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C H R O N O F H O R S E . C O M FA L L 2 014 137 pastures with ponds, woods and areas to graze, and first-rate care at a reasonable cost," she says. "is was quite a unique experience for a Southern California gal!" She soon began volunteering, and she then became president of the Foundation (which was founded in 2008) in August of 2013. "e ranch brought together a collec- tive of horsemen and women who wanted to make the dream they had for their horses a reality," she says. "ey wanted their horses to have a place to run and 'just be horses' in a natural environment." And while the horses benefit from the land, Shearer says the land also ben- efits from the horses by being open range without the stresses of work, chemicals or other artificial practices that affect the ecosystem. While the horses are free to roam— with control over herd size and with appropriate veterinarian and farrier care and regular observations—they also pro- vide a unique opportunity for research on horse behavior. Camp Rusk is currently hosting ongoing observational research about transitioning horses from stalls to pastures, behavioral research about herd dynamics, grouping horses by personal- ity, using natural parasite control, and transitioning horses from shoes to bare feet, among others. "rough the process of develop- ing 'the Camp Rusk system,' much has been discovered about caring for horses in a natural setting," Shearer says. "is continues to be a learning process. e groundwork has been laid for more for- mal observational research." Once a land endowment is completed, more formal research will begin. "is is important, as we're respon- sible for the care and well-being of live animals, and we're setting this up for perpetuity," she explains. e Foundation also focuses efforts on providing educa- tion about equine abandonment and reducing overbreed- ing and indiscrimi- nate breeding. As part of their commit- ment to the organi- zation, Foundation members often present lessons on these topics at clin- ics, seminars, riding club meetings and competitions. In order to accomplish so much, Shearer says the Foundation needs the support of generous donors to com- plete the land endowment so the space can't be sold in the future for urban or suburban development. (ey estimate land is being lost at a rate of 4,000 acres per day in the United States.) e group asks donors to provide the support for a single acre once in their lifetime through their "Acres at Make A Difference" program. "If there is adequate land, retirement needs can be met economically, and land will also be available for affordable horse rescue, trail systems and equestrian sports," Shearer says. "We need to pro- vide the land horses need. is is a big commitment, and it's the commitment that the Camp Rusk Foundation most needs." >> LEARN MORE: Visit the Camp Rusk Foundation website at campruskfoundation.org. >> GET IN TOUCH: Email Robin Shearer at robin@camprusk foundation.org or call (412) 267- 7875. >> GET INVOLVED: Step 1 on the Camp Rusk Foundation's list of goals is completing their first land endowment, so the organization is seeking commitments to support parcels as small as just 1 acre. Visit their website for more information about how to donate to the "Acres That Make A Difference" program. While the horses benefit from the land, the land also benefits from the horses by being open range without the stresses of work, chemicals or other artificial practices that affect the ecosystem.

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