The mare motel is a very special structure. In time we will hold a dedication ceremony for it was built in honor of a beloved father & grandfather who was also an accomplished horseman.
The mare motel is different from a barn as a barn is a fully enclosed structure.
A lot of preparation went into building the mare motel. Under the leadership of Richard Rumsey, a team of volunteers worked tirelessly on many weekends. Thank you Sarah, Sierra, Dan, Melissa, Paul, Kate & Diana!!!
First Rich graded the property & ripped out mountains of blackberry bushes. Kate was the lead in tending & burning the bush piles. Then Rich created hard pack roads from one outbuilding to the other. The roads are on a slight pitch so water drains. He also created ditches for runoff. This winter has been particularly wet at the Sanctuary but thanks to Rich’s expertise we were able to easily maneuver farm equipment to feed the horses.
Recently we signed a contract with Mendocino Animal Control to operate as their intake provider for surrendered & seized livestock. The mare motel will serve as a quarantine facility. It has 10 stalls.
Presently the mare motel has one occupant, Simon Valentine, our feral Shetland pony mutt mix.
Karin, the mare motel looks great! The little Valentine seems to be quite content, too.
Many thanks to Mr. Rumsey and your wonderful team for their talent, skill and devotion!
As always, all the Best,
Marshall
Thank you!