Sadly, every year thousands of horses are shipped from America and sent to slaughterhouses to meet a very unfortunate end.
However, one woman living in California decided to take matters into her own hands and make a difference for these horses in need.
After not being able to bear seeing beautiful horses meeting such an unfair fate, Alicia Goetz created a sanctuary so these horses could have another chance at life.
Not only was Goetz successful in her endeavor to save horses from slaughter, but she has also been able to save over 500 horses to date, a truly incredible feat.
Not long after her daughter started taking riding lessons, Goetz learned the sad fate of what can happen to unwanted horses. She first began to help others rescuing horses before she took matters into her own hands.
Goetz realized that she could use her own property as a safe haven for horses who had nowhere else to go.
Founded in 2012, Freedom Reigns Equine Sanctuary is located in San Benito County, California, and is spread across over 3,000 acres.
In the sanctuary, most of the horses are given ample freedom to roam across the land, with many of them forming small herds they stick together with.
Several smaller groups are temporarily homed in small pastures throughout the land as either a family, mares with foals, or horses undergoing rehabilitation.
The horses are given semi-annual vaccines, hoof trimmings, and emergency care when deemed necessary.
Every new horse that comes in is quarantined for 4-6 weeks before being introduced to other horses. For the horses that stay in the stables, they are fed high-quality hay daily.
Though it isn’t open to the public, private tours can be arranged by contacting the sanctuary. In addition to rescuing and providing a home to horses who were destined for slaughter, the ranch also educates people on the needs of horses in these situations.
“This is what I have to do… I am a firm believer in that. It was what I was meant to do,” says Goetz.
To make things more impressive, Goetz hasn’t relied on donations to run the sanctuary, she has poured heart and soul into making it all possible. Tirelessly she has worked to create what is now one of the biggest horse rescues in America.
As a working ranch, the main focus of Freedom Reigns is horse welfare. No matter the horse’s background, they are given a loving home at the sanctuary where they never have to worry about their fate again.
Hundreds of horses owe their life to Goetz and she is someone all horse lovers can be thankful for.
She has put countless hours into making sure these horses that were destined for a terrible end can now run across thousands of luscious acres of pasture in the beautiful rolling hills of California.
To stay up to date with all that is happening at Freedom Reigns, be sure to like their Facebook page.
Source: https://horseyhooves.com
