Finding a Passion
The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 ground much of the world to a halt. But amid the difficulties of that heavy year, a little hope bloomed in Annetta, Texas.
Catherine and Matt Hudson moved to Annetta in 2019. During the pandemic, they took regular walks past a small nearby property with a pasture for horses. That’s where Catherine first saw Cletus.
“He was just a very angry horse that was just giving up,” she said. “And his owners were completely done with him. They were giving up on him too. So, we stepped in.”
Rehabilitating Cletus, who Catherine calls her “heart horse,” unlocked her passion for horse rescue. She and Matt purchased land nearby and started Layla Rose Ranch Horse Rescue, a nonprofit focused on the care of neglected or abused horses.
“We take them in, we get them all the care they need with the vet in this area,” she said. “We get weight back on them, all the food and rehab, and then start training them and get them ready for their forever homes.”
Helping Horses Thrive
Layla Rose Ranch has quickly developed into a staple for horse care, recognized by the local community and even the mayor of Annetta, who attended its ribbon-cutting event. Now, Catherine is focused on upgrading her facility to enhance the comfort and care of rescue horses.
“Our next project is to finish out our paddocks, put more railings to get them more space so they don’t have to share,” she said. “We’d love to get some grass growing for the horses, so we don’t have to heavily rely on lots of hay. But I would eventually like to expand, maybe build a quarantine barn in the back instead of just a shed.”
Layla Rose Ranch operates entirely on donations, one hundred percent of which go to horse care. All staff are local volunteers who help rehabilitate and care for the horses, following the facility’s rigorous three-step process of rescue, restore and relive. In just a few years, the ranch has rescued over a dozen horses and matched many with forever homes.
As the operation focuses on growth and expansion, Catherine has partnered with AgTrust Farm Credit to help finance her dream of rescuing and rehome as many horses as possible.
“Last year we adopted out eight horses,” Catherine said. “This year we are on the track to rescuing 20 horses. And it all depends on donations we get in to help us be able to take these horses under our care and get them the help they need.”
