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'It's a lifelong adoption:' Area ranch hosts annual horse adoption event
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Windy Mathews recently moved to New Mexico and is looking for a horse to spend time with in her new home.
Mathews, who relocated to Edgewood from West Texas, said she used to be a barrel racer and at one time owned 27 horses. She currently does not own any.
鈥淚鈥檓 well past the age of performing, so now I鈥檓 looking for a friend,鈥� she said, adding that she wanted to see if there was 鈥渟omeone just calling my name.鈥�
One of the horses Mathews looked at during Saturday鈥檚 annual horse Adopt-a-Thon event at the Bernalillo County Sheriff鈥檚 Office Posse Arena was a 15-year-old grade mare named Rita.
鈥淩ita looks healthy,鈥� Mathews said. 鈥淪he looks comfortable. She鈥檚 not nervous.鈥�
Rita was not adopted 鈥� Sergeant, an 8-year-old grade gelding, and Onyx, a 12-year-old grade mare were 鈥� but she will have other opportunities to find a new home. NM Horse Rescue Board President Lauri Michael said there was interest in about five horses.
Michael said 鈥渨e still need to inspect鈥� the potential adopter鈥檚 facilities and conduct a follow-up visit 鈥渢o ensure it鈥檚 a good fit.鈥�
New Mexico Horse Rescue Executive Director Larry Smyth said horses who were not adopted will continue to be trained.
鈥淥ur hope is when they get better and better, people will become more interested and come out and adopt them,鈥� he said.
鈥榃e don鈥檛 just adopt to anybody鈥�
The New Mexico Horse Rescue at Walkin N Circles Ranch, near Stanley, is licensed, regulated and inspected yearly by the New Mexico Livestock Board.
Many of the horses ending up there first were seized by the Livestock Board due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. The ranch also occasionally takes horses surrendered by people who can no longer care for them. Michael said none of the animals are wild horses.
鈥淗orse rescue is so much different than dog or cat rescue(s), and folks really don鈥檛 understand that horses are also suffering because of neglect or abandonment or abuse,鈥� Michael said. 鈥淎nd there are organizations like us out there that can work with these horses and not only give them sanctuary short term, but also ensure they get homes.鈥�
Trainers demonstrate how they rehabilitate the rescue horses, from halter training, teaching ground skills, duress, trailering, picking up feet, and how to begin saddle training. The horses used in the demonstrations are at varying levels of training.
They range from Level 1, where they are easily trainable, to Level 5 where ranch foreman Colton Smyth said the horse behaves as though it is completely wild.
A goal of the adoption event is to find them 鈥渁 forever home,鈥� he said.
Salina Webb said she and her family, who adopted a horse from the ranch earlier in the year, came to the Adopt-a-Thon to look for a 鈥渂uddy.鈥�
Events like the Adopt-a-Thon 鈥渁llow potential adopters, like us, to see the horse in action under their care, and it gives the horse the capability to show off what they can actually do,鈥� she said.
The ranch averages about 35 adoptions a year. Adoption fees, which averages around $1,000, and are based on the training, health and age of each horse, go toward their care and feeding, pay for the ranch鈥檚 seven staff members and the maintenance and improvement of facilities.
The money goes back into the operating cost of the ranch, Michael said, along with proceeds from sales at the ranch鈥檚 thrift store and donations.
The New Mexico Horse Rescue was caring for 66 horses as of Monday, though Larry Smyth said that number will increase to 68 by the end of the week.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 just adopt to anybody,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e check them out. We require them to go to the ranch and handle the horse in front of the trainer so we can see if they are qualified. We visit their property to see if they have the proper facility.
鈥淧eople think they can do this horse thing, and it鈥檚 a lot more intense and time-consuming than people actually understand,鈥� Mathews said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lifelong adoption.鈥�
鈥業t鈥檚 just good therapy鈥�
The ranch not only adopts horses, but gives people a chance to volunteer and get hands-on experience with horses. People can register for an orientation and take a Horse Handling 101 class, the first step in becoming a volunteer ranch hand.
Orientations are held the first Saturday of each month while the clinic takes place the following Saturday, Once people take the clinic, they can sign up for other courses, according to the ranch website.
Amanda Dillard said she has been a volunteer for a little over a year.
鈥淚 really just love spending time with the horses,鈥� she said as she scratched Rita and gave her some love. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just good therapy. It鈥檚 relaxing.鈥�
鈥淵ou get to make some buddies, (but then you) feel that heartbreak when they get adopted,鈥� Dillard said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a mixed feeling.鈥�
