From Pony Tails to Horse Tales

Beau was a typical young Golden Retriever pup; overly exuberant and fearless. Out on a summer afternoon hike with15 year old Kasey Lisk back in 1996, and a few other family members, the pup and kin were working their way up the 100 foot high Betsey's Rock Falls on the Lisk property near Glendale Springs in Ashe County. Kasey was equally fearless and had tramped through these hills many times over the years with her parents, John and Ann Lisk. This was their cool summer retreat from steamy Miami - their year-round home - and they loved their wooded mountain-top getaway.

With her long blonde ponytail swaying back and forth from beneath her favorite cap, Kasey was leading the way alongside the falls when Beau pulled loose from Kasey's leash and made a beeline dash for the headwater stream just above the falls. Like with any Golden Retriever -young or old - the sight of a stream, pond or any body of water is a clarion call of the wild to take a big leap. And so, he did. Without any regard for the stream's current or the imminent danger of the rushing falls, Beau threw himself joyfully into those cooling waters; expecting only a refreshing dunk and a quick dog-paddle back up onto the stream's rocky water's edge. But, it didn't turn out that way.

Betsey's Rock Falls sits at about 3180 feet elevation and can be viewed from milepost 268 off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The narrow falls cascades pretty much straight down over a rocky slope for a little over 100 feet before landing at a basin below. The terrain is heavily forested and the actual falls can be hard to see during certain times of year. Because it's technically on the Lisk's private property, any access to the falls is only with their permission.

John and Ann Lisk bought their mountain home years ago and spent many summers raising young Kasey and her critters in that pristine setting. Like we said, Kasey was as fearless as her young pup, Beau, and was forever rescuing and bringing home injured snakes, squirrels, birds, and other helpless wildlife to be nurtured back to recovery under her gentle care. So the young girl's love and natural kinship with animals became a way of life around the Lisk household; whether at their mountain getaway or their Miami home base. "Most animals seemed to have no fear of her whatsoever, and she had no fear of them; which had sometimes been scary when she was very little," recalls Ann.

Not surprisingly, it was Kasey's closeness with animals that led John and Ann Lisk to form Southern Sun Farms Sanctuary; a rescue ranch for neglected, abandoned or abused horses located on their mountain home property. Kasey and her parents had all been horse lovers and riders for many years. Both John and Ann had served on the Greater Miami Humane Society Board of Directors and Ann was a volunteer at the South Florida SPCA's horse rescue program; plus served with Florida's Horse Protection Association. After moving to the mountains full time, the Lisks also helped found the Ashe County Humane Society. Their mountain horse rescue ranch was a natural offshoot of their combined passion for the humanitarian care of horses and all animals.

But the pivotal circumstances that ultimately inspired Southern Sun Farms Sanctuary tell an especially tender and poignant story. For, on that afternoon back in 1996, when Beau leaped into the headwater stream of Betsey's Rock Falls, Kasey instinctively jumped in after him. "Our dear Kasey dove into the headwaters trying to reach Beau and drag him back to safety. But, within seconds, they were both swept over the 100 foot falls. Beau survived. Kasey did not," recalls John Lisk.

After the accident, the Lisks returned to their Miami home to heal and reshape their lives. Ann started working with horse rescue groups in south Florida. But soon, the call of Glendale Springs was too strong. Five years later, the Lisks made the mountains their fulltime home and began their horse rescue mission in 2001. "We knew this was where we were meant to be and what we were meant to do. So we founded Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary and dedicated it to the spirit and memory of our loving Kasey," notes Ann.

In the beginning, the Lisks financed the effort out of their own pocket. Yet, as demand and costs grew, others began to chip in. In 2012, Southern Sun Farms Sanctuary became an official 501(c)(3) non-profit; allowing contributors to deduct their donations and helping SSFS qualify for a few grant monies.

But the financial costs have only continued to mount as more and more horses end up under the sanctuary's care. The Lisks are planning to purchase more land, build larger facilities, add equipment, and expand care services to help meet that growing demand. Of course, all of that takes money. They've tried various online social fundraising strategies, yet response has been slow. "Some people are reluctant to contribute just a few dollars, thinking that won't really help. But it only takes $8.00 for a bag of feed and $4.00 for a bale of hay. So no amount is too small, and we appreciate every donation," notes John.

Now you may be surprised at how many injured or endangered horses there are in need of a safe harbor. And there are many compelling horse rescue stories which have emerged since the founding of the sanctuary. Some chronicle seriously neglected or injured horses, facing certain death, that have been restored to a healthy and fulfilling life. And some of those horses have found loving new homes, while others remain under sanctuary
care, awaiting the right owner to come along. In the meantime, the Lisks provide all the love, food, shelter, grooming, medical care, and grazing land the horses need.

Beyond the benevolent mission of Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary, the ranch provides great family fun. Some of the resident horses are gentle enough to ride under supervision and visitors can actually volunteer to help with care. So plan a visit and be prepared for a heart warming experience. If you love horses, ride horses or just care about their welfare, this is a place that will stir you deeply. One of their mottos comes from the movie Seabiscuit, "You don't throw a whole life away just because it's a little banged up." Along with the loving memories of daughter
Kasey, these are sentiments that continue to inspire John, Ann, and their devoted horse rescue team.

You can learn more read all about those poignant rescue stories at www.southernsunfarm.com.

A Sanctuary for Unwanted Animals