A nonprofit that’s been rescuing at-risk horses since 2000 is celebrating its horses, the community and the arrival of fall.
On Sunday, Oct. 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., California Coastal Horse Rescue, 600 W. Lomita Ave. in Meiners Oaks, will host its Octoberfest celebration.
The public is invited to the event, which includes equine-rehabilitation demonstrations, a beer and wine garden, a live bluegrass band, food trucks, vendors, pony cart rides, a used tack sale, crafts for children, and the celebration’s main attraction — the CCHR horses.
“There are a couple of new faces,” said CCHR President Adri Howe. There’s Charlotte, a pony who was feral when she arrived at the ranch; and Jupiter, a mare who came to the rescue extremely underweight.
Within a few days of her arrival, rescue volunteers were able to get a halter on Charlotte. “She calls to us now,” Howe said. “It was just so amazing.”
When she began her rescue journey three months ago, Jupiter looked very thin and tired, but now the horse she truly is has begun to reappear, according to Howe. “She is just really glowing now. You can tell she’s happy and that she’s feeling good,” she said.
On the stalls of each of the 15 or so horses being cared for at CCHR is a biography telling each horse’s story. “A lot of these horses come from very hard situations and we want to share that with people so they can understand what these animals go through,” Howe said.
The biographies also tell how the horses are coming along in their rehabilitation. “The rescue has happy stories, it had sad stories, we have medical issues, but we’re all working toward giving them good lives,” Howe said. “And that’s what matters.”
CCHR’s mission is to rescue abandoned, abused, neglected and slaughter-bound horses and bring them back to physical and emotional health. “It just takes a little bit of time and good food and care, and you really can bring these animals back to such a wonderful place,” Howe said. The rescue’s ultimate goal is finding the horses a permanent, loving home.
According to Howe, there’s often a misconception that horses who go to rescues are old, broken down and useless. “People are very surprised when they see these horses with their shining coats and their eagerness to meet people,” she said. “We love sharing our happy, healthy horses with people and letting people interact.”
Visitors are also surprised at how friendly the horses are. “Our horses are friendly because they have a home where they’re treated equitably, they’re treated with love, they’re treated with very high levels of care,” Howe said. “They are emblematic of what can be done with animals who are rescued.”
Octoberfest gives the community the chance to learn about CCHR’s work and helps the organization raise money so it can continue that work. Howe hopes the experience will “create ambassadors that are going to have empathy and a sense of responsibility for animals in need.”
Horses are individuals who have feelings and are very good observers of humans, Howe said. As a humane educational facility, CCHR hopes to further spread the message about the healing power of the horse-human connection.
As part of its Learn, Care & Share program, children, some with special needs, get to meet the horses and hear their stories. They get to pet and brush the horses, and make horse-related crafts to take home.
Somewhat of a mystery is the connection that’s quickly formed between a horse and a child, both of whom have perhaps had difficult lives. “The horses and these children can communicate because no words are necessary,” Howe said. “How can two totally different species have that understanding? And the beauty is is that they do.”
CCHR relies solely on the support of donors, sponsors, grants and volunteers, along with events such as Octoberfest and Help a Horse Day, held each year in April. “We are very grateful to everyone who comes out and helps us take care of the horses,” Howe said. “To celebrate the horses and to celebrate with our community is always a good time.”
Admission to Octoberfest is $10 per person. Kids 10 and under are free, and parking is free.
For more information, see calcoastalhorserescue.com.
