This Valentine’s Day, the Grand Valley Horse Rescue (GVHR) in Grand Junction, Colorado, hosted its inaugural “Hug a Horse” event, inviting families and community members to celebrate the unique bond between humans and horses. The open house allowed visitors to engage directly with the horses, offering them an opportunity to groom the animals and learn about the rescue’s important mission.
The event aimed to highlight not only the joy of interacting with horses but also the significant therapeutic benefits associated with these gentle creatures. Heather Thom, Treasurer for GVHR, emphasized the event’s purpose: “Families and people in the valley came to see what we do, hug a horse, groom a horse, and just spend some time with them.”
Therapeutic Benefits of Horse Interaction
Participants discovered that spending time with horses can have measurable calming effects. Research indicates that when people interact with horses, their heart rates can synchronize, promoting emotional stability and relaxation. “Just spending time with a horse, your heart rate and the horse’s heart rate kind of sync,” Thom explained. “It helps with calmness and calms your emotions, lowering your heart rate.”
This aspect of horse therapy underscores the vital role that GVHR plays—not only in rescuing and rehabilitating horses but also in fostering human connections that can transform lives. While events like “Hug a Horse” bring joy and awareness to the community, the rescue’s core mission focuses on the rehabilitation of horses and finding them permanent homes.
Vital Support for Rescue Efforts
GVHR operates with a clear mission: to rehabilitate horses in need and connect them with loving families. “Once they come to us, we rehabilitate them however we need to, whatever the horse needs,” Thom noted. “The ultimate goal is to adopt them out to a family so they can continue to love and enjoy the horse.” Each horse at the rescue incurs an average monthly cost of approximately $525, which includes essential expenses such as boarding, hay, medications, and veterinary care.
Thom highlighted the financial challenges faced by the organization, stating, “We don’t own the property, so we pay board. The hay we provide for them twice a day, medications for horses with conditions, vet care, hoof care—it all adds up quickly.” As a volunteer-run organization, GVHR relies heavily on community support to sustain its operations.
“All of us are volunteers, and it takes quite a bit of money to support all of our horses,” Thom emphasized. There are numerous ways for individuals to get involved, whether through hands-on volunteering, making financial contributions, or donating supplies.
For those interested in supporting the Grand Valley Horse Rescue or learning more about its mission, further information on volunteering and donations can be found on their official website.
