Thank you just doesn't seem like enough. So many of you selflessly gave so much, without a moment's hesitation, when you heard the plight of the horses rescued from the deplorable conditions in which they were living at a farm in Davison.

When we first started making calls to people to enlist their help with the rescue, we agreed that we would keep track of everybody's names and list them in this newsletter. Looking back now, we wonder how we actually thought that was possible.

Time became surreal from the moment we gazed with stunned horror on the sight of those magnificent horses living in such deplorable conditions. Everybody worked side by side toward a common goal, focusing on nothing but removing the horses from their prison, losing track of time and faces, except those of the helpless animals. The rescue was truly a labor of love and even those who had never had much contact with horses were moved to help.

It is important that you know, no matter how small your individual contribution may have seemed to you, what a huge difference you made.

Maybe you helped ready the barn for the horses prior to the rescue, or brought your trailer, and/or time and talents to the rescue. Perhaps you donated hay, shavings, buckets, halters, lead lines, medications, grain, money, straw or the other million supplies we needed so suddenly. Maybe you gave your time and talents in one of a thousand ways to help these horses, such as volunteering at either the Horses' Haven barn and/or the rescue barn, doing the thousands of tasks that were vital to the welfare of these horses including medicating, feeding, mucking, cleaning and filling buckets with fresh water and making endless trips to the manure pile. Maybe you worked with the horses, giving them a loving pat and helping them trust again. You may have volunteered your skills as a vet, blacksmith or attorney. Or maybe you spent hours on the phone returning some of the hundreds of calls we received or organizing volunteer efforts.

Maybe you answered E-mail from our web page. You may have organized a fund-raiser, or written letters to and/or called your friends and neighbors encouraging them to help. Perhaps you performed repairs on the barn and/or fencing, donated your equipment and expertise to spread or move manure and wood chips, took our garbage to the dump, or picked up and delivered hay, grain, shavings or other needed supplies. Maybe you have been supporting us all along and helped us through some difficult financial times.

Maybe you were from the news media and you reported on this terrible tragedy in an accurate, articulate and compassionate manner, enlisting much needed aid. Maybe you dropped us a note of encouragement or sent us prayers by phone or a letter.

Whatever you did, you did it without thought for yourself and without thought of reward, in fact many of you requested that we not send you a thank you note so we would use all the money for the horses. These horses would not be here today without you.

Whether you believe in a higher force or not, know you will be rewarded for what you've done far more than we could ever hope to reward you with thanks. We believe horses are a precious gift given to humans (who can look at one of these magnificent creatures and doubt it) and we can't help but think there will be a special place in the afterlife for those who gave to them in life - hopefully a place filled with the ones we knew in life. We can't think of a better reward, can you?

FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS, WE THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!

Special thanks from Horses' Haven and the horses go to Mike Killian and the Michigan Anti-Cruelty Society, without whom the horses would still be suffering the indignities of life at the Knotts' farm. They helped take the steps necessary to initiate the rescue and then made it happen. They contributed their expertise, contacts and resources, and generously shouldered and shared many of the burdens. They always put the best interests of the horses first. We should all congratulate this fine organization and support their ongoing efforts to educate the public and help any animal that is brought to them in need.

Many thanks also go to the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office who looked out for the interests of the horses in court and pleaded their case so eloquently. Their efforts brought about a plea of guilty and the forfeiture of the horses by the defendants.