| There are several kinds of rescue ranches. The | | | | Whatever the reason these magnificent animals |
| animal ranches could be just for dogs, cats, | | | | that God created, either suffer from neglect, |
| undomesticated animals, wild horse rescue or just | | | | malnutrition, or some may die. The people that |
| horse rescue ranches. | | | | have the compassion and the patience to take in |
| The kind of ranch I am most interested in is the | | | | these horses should be commended for their |
| horse rescue ranches. Some of these ranches are | | | | work. |
| run by a board of directors and they hire an | | | | These ranches usually have acreage, out buildings |
| administrator to run the ranch but some are just | | | | and corrals. They come in many sizes and shapes |
| people who have a love for horses and want to | | | | and forms. The head rancher has to know how |
| help take care of them. All of the work is done | | | | to care for these animals and usually has a special |
| with volunteers who also have a love of horses | | | | veterinarian to help administer medicine and to |
| and just want to be around them. | | | | decide what kind of care each horse will need. |
| These horses come from many different places. | | | | The mares and the stallions are kept in separate |
| Some of them have been celebrated race horses | | | | places. If a horse is blind or very ill, again they are |
| that for one reason or another can no longer be | | | | separated until the right time comes to put them |
| used for racing. They may have been hurt or | | | | with the other horses. |
| they have gotten too old. So now their owners | | | | Some of the horses continue to live the rest of |
| no longer want them around. Some horses | | | | their lives on the ranch, while others can be sold |
| become blind or develop sores from neglect or | | | | to good homes after they are well and trained. |
| are born with some type of physical disability and | | | | Some of the ranches use these horses to help |
| the owners no longer want them. There are | | | | children understand the horse and learn to ride. |
| some owners that discover that it is not all | | | | Most of the ranches need help from donations, or |
| glamour to have a horse and they don't care for | | | | they have many fund raising events throughout |
| them properly. Others have found the expense to | | | | the year to help raise money to keep these |
| board a horse is just too much for them and | | | | ranches going. |
| they don't take good care of them. | | | | |