Originally Posted on November 7, 2011 on www.emmergroupblog.com:
Here's Winnie- who would have thought she was so mistreated before she arrived!
Sometimes, good things do come out of bad situations. For example, imagine a horse named Winnie has been found by police to be abused, malnourished or mistreated and has no safe home to go to. A terrible situation, to say the least, but now let’s imagine a caring couple who decide to make a special retirement home for horses just like Winnie. That’s exactly what happened in the case of the Retirement Home for Horses at Mill Creek Farm.
Founded in the early 1980’s by Peter and Mary Gregory in Alachua, this nonprofit sanctuary adopts abused, neglected and old horses who are no longer fit for work and allows them to live out the rest of their days in a safe and work-free environment. Funded completely through donations and volunteers, the owners both live and work at the Retirement Home, devoting themselves full time to the 130 horses who reside there. Spanning over 265 acres of green pastures, the property is protected by a perpetual conservation easement which keeps the land free from development and 100% available to the horses.
To think how some of these animals lived before this was there home is so sad! But what a great place for them to end up!
This great place doesn’t come cheaply, however. In order to maintain all the care and treatment, each horse costs approximately $2,000 every year, and the facility as a whole comes out to about $275,000. This is why they rely so heavily on the kindness of strangers (like us!), to make sure they can keep this amazing service always running.
If you’re interested in helping out, you can volunteer or donate, or even sponsor a horse for $40 a month, which gives you regular access to your new friend to visit and love. You can even just come and spend some TLC with the horses, as the farm is open every Saturday from 11-3pm, with only a few carrots as admission!
So, next time you’ve got a down Saturday (football season doesn’t last forever!), and you’re looking for something to do, why not take a trip over to the Retirement Home at Mill Creek Farm and help show these noble beasts some great appreciation!
