In January 2020 Dennis and Margo Mossburg of Dragoon Morgans decided to step up and keep Rough Start Horse Rescue closing when the founders were moving to Texas. After being long time volunteers of 10 years when this horse rescue started in 2009, they helped the horse rescue place over 1,200 head of horses near Spokane, Wash. They did not want to see it closed so the rescue was moved to the Mossburg ranch. Then life happened.
In March, Washington went into lockdown and has never re-opened so they are now in a wait and see mode to see if they can attend events and showcase adoptable horses, ponies and minis once again. Even in a COVID year with few volunteers and no donors, they managed to place four horses and had to let one go who had too many medical issues to place her.
There are a lot less Morgans here in this area, but the Mossburgs help all horses they find in need. For the last 30 years they have placed over 100 head, including Morgans. So 2021 will be an interesting year to see if horse shows and fairs open back up, and if there are parades and other community events. The Mossburgs usually take horses out and about here all summer long to promote the Morgan horse to a wider audience, but of course no events in 2020 so we are on "wait and see" like everyone else with horses.
Pictured is Char, a Tennessee Walker, placed from Rough Start in 2020 with one of our students learning to ride English - see the dark brown horse with the rider in shorts. The bay is Sterling, a Morgan who was a purchase from a trainer who had rescued him from a horse auction. Sterling needed a lot of hours riding before he could be placed in a new home. The student pictured is Stella who is just learning English in these photos.
