Chuck is now a resident here at the Ranch - Chuck was owned by Donna Mathews, who brought him here to the Ranch. Donna has relinquished Chuck to the Ranch to help in our Mental Therapy Programs. She felt he had the best care here at the Ranch and he felt at home with us after her last visit.
After Donna lost a dear friend in 2018, she turned to horses as a way to stay connected to the positives in life because being around horses reminded her of her friend. He was a farmer who had 2 miniature horses and had birthed and raised many horses over the years. Meanwhile, little Chuck had been saved from a slaughterhouse in Texas and brought to northern California when he was probably not even 2 years old (he was probably born in 2017). Some months later, he was found by a friend of Donna's standing in tiny 4' by 8' stall with only the minimal of care. As soon as her friend introduced her, Donna jumped in, taking ownership of him in early 2019 and moving him to her friend's farm where he could live outside with two other horse friends.
However, while Donna lived in California when she rescued him, she subsequently moved to Massachusetts. She knew she did not have sufficient time to spend with him and no convenient access to a good boarding facility.Prior to moving back east, Donna drove across the country several times. She regularly would look up horse rescue facilities and offer to assist for a day or two while taking a break from the road.
As serendipity would have it, she met someone from Montrose during one of her treksand while visiting, found End of the Trail Rescue. She visited several times and fell in love with the facility, the staff, and the Dream Catcher Therapy Center programs. When she moved, she decided that End of the Trail was a perfect match for Chuck. She knew he would be well taken care of and would have many friends, horse and human alike.
Donna continues to stop by to visit Chuck and the rest of us. Chuck has inspired Donna to become certified in Equine Massage and she will donate her time to Rescue Horses at no charge. We all feel very lucky to have Chuck and Donna as part of our community.
