Stables at Tamaya offering a safe haven for mistreated horses
By Julian Paras
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SANTA ANA PUEBLO, New Mexico (KOAT) — Tamaya Resort and Spa in New Mexico provides more than just a vacation — but also a sanctuary for abandoned and surrendered horses. The Stables at Tamaya offers them rehabilitation and care through a dedicated program.
Leika is one of those horses at the Stables at Tamaya. She’s as healthy as a horse can look at three years old. However, before arriving at the stables, Leika did not look the way she does now.
Gregg Marcantel, a wrangler with the rehab program, said, “She was pretty undernourished. In fact, she was so emaciated that you could set your hand on her back and feel her heartbeat.”
Marcantel explained that the program focuses on horses like Leika, often coming from owners who find themselves unable to manage the care required.
“Many of the cases are people that just wind up getting into life and realizing that they’ve got a little bit more horse than they can handle,” he said. This means they either don’t have enough money to support these animals or just don’t have the time to care for them.
Leika is not the only horse to benefit from rehabilitation at the Stables at Tamaya. According to those overseeing the program, every horse has been rehabilitated in some way. Connie Collis, the stables operator and founder of the rehab and rescue program, initially thought she would make some impact. The program has grown significantly over its 14-year lifespan.
“I actually thought when I started that maybe I was going to rescue ten horses, but it just didn’t happen that way,” Collis said.
Events like the Horseshoes and Heels Gala have played a crucial role in supporting the program, providing resources for training, vet care, and food.
Collis said, “It’s an amazing thing that we’re able to help because we’re here. It really is true that we’re able to help so many horses.”
Thanks to these efforts, horses like Leika are experiencing a life filled with care and attention.
“I think she knows it,” Marcantel said. “I think she knows how good she has it. And I think she appreciates the contrast between how she started her life.”
Organizers with the Horseshoes and Heels Gala raised approximately $90,000 for the event on Saturday. The money will be used to fund training, shelter, feed, and veterinary care for all animals through the rehab program.
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