Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Bjorklund. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Lazy B Equine Rescue and Sanctuary was founded by Kelsey and Gunnar Bjorklund when several ads for free or cheap horses were openly listed on local classifieds. These horses are/were at risk of slaughter.
Though equine slaughterhouses are banned in the US, thousands of US horses are shipped to slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico every year. Our goal is to rescue, rehabilitate, re-home, and protect horses who are at risk or result of abuse and neglect, and prevent these horses from entering the dreadful fate of the slaughter pipeline. Since 2017, we have rescued over 200 horses from Utah and surrounding states.
These horses have been willingly surrendered by their owners for various reasons. Some horses have come from Animal Control seizures due to abuse and neglect, and others have been rescued from local Utah auctions straight out of the kill buyers’ hands. Lazy B Equine Rescue and Sanctuary is a Full Circle of Life Horse Shelter striving to better the lives of any horse who needs help.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
If you ask any horse owner if it’s a smooth road, the answer is likely no. Horses are large, take a lot of space, eat a lot of food, and are very fragile creatures! The wind blows the wrong way and one of them is hurt, the other is sick, and all of that takes time and funds. Feed, land leases, and veterinary costs are our biggest expenses and struggles. We can always use help financially or in-kind donations of feed, land use, and veterinary care.
Luckily, being a non-profit organization we have volunteer opportunities we can offer the public and have reliable and knowledgeable volunteers who help with the day-to-day care of the horses.
I would say our biggest struggle to get where we are today, is funding. We are 100% program and donation funded. We offer affordable Equine Education classes year round where we teach all areas of horsemanship including riding, feeding, groundwork, etc. to educate current and future horse owners. The goal is to prevent horses from needing rescue due to a lack of knowledge. Horses don’t come naturally to some, so we are here to help those interested in horse ownership.
Thanks – So what else should our readers know about Lazy B Equine Rescue and Sanctuary?
Lazy B Equine Rescue and Sanctuary is by far the largest equine rescue within the state of Utah housing and caring for an average of 45+ horses. We specialize in rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming, and protecting equines at risk or result of abuse and/or neglect and strive to keep horses out of the slaughter pipeline.
What sets Lazy B apart from other organizations, is that we are also educating the public in proper horse care and handling. A good majority of our horses are the result of a lack of education in horse ownership or proper handling. Horses are not like dogs where you can house them for fairly cheap. They eat $150-200 a month unless you have your property, it costs $300-$450 to house them, they need farrier care (hoof trims or shoes) every 6-8 weeks, they need dental work at least once a year, and they need a lot of space to be able to express their 5 freedoms that every animal should have.
Rescuing horses, or any animal, is very exhausting both mentally and physically. Our days are filled with broken, sick, and abused animals, and it’s awful knowing it all could have been prevented had someone been given the proper education. Oftentimes, horses surrendered to our organization are too far abused or neglected and the kindest thing we can do for them, is humanely euthanize them to put an end to their pain and suffering.
We strive to give every horse who enters our rescue the utmost respect, love, and kindness despite their background, age, breed, etc., and will never turn a horse away for any reason. We also take pride in having an amazing vet and farrier team who go so far out of their way to ensure each horse is on their way to successful rehabilitation and comfort.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Actually, no.
We spend 99% of our time with the horses and don’t have time or really interest in books, apps, or podcasts. Now that I say it out loud, I should make time for myself to be able to do something outside of the rescue haha.
Pricing:
- Equine Lessons and Education $35
- Volunteering – Free
- Adopt a horse $650-$2,000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lazybequinerescueofutah.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lazybequinerescue
- Other: paypal.me/lazybequinerescue – donation link
