Every Tuesday from 3 to 5 PM, Stockton’s Circle K club takes members to the South Jersey Horse Rescue. This facility, located about 20 minutes from campus, is dedicated to the rehabilitation of all horse breeds. The horses come from all different backgrounds: some are abandoned pets; others are ex-racehorses. A primary goal of the rescue is to provide care for all horses, regardless of how damaged—emotionally or physical—they are when they arrive at the facility.

              The first time I went with Circle K to the horse rescue, I met Ellen. Ellen is one of the people who maintains the facility. Not only does Ellen care for the horses, she also handles administrative tasks and trains the horses. Recently, Ellen has been struggling with multiple health problems. Due to a recent operation, she cannot currently perform heavy labor. This means she can no longer muck out the stalls, fill feed bags, or rake the grounds. Most people would revel in the opportunity to rest and recuperate, but Ellen is eager to return to working. Though she may not love the smell of horse dung (who would?), she loves the positive effect her labor has on the rescue horses.

              While at the rescue, we Circle K members take care of the jobs Ellen cannot currently do. The last 15 minutes of our visit is dedicated to grooming the horses. During my last visit, I brushed two blind and deaf miniature horses. One might think to be blind and deaf would be detrimental to the morale of the horses. Yet the content nickers of the miniature horses showed me they are quite happy to be living at the rescue.

              In my visits to South Jersey Horse Rescue, we Circle K members have not only helped the horses, we have also helped Ellen. Our labor provides obvious benefit to the horses. Yet less obvious is the effect we have on Ellen. By caring for her beloved horses, we relieve her worry that the horses will be neglected. Moreover, we show her that other people share her love and respect of the rescue horses. I recommend anyone who loves animals and doesn’t mind getting a little dirty pick up a shovel and volunteer at the South Jersey Horse Rescue.