|
1. When did you first start volunteering at SCCR? I started August 23, 2018 and Ray started in November when he decided to come and join me. 2. Tell us about how you found us and your impressions. Our grandkids were coming for a visit from England and I wanted to take them riding. Plus, being relatively “new” to Squamish, I was really missing the connection with horses in my life. So I searched the web and came up with SCCR. Amy came back with the response that SCCR was always looking for experienced volunteers to help the horse rescue program, so I completed a Volunteer application form, had an interview with Kris and Sibylle on Thursday August 23 and started work the same day! Impressions: i. I had “laboriously” summarized all of my “previous equestrian experience” including equestrian education and volunteer experiences. I ended up with a pitch fork and a wheel barrow mucking out paddocks! I chuckled about that!! It wasn’t quite what I had expected …. but, I seized the opportunity and got on with it! I have since learned the meditative qualities of “mucking!” ii. “Anything goes at the Ranch!” was an expression we heard many times. And, compared to my traditional British riding background, life on the Ranch was chaotic! At any time, the herd of 14 horses might be released from a paddock and come galloping en masse across the green field, down the lanes, around the paddocks, and back up again only to disappear up on the dike, or heading to the clover field by which time their initial burst of energy was subsiding and you would soon find them peacefully munching on the grass. Dogs raced around in packs trying to herd the horses; three or four Pot Bellied Pigs waddled around looking for hugs and rubs. There were donkeys, and mules, and horses all mixed in together. And the volunteers who did the mucking of the paddocks freely worked amongst the animals, most of whom politely “moved over” to let you clean around their feet. On top of all this, trains go by a few times a day and the train-drivers seem to enjoy “blowing” the whistles consistently as all the carriages trundle across the road, which drowns out any thoughts in your mind let alone the sounds around you; planes and helicopters fly so low over the Ranch that the horse I was riding “spooked” at its shadow; the dump trucks with their tandem trailers rattle noisily over the ranch roads to their resting spot. Now, all of this has become second nature, and trepidation has turned into love and appreciation for the beautiful atmosphere that SCCR conveys …. and the knowledge that the horses have become almost “bomb-proof” is well worth it all. iii. Our third major impression was the conditions the volunteers worked under: when it rained the paddocks were muddy and the dung squelched in with the mud; when it snowed the frozen dung sat proudly on top of the snow, or underneath it; and when there was ice, you were wishing that an “axe” was part of the mucking kit. The plastic forks just didn’t cut it!! Needless to say along with the conditions under foot, the pouring rain, and the freezing cold meant checking out the local Mark’s Work Wearhouse store for suitable garments. Now 4 ½ years later, the rain and the cold still exist, but the paddocks have better drainage, there are less roots and other obstructions in the ground, there are round bales of hay under cover, and the mucking conditions have improved exponentially. 3. What does SCCR mean to you and your family? i. SCCR has become an integral part of our lives. We can’t ever imagine not being able to volunteer there. The “relaxed” attitude that exists among most of the horses is beautiful, and unique and getting to know and connect with the group of horses in the paddock you muck is very special. The mountains surrounding the Ranch provide spectacular views, and the sound of the roaring Cheekye River rushing down stream to Howe Sound through the valley blocks out all surrounding sound and fills our hearts with joy. The setting, Kris Latham, and all the volunteers, provide is a “safe and loving place” for animals that may have experienced trauma or simply moved on to a final resting place. 4. What does volunteering at SCCR look like to you? i. an opportunity to contribute to providing a better life for the animals ii. an opportunity through practical involvement to spread the word about horse rescue to people you know and meet iii. a physical feeling of satisfaction, and fitness to a degree, that comes after using your body for a good cause iv. making new friends with a similar interest.
|
