Coming Together to Pay it Forward
Horses at Freedom's Gate, a non-profit society in Gleneden, rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes abused or surrendered horses. (Photo Contributed)
By Celia Dyer
Conor was a horse with a big heart. He lived in Seymour Arm and was well-loved in his close-knit community. After he passed away last winter, his owners, Sue Kyle and Alan Bates, knew they wanted to honour him by finding a way to ‘pay it forward’.
Sue and Alan, both musicians, created a benefit concert for Conor featuring songs about horses; with proceeds going to Freedom’s Gate Equine Rescue Society, an organization close to their hearts.
Freedom’s Gate is a non-profit society in Gleneden that rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes abused or surrendered horses. Some rescue horses are feral, having been rounded up and destined for slaughter.
Sue Kyle and A lan Bates playing at the Seymour Arm benefit concert for Conor that featured songs about horses. (Photo Contributed)
Little girl hugging Conor, Sue Kyle and Alan Bates beloved horse with a big heart. (Photo Contributed)
The concert in Seymour Arm in August was a resounding success. The community hall was packed with appreciative friends and over $1700 was raised. Carly Marchand, the founder of Freedom’s Gate, expressed her gratitude for the support: “Sue and Alan have been phenomenal. Working through their grief of losing their horse and putting that towards a positive impact is so great and heartfelt.”
Fast forward a few weeks and Sue and Alan’s “In Honour of Conor” concert found a new stage at “Music in the Brae”, a live music series hosted by Sunnybrae Winery, another welcoming venue and appreciative audience; and more vital support for Freedom’s Gate. The momentum continues with a third concert that will take place in Dunster, a small rural community in the Robson Valley, on October 24. A fitting venue as this is where Conor was born.
When Carly moved to the Shuswap in 2014, she wanted to find a meaningful way to put her rural property to good use. The opportunity came when a woman contacted her in search of a safe haven for four rescued horses. Carly welcomed them, and in that moment, the vision for Freedom’s Gate was born.
For the past 11 years, Carly and her dedicated volunteers have provided horses in need with the care they deserve. Once the horses receive the proper care, training, and love they need to heal, they are carefully matched with their new forever families.
Freedom’s Gate typically shelters and/or re-homes 70 to 100 horses per year. Expenses are high; annual costs run between $100,000 and $130,000. The Society raises money through donations and funds raised at events such as the Falkland Rodeo, the Salmon Arm Fall Fair and the Roots and Blues Music Festival. They also have online tack auctions and sell merchandise such as hoodies and t-shirts.
Horse rescue groups across BC are seeing an increase in the number of animals in need. Caring for a horse is becoming more expensive and owners may face the decision to sell or surrender their animals.
Owning and caring for a horse is not only costly, it is a complex and time-consuming endeavour. The BCSPCA notes that many horse surrenders stem from “unintentional neglect.” Owners often purchase a horse without realizing the extreme specialized knowledge required for proper care.
Recognizing the impact of financial constraints and gaps in education, Freedom’s Gate has evolved from a simple shelter into an outreach program that helps owners overcome the difficulty and expense of horse care.
“It’s so important to know what you’re getting into when you add a horse to your family. It’s important for people to know they can reach out to us for help and education without feeling bad. We are here to help, not judge”, says Carly.
At the heart of Freedom’s Gate is the horse-human connection. Carly has seen horses act as therapeutic caregivers for people with intellectual disabilities and at-risk youth who have visited the sanctuary. She says the horses saved her, too. Before starting Freedom’s Gate, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Since dedicating her life to rescue horses, her symptoms have decreased. “We’re saving each other,” she says.
The act of “paying it forward” continues. Horses give so much to the humans who love them. The gift of their trust is one of the most heartwarming and healing connections we can experience.
To learn more about Freedom’s Gate, visit their Facebook page or visit website:www.freedomsgateequinerescue.com
