Flooding of August 2024 – Power and Water cut to Barn
Since July, Ricky’s Ranch Senior Horse and Mustang Sanctuary has been caught in a relentless daily cycle of thunderstorms and downpours, turning our once peaceful haven into a waterlogged battleground. The back pasture, where our horses once roamed freely, is now completely flooded. The middle yard, usually a place of rest and relaxation, is submerged in standing water. The excessive rain has left us scrambling to ensure the safety and well-being of our beloved senior and Mustang horses.
Makeshift Stalls and Broken Pipes
With our small two-stall barn overwhelmed, we had no choice but to create makeshift stalls. While these temporary shelters have provided some relief, they’ve come at a cost. The horses, in their efforts to find dry ground, accidentally stepped on and broke the PVC plumbing pipes, cutting off our access to running water in the barn. Now, we find ourselves dragging a 200-foot hose across the muddy yard just to provide water for the horses.
As of September, the horses have become so frustrated at being stalled up so long, in both the permanent stalls and the makeshift stalls, that they have now broken the permanent stall doors off, and one is even broken in half.
We are running out of places to keep these horses on dry ground.
Erosion and Exposed Dangers
The situation has become even more dire as the relentless rain has eroded the soil through our driveway gate leading out to the back pasture. This erosion has exposed the water supply line and, leaving us without power to the barn. No fans, no lights—our mornings and evenings are spent working by lantern light, trying to care for our horses before and after our day jobs.
The small canyon is also a safety hazard for us, and for the horses, in the few minutes that we allow them out of the stalls to stretch their legs.
The Urgent Need for Help
We are in desperate need of assistance. The land around us is in crisis, and without immediate intervention, the safety and well-being of our horses are at risk. We urgently need clean landfill to stabilize the ground and the expertise of a drainage professional who can help us redirect the excess water out to the back pasture, where the creek has overflowed.
This is a tragic situation for our sanctuary, and we are reaching out to our community for help. If you or someone you know can provide the clean fill or drainage expertise we need, please contact us immediately. Our horses are depending on us, and we are depending on you.
How You Can Help
Your support is crucial during this challenging time. Whether through a donation, volunteering your time, or spreading the word, every little bit helps. We need to restore dry ground for our horses and bring back the peace and safety of Ricky’s Ranch. Together, we can overcome this and continue our mission of providing a loving home for these magnificent creatures.
Please consider contributing to our cause. Our horses deserve a safe, dry place to live out their golden years, and with your help, we can make that a reality.
Thank you for your unwavering support.
