RESCUE & REHABILIATION
“While we can’t physically rescue a thousand horses, we can physically and mentally rescue a thousand horsesmen and women.”
ESPIRITU DE EQUUS SUR
SPIRIT OF the southern Horse
Espiritu de Equus Sur is the non-profit arm of Equus Sur. It includes all of our community based Rescue and Rehabilitation activity along the Pacific Coast in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Apart from the deep rescue and rehabilitation work we offer, we also use performance horse sports to incentivize improvement in all of our core areas. We host regular meet-ups with community members to discuss needs and collaborate on solutions with a surgical-grade veterinary.
We educate ourselves through example by conducting triage within the community and surgical services at our facility. We provide sanctuary to animals in need. We teach intensively andlong-term rehabilitation.
We are unveiling a new center in Todos Santos on our two-acre regenerative farm where we teach animal owners (of all income levels) to manage their own care routines at home and empower them to take steps towards better and more comprehensive care.
We provide subsidized or free materials and access to a vet team to instruct on medicines, best practices and general management . We stay in steady communication to navigate challenges with those community members.
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Rubi – Our Most Recent Addition
Rubí is our newest rescue, she came in from a call from a concerned community member that a deeply emaciated horse was standing near the military installation on the highway near the Cabo airport. We unfortunately see underweight horses nearly every day, but when images of Rubí arrived to us, we realized this was truly dire. The military told us someone had abandoned her near them over a year ago, and she had spent the year slowly starving.
They signed her over to us and after a bit of a battle to get her in the trailer, Rubí came home. She is aged at about 19 years old, and in using a weight tape she weighs about 380 lbs. She is weak enough that she can’t receive a full dose of wormer, so every two weeks she receives a quarter dose. She is comfortable, just starting to lay down and just starting to gain the slightest bit of weight. She loves being brushed, is scared of small children but loves adults, and will likely live out the rest of her days at Equus or with an Equus community member. We expect it will take about a year for her rehabilitation to feel tangible
Will horses hurt me?
No, and maybe yes. Horses don’t naturally want to hurt you ever. In fact, they’re prey animals so they would rather run away in a fit of panic than try to cause you any harm. That being said, we have put ourselves into closed relationships and we’re playing a sport, so injuries can occur. It’s important to keep in mind that horseback riding is considered an extreme sport, akin to American football, boxing, or MMA fighting. When injuries occur they tend to be high impact. That’s why we go to the lengths we go to maximize safety and minimize injury, and hold a safe space for you and/ or your children to learn how to communicate in tandem with these incredible animals. We pride ourselves on an excellent safety record. Trust you’re in good hands. Accidents DO happen but we work tirelessly to assure your safety and the safety of our animals. If you have questions about the details of our safety protocols, please feel free to reach out.
Will I be able to jump and run?
If that’s what you aspire to, yes, definitely. We can teach anyone those skills but it takes Time (with a capital T) and serious commitment. Please keep in mind that horseback is a practice and the more work you put in the more reward you receive. If you skip practice, we can’t do it for you. If you show up and give it your all, you’ll grow wings and fly. For those who are keen to feel that freedom, we recommend a minimum of two to three classes a week and a six-week program.
Why is it so expensive?
It’s not expensive. We’ve taken every step we can to subsidize the costs of world class training and provide you with access to the very best knowledge. It may feel expensive compared to other activities (pilates, yoga, etc) but horseback riding is multi-faceted: it’s a sport that works your body and puts you into physical alignment, activates your deepest core muscles and amplifies bilateral coordination; it’s a conceptual challenge that puts you into mental alignment with the power of our Nature; and it’s all predicated on reconnecting you to your spiritual health. So you obtain a transformative MIND-BODY-SPIRIT balance just by showing up. It’s clinically proven to be one of the most empowering practices for children and adults contending with the adverse effects of socialization, work, stress, abuse, trauma, anxiety and chronic pain. This practice delivers results to make you a better, more successful human being. You can always save money and go to a trail outfitter to get on a horses back and plod around for a few hours. Or you can have a personal coach bring you straight in to the heart of a Zen sport. Practically speaking, horses are costly. Our horses each see a farrier every five weeks, are attended to by a veterinarian regularly and are fed the highest quality alfalfa and grain and tended to with products that keep them happy and healthy. Much of our costs are reinvested straight back into the animals we love.
Will I get to gallop on the beach?
Probably not, unless you are in one of our fitness programs and a regular student. Galloping on the beach is incredibly demanding on the horse’s tendons and it’s unsafe for new riders. This is the real deal, so you’ll get the thrill of the ‘gallop on the beach’ dream— but differently. You’ll get an authentic understanding to inspire your future path. Rest assured on that.
Will I get to pick which horse I want to ride?
We’ll take your preference into account, we’ll be placing riders and horses based on who we think will work well together.
What do I need to bring?
You need to wear boots and pants, half chaps if you’ve got them. Bring gloves if you are willing to wear them, and a hat for the sun. Sunscreen and a water bottle. Bring cash if you are outbacking so you can purchase food at rest stops, or local wares from ranches along the way.
I have no experience in the saddle, is this outbacking trip really for me?
We’re pros at introducing people to the practice BUT please come early. If you don’t have a ton of time in the saddle, give yourself extra time to sink into this experience. We will work with you at the barn to introduce you to the animal you’ll be working with and give you some pointers before we head out on our adventure.
How is working with horses different than yoga and pilates?
While yoga and pilates are important practices for recalibrating and calming your nervous system while also strengthening your core body, they don’t put you in direct contact with your nature and the nature that surrounds you. Horseback riding is team sport—you and the animal that you’re working with are in constant communication, trading energy and emotion as you move through the task(s) at hand.
Do you use English or Western tack?
We use both, and we’ll determine what is right for you and the horse you’ll be working with together based on your body needs, style and personal training goals.
Will we see any wildlife while we’re riding?
Horses are an amazing way to experience nature, and we often have encounters with Baja Sur’s beautiful wildlife while on our rides. Along the coastline, we’ll likely see a variety of our coastal bird species and from the months of January through March we’ll almost certainly see some Gray and Humpback whales. In the desert, we’ll see more bird species as well as lizards, snakes, rabbits, chipmunks, and the occasional bobcat as well as some of the local free-range horse population.