Stella's Story

stillshunter

Super Moderator Emeritus
Location
Down Under
Name
Mark
Those who have gotten to know me over the past few months, know that I grew up a city boy, but now as a busy public servant live out on a rural property. Other than the serenity and the potential of a huge blank canvas surrounding you, is the opportunity to be with the Earth and its creatures. Here's one of 'our' creatures, Stella.
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Stella coming in by stillshunter, on Flickr

She looks quite majestic doesn't she?...though I do have a father's eye.

Well it wasn't always the case. And this is what I most love about the opportunity our lifestyle and life perspective affords.

It's a long a sordid story, but I do not wish to bore you with all the gory details. They say a picture says a thousand words, so here's a few thousand for you...

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Stella Then by stillshunter, on Flickr

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Stella Then by stillshunter, on Flickr

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Stella Then by stillshunter, on Flickr

In early December 2009, we saved this foal from the lowest form of life - an ignorant human being! We found her on-line. The 'person' had bought her from a bloke at the pub and kept her in a dust pit on his property feeding her the occasional loaf of bread. Yep, the pinnacle of equine nutrition. Suffice it to say, as soon as we saw this we paid the guy whatever he wanted for her and arranged for transportation. We knew she was in a bad state so we opted for the best for the 1000km trip. Not cheap, but she arrived being the tiniest offering amongst a truck carrying stud horses worth no less than $80,000 each. She just had the energy to 'walk' off the truck. Even the burly truck driver was fuming. Red-faced he said, he could - no "should" - have punched the guy who he collected her from.

She was on death's door. Literally the vet said she had only days left in her.

Well my better half is a beautiful person in every sense of the word and she invested every ounce of her soul in nurturing this emaciated spirit. And I do mean 'spirit' as her previous life had not only worn her body, but had eroded her psychological being. But we are now over a year down the track and this is our Stella today.

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Stella Profile by stillshunter, on Flickr

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Stella - Just Hanging by stillshunter, on Flickr

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Stella portrait by stillshunter, on Flickr

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Stella just checking by stillshunter, on Flickr

As you can see she is curious and cheeky now. She is full of spirit!!! And is a bitter testimony to the spectrum of the human condition.
 
Mark, I just called out to my husband so that he could watch and read with me. I can't thank you and your wife enough for being Stella's saving grace. I love animals and seeing the inhumanity and cruelty that the lowest form of life can inflict is heart breaking. Thank goodness and everything else you did what you did. Stella is so beautiful and so well loved, it shows through even through photographs across the cyber world. She's gorgeous!

If you and your wife were to pass on today, you'd pass on knowing you had made a real difference.
 
Mark, that a real gift your family has performed.
The photos explain along with your words the gift of love.

I'm a city boy also but I've never see a dog that big here in Philly.
They sure get big in your neck of the woods.
 
Mark..thank you for sharing Stella's story and pics...both heartwarming and heartfelt. Bravo to you and your wife for undertaking such daunting task. As a horse person myself, I've seen cases of abuse, but never one as fragile and starved as Stella was without already being dead. That in it's self says much about Stella's true nature and her will to live and thieve! Cheers to you both for caring enough to travel so far and to put the time and effort into making her the beauty she now is.
 
Thanks for sharing this great story. Stella is obviously doing great now, thanks to your wife and you.
As far as the photos go: The DP2 in its comfort zone, what more needs to be said. The B&W shot, but also the colors, sky, clouds, green, sharpness of details, its IQ is still the benchmark up to iso 400, despite some nice bayer sensor cameras out there.
 
Big thanks to all for your kind words. This was my first real attempt at telling a story through photos - though I did cheat a little with the liberal use of text :blush: To be honest I wasn't quite sure whether this was in the spirit of the Forum heading "Documentary"...or the Serious Compacts forum at large. Irrespective it was a comfortable place to try it for the first time, so - again - thank you all for your encouragement. Next time I'll try less words and photos knitting a more condensed storyline....and it will be sure to be a little more uplifting.

Anyway, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, what a site!!!! Amin, you should be proud of the place you founded here mate. Very proud! It's a credit to all the good folks on here. Maybe it's something to do with compact cameras and the 'nothing to prove' characters that they attract.....:cool:
 
Mark, I'm all for a good documentary with text. Yours was/is a heartfelt story that I have to believe anyone on here would react to. Of course your opening salvo image really would have to have drawn anyone in, I'd think...but your words were equally important.

There have been a number of good threads over "across the hall" that have been both interesting, and compelling... I'd suggest that if anyone wants to pursue this kind of thing here on SC, that they should do so without hesitation. As always, the site's rules and terms of service will come into play, which I am sure most of our members are already pretty well versed in.

Again, thank you so much, Mark and please consider extending Stella's story and bringing out new photo essays with the written word, as well.
 
Hey Stillshunter - a beautiful story - I'm truly touched. This is a beautiful example of a story in photos, well done :) You mentioned your liberal use of words, i don't see this as bad in the slightest, they say a photo is worth a thousand words and its definately the case here. I like how your words put everything into context, well done.

A big pat on your back to you and your better half, you've done a great job looking after Stella who now looks very majestic and healthy.

Anyway, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, what a site!!!! Amin, you should be proud of the place you founded here mate. Very proud! It's a credit to all the good folks on here. Maybe it's something to do with compact cameras and the 'nothing to prove' characters that they attract.....

+1! the forums (SC and mu-43) Amin has founded have always been my favourite, there's always been a great sense of closeness and understanding between members and a friendly helpful atmosphere that I've always loved.
 
Great story and a fantastic set of photographs. I am amazed at the cruelty some people are capable of inflicting, but also at the immense kindness of people such as you and your better half.

Thank you very much for sharing this with us.

Regards,

Antonio
 
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