Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary |
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Share your skills and resources! The Sanctuary is a working ranch. Chores range from outdoor jobs such as animal care, ranch maintenance and gardening to indoor tasks that involve running the Gift Shop and Visitor Center. We welcome volunteers throughout the year, not just during the summer months. Part of IRAM’s mission for the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is to provide a research area dedicated to solving the problems of wild horse herd management. Volunteers have the opportunity to contribute to this goal by sharing their skills and resources. Volunteer work, however, can be hard, grubby and hot. Along with the beauty of the Black Hills come hot, dry and dusty conditions, especially during the summer when temperatures often exceed one-hundred degrees. More A VOLUNTEER STORY Painted horses here, quarter horses there, mustangs everywhere. Little ones, big ones, in between ones. Chickens here, peacocks there, turkeys everywhere. A cat to meet you, dogs to greet you, prairie dogs peeking out at you. These are just a few of the sights that I saw during my time at the wild horse sanctuary. A cabin to stay in that is decorated to make you feel right at home, scenery that is breath taking, people that are wonderful, and horses that are incredible. Waking to the sound of hoof beats outside my window, watching the sun climb high in the sky and then put a glow to the hills as it sets in a beautiful splash of colors across the sky. These were just a few of the things that made this place so special for me. I felt like the pied piper as I saw the horses follow the feed truck early in the morning. I experienced the freedom as I saw the horses running free across the hills. I was able to touch a wild mare named Annie and her foal. I sat on an oat bucket and hung on a fence taking pictures. I cried over a beautiful little foal who struggled to live and lost the fight. I filled up oat buckets and ran water into water tanks. I even changed those yucky but necessary flytraps. I drove an old beat up truck with oodles of rattles and I loved every minute of it. I met a man with a vision and a dream, a woman who keeps that vision and dream alive, a very outspoken man with a heart of gold who spoils a little filly named Hope, a retired teacher who lives in a pasture and has a horse who comes to her window every morning to wake her up, a pistol packing mama who shoots rattlesnakes in the middle of the road when she isn’t giving tours, a wonderful lady who spins fantastic tales as she gives tours to the visitors, a young man with a gift of working with the horses, a rancher who gets up early to drive the feed truck out on the range as well as give tours, a great lady who keeps the visitor’s center running smoothly, and others who work to see that the ranch work is done and the horses are kept healthy. I found out that the volunteers and staff are exceptional in their love for the horses and the people who come to the sanctuary. Seeing all the awesome horses at the sanctuary and sharing in the life you live for just a short period of time is something that will be a part of me forever. The time spent volunteering is a life time experience that will never be forgotten. Thank you for taking me to see Hope and Annie, spending time with me, taking me out to eat, allowing me to stay in the cabin, and making this such a special time for me. I want to do it again. Anne Schoch August 2008 |
