Our story, our critters
We get asked many times, “How did you end up running a horse rescue?”…..
Approximately nine years ago I found myself in need of a second used saddle. I heard of a tack/horse auction happening in Quesnel so I decided to go. I bought a great saddle and having never been to a horse auction, I decided to stick around and watch the horses come through. I was shocked at the condition some of the horses were in. Many were very thin to emaciated, their feet were painfully long, bellies bloated with worms. There were also some very nice, healthy looking horses going through as well. I noticed several horses going to some of the same bidders.
Being naïve to the whole auction experience, I commented to one of the people in the bleachers “Those guys must have a big ranch or something to need all those horses!” They quickly advised me that those bidders were the “meat buyers” and that most of those horses would be shipped to a feed lot and later sold for meat. I was absolutely appalled! As the auction continued, more and more of these wonderful horses filled the meat buyers holding pens. I grew more and more upset. Then one pretty little grey filly pranced through, tail and head almost defiantly high. There were no bidders but one. By this time I was more than upset, I was damn angry! I was determined they would not get her! Looking back I’m sure I would have mortgaged my home to prevent such an untimely demise for this beautiful filly. Luckily for me by the time the bidding was over I was only a few hundred dollars poorer than when I came. Little did I know that it was only the beginning. After only a few months I had “Shyanne” healthy and ready to start under saddle.
Meanwhile I couldn’t get the images of those terrified auction horses out of my mind. I found myself at another “meat sale” and came home with two, then three at the next auction, then as many as my trailer could fit. Soon word got out that there was this lady in Prince George that would take in unwanted horses. The horses started trickling in.
I quickly began to realize the lack of alternatives for unwanted horses in the North. I decided to start advertising and become an official rescue. It was as if I had opened the flood gates! PGER took on a life of its own. The response was incredible, the support from the community was wonderful. Close to 200 rescues later, we find ourselves expanded to a fabulous 160 acre property in Pineview and busier than ever.
