This organization is phenomenal in what it does, rescue abandoned, neglected and abused horses while also providing sanctuary and foster homes for those that need that peace.
I have been a Redwings volunteer since about 03/2009. I started out as an extern fulfilling requirements for the vet tech program in which I was enrolled (& completed). In fact one of my fields of interests is equine care & medicine. I became a Redwings member, & a regular volunteer. I fell absolutely in love with the equines at the facility. They are wonderful & very special. I have seen that Redwings provides a great permanent & safe home for these lovely creatures, & whatever need that each one has, whether it be special diet, or meds, or special shoes, etc., that need is fulfilled. I have noticed that nice new additions have been made to the ranch by new management, & this benefits the horses, not the property owners. As an avid animal rights activist, I would be the first to notice any misdoings by anyone at Redwings, be it staff or other volunteers. What I really like is that if I have a suggestion to make in behalf of the horses, I'm listened to. I love to go down to the ranch on weekends (or whenever I can get down there) & work with the horses. I also help with events & enjoy doing that, & it's wonderful to have visitors come to Redwings & hang out with the horses, & staff & volunteers. It 's a great educational experience for all, & kids esp. have fun seeing the horses & doing various activities that are provided for them. I have witness horses in very bad shape arrive at the ranch, & in a few weeks time undergo such a transformation that they're hard to recognize. I've seen them go from skin & bones & fearful, to healthy & happy. Horses with long-term chronic med. conditions receive excellent med. care & they are very comfortable. The horses & burros receive much attention & love. The atmosphere of peace & contentment that prevails over the ranch is a sure sign that what takes place at Redwings is much healing & happiness.
Review from Guidestar
After reading the reviews, I feel that the people and the staff of Redwings Sanctuary are performing a much needed service. Any negative comments should be kept to ones self. It takes a lot of hard work money and heart to run a sanctuary and I applaud those who do.
It is a great place for horses to finish out their amazing lives. I have been visiting Red Wings for nearly 2 years now and every time I visit, improvement have been made to the housing and nutrition of the animals. We all should be so lucky to get the care we deserve at a place like Red Wings.
Review from Guidestar
This sanctuary is staffed with loving people dedicated to helping equines. My experience was both rewarding and educational. Helping with the grooming of about 15 horses as well as preparing food supplements under the guidance of the veterinary staff person was a first for me, a city slicker with no prior equine experience. I was left with a sense of the spiritual sensitivity of the equines and felt comfortable in their presence. All involved in welcoming and encouraging my volunteering were helpful in answering questions and conveying the love and respect they have for the mission of the sanctuary. It is my hope to return as often as possible from our Pennsylvania home to learn more about caring for horses and to support the mission of Redwings.
I have been with Redwings since 2007 as the Equine Care Provider and had so many life changing experiences. I moved to Monterey county in 2001 and heard about Redwings when they were in Carmel. Unfortunatly I was never able to make it out there. In 2007 I was working for State Line Tack when my father called me and told me a horse facility was looking for someone to care for their horses. I made the phone call and sent my resume never expecting anything to come of it as most of my education was in horse training but did have some equine medicine classes involved. I remember the day I first came to Redwings to interview for the position the staff greeted me with open arms and after talking to who would later become my boss I was taken on a brief tour and then met some of the most amazing people in the burro pen caring for these wild animals. I later learned that the burros were part of a BLM round up and Redwings has done everything in their power to provide them with a facility as close to their natural environment as possible. As I groomed, the ladies I was working with asked me some questions and were suprised with my knowledge and the compassion I had for these animals. I would later come to find out one of them has been a volunteer here for several years and the other 2 were board members. These were the most loving, compassionate, and dedicated people I have ever met. One afternoon I got an email from the Equine Care Cordinator telling me I got the job I remember telling my parents as we started jumping up and down crying and hugging out of so much happiness. I was back in the field I went to school to be in. This is where my story begins. As a horse owner I was blind to the life of abuse that some of these horses have experienced in their past and I feel so honored every time one of them allows me to work with them and care for them. On an average day horses are groomed or bathed in the summer, hooves trimmed every 6 weeks but cleaned every other day, given daily supplements and medications that would not be able to be given with out the kind donations of the community. Redwings recives donations from all over the country, and 90 horses who have at one point had a horrible abusive past now live in peace and harmony with the love they deserve. With out donations farrier visits would not be on a weekly basis, the vet would not be able to attend to a horse in their times of need, or the feed barn would be empty. With the true dedication of the Redwings staff these animals are being well taken care of and teaching the public more about the pain and suffering they should not have experienced. I have grown so much working for Redwings and my education and knowlege grows everyday as I am reminded that not all horses act the same and need attention in different ways. My fellow employees are the most wonderful and knowledgeable people if know they are still in very capable hands. Redwings always keeps the safety of its staff and visitors in mind and has classes to help teach new visitors safety and how to work with abused horses. My time at Redwings has really inspired me to be a better horse owner and horse lover and now i devote alot of time to the rescue and aid of these horses.
A positively changing organization with new management. Redwings Horse Sanctuary is rising to huge challenges and will be making positive changes in the near future. We are excited about the new footing program that our staff and the supply company created with the help from the Hind Foundation. We will also be creating some fantastic educational "stations" for public benefit this year. We can't wait until our 2010 Open House Season.
I was preparing to donate again, but decided to do some checking around the local community. However, over grazing and disheartened neighbors convinced me to put my money where there is better accountability. Poor management and financial hemorrhage suggest to me that there is something very wrong here.
I absolutely love spending time at Redwings! My mother has been a volunteer there for a couple years now and I have volunteered there a couple times with her. I look forward to volunteering. It is so much fun to spend quality time outside with the horses. The staff at Redwings works so hard to make sure all the horses are well taken care of and happy! The staff is also very good at following safety procedures. I have enjoyed every experience at Redwings and I can't wait til I get to go volunteer again!
Redwings is a wonderful facility. The staff there are amazingly patient and generous with their time and knowledge. As someone who has a moderate phobia of horses, I can see what special people they are out there! I am so thankful for Redwings. It is unfortunate that so many people are unable to care for their animals. If Redwings wasn't able to provide care for these horses, I shudder to think what would happen to them.
Where do I begin? Redwings has been a savior not only for our equine friends, but for our students of Western Career College, Veterinary Technology Program, as well!!! Without Redwings, we would be at a loss for a quality facility to learn and grow from all of the wonderful opportunities they provide! The horses are all supremely cared for and the dedication of the staff shines through! What a wonderful gift for Mother Earth!
Redwings is a heaven sent organization for the horse world. I live in KY, and they came to my calls for help when no one else would, they sent blankets and offered to send money for food, they contacted the local Tractor Supply where they got the manager to donate some supplements for the horses that I had taken in. When the local authorities didn't want to help a call from Redwings made the difference, they Sheriff's Dept got involved and we managed to get 6 horses taken care of and out of their situation. Michelle is an angel, someone who really care, she talks the talks and walks the walks she backs up what she says, and as far as I am concerned, she is every horses best friend and a fine example of what an activist should be. Thank God for them.... Patty White
Redwings Horse Sanctuary helped me with my horses even though I was miles away. When I needed help, they sent money for feed, and blankets for my horse. Sadly, I had to give my horse away, but the horse was happier until then. Thanks to Redwings and the kind and knowledgeable staff.
Some of the things I enjoy about being out at Redwings include: handling different breeds of horses and different personalities in these horses. In past years I have witnessed several horse people who refer to themselves as "equine experts", but what I have witnessed while working at Redwings reveals individuals who are truly equine experts as they really know how to handle all of the horses they have, no matter how fearful the horses have become from their past life of mistreatment. Certain horses here have been subjected to severe abuse, and they have come to Redwings to learn there are people out there that truly do care about them and will no longer subject them to that life of abuse and lack of love and affection. Every volunteer is supervised and educated in how to handle these horses, and each volunteer is worked with for many hours with a staff member showing me even more how much these people really do care about the animals they provide care for. There is a high concern about the cleanliness and safety of the property for the animals and visitors alike. Every money that has been donated is put back into the betterment of the property or in the case of ill horses. The vet on hand is fast to respond if there is a sick horse and the staff never hesitates to spend the money to bring the vet in on needed situations. The staff is very educated and knowledgeable and is always willing to stay late with a sick horse and make sure their animals health is in their best interest.
I have volunteered since 2006. I love that safety is high on the list for both volunteers and horses. The horses are always happy and healthy. I love the ranch kitty "Marco". It is a wonderful place for people who love horses to just be around them. If you can't own a horse, it's the closest way of having a horse without the expense and time commitment. I don't hesitate to make an 80 mile drive to spend a great day with the horses.
I have been volunteering for the past 5 years for Redwings. I've volunteered for a animal welfare organization in the past, but never have I seen such passion and love from the staff at Redwings, who don't look at it as a job but as a fulfillment. Many of the horses we have are very old and our hearts especially go out to them and we strive to make the horses as comfortable as possible. When one goes down, it's like we lost one of our kids. The dictionary defines GENUINE as "actually being what it seems or claims to be; real, sincere and frank". I find Redwings just that, and I am proud to be associated with this hard working organization.
Redwings Horse Sanctuary has been in existence since 1991. The organization was at the forefront of having a sanctuary vs. re-homing philosphy. At this time, Redwings takes in the horses that no one wants, and the ones that are abused and neglected. The horses are offered homes for the rest of thier lives. They have worked hard on making it a place for hope for the horses that need training so they can be cared for. The horses have special diets, many of them custom, something that isn't always done at other facilities. The horses have special mowed pastures that allow for the aged to have a chance to graze,without having to chew. Perhaps this is why the horses often live into thier 30's. People are welcomed to the public facility 10AM to 4PM every day but Sundays.
The president and treasurer are daughter and mother, respectively, and live in the same house. This relationship, with the support of the rest of the board members, places an imbalance of power in a single household. Further, president also occupies the position of Equine Care Coordinator and has 100% control and influence over the welfare of the horses. Treasurer also fills the position of ranch manager, and supervises the bookkeeper. Redwings has underreported earnings to its donors for at least three years. In 2008 there was more than $700,000 difference between the 990 and the annual report that was supplied to donors.