For the love of horses

COEUR d'ALENE - Morgan Young is passionate about giving horses a second chance at life after abuse, neglect or peril of being sent to slaughter.

Young started Forever Young Therapeutic Ranch and Rescue in 2012 in hopes of helping troubled horses become good equine citizens and find forever homes.

"I have a love for horses that's seated so deep in me. It's a passion, it's a drive. It comes internally," said Young, who is also a mental health therapist for children. "I've watched these animals change lives."

Forever Young, a nonprofit, operates ranches in Hayden, Liberty Lake and Graham, Wash. They rescue horses from Idaho, Washington and Montana.

There is a serious need in the horse world with a lot of neglect, Young said. The rescue sees a lot of starvation, abuse and horses' injuries not attended by a veterinarian. Many horse owners want to do the right thing, she said, but they can't because they can no longer afford it, for whatever reason.

"And people need to realize that. They all go in for the buying and they don't realize the long-term care that it takes and so sometimes people get stuck and that's when we get a lot of calls too," she said. "Which is good; call, we don't ever judge. We will always help."

The nonprofit's goal is to facilitate the animal and human bond, and to make sure no animals suffer from abuse and neglect at the hands of humans, she said. They also educate the community and provide resources to people who may not have them.

"What really struck me was my first visit to an auction and how inhumanly animals can be treated without regard to their physical well-being," said Melissa Clark, a Coeur d'Alene resident and personal friend who helped Young start the rescue.

She said the auctions where they have rescued horses are filled with kill buyers. Sale price for horses auctioned for slaughter is usually between $200-$300. Once a horse is left at auction they are not treated humanely, she said.

"That's where my passion came from. We could get them for a really low price and rehabilitate them and give them a forever home," she said. "The horses we buy are really phenomenal animals. They just need a little TLC and they are good to go for a lifelong companion."

The rescue's three locations took in 39 horses in 2014.

Within two weeks of receiving a horse, the rescue will have the horse up-to-date on its vaccinations, blood work done and a veterinary checkup.

All of the rescue horses at Forever Young's Hayden location came from livestock auctions where they were about to be purchased by buyers for horse slaughter plants. Three are now used for equine-assisted therapy. Young said a horse used for therapy needs to be desensitized and patient.

Young said animals have a way of helping people let down their guard. Some of the toughest children will trust a horse before they trust a human.

"The horse is the main tool, between grooming and riding. They are really the thing that helps these kids grow and move along, Young said. "It teaches them responsibility. It teaches a lot of really good lessons. It keeps them out of trouble."

Children from Daybreak Canyon - a Kellogg residential facility for 12- to 17-year-old boys - visit the ranch and help with cleanup and work projects. The boys then get to ride and work with the horses. Children in the foster care system also visit.

"It's pretty neat to watch them grow, not only their horsemanship skills, but as kids," Young said.

Alana Hageman, of Hayden, contacted Young for riding lessons for her daughters and ended up adopting four horses from the nonprofit. She said her children fell in love with them.

"I wanted the kids to have the experience of having horses. That's why we got riding lessons first," Hageman said. "She takes good care of them, fattens them up, gets all their vet checks. She has the ability to say 'this horse will fit your family perfectly.' Morgan hasn't steered us wrong in finding a good horse."

Young said it's a process to adopt a horse. People don't just walk in and take one home. Hopeful horse owners have to fill out applications and provide veterinary and farrier references. They need to show they can afford to care for a horse and provide safe homes.

Young said they keep in contact with their adoptees. As part of the adoption contract, their adoptees know that if there is ever a problem, Forever Young will always take their horses back, no questions asked.

The rescue operates solely on donations. She said sometimes they have to turn away a rescue because they don't have the veterinary funds or the extra hay.

"We couldn't have done that without all those who helped," she said. "We want to do even more this year. We've got the people, we've got the passion, we've got the drive, got the places. We've got everything we need. We just need those funds."

She said within the first month of rescuing a horse, they will spend about $1,000 on one animal.

People interested in helping can donate money, hay or make a donation straight to McKinlay & Peters Equine Hospital, for the horses' veterinary care. They can also volunteer at the ranch.

For more information on Forever Young Therapeutic Ranch and Rescue, contact Morgan Young at (208) 819-4321, foreveryoungtrr@gmail.com or visit www.foreveryoungtrr.com.