Horses spend their golden years at Ryerss Farm for aged equines

Pottstown, Pennsylvania — It’s a retirement home… on the range.

The Ryerss Horse Farm for Aged Equines in Pottstown, Pennsylvania is a nonprofit haven for senior, abused or rescued horses who get to spend the rest of their life grazing on 380 acres of beautiful farmland. They get monitored and checked up by a medical staff and lots of hay from volunteers.

Karen Moore is the Animal Welfare Manager at Ryerss. She says, “I think their retirement life here is amazing.”

Petting a horse that rolls up on her to say hello, she says, “This guy here wasn’t always treated the best. But he forgives and he forgets, and I think humans can learn so much from the animals if they just sit and spend time with them. They’re just incredible.”

The nonprofit is home to 80 horses spending their golden years making friends, eating hay and grazing in the meadows. They get to cross streams, socialize with their friends, say hello to visitors and get groomed by a team of volunteers who love and care for them.

Ruth Seponski and Pete Miller are volunteers here. Ruth explains, “When you miss a day volunteering, you don’t feel like yourself. You feel like you’re missing something. This place runs on volunteers.”

Ella Richter is visiting from Phoenixville. She got the chance to be up close to these calm creatures and see some donkeys too! Ella says, “I love animals and it’s really fun!”

Most of the senior horses on site are aged 20 and up. They have taken care of younger horses if they had particularly abused situations. The oldest horse they have on the farm is 38.

Karen says, “I think it’s the greatest place in the world to be a part of. Because as you’re here and you’re doing your best to make them have their best life. And then to watch visitors come and to see the joy that it brings to them!”

Ryerss Farm is open daily 10am to 4pm. For more information, please visit https://www.ryerssfarm.org.