A horse is a horse, of course, but they still need names

AMENIA - How would you like the opportunity to name a horse, without the responsibility of having to actually own the animal or tend to its needs? Well, thanks to a creative contest sponsored by the Godspeed Horse Hostel, in Amenia, people have the chance to do exactly that. Twice.

"We had two horses that came in November, and usually I'm pretty good at naming them, but I have been stumped at these two. Now it's February and my volunteer said, 'Why not do a contest?' So we have two horses that need naming," explained Godspeed owner Maria Genovesi.

Anyone interested in entering the contest can fill out a form, available at certain shops around the area, like Oblong Books in Millerton, or on the Web, at www.godspeedhorse.org, and enter a name for one of two horses. (To name both horses you need to fill out two entry forms.) There is a $2 fee per entry, which goes to buy feed for the horses.

One horse is male, 1-and-a-half years old and brown and white. Currently he is known as No. 16. The other horse is a female 2-and-a-half-year-old red roan known as No. 29.

The winner of the contest will receive a $25 gift certificate to The Moviehouse in Millerton, along with a framed photo of the horse he/she named.

"This is a good thing to support," said Oblong Books owner Dick Hermans. "And people who rescue horses are pretty good people."

Godspeed rescues and rehabilitates horses saved from slaughterhouses in Canada who were born to horses used in the production of Premarin (PMU), a hormone replacement drug made from pregnant female horses' urine. The horses, once re-branded, are known as Canadian-American, or CanAm, sport horses.

"We have to purchase and transport the foals, who would otherwise be slaughtered, and then train them," Genovesi said. "Then we adopt them out as rideable horses at three years old. We're also a resource and placement agency for local horses."

Genovesi has been running Godspeed for four years. She said protecting animals, and in her case horses, is truly important because they rely on humans to advocate for them.

"I guess in the end it's all about raising awareness, not only for horse rescue but for any animal rescue. Any amount of help is helpful, as in a $2 donation, a bag of carrots, volunteering your time, doing a mailing for us or putting us in contact with people who can help," she said. "Anything helps. Sometimes people feel embarrassed because they don't think they can help enough, but it all adds up."

Some of the names submitted thus far are Cherokee, Chad, Peaches and Cream, Patches of Peace, Cinnamon, Alabama Splash, Caramel Cream, Rusty, Lucky Quarter and Lefty Whitey.

Meanwhile, Genovesi said there's some "big news," out of her stables. After more than two years, her 2005 foals are ready for adoption and riding in May. There are six horses "ready to go," all of whom are about three years old.

Anyone interested in horse adoption, or in volunteering at the horse hostel, may contact Genovesi at 845-373-7388. To learn more about the contest, log on to www.godspeedhorse.org. The contest runs until March 30.