THE STORY OF RANGER
On November 3rd of 2011, I was driving from Highland Meadows to Los Lunas on a desolate stretch of Hwy 6 in New Mexico. As I drove past a portion of the Isleta Reservation, I saw an extremely emaciated horse standing along the fenceline. I found a spot to turn around and headed back to him. When I pulled over, I was dumbfounded at the condition of the bay gelding. The words that fell from my mouth were "no way. there's just no way" dotted with expletives. I noticed the dried mud on his legs, the suncken eyes, and knew he needed water along with food so I left a small bit of alfalfa that was in the back of my truck and, telling him I would be back, I continued on to Los Lunas which was still a half hour away. When I returned to where I had left him, he was no longer there. I left the water for him and drove along the fenceline looking for him. I finally saw him cresting a small hill heading away from the road. No matter how much I called to him, he did not turn around. Unfortunately, it was the last time I would see him alive. The day after I saw the gelding I called and spoke with an Isleta Ranger about the horse and he told me that someone had dumped him on their property a few weeks prior. They had tried to catch him when they first saw him but he avoided them and, as the reservation encompassed thousands of acres, they had no idea where he had ended up. He was willing to let me on the property but, since it was a Friday, I would have to wait until the following Monday for him to be available. After the phone call, I went back out to try to find the gelding. I would drive along the fenceline with binoculars, call for him, and hope that he would show up. I spent hours waiting for him on Saturday and Sunday. He never drank the water or ate the hay I left him so I could only hope he had found some elsewhere. Come Monday morning, I met the Isleta Ranger at the gate and he let me in with my trailer. My plan was to ride out and find the gelding. As I unloaded my horse, the Isleta Ranger said he would drive the fenceline and see what he could find. Just as I was stepping into the saddle, the Isleta Ranger came back and said riding out was not necessary. He had found the bay gelding laying dead along the trail leading to where I had left him food and water. He gave all he had left trying to reach what could have begun to save him. I spent some time with the gelding and, as I stroked his neck, I apologized for the humans who had let him down. I told him that I was sorry that I could not get to him soon enough and I named him Ranger for his preserverance and for the Isleta Ranger who had tried to help. I told him that he would not die in vain or be forgotten. That I would use his name to help others like him and in that moment, with my hand resting on the body of the little bay gelding, on November 10th 2011, Ranger's Legacy Equine Rescue was created.
OUR BOARD
PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Crystel Denton has been a lover of horses for the whole of her life. When other children were playing with their toys, Crystel was running around on her hands and knees playing "Horse." As a young girl and teenager, while her friends were going to parties and school dances, she was cleaning stalls, grooming horses, and learning all she could about this magnificent animal. She has worked for veterinarians and show barns. She is an equine appraiser and an artist. After more than 51 years in the horse industry, her love and admiration for the horse has never faded.
Secretary
Bio coming soon
Coming Soon
Adoptive Facility inspector-Valencia County
Adoptive Facility inspector-Valencia County
Adoptive Facility inspector-Valencia County
Adoptive Facility inspector-Valencia County
Adoptive Facility inspector-Valencia County
As a young woman, Lynda Smith had several of her own horses. She enjoyed spending her time trail riding. She moved away from the horse industry after marriage and family duties became priorities but always tried to be near horses whenever possible. Lynda joined our board to help the horses she loves in anyway possible.
TEAM MEMBER
Adoptive Facility inspector-Valencia County
TEAM MEMBER
Hannah came to the rescue as a volunteer when she was just 12 years old. She spent 12 years volunteering and working hard to soak in all the knowledge and information that she could get a hold of. Over the years, she was taught the basics in ground work on up to first saddling. She learned to give shots, feed orphans, and feed nutritional
Hannah came to the rescue as a volunteer when she was just 12 years old. She spent 12 years volunteering and working hard to soak in all the knowledge and information that she could get a hold of. Over the years, she was taught the basics in ground work on up to first saddling. She learned to give shots, feed orphans, and feed nutritionally challenged horses. Hannah has moved on to work on a large cattle ranch but has helped foster a couple of our horses and is wiilling to do what she can to help when necessary.
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