Finding forever homes Horse’n Around showcases horses up for adoption

HEREFORD — It was January 2010 when Horse’n Around Rescue Ranch and Foundation opened its doors on Single Star Ranch in Hereford.

The nonprofit’s co-founders, Theresa Warrell and Steve Boice, opened the rescue after seeing a dire need to help neglected, abused and abandoned equines in southern Arizona.

“At the time we started the rescue, we knew there was a need, but had no idea how great that need really was,” Warrell said. “To date, we have rescued 131 equines and adopted out 67.”

On Sunday, Horse’n Around will be hosting an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. at Single Star Ranch, 7484 E. Highway 92.

The event provides an opportunity for the community to meet the horses, hug the babies, and get to know the volunteers. There will training and grooming demonstrations, a kissing booth with the animals, and volunteers will be riding some of the adoptable horses.

At 3 p.m., attendees are invited to visit the ranch’s mountain pasture where they can see one of the herds in a natural setting with the Huachuca Mountains as a backdrop.

When a horse arrives at the ranch, the foremost focus is the animal’s health, Warrell said. Once the animal is deemed healthy, it is moved into a training program that consists of ground-schooling and classes under saddle.

“The training is a critical component of preparing horses for adoption,” she said. “Through the training, we are able to determine what a horse knows and what kind of handler or rider the horse will need.”

Finding permanent — or forever — homes for the horses is much more successful when both the adoptive owners and animals go through the training, Warrell said.

“It’s always rewarding when we’re able to find a great match and know it’s going to work out well,” Boice said. “This week we adopted an 18-year-old mare named Angel and a 27-year-old gelding named Kingston to a mother and her 7-year-old daughter in the Bisbee area.

“And we have Phoebe, an 18-year-old mare and Grey Lady, a 31-year-old, going to Patagonia to another mother and daughter.”

While horses are the predominate equine at the ranch, Warrell said the “long- eared critters” are a favorite.

“Donkey Verde and Lulu (both donkeys) will be bringing their charm to a family in Hereford,” she said.

There are currently 58 equines at the ranch. The six (aforementioned) animals that have been selected for adoption will be leaving the ranch after they’ve completed 10 hours of training with Regi Richter, a trainer from Tombstone, Warrell said.

“Our herd boasts every size, age, color and disposition. Razzle is the youngest member at 7 months, and Jazz is the oldest at 38 years,” she added. “We have companion horses that cannot be ridden, as well as rideable horses.”

Take Katie Rose, a horse that was “borrowed” from the ranch by Allison Sartin when she tried out for Benson Butterfield Rodeo royalty.

Sartin was selected as a princess in the royalty competition. Katie Rose was later adopted by a 9-year-old boy who has placed in local horse shows with her. She also was ridden by Sartin in the 2018 Tucson Rodeo Parade, along with Butterfield Rodeo Queen Preslee West, with the Butterfield entry as the winning entry.

Then there’s Painted Beauty, another Horse’n Around adoption, who made public debut appearance at the recent college rodeo on Fort Huachuca as a flag horse.

And the success stories continue with Shila and Lucky, who moved with their military family to the Arkansas and Oklahoma border, Warrell said. Both have earned a spot with the Reserve Mounted Patrol in Sebastian County, Arkansas. The two have competed in different horse show events, and have made great trail horses.

Socks was adopted locally, is learning to jump, and delivered a “stellar performance” in the ride from Fort Huachuca to Tombstone for the Helldorado Days parade.

And finally, thousands of people lining the 2018 Tucson Rodeo Parade saw draft team Thelma and Louise, representing another successful rescue effort from Horse’n Around, which is an all-volunteer organization. The draft team is used by Horse’n Around for different community outreach events, and makes frequent appearances at a number of functions.

Come meet the celebrity team at Sunday’s open house.They also will be appearing at All about Animals, an upcoming, countywide rescue event at Veterans Memorial Park on March 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We have a number of amazing animals we’ll be showcasing at the open house,” Boice said. “Most of all, we want to thank the community for their continued support through the years.

“We would not have the success we’ve experienced with our rescue efforts without that support.”

Thanks for sharing. Went to a Monty Roberts site.

http://www.join-up.org/veterans/

“We have been working with persons suffering from PTSI, over the course of five separate recent clinics this year. The results are coming in, and the outcome is fantastic. We have people laughing and getting back to a normal life who have been afflicted with PTSI for upwards of 35 years.

“All the way from Vietnam to Afghanistan, your local Police Station to the Ambulance Driver these injured heroes come home in a terrible state and need our help to reconnect with their communities. The horses are doing their work with incredible efficiency. Individuals are welcome to bring a spouse/significant other to attend the workshop with them. Contact admin@join-up.org or see the calendar to see the dates of next workshop.”

I have gone riding at a place in Bedford, VA (off the Blue Ridge) that takes in problematic or abandoned horses.

It was fascinating. The guy has a big pile of horseshoes outside his stable. The first thing he does is remove their shoes...

He keeps them all together in the same pasture, doesn’t segregate them (except for one very aggressive and high strung stallion when I was there)

I swear, he talks to them as if he was talking to people, and as God is my witness, they seem to understand him!

We were preparing to go out for a ride, and the stallion over by himself in a small fenced in area about 100 yards away was going mental...it was rearing up, whinnying, running around in little circles, and making all kinds of noise.

I was watching, wondering what was going on with that horse, and the guy was just ignoring him and getting things ready. This went on for about 15 minutes, and then the guy paused, looked at the horse, and yelled loudly “YOU AREN’T GOING TODAY!”

The horse raised its front legs off the ground and brought them down with a thud and an all too audible huff of anger!

The guy said “He sees us going, he wants to go.” That was it!

For the other horses, he would just open the gate and call them, and they would come over, walk through the gate and up to a stable. “Skippy...come on. Betsy, let’s go.”

At one point, when he called one, two of the horses went together through the gate and up towards the stable. He calmly said in a nearly conversational tone “Mabel...get back here. You aren’t going.”

To my astonishment, the horse just stopped about 10 yards away, turned around, and without protest, walked back by us into the pasture! I found this just amazing, but...maybe this is standard for horses, I hear they are pretty smart.

I loved it. Great place to ride. We split up, and he and I rode together, and his wife took my wife and four 12 year old girls on a birthday party thing in another direction.

I have always wanted to gallop a horse, but most places I have ridden in my life, you might as well ride in a single file with the horses harnessed together...okay, but...not really like I ever envisioned what real horse riding was like.

He and I got to a large grassy meadow up in the Shenandoah Mountains, and he said “You ever gallop a horse? Want to try it?”

I said “HELL YES!” and we took off! I loved it...even though it was plain there was more to staying on a galloping horse than just sitting there holding the reins! My ass bounced up and down, but God, was it fun! As we stopped, I saw a turkey running across the grassy meadow of tall grass, it’s neck and head angled forward for more speed. To my utter perplexity, it took off and flew the last 50 yards to the treeline!

I had no idea turkeys could fly!

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