Where Have All The Good Horse Rescues Gone?

There are some very harsh realities those in the equine rescue world have to face.  Our organization is no exception.

We, like so many other organizations that have been doing this for 10+years, are at a bit of a crossroads.  How do we keep the public engaged and supportive?  How do we convey the realities of how good organizations operate?  

Many rescues have written about their thoughts and experiences, probably much more eloquently than I will.  One thing is common:  we all greatly appreciate the support we receive. We know that everyone has a choice where they donate their hard earned dollars, and we work to be good stewards of those donations.  We are just as grateful for those boots on the ground volunteers, who come out in all kinds of weather to ensure the horses are cared for, or help repair infrastructure, pick up feed and hay, and more.

As for us, while making sure the organization is operating at its best, we just get busy and do the work needed to help ensure equines are safe and cared for.  They are, after all,  why we do what we do.  We never lose sight of that.  While it is rewarding it’s not glamorous, the work is hard and the hours long.  The stress is overwhelming. It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. 

Unfortunately, that reality rarely speaks to donors and supporters. Why?  Well, it is not very exciting and actually, pretty mundane.  Helping horses is not only hard work but it’s expensive…from facility to feed to insurance to veterinary expenses.  While many do some level of self-financing of their operations, public donations and support are critical.  Without some level of such support, any public charity is at risk of closing their doors. 

Some may say there has to be someone out there who will fund your work so you don’t have to constantly ask for donations.  Finding that someone would be like finding a unicorn. Unfortunately, we have yet to find a unicorn (but we keep looking).

Just a few short weeks ago, a solid, long standing rescue shut its doors. While the reasons may be many and varied, one wonders if not only finances but a lack of other types of support were factors.  There is also the very real issue of burnout, which plays a huge role.  Rescue ages you prematurely.  For some  it is time to move on and go back to life as a “regular” person.  Reconnect with family and friends, take a vacation, sleep in, be there for holidays and birthdays.. 

There have been other solid equine organizations who have closed their doors the past few years because they simply cannot compete with organizations who are referred to as “mass bailers”.  You may have come across some of these organizations, who raise tens of thousands of dollars a day to “empty the auctions”, and do so repeatedly, taking in dozens of horses at a time.  While we understand the rush of the save and how appealing that is when it involves a large number of horses, the larger question is where do all these horses go, how are they being cared for and what is the long term plan for them, especially if they cannot be adopted.  

If small organizations such as ours could raise those amounts of funds in a year, it could be a game changer.  Ability to take in more horses as well as expanding owner assistance programs in the hopes that it will help some owners keep their horses, not taking them to auction or advertising them “free to good home” (most of the “free to good home”  horses end up at the auction the owners were trying to avoid).

I don’t have the answers. I wish I did. Maybe one day, we will stumble upon a unicorn.  Until then, we will keep doing what we are doing - for the horses.