What we do
Our motto is, "We help horses with people problems! Rehabilitate, re-teach, -re-home!" Giving Last Chance Horses a New Lease on Life
We believe in using a natural approach and working within the horse's comfort zone, at their pace. We use a lot of desensitizing methods and believe that desensitization is an essential part of training your horse. We base our methods around the horse's needs, abilities and temperament.
We offer basic training, either at our facility or yours. Spots are very limited. Please see the "Training" tab for more details!
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANY OF OUR HORSES, PLEASE FILL OUT AN ADOPTION APPLICATION BELOW
We believe in using a natural approach and working within the horse's comfort zone, at their pace. We use a lot of desensitizing methods and believe that desensitization is an essential part of training your horse. We base our methods around the horse's needs, abilities and temperament.
We offer basic training, either at our facility or yours. Spots are very limited. Please see the "Training" tab for more details!
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANY OF OUR HORSES, PLEASE FILL OUT AN ADOPTION APPLICATION BELOW
blackbird_ranch_equine_rescue_and_rehab_adoption_contract_v2.docx | |
File Size: | 22 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Who we are
We are Blackbird Ranch Equine Rescue and Rehab, from Manitoba, Canada.
Board of Directors
Dedicated Volunteers
Amanda
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Nicole
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We also run the Prairie Gunslngers
Special Event Equine Rentals - stage train robberies, and are also available for hire as Sheriffs at corporate events, we also do parades!
How it started
We owe all of this, Blackbird Ranch Equine Rescue and Rehab, to Cathy and her wonderful rescue horses... One in particular - Caliente (Now Red Kelly).
The fall of 2011, we took a trip out to Grunthal to visit the rescue horses and we set our maximum to 3 horses. We did not care about their history or their previous training, we simply wanted to help.
Our first pick was Cabo, a sweet little 2 year old needing someone to show him love and put him on the right path. Our second pick was Catori, a beautiful blood bay and white paint mare who had only been used as a brood mare. The third horse instantly jumped out at Kim. Caliente, a beautiful sorrel gelding with very obvious scars on various parts of his body. No one had taken a second look at him. He had been there for quite some time and was so terrified of people that we could not approach him. No one was able to catch him to halter him and no one was willing to put the time in to earn his trust. Our decision was made, those were the three that needed us.
The fall of 2011, we took a trip out to Grunthal to visit the rescue horses and we set our maximum to 3 horses. We did not care about their history or their previous training, we simply wanted to help.
Our first pick was Cabo, a sweet little 2 year old needing someone to show him love and put him on the right path. Our second pick was Catori, a beautiful blood bay and white paint mare who had only been used as a brood mare. The third horse instantly jumped out at Kim. Caliente, a beautiful sorrel gelding with very obvious scars on various parts of his body. No one had taken a second look at him. He had been there for quite some time and was so terrified of people that we could not approach him. No one was able to catch him to halter him and no one was willing to put the time in to earn his trust. Our decision was made, those were the three that needed us.
They were finally delivered to us a few weeks before Christmas. After being put out in pasture at home, Caliente did not change at all. You could not approach him, every time you tried he would flee. After a few months of letting it slide, we realized that something had to be done. We resorted to a catch pen of sorts. We gently corralled him into a smaller part of our pasture where we had tied a piece of rope to our corner post. Once he was in we lifted the rope and let him settle. He was terrified and had no idea what to expect. We slowly approached him, slid the rope over and around his neck and haltered him. As soon as the halter was on, something changed. He was a different horse. He followed without hesitation, he stopped on a dime, responded to the smallest amount of pressure. He was a complete gentleman, there is no other way to describe it. We had a short first session with lots of treat rewards and then like that, off he went to play with his friends. It was a huge first step and we continued making progress. We had to resort to the catch pen more than once, but slowly he started to trust. Once we felt comfortable with his progress, it was time to saddle up and see what he knew. We took it slow, lead him to a separate pasture and gave it a go. He moved forward off of leg pressure, backed up and knew how to neck rein. He was perfectly broke under saddle. Many more sessions like this truly showed us that he was dead broke and LOVED to be out riding.
Now, just over a year later, he still has bad days. He only likes being approached on his left side, not from behind, head on nor the right side. He still flinches if you move a little bit too fast and doesn't always like to be caught. He has come a long way since arriving at Blackbird and he truly is a blessing in disguise. A huge confidence builder for anyone who needed it and a great teacher for those wanting to learn how to ride. So respectful, sweet, kind, gentle and loving. He is the perfect all-round horse. Once thrown away at auction and overlooked by everyone who saw him. Kim saw the expression in his eye, the kind nature in his soul and the love in his heart and that is what drew her to him. He just needed a chance to shine again, he needed to feel love and be with someone who cared and made him feel safe. He got that from Kim and in return she got a lifelong equine friend... her big Red Kelly.