By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
WESTERLO — It was back in 2004 that the idea for a sanctuary for retired racehorses was first born when Thoroughbred Stalwart Member needed a retirement home.
Twenty years later, hundreds of horses and other equines have been rescued and received sanctuary at the facility now known as Unbridled Sanctuary, and perhaps thousands more have been helped to escape the slaughter pipeline.
On Saturday, the facility, first founded as Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation but renamed when the organization’s focus expanded to help other types of equines, such as donkeys and mules, marked its 20th anniversary with a gala event.
“Unbridled was formed 20 years ago, in 2004, on this very day — Aug. 10,” founder Susan Kayne said. “The mission of Unbridled is to protect horses from exploitation and slaughter. At the time of our founding in 2004, we were very Thoroughbred specific, so our goal was to provide a safe haven to Thoroughbreds coming off the racetrack, whether they were suitable for rehoming into second careers or they needed sanctuary or they could be a backyard pet.”
Over the years, Unbridled has helped hundreds, maybe thousands of animals, expanded its advocacy efforts and grown its stable of dedicated donors and volunteers.
“In the time since, we have really evolved quite a bit into not only helping many, many hundreds of horses into safe havens from the slaughter pipeline, but really growing our community of support,” Kayne said. “For people who are interested in helping horses, we provide an avenue whereby if you give to Unbridled, you always know who the horse is, where they are, how they are doing, what is happening with them, and if they need to be laid to rest, even where they are buried. I am very proud of developing that over the years to be so transparent.”
Advocacy efforts are also aimed at increasing awareness of the plight of horses, both those that are retired from the racetrack and others.
“To resolve the issue that horses face in being sent to slaughter, we really need an educated constituency and an educated donor who journeys with us and understands what horses are facing,” she said. “And to collectively rethink how we can solve these issues before they ever become an insult to the horses that we serve, horses who give all for the asking, whether it be in show jumping or racing or pleasure riding or barrel racing — no horse deserves to be abandoned in the slaughter pipeline.”
Unbridled currently has 64 rescued animals, including Thoroughbreds, other horse breeds, donkeys and mules. And a team of volunteers who help in innumerable ways.
Rachel Zanchelli has been volunteering with the organization for three years and finds it incredibly rewarding.
“It just makes you feel good about yourself and it’s a form of therapy,” Zanchelli said. “You feed off [the horses’] energy and they feed off yours, and it makes you feel like you are contributing to making their lives better. They have come from horrible situations that you can’t even think about.”
Zanchelli recounted the story of Honeybear, a 27-year-old former racehorse who was turned into a broodmare and bred at least a dozen times,
“She was pregnant for most of her life,” Zanchelli said. “If there is anything that I can do to make these animals’ lives a little bit better, I am all for it.”
As the days counted down to Saturday’s gala, there was an unexpected complication — days and days of heavy rains that turned much of the property into a muddy mess.
That’s when a team of 30 volunteers and local donors stepped up, like local contractor Curt Phillips and his son Hunter, who came in with an excavator; Carver Companies, which laid down new materials; and the Unbridled volunteers, who helped smooth everything out and get rid of the mud. Electrician Terry Weaver III, from Durham, also lent a helping hand.
“This would not have been possible without all of that,” Kayne said.
