Build Lon & Raleigh a Safe House

Joanna Bickham is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

During the week of June 7-14, a group of Prescott College graduate students in counseling and volunteers provided equine-assisted learning activities and trail rides for burn survivors ages 7-16 at Camp Courage in Prescott, Arizona. In order to provide these confidence- and strength-building activities, we "rented" a group of 20 horses from a local wrangler/dealer. One of those horses, "Charger," looked like a thoroughbred, so we checked his lip and sure enough... he was tattoed.

After researching his tattoo, we discovered that "Charger" is in fact "Quarta Coroa" (Crown Room in Portuguese), an 11 year old ex-racehorse who was born in Brazil and raced a total of 75 times during his career. His last race was in January of this year, and only 6 months later he carried children around trails and obstacle courses like a trooper. He also stood patiently for hours while 4-5 chattering campers crowded around him and decorated his body and mane for our camp picture.

A group of the volunteers hopes to buy Charger from his current owner and board him in Skull Valley at Juniper Well Ranch, where he can have the retirement he deserves and be used lightly to provide equine-assisted learning activities and equine-assisted psychotherapy for those in need. However, due to our student status, we are low on funds and need your help. Please help us save this gentle, kind, and incredible horse from a life as a nose-to-tail trail horse and prevent him from ending up at the auction again (he was bought at an auction where horse-meat dealers from Mexico purchase unwanted horses for human consumption). He is in need of better a better diet and care than he will likely receive if he stays with his current owner, as he was thin (ribs showing, little body fat) and in need of farrier work when he arrived.

Any little bit helps. We hope to raise enough to purchase him and pay for 6 months of board, to start. Any additional funds will be used to continue paying his board, veterinary fees, and farrier fees. Thank you!

Video of Charger winning a race in 2011.