A Day in the Life of a Grant Ranch Horse

If I believed in reincarnation, I’d like to come back as a Grant Ranch horse! My husband and I started Grant Ranch Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation, LLC when we saw the need for a retirement home for therapy horses. We presently have 3 of those, 2 are ours (or we are theirs) and one belongs to a close friend. Our lovely Princess Piper, who got me started in this wonderful horse life, is a 20-year-old registered Morgan with 7 years of therapy service. She was retired due to a Kissing Spines diagnosis. The instructor/barn manager told us that a therapy ranch is typically the last stop for a horse. I didn’t hesitate or consult my husband before asking, “can we adopt her?” and the rest is history. She cannot be ridden due to her condition and we promised her we would never put a saddle or a rider on her back. Over the last 4 years, she became my very best friend and constant companion. Blue is a 28-year-old registered Morgan with 15 years of service as a therapy horse. He was not necessarily ready to retire in his mind, but his body said otherwise. He has a prominent sway back, some arthritis in his hocks and stifles, and has Cushings. Annie, who is the cutest Haflinger ever, served for at least 10 years as a therapy horse. She is around 25 years old and was retired due to issues with her withers and Cushings. Here’s what it’s like to be a Grant Ranch horse on a daily basis:

7 am – a few organic baby carrots to say, “good morning!” and breakfast which consists of varying amounts of soaked grass hay pellets (warmed when it’s even a little cold), ration balancer grain specific to each horse (everyone gets salt to encourage hydration), and grass hay in slow feed nets.
I need to mention that Annie cannot swallow hay for reasons unknown (she’s been vet evaluated in every related anatomical aspect), so she gets the majority of her calories through soaked pellets. Blue has also had issues processing hay due to his old man teeth leading to FWS, so he gets about half of his calories through soaked pellets.
11 am – a few slices of apple and paddock gates opened for group turnout with some grass hay for lunch.
3 pm – ration balancer grain specific to each horse (everyone gets equine chia seeds and Blue and Annie get Prascend), a bit of grass hay for a snack, and a couple German horse muffins with a soft peppermint.
4 pm – liberty bodywork or groundwork with whomever wants to participate.
7 pm – dinner consisting of varying amounts of soaked grass hay pellets (again, warmed when it’s a bit cold), and grass hay in slow feed nets, paddock gates closed.

Fresh water is available at all times in multiple containers throughout the property and stalls/paddocks are cleaned daily.

I realized how much care we give them after writing instructions for a horse sitter (2 pages long!). In my mind, it’s a total labor of love and I wouldn’t have it any other way. These horses of ours do not deserve anything less. Are they spoiled? Absolutely – we feel that they’re adequately compensated for the joy they give us. And then there’s our 4th very special horse, Elliot who is not retired … stay tuned for his story.