I am a member of R.E.A.R.S. Riverside County Animal Rescue Service which is we are volunteers. We are part of the Riverside County Animal Control our duties are evacuating animals caught up in wild fires around Riverside co, confiscation of abused animals etc. I have taken many horses to Falcon Ridge thru REARS in addition I picked up horses from up north and local areas taking them to Falcon Ridge. I first met Nicki at Falcon Ridge when I found an abandoned injured horse in our community round pen. I call my captain at Riverside animal control and asked if she could suggesting a rescue that might take the poor horse and she told me about Falcon Ridge. Ever since then I do volunteer transporting for this rescue. Check out Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue on facebook.
Denise C.
I became aware of Falconridge Equine Rescue in June of 2012, when I was asked as to come evaluate an abandoned horse that had been rescued from the High Desert 4 months earlier. Having dealt previously with other rescues, I was apprehensive about what I would find when I arrived at Nicki Branch's Valley Center facility. While it is reasonable to expect a certain number of thin, feeble and overtly-stressed horses at any rescue, I was more than pleasantly surprised to arrive and see all of the horses I saw at Falconridge to appear healthy, in decent body condition, and more importantly, exhibiting relaxed body language. Since that day, when Nicki and I met and reached an agreement to work together using our combined resources to meet the needs of the horse I was originally contacted about, I have come to know much more about the phenomenal way that Falconridge is run and the number of horses it is able to serve despite the fact that it has very low resources (both human and financial). As an expert in horse training, behavior and animal care management, I honestly do not know how Nicki is able to do what she does for so many horses. She feeds them in a way that their body condition scores improve rapidly, yet I see few signs of gastric discomfort. She has no paid staff to help her, but manages to provide a clean and safe environment, despite suffering an extremely serious knee injury that should have sidelined her for months. She currently has no horse trainer in residence, yet she manages to have each horse evaluated properly (and HUMANELY), then posts their information online and places many of them in excellent new homes. Yet she still gladly keeps the horses that aren't suitable for placement, and takes them back if a placement doesn't work out. I work for other charities, but none more deserving or more in need of donations. Not a cent is wasted, and much of the work Falconridge is doing could be considered lifesaving and/or life-changing in its impact.