What is different about the ResqRanch?

Horse Gallery Image

There are many animal rescues and shelters out there, and god bless them all because the work they all do is invaluable to saving the lives and ending suffering for animals. They all have similar but slightly varying missions, visions, and protocols for dealing with new animals coming in; from how to decide what animals to take, to having the personnel to evaluate them on intake, having the right facilities to house the individuals with any special requirements, and finally how to fund it all.

Once those animals are in facilities, they are given medical care, food, water, shelter, and are kept clean. Horses are often kept in individual dirt corrals, or with other animals, with some shelter and then taken out of the pens for periods of needed medical care or training.  All of the animals are handled differently by different people with varying levels of experience and training.

What happens differently at the ResqRanch, is that once an animal is found to be a suitable match for our facilities, the animal is integrated into a herd, in order to live a more natural life. And their training and care is ongoing 24 hours a day, around the clock, within their natural setting, ALL in an R+ way! 

Training an entire group of animals at the same time is more challenging, and requires greater trainer skill. This is what we teach in our “Train the Trainer'' onsite programs for those who have completed DrQ’s Horse Relationship Building Masterclass and wish for the opportunity to practice what they learned. This is the first aspect of ResqRanch which sets us apart.

Next, is the REALIZATION that with every single interaction with the animals, we are training!

No matter what is occurring with the animals, from feeding, to watering, to getting out of the corral for a session, we are using the principles of R+, or Positive Reinforcement to do it. That means that with every interaction, the animals have a CHOICE, and that certainly sets us apart!

Besides this knowledge about how we train, here are some of the specific things we can train for in this way:

  • To protect human personal space
  • To protect property destruction
  • To behave politely in a crowd
  • To wait patiently for food, gate openings, etc.
  • To stand quietly for the farrier (a tough one with rescue sometimes, yet it’s especially important)
  • To allow blanketing and un-blanketing as weather and individual animal body condition dictates, without restraint, and without walking off, kicking, etc.
  • To move through a corral doorway quietly and politely, which means willingly move through a gate from one enclosure to another, on their own without being led or chased,  without panicking, rushing, barging, or otherwise displaying dangerous behavior even in a large group, marine mammal trainers call this movement behavior “gate”
  • To allow full grooming without restraint of all even the most sensitive body parts
  • To tolerate taking oral medications from a syringe, such as mouth wash for dental care, deworming, probiotics, etc.
  • To trailer load without halters or lead ropes at all

Two Black Horses

This is only the beginning. These are some of the things we train on a daily basis BEFORE we even talk about putting on a halter,  lead rope,  and going for a walk to the trailer for a stress free load-up and quiet trip to the trailhead and a carefree, bitless trail ride. 

All of this commitment to practicing the principles of Positive Reinforcement by all involved, means that everyone who has the honor and privilege to come here and work with these animals, has the guaranteed best opportunity to build a truly magical bond and be a part of a world class animal training team. The ResqRanch is a safe space for people of all kinds, to come, follow the guidelines, and truly get to experience the magic of developing a special relationship with an animal. The ResqRanch not only cares for rescue animals, it is also a place to nurture and care for people. Any people willing to learn and practice the principles of R+, the most compassionate form of animal training, which is not only the scientifically proven best way to train, but also fills your soul too by practicing kindness, understanding, and patience, while enriching the lives of our beloved rescue animals.

Yep there is a lot of thought, precision, and education that goes into what we do with our animals here at the ResqRanch. That’s what sets us apart, the fact that all of our animal handlers have the same training, for one,  for two, that all the animals always have a choice in if they want to participate or not, and finally, that the ResqRanch is not just about animals, it’s about people, helping them heal and grow in a safe, welcoming space. That is why we say we are the world’s premiere positive reinforcement animal sanctuary!

If this sounds good to you, there are several options for you to learn more.

DrQ and the Crew of the ResqRanch and Aspen Park Vet Hospital

Horse Scenery

Horse Sunset