It takes a community to rescue a horse
LONGMONT, Colo. — A whinny can be heard in the distance as the volunteers of Colorado Horse Rescue drive a truck around the property, dropping off hay bales at the feeding bins. A band of horses trails behind, chasing the bales resting on the back of the truck.
This is just one of the many daily tasks staff and volunteers complete to ensure that the horses at the rescue are well taken care of.
“We are so very lucky to have not only a staff but an incredible cadre of volunteers who are so passionate about this place,” Katherine Gregory, CEO of Colorado Horse Rescue, explained. “We have over 100 … volunteers that come every week — snow, rain, shine, heat, holiday — because these horses need to get fed twice a day.”
Gregory founded the Colorado Horse Rescue in 1986. Since then, the organization has been functioning as a nonprofit, dedicated to improving the lives of horses. On top of horse care and rehabilitation, the horse rescue also relocates horses.
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“We are focused on creating a better world for horses. That means for us making sure that every horse in need has a safe solution,” said Gregory.
Horses are displaced all over the United States, often due to financial issues with their owners or health problems. The Colorado Horse Rescue takes in all kinds of equines and Gregory makes it clear that the care at the CHR is held to the highest standard.
A volunteer tosses hay into a feeding bin for the horses
Support from the community is a major part of the CHR’s success. With a small staff, the horsepower driving the nonprofit largely comes from the community of volunteers that supports the caretaking of the horses.
“We're so very lucky to have these folks that spend their free time to come care for these deserving horses,” Gregory expressed.
The full-time staff lead the volunteers through jobs like feeding and training the horses.
Volunteers are brought onto CHR for a three month period. Some are still volunteering after 13 years. Through volunteer support and yearly events such as the Mane Event, the CHR is able to continually care for the horses.
Expanding community outreach is a major goal for the organization.
Lead trainer Susan works with a horse in the horse pen
Working alongside a development company, the CHR is trying to create an app that connects the people in the equine community so that when a natural disaster strikes, like a wildfire, people can connect with those who have trailers and trucks that can safely transport the horses to safety.
“So we're going to leverage the goodness of the equine community and harness that good willingness to help each other,” Gregory explained. “But also make sure that we don't have an inefficient process that is actually blocking first responders and evacuees because horse equipment, trucks and trailers are really big.”
The central message behind CHR has always been about the horses. Gregory reiterates that all horses are deserving of care, no matter what circumstances they are in.
“I have never enjoyed the work and [been as] proud of the work I've done in my entire life than work that I get to do ... with these horses," Gregory said.
Peter Vo is the journalism intern at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at petervo@rmpbs.org.