HAVE YOU HEARD the rumor? I did. I’m happy to squelched the gossip here: Olympic Peninsula Equine Network (OPEN) is not closing its doors.
“I heard the rumor, too,” said co-founder and ranch manager Diane Royall. “It was news to me! And certainly not in my plans at all!”
OPEN is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming horses, such as Banner, a people-loving gelding. The 20-year-old recently arrived at OPEN with his companion, a bright red sorrel, bruised and in a state of neglect. These once loved, and rideable, horses have been deprived of good care for a long time. Their owner was forced to place them in what she thought was a good and capable home with a friend after her husband grew ill and she needed to care for him full-time, long-term.
When she finally had the time to visit the duo she was heartbroken to discover they were under weight and malnourished. She turned to OPEN for help. After they spend more time gaining weight and recouping there, they will be sent to Fox-Bell Farm for retraining. Then each will be available for adoption through OPEN.
Banner is just one of hundreds of horses OPEN has helped over the past 14 years. It’s core group of volunteers have all played key roles in helping OPEN to flourish. “I’ve had, and still have, an amazing crew!,” said Diane.
Some, like treasurer Steve Lange, Mike Vaillancourt, Glenda and Dick Cable, have retired, while others have moved away.
Current long-time volunteers include Bob Bauer. From Port Townsend, for seven years now, rain or shine, he’s driven from his home in Port Townsend once-a-week to clean gutters, horse pens, mow the lawn or groom the pasture with the tractor.
She calls Sharon Hampton, their “secretary extraordinaire.” For eight years and counting she’s helped with office work and cleaned horse pens three times a week. For 11 years Cathy Abondando has cleaned pens, as well as weed whipped and dragged the pasture with the tractor to break up manure piles
Since moving back to Sequim a few years ago, Diane’s daughter Katie helps with horse training, hay bucking (stacking) and taken on the task of hoof trimming all of OPEN’s horses, helping many to overcome problems due to negligence. She even came to my place to trim my elderly Lacey’s hooves after her arthritis got so bad she wouldn’t even slightly lift a front hoof for me to trim. And I was frustrated by my own physical limitations due to Multiple Sclerosis, and arthritis.
Katie swooped right down, knelt on one knee, and began patiently working on one hoof, and then another, while bracing Lacey’s leg and hoof with her other knee. If you need help with hoof trimming call Katie at 504-417-9619.
Recently OPEN was one of many horse rescues who, Diane said, “went through a forensic type of investigation” that OPEN passed with no problem “thanks to Steve, Valerie, Sharon and other people in the past that have meticulously kept detailed paperwork of all of our transactions, checks, and balances.”
OPEN is now looking for someone to help file and organize paperwork; another to keep their Web and social media sites current and up-to-date. And a treasurer/bookkeeper with current experience working with a 501 (c) 3. It’s OPEN’s only paid position.
They care
“We’re also here to help owners who may need a little more education in how to care for horses at home, as well as those who simply need a temporary helping hand, be it a little bit of feed, or help with euthanizing a beloved older or sick horse,” Diane said.
For years Diane has helped owners by arranging for the animal to be euthanized, someone with a tractor/backhoe to dig the grave, and place the horse in right after he expires.
“I’ve held some people’s hand through the process,” she said, “and for those who couldn’t bear to be there, I told them I would arrange everything. Just go out to eat with a friend and when you come back it will all be said and done, with everything cleaned up.”
Disaster response
OPEN is ready to jump into action to help Clallam Animal Response Team by taking in horses displaced by a natural disaster, or emergency, such as wildfire or hurricane. In fact, all the paddocks and pens at the shelter are set up in such a way to be easily transformed to smaller pens to make room for 30 or more horses.
The perimeter of OPEN’s 3.6 acres is permanently fence and able to hold many more horses that are comfortable in a herd environment. Even more so by using electric fence to subdivide the pasture into smaller areas to hold more individual or smaller groups.
Conveniently located off Highway 101 above Carlsborg. Take Hooker Road to 251 Roupe Road. Be sure to shop its used tack shop filled almost everything related to horses. Open by appointment by calling 360-207-1688.
If you’d like to help CART with disaster response please email us at clallam animalresponseteam@gmail.com.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.
