Broken Horses Healing Broken Kids in Colorado

There are joys and sorrows in rescuing senior horses.  As horses are forced into retirement due to advanced age, owners are faced with the agonizing decision of whether or not to incur the expense of caring for a senior horse or putting them down. Sometimes owners lack the knowledge in how to provide the specialized care a senior horse requires and it is necessary for us to step in and bring him back to health. As we have availability, Charis Youth Ranch is blessed to provide a soft landing to a senior horse who has given so much to his owners and just needs a safe haven to enjoy his remaining days and years. 

We have provided soft landings to many seniors over the years. Currently, we have six horses over the age of 20 for whom we care. They require specialized and expensive pelleted feed soaked twice per day so that their smooth teeth do not have to work so hard to break down the hay fibers. This way, their food can be more easily digested and thus absorbed, providing the nutrition they need. 

When asked by an owner who has struggled with the decision to surrender or euthanize their equine friend, if we will give his/her beloved horse a new home, we find limitless joy in being able to say yes. It is our great pleasure to give a senior horse a new lease on life by allowing him to have an age and ability appropriate job again! It makes the horses so happy to be needed!  Maybe he can no longer hold a rider, but he can certainly hold a child’s heart.  However, senior horses don’t have many years to live and when we have to say good-bye, the sorrow is heart wrenching.

Cisco was just such a horse.  Cisco retired from racing and became a show horse. After that, he enjoyed a third career as a lesson horse and taught many kids how to ride. Cisco came to us from a dear friend who owned a schooling stable.  As retirement crept up on him, Cisco's owner asked if we would give him the rest and relaxation he deserved. We happily obliged. Cisco was gentle and kind. He was trustworthy and capable and still had so much love to give and lessons to teach our youth and volunteers. As a gentleman and schoolmaster, Cisco happily shared his invaluable wisdom with every rider who was fortunate enough to learn from him. He was a character and a true gem. 

This summer, it became apparent that Cisco was not feeling well.  His affliction came on suddenly - one day he was his normal goofy self, the next he was listless.  After transporting him to our vet, Cisco remained for three days. His blood work revealed that Cisco was in terminal liver failure. We had caught it before he was truly suffering and for that we are so grateful. 

We knew we had to let him go, it was time. We regretfully shared the sad news with our volunteers and many came to say their tearful goodbyes to Cisco as he spent the day in a beautiful pasture enjoying all of the green grass he could eat. Cisco was peacefully laid to rest surrounded by his adoring human friends. He was thirty years old.

We know when we take in these beautiful senior souls, that one day we will be faced with the grievous decision of when to let him or her go. It is the hardest part of loving them, but it is a burden we gladly bear knowing the contentment we can provide them in their last years and knowing the joy they will bring so many children and adults alike. The sorrow of losing them is inevitable, but the joy in saving a senior horse and giving him the best life to the end makes every tear worth it.

Links:

• Seniors Out To Pasture 2022
• Trigger gets a trim sans halter while senior Red waits.
• Check out our website for more photos and info