, “Valley Brook Farm” has a fire I would call mysterious a few years ago? Seriously.
Pretty crazy historic, and I understand there was a fire, but is super-sized developement all Caln Township can think is right for this property??? I am told the developer who has bought the “Lloyd Farm” was proposing 5 story apartment buildings, and commercial where there is NO zoning for it? So now what?
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So if I read the history of the property correctly, it dates back to the late 1600s and a Penn Land Grant? And by 1996 it was owned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia? (Now I make no secret of my disdain of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and their pedophile priest problems of recent past. Sorry, I digress again…)
(See my prior post for links to the history I found and some document on the easement.)
Again I will tell you I have never been on this property. But people near it have, which is how I was sent the photos I am sharing.
Do I have the answers as to what to do with this property? Sadly, no. Don’t know that area well enough. But if there is a pipeline easement, maybe the developer should go light on the development?
Again, how many cram plan developments does one county need? Who is driving this?
Chester County, we can’t just keep sitting idly by as chuck after chunk of land gets carved up. Once open space is gone, it’s gone. Once history is gone, it’s gone.
They had me with part of a Penn Land Grant. That is older than the American Revolution and is so the literal founding and early settlers.
Here is a snippet off of Wikipedia – sorry – it saves me time:
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in English North America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II. The name Pennsylvania, which translates roughly as “Penn’s Woods”,[1] was created by combining the Penn surname (in honor of William’s father, Admiral Sir William Penn) with the Latin word sylvania, meaning “forest land”. The Province of Pennsylvania was one of the two major Restoration colonies, the other being the Province of Carolina. The proprietary colony‘s charter remained in the hands of the Penn family until the American Revolution, when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was created and became one of the original thirteen states. “The lower counties on Delaware”, a separate colony within the province, would breakaway during the American Revolution as “the Delaware State” and also be one of the original thirteen states.
Also check out places like the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s website. Land that was part of any Penn Land Grant is extraordinarily historically significant. Residents near and far and hsitorians should take note and attend meetings. Media local and regional might not find history and land development sexy, but they also need to get on the stick here. One blip on this important topic was in the Daily Local in early December.
According to the Caln Watch Website there is a meeting Tuesday, February 12 at the Thorndale Fire Hall 3611 Lincoln Hwy, Thorndale, PA 19372 – 6pm to 8pm (Parking located in school lot):
Soooo…among the questions that should be asked and that Caln Township and this developer needs to address is are they SAVING the historic farmhouse for real? If so enough with the demolition by neglect, right? If people are sending me interior photos, then the building is not properly secured and while safe for now the longer it is exposed to punk ass vandals and the elements is not good, correct?
Sooooo…my suggestion? Contact these folks. Make your opinions known. Flood meetings with bodies. Reach out to public officials and those who want to be in office or ummm have aspirations for higher office who are in local office now. Reach out to any historic preservation or media contacts you have.
Those misguided supervisors are voting on higher density B.S. zoning thing I never thought I would see in that township on Tuesday February 5th. I heard and was not surprised to hear they refused a resident petition against this? The East Goshen meeting starts at 7 PM. The agenda is posted and can be read HERE. People and media should attend that as well and read the packet linked here. (Also on Tuesday in East Goshen? A chicken ordinance. I find it ironic that chickens have such issues in a township that was once also a lot of farms. Yes, I am pro-chicken although I personally keep none.)
Why is this a call for arms? Simple. Chester County is groaning and suffering under the weight of over development and it needs to slow down or even stop for a good long while. Just this weekend I was in Glenmoore for example. They seem to suffer from lots and lots of power outages. Locals speculate part of the cause is the infrastructure can’t keep up with the pace of development.
Moderation is the key to true and actual smart growth. Only we don’t see that any longer. There is limited respect for the past and the architectural heritage of Chester County. Just like there is lip service paid to open space and agricultural preservation at times. It’s great when small parcels are preserved and handed down to the next generation, but what about these big parcels? Parcels like Crebilly and Lloyd farm are what a lot of our county was like for a very long time.
Now I actually do believe progress has a place but it’s the vision of progress I take issue with. Progress doesn’t have to hurt and wanton development hurts. We can’t support it long-term and by the time a lot of folks figure that out, the developers and current elected and appointed officials will be long gone, correct? As a county we have to look past the damn ratables that elected and appointed officials salivate over. They are a short-term financial gain if a gain at all since is it not true sometimes the ratables are not what people thought they would be?
Maybe some do not like my opinions, but I am entitled to them. Not every square inch should be developed. Not every square inch needs to be developed. Y’all aren’t going to get your veggies off the roof of places like Whole Foods are you?
Farms, open space, history need to be respected and preserved. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. What do you as a resident want the future to look like? Lots of Tyvec wrapped plastic beige boxes? More stucco McMansion horror show stories? Human warehouses for seniors and others? More ugly strip malls? The end of Main Street? Constipated bits of “open space” which is usually land that is not able to be developed?
One of the more fabulous traditions in Chester County is Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show. And it turns 70 on this upcoming August 31st!!!
Ludwig’s Corner is the tradition that many, many people turned out to save at Christmastime a couple of years ago when West Vincent Township wanted to exercise eminent domain for private gain on this beautiful piece of land and Chester County tradition.
Photo courtesy of Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show
The Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show is going strong and is looking forward to their 2013 show! They asked me to post about the show and to mention that they are looking for volunteers. So if you are new to the area or always wanted to volunteer, now is your chance!
Here is the note I received from the volunteer chair:
Saturday, August 31, 2013 Marks the 70th Annual Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show & Country Fair, Glenmoore, PA!!
We are seeking volunteers to help with the 70th Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show & Country Fair, Glenmoore, PA, which will run Saturday, August 31, 2013 through Monday, September 2, 2013. Volunteers are needed to help serve Food, Sell Tickets, Park Cars, Help with Children’s Games, and help in the Volunteer Tent! This horse show is run with all volunteers and requires approximately 250 volunteers to support our efforts each Labor Day weekend. Without the assistance of volunteers, this 3-day event would not be possible. http://www.ludwigshorseshow.org/Home/Volunteering/tabid/76/Default.aspx
Last year, the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Association was pleased to have the assistance of non-profit groups, The Owen J. Roberts Band Supporters and the Downingtown East Soccer Booster Club, along with the Knights of Columbus from St. Elizabeth’s Parish. *In addition, the Pickering Hunt Pony Club provides 100 hours of volunteer service to the horse show grounds, as well as providing volunteers to support the event. This event has become a Community-wide event, and is known as a jewel of events in Chester County, PA.
We would appreciate any notifications that you can provide to help us recruit volunteers, and then to let the public know about this great event over Labor Day weekend.
Of course there is reported drama over who actually “quit” and who was “fired” and are you surprised? What is it they say about truth being optional for these people?
So what the what? And if Barbara Luna and Turning for Home are moving horses does that mean all these people worried about all these horses for all this time were right? And if Barbara Luna is moving horse around like pawns on a chessboard so they finally have their paperwork together? And what does Barbara Luna and Turning for Home have to say about all of this? After all Off the Track Thoroughbred Rescue never magically just clapped their hands and twitched their nose for horses to appear, right? So what does Barbara Luna have to say for herself? Does she track all the stipend money doled out along with the horses?
And where is LAPs on this? You know the mythical Large Animal Protection Society? Do they have a handle YET on horse rescue in Chester County or are they pretending that probelms with horse rescues in Chester County isn’t really like problems with puppy mills in Lancaster County?
And speaking of LAPS, can someone please explain to me this brand new horse rescue over in Oxford that popped up on Facebook and loves everyone but doesn’t take donations? What rescue doesn’t need donations? For real? Are they on some unknown DuPont estate with a giant endowment running them or are they over maybe on the fan heiress’s farm?
And here I thought Triple D was only Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.
This of course begs the question once more of how many horse rescues exist in Chester County and how are they regulated? I ask because my horse friends tell me one sick horse coming into a barn can put the entire barn at risk. Other animal rescues are regulated so how exactly do horse rescues get regulated?
Finally, someone sent me this photo. They described it as “horse training” at a horse rescue? So are these kids even old enough to drive or vote that are handling this horse? Looks dangerous, but what do I know, right?
Horse rescue remains a great mystery of life to me. I just wish anyone seemed to know what the rules and regulations were, right?
So way back in late October and early November when a friend saw these kooky Craig’s List ads and then I started looking on my own and asking questions about horserescue, I have said it before, but it is the truth: I had no clue the craziness that would ensue.
Day after day, week after week things just swirled about Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue in Glenmoore (Oxford too?) and Parx Racing’s Turning for home. I did not seek it out. I even got comments from people as far away as Oklahoma. On and on, and drama swirled. Facebook kamikaze to odd things happening at people’s homes. (Unless you think the state police showing up in full Ninja turtle gear is normal for Chester County mornings?). People getting followed, people feeling generally bothered, and lots of finger-pointing, and how nutty was all of it? Even I received comments and such that could be interpreted as threatening or menacing, and wow, what did I do? Ask questions? Care about animals in rescue?
When would it stop?
No one seemed to know. And all it was to begin with was worry over horses entering rescue and how they were being cared for and where was LAPs in all of this?
Now from my perspective can it be said that Barbara Luna who is with Parx Racing’s non-profit Turning for Home among others has a lot of questions she should be answering versus dodging? After all isn’t it Barbara Luna who helps shift these racehorses who have outlived their track usefulness off the track around here and into local rescue? Still to this day, where is this woman’s accountability? How did these horses end up across state lines without proper paperwork in some cases? And did some end up in that awful New Holland place in line to become god knows what?
Anyway, last week it was noticed that Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue of Fairview Road in Glenmoore (and elsewhere?) was offline. As in the Facebook page and website suddenly went dark. It had be active in both cases as of March 11, because they were advertising a yard sale to raise money for the rescue sometime this month, so why? Why is the only thing left (probably until this post gets published) a tumblr page? Are they closing their doors or merging with another horse rescue? If either occurs, what happens to the horses in this rescue? And where are they?
So many unanswered questions. But today, I have been asked by someone who says they were duped by Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue to publish something. It is her story. She wants to go public because she is tired of being painted as a villain in a multi-act play.
Her name is Carol. Below is what she wrote verbatim. She owns her words and takes responsibility for them. If Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue is indeed done, then perhaps Barbara Luna of Turning for Home can address this? Even apologize?
Click on hyperlink for Carol’s Story. carols story
A lot of this centers around Carol’s special needs daughter. And anyone who knows horses or has worked with say Thorncroft or other horse therapy programs knows the power horses have for good in these situations.
Here is the text (there are photos and other things the author embedded in the document above):
In Jan of 1999 God blessed our family with a beautiful baby girl. Her birthmother loved her so much she actually came to our home with a weapon and ripped her from my arms.
My baby was lost to me for 3 months before authorities were able to bring her home. She came home very lethargic. I had my baby back but, she didn’t laugh, she didn’t coo, she didn’t even cry all that much. She simply laid there, a human baby with no light in her eyes. It was like holding a doll.
Doctors said she’d outgrow it…experts said that severely neglected infants become very withdrawn but love would heal that. I couldn’t just sit by and hope. I quit my job and devoted every minute of my life to bringing her back. She never left my sight during those first nine months. We bonded and slowly I began to see a spark in her eyes.
At 4, we learned she was on the autism spectrum. I watched my child struggle to fit in, to make friends, to be good at something/anything for years. The pain was incredible. Then in 2010 at the age of 11 she discovered horses and her whole world changed. She started taking lessons, she learned to ride and she found her voice. Finally she had friends, she was good at something and she liked her world. For months she saved every penny of her allowance, her birthday money and Christmas money. Her goal was to own a horse of her own.
Day after day she spent hours on dream horse trying to find a horse she could afford until the day she saw an ad placed by Jessica Troxell Basciano. Of course we took her to see the horse. Of course we let her buy him. What parent could say no to a child’s dream?
Never did we think anyone, much less a mother, would take advantage of a handicapped child but that is exactly what Jessica Troxell Basciano did. She said the horse was perfect for my daughter. She said the horse was sound and well trained. Jessica Troxell Basciano stood next to me, watched the tears rolling down my face as my only child lived out her dream on the back of that horse…and she lied.
Instead of a sound, well trained, suitable for a child, horse Jessica Troxell Basciano sold my baby a horse that had only been off the track for three weeks, had been recently gelded and had severe stifle issues.
We returned the horse to Jessica Troxell Basciano within 24 hours of purchase. Two years later we are still fighting to have my daughter’s money returned to her.
This is “Moose’. In the background is my car and the tent we slept in next to Moose because my child refused to leave him that night. Below is Jessica’s response. We did not leave the horse alone at all actually. He never fell during the night and he didn’t have a soft tissue injury anywhere on his body. He was not injured while we had him.
As for the vet bill:
My husband is a well respected, highly intelligent engineer. To suggest he would offer to pay anything more to her is just insulting.
What vet charges $300 to come look at a horse? No x-rays were taken. The vet came at 3:00 pm and Jessica started texting me to say the horse was perfectly fine at 3:05.
She claims to have a bill and a letter. We have yet to see anything of the sort.
Jessica Troxell Basciano “re-homed’ ‘Moose’ to a young woman named Jenn Messner. Jenn is one of many young women who work for Jessica in exchange for free horses. Below is Jenn’s response:
Please note that she says she wouldn’t have put my child on that horse but Jessica did. Also note she says he has stifle issues.
All I want is my daughters money back and for Jessica Troxell Basciano not to be able to do this to any other family. Yes, it IS about the horses but sometimes it’s also about the people who love them.
Well people are still talking about those horse rescues….and sources say that Barbara Luna from Turning for Home is not happy that people keep asking her questions but gosh good golly, she doles out the horses to rescues with stipends and stuff so shouldn’t she know? Shouldn’t she be accountable? How is it she always plays possum?
Anyway the Facebook page of that Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue is mysteriously down but their website and idiotic tumblr pages are still viable. You can also find them on some site called “Dream Horse” that I don’t follow.
If you go looking for bargains (or missing coggins, halters, medical records, stray horse, etc.) remember to ask if they are a non-profit or some kind of incorporation or LLC – they say all proceeds will go towards the rescue….just want to get it right, right?
The address is 261 Fairview Road Glenmoore, PA 19343 – you will have to watch the website for the exact date.
Hope you get a bargain and if you are awaiting answers from that rescue, those too! Maybe LAPS representatives will be there too, right? I mean they care “caring, committed, taking action”, right?
And if you are upset with horse rescue in PA you can contact Chester County Commissioner Ryan Costello – apparently he has some sort of interest here, I don’t know for sure, just what I am told.
And if people feel they have no other recourse they can always see what PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane has to say about horse rescues and non-profits. Commonwealth of PA 717-787-3391, (Consumer protection) 800-441-2555, (717) 783-2853 (Charitable organizations complaint)
And be aware that the owner of the rescue having the yard sale has these judgments and stuff filed against her in Chester County Court that has to do with the rescue she is having the yard sale for:
Lest we forget out here in Chester County, it is not just dogs that need the kindness and caring of the public, horses do too.
So I am circling back to the topic of horse rescue. Briefly. It is my hope since the media that is interested in horse rescue irregularities now knows how to find their way to Chester County, they will check out what is up with horse rescue. Especially since so many come literally off a track in Pennsylvania.
See this horse photo posted? His name I am told is Wildcat. He has a story posted with his photo. I found it all on Facebook yesterday, and it is quite recent. I will share that too:
Yes it is fugly out there when it comes to horse rescue, and I wish that just one iota of the media attention shown to other types of animals, animal cruelty, and animal rescue would show here. Wildcat ended up with a happy ending of sorts because he ended up thousands of miles away on a farm of a caring woman from Oklahoma….who is still waiting apparently for either Turning for Home through Parx or Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue to pony up the horse’s paperwork and medical records. I can’t make this stuff up, just look for yourselves:
Horses are expensive and when they change hands they have all these things that are supposed to go with them. I am too tired to go into all of it again, but can we leave it as horse rescue seems to me to be a somewhat dirty business? And can we also say around here that these race horses that come off the track via a woman named Barbara Luna and Turning for Home and in turn go to a rescue that isn’t even a non-profit called Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue at 261 Fairview Road in Glenmoore are long overdue with some explaining on Wildcat and other horses placed into rescue? Are there still horses related to this rescue at a place called Lasko Farm in Oxford? After all how else do you explain why some horse lovers/owners are still so upset in Chester County? That photo of Wildcat above is on Facebook in a couple of different places – in once place it cause enough uproar for over 80 comments . These PA “rescues” are even being discussed by a pretty big deal nationally known horse rescue person, and I would not say it is all positive and love, is it?
The dogs in our world have a lot of good people to look after them and fight for them. Horses, not so much. Around these parts they are supposed to have LAPs, but does that do any good? No one can ever seem to answer that question for me.
My final comment this morning is for the dogs. The outpouring of love and support for the Bock family over the loss of their beloved dogs Argus & Fiona is so truly amazing and wonderful…some of the more negative behavior I have heard about associated with this? Not so much. I really don’t dig the idea of strangers taking the nosy pleasure ride through Chester Springs to see “where it happened” or the comments I have seen threatening innocent animals or when I heard about the freak of a woman who stood in the road with a bull horn screaming.
I find this morning’s article in The Daily Local interesting. Especially since West Vincent officials pretty much hid from the media and public for days on this. Are they utterly innocent in this? Only time will tell. Seems to me they were advised to get on the publicity bandwagon. People don’t generally think warm fuzzie bunnies and chickens when it comes to these supervisors do they? I do applaud the Chief of Police for stating flat-out that they freaky vigilante justice has to stop. No civilized person condones that kind of behavior so good for them.
I will admit up front I am waaay past cranky. I have been sick for a week and I am tired of being sick. Anyway between being sick and life in general I did not pay much attention to some outreach this blog received which was very interesting. It came in a few days ago, I forgot about it, did not approve it and came back to it today.
Anyway this woman Kendall with whom I have never spoken, and certainly never met, got a horse called “Wildcat”. Wildcat was mentioned by people in the comments on one of the posts. I don’t remember where.
Silly me, I had no idea horses in a horse rescue in PA would travel across the country to the great plains state of Oklahoma. But I don’t rescue horses so what do I know.
Her comments and name (and e-mail address) provided me with enough to find her Facebook page and photos that are public of this horse. I am NOT publishing her e-mail as she seems like a victim if that is what you call it. I did not solicit this woman, did not know she exists. But if people from clear across the country are complaining now, what next? And if anyone mentioned in her comment have issues with being mentioned, well heck you sold her a horse and you know where to find her.
Makes you wonder that is for darn sure. What I am posting is unedited and it is unsolicited by me. I don’t know her from Adam’s house cat. The only thing omitted is her e-mail address – no photos were embedded with the comment. But again, I found photos of the horse on her Facebook page that were public not private photos. (we are not Facebook friends as it were.)
Here it is:
Sadly, I have to add my name to the list of people who have been misled by Off the Track Rescue and Turning for Home.
Mid November- saw Wildcat Lake on OTTB Connect facebook advertised by Christina Hannan representing herself as working for Jessica Basciano. I quickly received a private message saying he had come off the track with a bow but released to ride by a vet.
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November 23, 2012- I received a fax with an adoption application from Christina Hannan and adoption agreement. All the paperwork was titled Off the Track-Jessica Basciano
November 24, 2012-I faxed back signed paperwork. The adoption agreement does not have a date, horse description, horse name or signature by anyone from adoption facility. I asumed all paperwork would arrive with him with the his description filled in along with a signature. Oddly, I received a private message cancelling the adoption saying Jessica didn’t want him to go that far. I then received another private message saying it was on again. We received several phone calls this same day from Barbara Luna, Jessica Basciano, Deb Jones and Bonnie Hutton confirming we were adopting him.
November 28, 2012 – Wildcat Lake was delivered to us in Oklahoma by a shipper we provided and paid for. No vet records, no rehab info, no signed adoption papers were delivered with him. We received a coggins but a couple weeks later discovered the tattoo does not match Wildcats tattoo..
Early December, 2012-I checked with our three references provided to Christina/Jessica and found no one had been contacted on my behalf.
Late December & Early January- I asked Christina for his vet records as she quoted he had been approved for riding in her advertisement. She again in a private message told me he had been approved to ride by two vets. She sent me a private message (see below) later telling me Wildcat had been released by Jessicas vets and that we should contact her. She said she had only spoken to her personal vet on the phone about it and he had not seen him. I called the vet that did his coggins and it was confirmed that he only did a coggins and did not discuss the bow and its rehab with Christina.
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January 7, 2013 – . I then contacted Barb and Jessica for Wildcats vet records. I received both of their interpretation of supposed vet records but didn’t get the actual physical paperwk Barb said the vet that did track eval and followup eval with Jessica was Tom Lurito. I received this from Jess but no actual vet records were sent to me as requested:
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Then I received this from Barb Luna-her interpertation of the vet records but no actual paperwork was received from her either:
January 8, 2013 – I left messages for Dr Lurito several times over the past two weeks
January 17, 2013- I contacted Barb Luna again telling her that I wasn’t having any luck with Dr Lurito and she responded that she couldn’t do anymore for me.
January 18, 2013- Dr Lurito called and said he couldn’t remember a horse named Wildcat.
I still have nothing on Wildcat except my personal vets evaluation which is he is NOT ridable now, has a really bad case of rain rot, and underweight. No shot records were provided either.
For those few of you who are defending these ladies, you need to ask yourself a few questions:
what if I wasn’t a good person that received a horse in this condition? what would have happened to him? My references were never checked! I can only assume he was never vetted after the track so if jessica received money for him as she admits in an earlier post (approx 2000.00), what did she spend it on for him? we know it wasn’t for vet care, rain rot meds, ulcer meds, etc etc etc so what did she do with it? Christina stated she was “thinning the herd for health reasons” yet she is advertising as of today with more horses.. I see in earlier post where Christina says she adopted him from Jessica – then why was the adoption application titled OFF THE TRACK with Jessicas name if she no longer owned him? None of this makes any logical sense.
People, can this whole horse manure pile get resolved? What does Barbara Luna think? Is she ultimately responsible in some way since she appears to be the link between the tracks and the horse rescues?
It is time for the players in this drama to get together and get this figured out. I see names in her comment that mean nothing to me, but I have to ask is the Deb Jones she refers to the big deal horse rescue lady Deborah Jones mentioned in the media? ( See this article and this article for example) Is this the lady from savinghorsesinc?
1.25.13: This message was purportedly sent to this Kendall lady by someone in the rescue. Kendall isn’t very tech savvy so I believe she doesn’t know how to screen capture private messages very well and copied and pasted this to herself or something? I don’t know but whatever, here:
UPDATE 1.27.2013 Received this document from Kendall Pearsall in OK. It is in native format “as is”
Sigh….do people really think that what they write on the Internet is private? And when they yickety yack no one will dish on them?
And I so love (yes love) when I am referred to by those who just ummm…doth protesteth too much.
Here’s the 411: I did not go looking for irregularities in horse rescue. I am not rescuing a horse, have never rescued a horse, no longer ride. This all started because of strange postings on Craig’s List. Not really knowing many in the horse community, I had no idea how this issue would literally explode. I still have no clue who put up those Craig’s List postings. But whomever they are, they exposed a seedy underbelly.
All these people rolled up and started commenting. Apparently this is a HUGE issue in the racing and horse community. Once Pandora’s stall was opened more stuff was found on the internet and more and more people left comments.
This is not an advertised blog. Yet here are all these people caring about the same thing.
So it ends up this horse hurricane is centered around a non-profit called Turning For Home and as I understand it a woman who helps dole out these horses leaving the professional life named Barbara Luna? As I have come to understand it based upon the MANY MANY comments of others left on these posts she works with horse rescues? The one that piqued my curiosity, was the one that kept cropping up as a topic on those Craig’s List ads was Off The Track Rescue run by a woman named Jessica Basciano . Until the Craig’s List ads I had never heard about ANY of this.
Off The Track Rescue unless someone can tell me differently does not appear to be a non-profit or even a formerly formed business, does it? Can anyone find anything other than a fictitious name registration? Note, that is nothing illegal, but most rescues I know of are non profits so they can accept donations for which people get a tax write off and so they can apply for grants. Because why? Rescue is EXPENSIVE. Comments on these posts from people involved with this Jessica and from Jessica herself seem to indicate that the Barbara Luna seems to give like an allowance per horse she places with them? Is that enough money and quite honestly without a non-profit status or falling under the umbrella of another non-profit isn’t that a taxable nightmare?
Anyway, the fur has been flying since I first mentioned funky Craig’s List ads. Back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. Some of the comments left by those PRO-rescue can indeed be interpreted as harassing or threatening and the tales of what happens when the horse sets complain about this rescue is a little odd isn’t it?
And also odd the Where’s Waldo of it all as far as locations of this rescue. They say Glenmoore, but then there are also references to Phoenixville and Oxford and then lots of refuting a couple of the locations like they don’t exist but people see these rescue horses in these fields so what is up with that?
And then there is the chatter between some of this crew on Facebook after they read things here and comment. And they do things LOL like refer to “that blogger” and “everyone who thinks they are a writer”. (Oh honies, silly youse gals, I am a writer)
Yes, if I perceive something as a threat, harassment, or anything else I will indeed publish the name, e-mail addy and I.P. address publicly. Duh. It’s my blog and maybe in the further reaches of Chester County bullying and harassment is ok, but not where I live. And I want it to be clear who is saying what. This is all something very ordinary, and if they were talking to a reporter in traditional media do they seriously think they would all be unnamed sources? And who the heck is making them verbally regurgitate all over the Internet?
I said it before, will repeat it again: if everyone is on the up and up and all these horses have a proper paper trail in and OUT of state – if they all have tattoos that match those coggins things (never knew what that was until this started), if all the prospective homes for these horses have been properly vetted like they do for other animal rescues, if ALL the vet records are made available for prospective families and those who have already adopted horses, why fuss? If it is all on the up and up, no worries necessary, right?
But is all the right stuff happening or just more questions and layers and layers of innuendo and comments I sure as hell didn’t seek out? And there are so many questions now that yes, the traditional media is looking at all of this as I understand it. Apparently what happens to horse once they leave race tracks is somewhat of a hot button topic across the country, isn’t it?
Also at issue here for me is what this group called LAPS actually does. After all if they actually did their job would there be so many darn comments on horse rescue???? And what about this Barbara Luna and Turning for Home?? Of all people, she can explain what the heck is going on. She can definitively state what horse went where, what monies went with, what records went with and one would also think she would know the ultimate destination of these large, expensive animals, right?
Lurking media? Please cover this and settle this issue once and for all. I am tired of much ado about horse rescue. And yes, if I think of something as being menacing, threatening, or harassing, I will post a comment in its entirety including e-mail and IP addresses. Truthfully I can do that with ANY comment.
(To avoid any belly aching about the screen shots from Facebook, if you don’t have your privacy settings on and the little globe is showing, it means you are showing these posts to the world. )
If nothing bad is happening, then the record will be corrected, but posturing is not proof is it? So when this gets back to being about the horses, let me know ok?
At the end of the day people, I did not originate this topic. It was out there with plenty of stuff publicly available. But hey, I am just a ninny, right? So what do I know?
I see this as a made for Lifetime TV Moment of Truth Movie some day there is so much yackety yak…..
So what happens when horses outlive their usefulness?
These videos (top and bottom of post) are disturbing. What I find even more disturbing are the whispers running around Chester County about a thoroughbred horse rescue.
First there are the notices posted on Craigslist. There are two current posts on Philadelphia Craigslist, one on Lancaster Craigslist and I was able to pull up others. They are anonymous which leads me to believe they are from inside the horse community out here and are afraid of retaliation. I have the hyperlinks of the postings embedded above (in blue) and here is the text of both:
Then there are a couple of posts on a website called The Chronicle of the Horse (again I am providing the hyperlinks and below the text):
Now I know horse folks I know will probably be upset that I am asking questions about this, but if people are taking the time to post these things what does that mean exactly? And I believe in animal rescue so I am sure if this is a big misunderstanding this TB Rescue will pop up and leave a comment explaining the situation, right?
However, If it is a case of where there is smoke there is fire, and there is something to this, I expect they or someone associated with them will threaten me?
Disclaimer: This photo has ABSOLUTELY NO significance. Just a photo of a field. Don’t even remember where it was taken, or if it was PA
But at the end of the day am I accusing and naming names or am I simply asking what the heck is going on? And I assume in this country we are allowed to ask questions? Is this a non-profit? Is it listed on the state non-profit/charities database?
People I know are raising eyebrows about these people so is that right or wrong? Isn’t there like a big animal SPCA to take care of this? Large Animal Protection or LAPS? Can they help horses or are they like the equivalent of mall cops? And the horses for this rescue come from where? Philly Parx? What do they have to say? What about their horse rescue and track foundation thing called Turning for Home or whatever?
So here’s hoping this horse rescue steps up and addresses this stuff, right? And I will note to anyone involved with them that I have no idea who is posting on Craigslist around here, in Lancaster and elsewhere, but obviously whoever they are want answers too, right? I also have no idea who is posting on the bulletin board I screen shotted.
Maybe the Humane Society has some answers? The Chester County SPCA? Anyone?
Horses are magnificent and regal creatures. They are also unbelievably expensive to care for. I would be interested in answers to my questions. I just don’t see someone posting all this stuff on Craigslist for fun, do you?
I have no idea what I am wading into here. But (again) someone needs to provide some answers as none of what I know and even more what I don’t know doesn’t sit right with me if that makes any sense? I mean with rescues of other (smaller) domestic animals when it comes to rescues there are as many issues as people who have an opinion. But animal rescue large or small is too important not to get some answers, right?
Remember the article last year about horse abuse in Adams County, PA? They talk about After The Races in Glenmoore? Is that the same as Off the Track Throughbread Rescue because when you click on the hyperlink in the Inquirer article that says “Glenmoore” it links back to Off the Track TB rescue and is it just me or is that confusing? Anyway, that article was horrid about what it descirbed – enough to make you ill.
The address appears to be identical to Off the Track TB Rescue, huh?
Why the name change I wonder? (All this horse stuff is very confusing to me and I bet it is confusing to the REAL rescue After the Races which is NOT part of this post or possible issue.)
Because I do not want to do a disservice with my questions, please read this from the REAL “After the Races” which again, isn’t part of this, and is actually pending a non-profit status (something I can’t find on the other people):
So you know why I posted the above disclaimer from the group above, well it is simple. As a breast cancer survivor of under two years one of the FIRST things I learned was about fake cancer charities. You would not believe the people that want to take your hard earned money and/or take advantage of people. Not saying any of that is happening here, but I thought it was fair to make the distinction and you all get that, right?
I will warn you, it’s a cell signal no man’s land, so call ahead to make sure they are open and when you get there, you unplug and enjoy your meal.
Every once in a while, Christie does a special dinner. There is no liquor license here, so you can BYOB but a lot of people just don’t. There is always some wonderful teas or lemonade or coffee or infused water served.
This evening it was a Polish dinner. It was nothing short of amazing. Pierogis that were delicious and light and fluffy. Kielbasa. Tiny meatballs on fresh arugula. Borscht. All sorts of homemade fresh pickles. Cucumber salad. Kolaczki. Honey Almond Cake.
It was delicious. We were seated with a lovely local couple as the tables are sort of family style after a fashion. People came with their families, and young and old and every age in between, we just enjoyed a wonderful meal.
