My name is Cheyenne Little. I'm a 14 year old horse crazy girl who is currently working towards ending equine slaughter houses in the USA.
A lot of people wonder why I decided to start this petition. Some even think I'm just doing it for school. The real reason that I started it is because of my horse, China. But she's not just a horse, she's A Horse with A Purpose.
China is a Arabian x Saddlbred show horse. A few years ago she won at the Arabian Horse Nationals. Soon after she broke her right hind hock. An accedent that would prove fatal for most horses. But being sired out of Harlem Town and grandsired by Harlem Globetrotter her owners decided to save her and use her as a broodmare. She fought for her life and recovered, somehow becoming completely sound.
China was in foal and during the pregnancy she started to develope hives all over her body. Her eyes watered and her muzzle and eyes became crusty. Her owners believed she would need to me humanely put down.
Once she foaled out a incredible bay filly her owners took her to UC Davis, the same place she had her surgery, hoping they could figure out what was wrong.
One of the doctors took a look at her and instantly knew what was wrong. She had developed an auto immune disease due to the medications she had been given after her surgery. The mare fought again for her life and was put on Prednisolone for the rest of her life. But she returned to normal! Her coat was free of hives, her muzzle was velvety soft, and her eyes were a deep brown.
China was declaired unbreedable and was now "outdated" for halter. Thankfully she had been at a smaller show barn instead of a large one,where she could have easily been sent of to the killer. But her owners kept her.
I was given China for my birthday free of cost along with a unrelated 2 year old filly. Honestly I didn't like China much. She was the meanest horse I'd ever met. She'd bust out of her stall, bite me, kick, and couldn't be caught in the pastures. So I ignored her and worked with my filly. In August the filly jumped her 6 foot paddock fence. She caught her back leg, did a flip, and landed on her hip. The vet declaired a shattered leg, broken hip, and most likley fractured back. I put a horse down for the first time then and it was the most awful thing I've gone through yet.
However, I started to work with China. In time she became my friend. I was the first person to sit on her back and to this day nobody has ever even slipped off of her by accedent. Through a year of riding I can now canter her bareback in a halter through the pastures.
China became my best friend. A year later I began exercising horses at her old stable in exchange for halter lessons. We went to our first show and took 3 blue ribbons and reserve champion. In the western pleasure ring she decided she was done and started rolling during the class. Needless to say we took 5th.
I continued to work at the stable and met China's last foal, Misty. I'll admit once that she chased me up a tree. I stood in it and waited an hour before my mom could distract her long enough for me to run through the electric fence. Big mean horse, just like her mommy was.
My life really started to change. China turned into my dream horse and learning about her auto immune disease led me to realize that I wanted to become a large animal vet. I began working hard in school and took the route that would allow me to graduate early from high school through a home school education.
In 2011 I was invited to the AHA Youth Nationals to cover a story for the AHA world magazine. China sparked my intrest in a journalism career. Now we're in the process of writing our first true story together called A Horse with a Purpose. China gave me a purpose. My whole life has changed because of this horse. She started this entire petition and motivates me every day to see it through.
Sure China is an animal and yeah she's a horse. But she's not just a horse. She's a best friend, a secret keeper, a dream maker, a goal achiever, a future creator, and a life changer. She's helped me with everything. And I wouldn't trade my free horse for a million dollar champion. Horses are not food! They change so many people's lives. Including mine.
This year China will be turning 13 and she's still going strong. Were currently training for halter, flat hunters, and dressage at A rated shows. My point is, just because she ended her broodmare career doesn't mean she was done. She's just starting a new phase of life, with me. And I love her to death. Without her none of this petition would have happened. She's truley A Horse with a Purpose.
So be sure to look for out upcoming book, A Horse with a Purpose. A true story about our lives together! :)
