I think we all, especially during the drought, have seen pictures of emaciated horses that owners were not able to feed for one reason or another. Is there a place for horses who have been neglected or abused? The answer in Lubbock is a big yes.

Angie Alspaugh and her husband Terry started taking in animals (horses included) years ago that needed moderate to intense care.

Before they knew it, their good-heartedness turned into a mission to provide a place of healing, rest, restoration and rehabilitation for some of the largest and most intuitive of God's creatures.

Angie and Terry started Easy R Equine Rescue, a non-profit designed to rescue horses in need. The 'R' stands for the r's listed above: rest, restoration and rehabilitation. It's based on the verse in Matthew 11:28 in which Jesus says: "Come to me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest."

Angie said that they receive calls and emails from people from all over West Texas who are not able to take proper care of their horses any longer, or from the Sheriff's department who have received reports of abused or neglected horses from concerned citizens.

The Alspaughs also play host to children of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds to come visit the horses, too. But with everything, this all cost money and quite a bit of it to feed, house and help these beautiful animals.

Angie said the cost just to feed a horse per month is $150. That doesn't include vet care, dental care, which, I didn't know, is very important. It costs significantly more if the horse needs intense medical care or needs to be euthanized.

Angie told me that sometimes when they pick a horse up, they know that they will need to take it immediately to the vet to be euthanized. She said she won't keep a horse alive to live in pain and torment.

We sometimes take a lot for granted. That we all have food on the table, healthy families and pets. But the reality is that's not always the case. We love seeing healthy, beautiful horses grazing in pastures in and around West Texas, many times without a thought to the care and cost that goes into keeping them that way.

When that happens, Angie and Terry do what they can to provide the horses with a place to live out the rest of their days in health and with dignity. The gentle ways that Angie works with the horses is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. She truly has a heart for people, animals and God.

You can find out how you can be a part of enriching children's lives and the lives of the rescued horses at their Facebook page which also includes details on their upcoming fundraisers.

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