Power of one horse

SHELBY — One woman’s anguish has evolved into a global effort to spare others from it. Debi Metcalfe of Shelby began a crusade in 1997 when her horse, Idaho, was stolen from her pasture.

Six years later, she founded Stolen Horse International and has helped recover hundreds of animals. She’s been featured in a TV movie and has testified before Congress. This week, her story and her efforts are recognized in a national magazine.

Ms. Metcalfe and Idaho ride across the winter cover of “The Gaited Horse,” a quarterly publication, which becomes available Dec. 15.

“Sheryl Crow was on the last cover, and then me? That’s pretty funny, isn’t it?” Ms. Metcalfe said.
The article is titled “The power of one horse,” she said, “and it almost leaves me speechless to think about it.”

“When I look at that, it strikes a chord inside of me, because everything has changed because of this one horse. My life has changed, my family’s life has changed and I’ve helped changed the lives of thousands of other people because this horse was taken out of my pasture.

“When I look at this, I see miracles. It’s an emotional thing for me.”

Rhonda Hart, editor of the 20,000-circulation magazine, said she’s known about Ms. Metcalfe’s work since shortly after Idaho was recovered.

“I’ve just watched her blossom,” Ms. Hart said. “We’re just excited to be playing up the people who are making a difference in the industry.”

The stolen horse story is more prevalent than you might think, Mrs. Metcalfe said in a 2003 Star article.
An estimated 40,000 to 55,000 people in the U.S. are victims of this theft in one form or another.

Veterinarian Alisha Tilley and her husband, Rick Tilley, of Vale can tell one recent success story. Five years ago, their pony, Cheyenne, was stolen when they lived in Linville, Ms. Metcalfe said.
A woman bought Cheyenne through what she thought was a legitimate sale, then saw the pony on the Stolen Horse International Web site.

“That pony had been living just five minutes down the road from where they had moved in Vale,” said Ms. Metcalfe. Happy endings like this one reaffirm to her that every effort made Stolen Horse International is worth it.

Stolen Horse International, Inc.
PO Box 1341, Shelby, NC 28151
(704) 484-2165, (704) 472-4314
Email: idahonc@aol.com, stolenhorse@netposse.com

On the Web:
Stolen Horse International is a Section 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code.
Contributions to it are tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
Get a copy at Tractor Supply.

Resource: Cassie Tarpley, Tuesday, Dec 12 2006, 12:00 am, Shelby Star, http://www.shelbystar.com/news/horse-18053-stolen-metcalfe.html

* "One source says 40,000 to 55,000 are stolen each year." - These numbers are based on a study done in the late 90's. There are no current numbers available.