The goal of the Horse Sanctuary is two fold: Firstly, in the short-term, we want to create an environment where the horses can live happy, fulfilling lives through the construction of a stable, riding grounds, and a pasture. Secondly, our long-term goal is to create a foundation to promote better care for horses and natural horsemanship so that other horses in Moldova will not find themselves being sent off to the slaughterhouse, like what had almost happened to our four horses.
In every village across Moldova most of the horses are treated like working tools and when they can't perform anymore they're sold to slaughterhouses and Riscova is no exception. Abusive behavior, aggressive methods of education and disrespect towards them lead to the increasing number of sick, stressed and threatened animals. Currently, the wellbeing of horses are seen as an afterthought and there are no organization dedicated to educating people on the proper handling and training of horses.
We are pursuing a respectful approach towards horses that is not often seen in Moldova. We do not expect an immediate response from people to learn about natural horsemanship, so we will, in the short-term, focus on training our horses and giving them happy and fulfilling lives. After, we will focus more on training and create attention for our horses through Eco-Village events and media, which will generate more interest in humane educational methods that will spread throughout the country.
For ourselves, the project will bring an increase in visitors and will influence local tourism. At the local level, the horses will engage the villagers, create jobs, and provide therapeutic sessions for people in need. At the national level, through the exchange of information that will result from our natural horsemanship training sessions, a shift in perception will gradually occur in people, and maybe indirectly, we will be able to prevent future horses from being sent to the slaughterhouse.
