Featured Organization «

Ranchlands Horse Sanctuary – Chico Basin Ranch

October 7, 2011 at 8:21 amCategory:Featured Organization

Just got this press release. What an awesome idea! Let’s say you don’t have the space to retire your horse on your own property – these folks can! Doesn’t cost a lot and your horse has earned a proper retirement, right?

Roundup, MT, October 2011 — Top50’s Chico Basin Ranch in Colorado, USA, has opened the gates of Ranchlands Horse Sanctuary, offering homes to retired or injured horses.

Ranchlands Horse Sanctuary (RHS) is a new program launched by working guest ranch Chico Basin, in Colorado Springs. Specializing in providing homes for retired or injured horses, RHS offers owners somewhere to place their horse, safe in the knowledge their animal will spend the rest of its days happy and healthy on open range pastures.

Says Chico Basin’s David Leach: “Our goal is to provide horses a home in their natural environment, where they can live free to run, sleep and eat to their fill. We welcome horses that are physically able to live in open range conditions, as their ancestors did, centuries ago. We run over 150 horses that are used on the cattle and bison ranches that we run, so we understand horses and all the details pertaining to their care and welfare.”

For horses coming from small, contained environments, moving to the expanse and freedom of Chico Basin’s open range can be a dramatic change. The RHS program places special attention on monitoring all horses within the herd, and ensuring each animal requiring special attention is cared for appropriately. Where necessary this includes supplemental feed, hoof trimming, medical treatment and care of injuries.

Owners contribute an annual fee to place their horse under the care of RHS, plus costs for special care items not already covered by the program.
Do you have a horse who would love to spend the rest of his days in his natural environment, receiving first class care and medical attention? To discover how you can take part in the program, contact Ranchlands Horse Sanctuary on (719) 683.7960.

For more information, full program Terms and Conditions, and to learn about a special discount for ACTHA members, visit www.chicobasinranch.com.

A Broken Heart Heals

September 13, 2011 at 7:59 amCategory:Featured Organization

People rescue horses, but horses also rescue people

Lynne Ferguson's Tears to Gold cd

In the world of equine rescue one encounters a plethora of beautiful souls. I find these people to be inspirational and their work uplifts me in my darker moments. Lynne Ferguson is one such person. She is an amazing force of optimism! Drawing significantly from her Native American roots she shares the gentle joys of horses and horsemanship with kids. Increasingly people are coming to understand the almost magical abilities animals have to get through psychological barriers people develop and connect deeply with their essence. This is especially true in children.

Ms. Ferguson noticed the bonds that can form between troubled kids and her small herd of horses and strives to optimize this healing connection through her Native Horsemanship youth program in Washington state.

She relies heavily upon the gentle willingness of several partner horses; one who is a very special stallion!

Let her tell it:

I started Native Horsemanship Youth Program (NHYP) in 1998, with my good AQHA mare Maggie and my kid’s horse Joker and my stallion who was a yearling. I noticed that, besides my own children, other children who lived with me seemed to settle down and be happier when working with the horses . I used methods my grandma and great grandpa knew about, Comanche ways of riding bridleless. I didn’t do too well, until I stopped using any artificial means and just did what my grandparents said. Now my stallion is 14 and is teaching a second generation about horsemanship.

We have specific methods of teaching therapy horses to accept situations they may encounter with students with disabilities. Most any kind well-mannered horse can be used as a therapy horse, but I find that, of course , the horse must be well-prepared and have a bond with his handler to do equine-assisted learning/therapy. I also noticed that when I ride after my horse teaches a class, he is soft and willing and warmed-up.

Hugs happen!

All our classes are free. We accept donations, and I have written many grants for the program. I have recently retired from playing music full time and released my 14th cd as a fund raiser for the program. I became ill in Nashville in 2009 and had to cut back on my physical activity, but we are back to having several classes a week. We will release a new fund raiser cd next year.

Her “Tears to Gold” cd is available at CD Universe here as well as at indy artist music site CD Baby here. This is her most recent compilation and all proceeds benefit NHYP.

Lynne lives pretty much off the energy grid so building a website for her program is a bit of a low process. You can bookmark her site for future reference. It’s http://www.nativehorse.com. You can find a little more information about it right now here.

Native Horsemanship Youth Program
Lynne Ferguson, President
21727 Orca Lane Northeast
Poulsbo, Washington 98370
360-440-5975

Humanity4Horses Video

September 1, 2011 at 4:55 pmCategory:Featured Organization

Profile in Compassion

How much have horses done for us? More than we ever tend to remember let alone acknowledge. This video from Humanity for Horses is a solid and beautiful reminder of what we owe these friends who give so very much. If you like what you see – Like their Facebook page!

PonyUp for These Diamonds in the Rough!

June 22, 2011 at 7:54 amCategory:Featured Organization

Rosemary and her horse "Ollie"

Diamonds in the Rough

Olalla, Washington, USA, Rosemary Collins has been helping horses since she was a teenager. PonyUp Rescue For Equines is the registered non-profit she set up to help her help more horses in 2009. Inspired by her friend Joe, she specializes in Thoroughbreds. She believes “If you love horses – you care.”. Her organization’s Mission:

(We’re a) small scale hands-on rescue of horses in need that have competitive potential for hunt seat, dressage, eventing and related activities. We take in horses that are “diamonds in the rough.” We seek to turn their lives around with proper nutrition, veterinary care, training and competition. And turn their lives around she does.

Storm Cat Cow Chaser

How Ms. Collins acquires horses is as varied as the individual equines themselves. Let her tell you about a particularly interesting ‘acquisition’:

“We were called about a horse who needed a place to go…..so we took the trailer….horse was “purchased at auction”, but wasn’t “working out”….off we went.

We followed directions to a residential area….no horse fencing…..no barns. …turned in at the address…..hmmm? wrong place? Knocked on door…..ummm….right place. The lady came out, opened the garage and there was a horse….standing next to a trampoline. She said he was 12, a saddle horse…they had been riding him next to the highway in a western saddle. Oh…I said…he must be very broke. “Yes, she said, “he is.”
I could see the horse was a little depressed…..and also more than a little Thoroughbred. I flipped his lip back…yep, he was tattoed…and his tattoo said he was six. He felt feverish…looked lethargic. I said we would take him. He, of course, loaded right up…dove into his hay bag and stood quietly. Off we went back to the farm. That night I found his tattoo and then some brief history.”

His life transformed - Rio under new management.

This was a grandson of Storm Cat on one side and Alydar on the other. WOW…expensive bloodlines. Further investigation brought the information that he had raced up until a few months before and been gelded about the same time. Saddle horse? Highway? Why the people weren’t killed? Fever…plain and simple. We got him well, fed him up and man what a mover! He has since been adopted and now he chases cows, trail rides and is adored by Tanna P.

Zero Luck

Rio……was originally a show horse, sent to live at a rescue which turned out to be a hoarder, where he was then starved and eventually abandoned. We took him in, patched him up, got him going and then adopted…….he now competes at low level eventing…..well loved, well cared for…….he was a horse that had zero luck in his prior life.

Full-On Compassion

Through no fault of their own, and not for lack of trying there are Thoroughbred horses needing homes all over the United States and beyond these days. How does Rosemary keep from becoming overwhelmed by their plight? Rosemary says she knows “I can make a difference, (even) if only for a few horses”. Will she change the horse racing industry? Nope. Has she changed these horses’ lives? You bet! How does she do it? She “stays focused, resourceful and asks for help!”.

I asked “What do you get out of this work?”. She says “Sore muscles, lol.”. Ha! I’m sure that’s true. She goes on: (I also get) “emotional satisfaction that I have given back something to someone.”. In this case the horses lucky enough in life, if not racing, to bump into Pony Up Rescue for Equines. Thank you Ms. Collins, for all you do. You’re making the world a better place.

If you’re a fan of horse racing and have ever wondered where the spent racers go – in the case of some that are ‘diamonds in the rough’ out west, now you know. Ponyup Rescue for Equines relies heavily on Ms. Collins’ own salary at her regular 9-5 job, her efforts, the work of her amazing volunteers and the kindness of compassionate others. If you can spare a buck or two for the relentless upkeep of the horses she can’t adopt out drop her a line at: Rosemary@ponyuprescue.com. “Like” them on Facebook and get in the loop! If you’re in the market for an excellent equine companion get in touch – something tells me Rosemary Collins knows a good horse when she sees one.