Mirren Bodanis

Editor-in-Chief

When it comes to household pets, animal rescue is pretty intuitive. There are a variety of animal shelters (like the Montreal SPCA) available to take unhoused cats, dogs, and rodents. But what about when an animal weighs 2,000 pounds and eats 25 pounds of food a day? Enter A Horse Tale, the not-for-profit, volunteer-dependent horse rescue.

“We don’t always know the history, or if they’ve been traumatised, so we have to take a very gentle approach. Lots of positive reinforcement is required. We have to let them make their own choices in what they do during the day” explains barn manager Caroline Handy. Executive Director Mike Grenier expands: “A dog is always happy to see you. Horses, they’re a flight animal. They’re always judging you on whether you are a friend or a foe. It’s hard to obtain their acceptance, and to make them feel safe. But to find their calmness, especially when they weigh two-thousand pounds; that’s very rewarding.”

The barn currently holds 14 horses, all of which have their own unique needs. Even feeding alone is a deeply involved process. The horses need 3 meals a day, and every horse requires a unique combination of food type, humidity, and medication. Because of their different temperaments and histories, certain horses might need to be fed by hand or in a bowl, or have more or less water mixed in with their food. Some medications are given daily by hand, others injected, or placed under the tongue. Often they need to be separated during feeding to avoid conflict. For some of their larger breeds (like Clydesdales, which can reach over 7 feet in height,) idle head movements are enough to knock someone over, so even simple procedures like putting on halters require 2 volunteers.

Overall, running AHT is a huge operation. The barn employs 130 volunteers and holds about 400 members. People from all different backgrounds and of all different ages come to help maintain the rescue. Grenier recounts how, after working for 30 years in IT management, he “came to an open house one Saturday, just curious to see what the organisation offered. When it comes to a background with horses, I had nothing, but I love animals, so when I did join the connection was instant. […] AHT is very connecting. We feel a direct connection in everything we do for the horse, but there’s also a connection in what we do for the humans.”

Retired couple Marty & Lori (Who came from a background of dentistry and child behavioural management, respectively) have worked together at the rescue for over 7 years. “There’s an incredibly unique connection between the community and the horses,” says Lori. “It’s really provided me with a sense of understanding that everybody and everything cares. Everybody can give something. According to all of our strengths, ages, needs, abilities, skills, we can all give that little bit of ourselves. To be able to have an organisation like this, that’s 100% volunteer based, it gives me something as a human being.” Another volunteer, Jen, also shared her deep connection with the work. “You can really lose yourself. The horses have a way of looking at you, of bonding with you. They’re calm, they don’t have any prejudice. They’re incredibly strong and huge yet so graceful, and so intelligently living. It’s really difficult to explain; you really have to come here to understand. The horses give and take, but they accept you either way. It’s taught me to be mindful, to be open, and to be aware of my surroundings in a way I wasn’t able to before.”

The Plant took the time to talk to some visitors during one of AHT’s open house events, where the public is invited in to see the horses and learn how everything works. One of the visitors The Plant spoke with said it was her second year coming: “I remember last year, they had taken in one of the calesh horses and it was so thin and it looked so thin and weak and had big marks on its face from pulling carriages. This year, she looked so much better, I got to see her and touch her and share that moment with my friends. There’s so much love. We all love horses.”

A Horse Tale shows how caring for neglected parts of the natural world can also be an act of caring for ourselves. With their cause, the volunteers at AHT have created a vibrant and inclusive community where there’s something for everyone to learn, and something for everyone to teach. You can check out how to contribute, visit, or get involved at ahtrescue.org.