My Nonprofit Reviews

I met Karina Benish, rescue founder, sometime in 2007. I leased a horse from her. Then one day in 2008 she got a phone call while with me, hanged up (if you can hang up a cell phone) and lamented that the boarding facility where she's been keeping her rescue horses is shutting down so she has 30 days to find a new place for them and "Where am I going to find a place?! Everything is still full after the fires ...". We live in San Diego and huge amount of farmland and number of barns burnt in 2007. I looked at quite distressed Karina, pondered for a moment and then grinned ear to ear and said "Dear, drive with me". I just happen to own some rental property in Ramona and previous owner used to have horses and left some corrals behind. So I drove Karina there and asked "Will it do? Just keep your horses here, board free" to which she replied, with her mouth open, "Are you s********* me?!!!", I told her nope, all yours. we signed an agreement for 6 months, she moved her horses there, I watched what she does, then I signed it for another 6 months, watched some more and then I just told her keep your horses there as long as you need to - as long as I own the place, they have a home there.
She's a good neighbor - she keeps an eye on my tenants, keeps the place clean, waters my trees, planted new trees and flowers ... And I watch what she does with the horses. They come emaciated, scared, sick, pregnant, hurt and/or angry and transform within months. I saw an OTTB come to the rescue with a bleeding quarter crack in his hoof, angry and vicious and couple of weeks later I watched that horse turn into a puppy dog, laying flat on the ground and having snoring naps. I was there when Karina took him out for the first time since he was off the track. That horse has never been out on a trail and it was amazing to watch how he completely trusted that woman - things were scary and he'd huff and puff but never bolt, she just explained what it was, dismount if needed, led him through such scary things as asphalt or over a log ... He'd just sniff it and go because she had asked him so it was OK. Then I watched that horse go for a walk with her, she kind of let go of the reins walking and he followed her like a dog for over a mile. Mind you, this was his first time OUT in a real world. He's a sugar plum now, my 7yo daughter's favorite horse to visit, pet and feed carrots to.
Karina's mission is to take in horses that have behavioral issues, are hurt or pregnant and given sufficient treatment, training or time can be restored to useful lives and adopted out to new homes, where they can have "a job". She strictly adheres to that rule and picks the adoptive owners right - to date she only had one horse returned to the rescue and it was because of financial straits. Young horses, for example foals born to rescued mares, are adopted out only after they are fully grown and trained to ride. So yes, horses stay at the rescue for as long as they need before they are ready to go to a new home.

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