Mustang & Wild Horse Rescue & Training
Ctr. Ball Ground, Georgia
Contact Phone: 404-667-7393
Hours of Operation: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
By appt only
Address:
Mustang & Wild Horse Rescue & Training Ctr. of GA, Inc.
786 Four Mile Church Rd
Ball Ground, GA 30107
Located in: Cherokee County
Website:
www.mustangrescue.com
Group Background:
We have about 22 volunteers and about 4 people run most of the rescue. About
eight years ago, I became aware of the mustang dilemma and decided to do
something about it. I have been working with horses for about 8 years and our
rescue has been in existence since 2004 and a 501c3 non profit organization
since Sept 2006. We have helped gentle and adopt out about 8 mustangs.
How are Horses Acquired?
All of the mustangs we have acquired by our rescue have been previously
adopted and for one reason or another are no longer wanted. Some of the horses
come from financially strapped owners but most come from people who for one
reason or another, are unable to gentle them. Our horses have come from
different states but due to the increasing numbers of mustangs that we are being
asked to rescue, we are limiting our rescues to the state of Georgia until we
can find more space and financial support. We welcome people contacting us about
horses in our community that needs rescuing as we network with other rescues
throughout the country. We receive on an average of two emails or phone calls per
week on mustangs that are in need of rescuing. We currently have 7 horses at our
rescue and that is all that we can afford to take care of at this time.
How the Horses are Rehabilitated:
Because our horses are basically wild when we receive them, we train
volunteers in the natural horsemanship gentling process. We are striving to get
as many people as possible trained to at least get a horse from being
untouchable to accepting a halter. Our hope is that we can build a network of
trainers who can go out in the equine community and help adopters of mustangs
work through training issues they encounter. We train the horses to accept a
saddle and rider before adopting them out. We do adopt out a later broke horse
to an adopter who is trained in the gentling process. All horses get up to date
shots before being adopted out.
Group Specialties:
We are always available to our adopters to assist in working with the horses
they adopt. We have training sessions on a quarterly basis for potential
adopters as well as for those who have adopted a horse from us.
We are starting to put in place some fundraising efforts. Our first is a riding
clinic being held on Sept 15th 2007.
Group Qualifications and Awards:
We are a 501c3 non profit organization.
Typical Day at the Facility:
We have volunteers who feed, water and muck the stalls and paddocks daily as
well as perform minor medical care when needed. We groom the horses we can touch.
We try to work with all the horses at least once or twice a week. We have about
5-6 volunteers who spend a couple of hours a day with the horses. Everyone of us
has a full time job and put in as many hours as our family responsibilities and
jobs allow. We need more volunteers.
Adoptive Horse Availability:
I stay at full capacity, (15 horses) and usually at least 4 of these are available for adoption. The rate of adoption varies on the time of year, more in the spring and summer (2 - 5 a month), far fewer in the fall and winter (1 a month if I'm lucky).
Adoption Procedures:
Due to the time involved in gentling our horses and the limited amount of
time we are able to put into training them each week, this is difficult to
answer. We have adopted out five horses over the past year.
TESTIMONIALS:
Our horses that have been adopted are currently participating in a
Hippotherapy program, a hunter jumper class with a young girl and another is a
pasture mate in north Georgia.
Donations & Local Volunteers:
We have no requirements regarding minimum hourly contributions from our
volunteers. We are in need of volunteers to help feed and water, to ride and
exercise our horses and to help us with our community programs for youth such as
our Junior Wrangler program, Write and Ride Program and our Pony Rides & Face
Painting events.
We accept donations online, by mail and over the phone.
COMMENTS:
We have found that many people are adopting wild horses without realizing
the time and work involved in gentling them before they can be ridden safely.
Consequently, many of theses people give up on the horses and want to get rid of
them. The best thing to do before adopting a wild horse is talk to someone who
has gone through the gentling process to get an idea of what is involved making
the horse safe to ride.
|
