Helping at the Horse Refuge

Today we all went to the Sixteen Hands Horse Sanctuary , which is the refuge that we came across yesterday. Ambir and Santos drove up and met us there so our entire family was able to spend time there together. We went to volunteer some of our time, but I think we took away far more than we gave.

One of the things I hoped for my children to experience when traveling was to see that we can all make a difference. In a society where the stars can draw most of the attention, I wanted them to know that it is important to do what you can to help, no matter how big or small. I hope they saw some of that today.

We were honored to meet and spend time with people who demonstrate this principle in their lives each and every day. These selfless heroes, Robin and Dutch, run a horse refuge and have rescued most of the 30 some horses here. They have provided a "forever" home for these animals and have also provided a safe place where they are not only cared for, but deeply loved.We were humbled to see how much work they invest each day in order to commit to this mission of theirs. It was also fascinating to hear some of the things they do using a natural method developed by Pat Parelli to handle the horses.

I was impressed with how hard Austin, Lauren and Josh worked today. Austin never stopped working the entire time we were there:

Rambo isn't sure what to make of Miss Royal. They were intrigued with each other:The guys working hard, pushing a wheelbarrow of horse manure:Another gentle soul, thriving under their care:I think out of all of us, Josh amazed me the most, he worked as hard and as long as the grown ups did:The horses seemed to love Nathan:Austin seems right at home here, doesn't he?What could be sweeter than horse kisses:Feeding one of the newer arrivals some apples:
We had a great time here today!

Please consider donating to this great place. You can click on the link at the top of this post to get more information. They are a non-profit organization and can use funds, items on their wish list or if you live close enough-volunteers. You can make a difference too! It doesn't have to be some huge thing. Just consider what you can give and then do it.