| | Progress on Robin's Nest Continues Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Rhea Bigelow Charitable Trust (RBCT), coupled with their desire to build a sustainable facility to last a lifetime here at MVHR, the project has evolved into more than just a barn. Robin's Nest will be a state-of-the-art training facility, allowing our rescue horses to benefit from training year-round which will move them more quickly towards adoption. Not only will the building offer incredible facilities for the horses, but it will also be comprehensive support for the daily operations of the entire ranch, allowing horse and ranch care to be more efficient, user-friendly, and sustainable. Solar panels and a battery storage system will allow the building to generate power for the entire property, and even run off the grid as needed, during the frequent power outages we experience. Our gratitude for the vision and generosity of the RBCT can hardly be expressed, as they have dedicated so much into making this building a reality. In the meantime, our operational fundraising efforts continue, so that MVHR can grow our reach to fill the walls of the new building upon its completion. With the facilities in place to help more horses, the funds to do so will be even more critical to allow MVHR to keep up with the feeding, veterinary care and training our charges need to help them find loving adoptive homes! |
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| | Equine Updates Noche, Carmel and Aster are all progressing towards adoption. We'll let you know when it's official! If you are interested in adding one - or two - of our wonderful equines to your family, please contact us at info@mvhr.net to learn more about our horses and adoption process. As new intakes moved out of quarantine in April, and with the rare occurance of no urgent cases to take in, the quarantine stalls and runs received a much needed rebuild. Now that the project is complete, the improved quarantine area will serve future arrivals to MVHR much better. We will be welcoming new intakes again as early as mid-May! |
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| | Volunteer Spotlight: The St. John Family Hattie and Harper St. John started coming to MVHR Summer Camps a few years ago and fell in love with horses. Their dad had been around horses before so it didn't take them long to get both of their parents, Courtney and Joe, involved as well. Now the St. John's have the unique distinction of being our only volunteer family to cover a regular volunteer shift! The St. John's also visit to spend time with their horse, Sally, a former MVHR rescue who is boarded at the ranch. Hattie and Harper got to know Sally at one of those summer camps and just fell in love with her. They adopted Sally together with another local family, giving Sally a new life with love and care from three wonderful girls. She sure hit the jackpot! Sally even has her own account on Instagram: @sallythemustangpony. The St. John's most often cover the Wednesday PM feeding shift - rain, snow or sunshine - where they ensure the horses are fed and tucked in for the night. All of us at MVHR are so grateful for the time and care they so generously give. We are fortunate to have their family as part of ours! |
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| | Horse of The Month: Freckles This pretty Paint/Appaloosa mare is 20 years old and arrived at MVHR with her friend Abe at the end of March. If you have any question as to how she's settling in, just look at her now! This beautiful mare has a sweet disposition and started training with Joel after finishing her quarantine period. We're getting to know what she knows, but one thing is certain - she'll make someone an excellent companion. As Shana said, "she's a great little horse, and ready for her new home!" If you'd like to learn more about adopting Freckles, please contact us at info@mvhr.net. |
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| |  | Program Updates MINI HORSE HEROES Our most popular program takes place two Saturdays a month! It's a fun way for kids ages 3-5 years, and their parents/caregivers, to spend time at the ranch. The little ones get introduced to the rescue horses in a playful way and will spend time with them while exploring developmentally appropriate concepts related to preschool learning targets. Each session will include learning about horse care, grooming & leading, and finishes with a pony ride. Learn more and register at mountainvalleyhorserescue.salsalabs.org/mhh2022. LITTLE HORSE FRIENDS RETURNS THIS MONTH This horseback riding lesson program for kids 4-7 years old starts Saturday, May 7th, from 1pm-5pm. These lessons are one-on-one sessions of 30 minutes each per child. During this program children will work on natural balance, core strength, confidence and multi-tasking skills. It is perfect for those who have participated in our Mini Horse Heroes program in the past. Please contact marleen@mvhr.net for more information and to schedule your child’s session! SUMMER DAY CAMPS MVHR is excited to offer kids ages 5-14 new opportunities to spend their days this summer with horses. Day camps will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from June 7th through August 11th, 2022. Kids can sign up for one day or multiple days in a row, or spread days throughout the summer. The day camp themes will vary based on the day or week and include Horse Heroes Day Camp, H.O.P.E. Liberty Day Camp and Horse Glamour Day Camp. No prior horse experience is needed to participate and MVHR will provide transportation from Wolcott. Full and partial scholarships are available for all day camps. For more information and to register, visit the Programs page on our website. HIGH SCHOOL RESCUE CLUB APPLICATIONS Do you love horses? Do you want to expand your leadership skills & community service experience? Then High School Rescue Club is for you! Mountain Valley Horse Rescue is excited to provide high school students with the opportunity to get more involved in our rescue efforts while fostering a love for horses, gaining a deeper understanding of horse knowledge including horsemanship and ground work, and building the leadership skills necessary to help advocate for the over 6,000 unwanted, abandoned and abused horses in Colorado. HSRC is FREE to local students entering grades 8-12. For more information or to apply, email HSRC@mvhr.net. |
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| May Volunteer Opportunities Please email info@mvhr.net to sign up or for more information, unless otherwise specified below. - Community Horse Day: Will not take place this month, but stay tuned for future dates. Want to spend time with the horses in the meantime? Volunteer and you can do it on YOUR schedule.
- Basic Volunteer Orientation: Monday, May 9th, from 12-3pm. We've also scheduled another bilingual session Saturday, May 28th, from 12-3pm. If you can't make either of those, please email info@mvhr.net to check for other opportunities. If you want to help with our horses, this is the way to get started. No set commitment of time or schedule is required to help take care of the horses in recovery at MVHR, just this basic training.
- Feeding & Chore Shifts: After completing Basic Volunteer Orientation, you can sign up to cover any of our three daily chore shifts - watering, feeding and mucking. Open shifts are shown on our website calendar. OR if you're not able to commit to an entire shift, you can pop out to help with mucking any time you'd like!
- Tuesday Vet Days: Veterinarian, Dr. Stocker, treats horses from 10am-4pm. If you want to help handle horses, this is a great way to learn about the rescue herd's vet needs and treatments.
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| |  | MyGivingCircle.org Help Mountain Valley Horse Rescue get enough votes for a spot the top 10. The top 10 nonprofits at the close of voting will be awarded a monetary donation! It's free to participate and you can vote once a week. The link to vote is mygivingcircle.org/mountain-valley-horse-rescue. Donate Stock to MVHR We recently opened a brokerage account with Edward Jones and are so grateful to the donors who have already contributed! Donating stock offers benefits for both you and MVHR. If you would like more information on how to donate to our account, contact your broker or email marleen@mvhr.net. Other Ways to Help MVHR Looking for ways to help MVHR all year long? Visit our Other Ways to Help resource page! It has information like our wish lists, shopping to support MVHR, and more, all in one place. Check it out and sign up for some of the shopping programs! Visit MVHR's Merchandise Shop To purchase t-shirts, hoodies or hats, visit mountainvalleyhorserescue.com/mvhr-shop. |
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| | Mountain Valley Horse Rescue
33933 Colorado River Road | McCoy, Colorado 80463
970-653-0185 | info@mvhr.net |
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