DreamCatcher Horse Ranch Summer Camp – Orlando Sentinel
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Six-year-old Morgan Allen plays a game with her instructor Sophia Beecham in which the rider turns around in their saddle. DreamCatcher Horse Ranch is having its 4th summer camp at their facility north of Clermont. (George Skene, Orlando Sentinel / July 8,...
Read MoreThis Southwest Orange County resident dedicates every morning to DreamCatcher Horse Ranch Rescue Center.
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Horse Sense By Karen V. Contino Ed Spikoski of Southwest Orange County has real horse sense. For the past year, the retired IBM administrator has dedicated every morning to DreamCatcher Horse Ranch Rescue Center in Clermont, helping feed and care for the non-profit organization’s 38 equine residents. Founded three years ago, DreamCatcher’s mission is to help prevent cruelty and neglect to horses by rescuing, rehabilitating, adopting and retiring abused, unwanted and starving horses. “There is most definitely a sense of accomplishment,” Spikoski says of his volunteer work. Spikoski, who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, admits he’s always had a penchant for animal rescue work. He owned two rescue horses in Maryland and worked with a California wildlife rescue organization for 12 years. While in Sacramento, he helped save over 200 animals, including crows and other birds, squirrels, raccoons, and opossums. Recently, when Jennifer, his wife of 35 years, passed away, he decided to relocate to Florida and revisit his love of animals once again. “I had experience before with horses, and I was looking for places to ride,” he says. “After some online research, I came across DreamCatcher. What really caught my eye is the word ‘rescue’ after ‘ranch’. I’ve been here ever since.” “The day I received an email from Ed asking if he could volunteer at our horse rescue I never realized what a blessing he would turn out to be,” says owner Alison Wheatley. “He is truly an inspiration. He comes to the barn every morning without fail – even when he’s sick – to help feed and care for the horses. This enables me to spend more time with the horses that need rehabilitation and additional care to bring them back to health. He is not only a volunteer, team member and friend – he is a part of our family.” Spikoski also enjoys sharing his passion with his daughter, Susan, of Dr. Philips, his son, Steve, who lives in Connecticut, and his two young grandsons. “My family is 100 percent behind my work here,” he says. “And they love coming out to the ranch. They are ‘animal nuts’ like me,” he jokes. In addition, Spikoski is now the proud owner of Max, a black Tennessee Walking Horse he rescued last spring. “It was a chance happening but it was love at first sight,” he says. For Spikoski, helping rescue horses in need is a...
Read MoreASPCA Awards $2000 Grant to Help Feed Horses in Need
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What a wonderful Christmas surprise! DreamCatcher Horse Ranch & Rescue Center, a non profit Horse Rescue and Sanctuary in Clermont, received a grant of $2000 from the ASPCA in December 2012. The grant is to help purchase grain, hay, and supplements for the horses at the Rescue – which is a great help in our quest to feed and care for our Horses in need. Founded in 1866, the ASPCA was the first humane organization in the Western Hemisphere. Our mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh, is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.” The ASPCA works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide. Today, the ASPCA is the nation’s second-largest animal welfare grant maker, providing support to U.S.-based nonprofit animal welfare organizations through cash grants, sponsorships, executive and technical assistance, and training. In 2011, the ASPCA gave $15.1 million in 1,270 grants to more than 740 animal shelters, municipal and governmental agencies, rescue groups, sanctuaries, and other animal welfare organizations. Thanks to the ASPCA the grant will pay for a months supply of feed and grain for our rescue horses. If you would like to visit us to meet our horses, or to make a donation, or set up a riding lesson or other horse related activity please contact Alison on 407 702 8332 or email dchorses1@gmail.com or...
Read MoreOrlando Sentinel: “Clermont facility serves as sanctuary for rescued horses”
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Great article about DreamCatcher in the Orlando Sentinel. ...
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Equine & Wine Wine Dinner and Silent Auction Thursday, September 27th, 2012. 6 – 8pm. This charity event to benefit DreamCatcher Horse Ranch & Rescue will be Hosted by Palm Tree Grille and Bar 351 N. Donnelly St Mount Dora, FL Call 352.735.1936 for Reservations! Equine & Wine Items for Silent Auction Include: Premier Cancun Vacations (For 2 Adults and 2 Children under 12 yrs of age) 5 days/ 4 Nights at either Ocean Spa Hotel or Laguna Suites Golf & Spa in Cancun, Mexico 40% off upgrade to “All Inclusive” which is unlimited food, beverage and alcohol. 40% off any excursions, Mayan Ruins, Jet Skis in the Jungle, etc. The Mountain Ranch Calistoga, Napa Valley, CA 3 days/ 2 nights at The Mountain Ranch, Sunday through Thursday 2 VIP Tour & Tasting Frog’s Leap Vineyards 2 VIP Tour & Tasting Black Stallion Winery 2 VIP Tour & Tasting BR Cohn Winery 2 VIP Tour & Tasting Honig Vineyard Gift Certificate at Flavor Bistro, Santa Rosa, California Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas 4 days/ 3 nights, one complimentary, Royal Towers, Run-of-House Room, may not be used during major holidays. Discount available for all inclusive package, unlimited food and beverage, food and alcohol. Kauai Beach Resort Aqua Hotel & Resorts, Kauai, Hawaii 3 days/ 2 nights run of house at Kauai Beach Resort Complimentary Airport Shuttle Two Restaurants, Four Pools, Seventy-Five foot Lava Tube Slide, Fitness Center, Spa, lounge and evening Island entertainment Night Swan Intracoastal Bed & Breakfast New Smyrna Beach, Florida 2 days/ 1 night at the Best Room Upon Arrival, Sunday through Thursday For two guests Full Hot Homemade Breakfast Heron Cay Lakeview Bed & Breakfast Mount Dora, Florida 2 days/ 1 night at the Best Room Upon Arrival, except holiday and festival weekends. Homemade Full Breakfast Pet Friendly Gunstock Mountain Resort Laconia, New Hampshire 2 day/ 1 night at Towne Place Suites by Marriott 2 Prime Lift Tickets for 2012/2013 Ski Season at Gunstock Gloria Estafan’s Costa D’Este Vero Beach, Florida 3 days/ 2 nights stay, except holidays Beachfront, Infinity Pool, Spa and Poolside Bar Aldrich House Bed & Breakfast Williamsburg, Virginia 2 days/ 1 night stay, except on holidays Homemade Hot Breakfast for two Only B&B located in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia The Curry Mansion Inn Key West, Florida 3 days/ 2 nights at The Curry Mansion Inn To download the flyer, click the following...
Read MoreThe Chronicle of the Horse Article
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Thanks to The Chronicle of the Horse for posting this article. DreamCatcher Horse Ranch To host EggStravaganza And Silent Auction In South Lake On Sunday, April 1, DreamCatcher Horse Ranch and Rescue Center will be hosting a family friendly free event. The Eggstravanza and Silent Auction serves as an annual fundraiser for DreamCatcher, but also is a fun and unique Spring Carnival with events for everyone. This year’s activities include Pony Rides, Games, Horse Riding Demonstrations, meet the rescued horses, and tour of the facilities. Food and Drinks will be available and unique to this year’s event is the silent auction. In addition to horse supplies and tack available to purchase, the silent auction will feature…Read...
Read MoreDreamCatcher Receives $1000 donation!
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We can’t thank Renee and Christina enough for kindly donating $1000 to our rescue to help us in our quest ! Renee does many hours of volunteer work and through that work was able to apply for and obtain this wonderful donation -she chose us to receive this donation because she believes in what we do. its thanks to people like this that enable us to keep moving forward and help more horses in need. Click Here for more of our Success...
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Our mission at DreamCatcher horse rescue is to rescue, rehabilitate and educate. We strive to rehabilitate each equine with their own individually required vet care, farrier care and nutritional needs. We provide a safe shelter, personal attention and unconditional love so that we can heal their traumatic past. We invite our community to our facility for educational equine programs. We want to share the rewarding love and joy our equines give back to us. Our goals are to create awareness and to educate the community on preventing cruelty, rescue and rehabilitation. Our commitment to these equines is to be their voice and give them the chance they deserve.