Community Corner

Local Ranch And Its Horses Serving 'Heroes'

End of the Trail Ranch in Perris owned by former longtime Lake Elsinore residents Rex and Lenore Tuggle is offering the Horses4Heroes program.

A ranch in Perris owned by a former Lake Elsinore couple is offering a new program that gives families of those who serve a chance to experience the equestrian lifestyle for a song.

“Horses4Heroes is a non-profit organization established to say ‘thank you’ to the men and women who risk their lives for us,” said Horses4Heroes founder Sydney Knott, who started the non-profit program in 2006 at age 16 in Las Vegas. “Our organization, through a network of participating facilities, is making horseback riding affordable and accessible to the heroes in our communities.”

End of the Trail Ranch in Perris is one of those facilities. Owned by former longtime Lake Elsinore residents Rex and Lenore Tuggle, the multi-acre ranch features about 30 horses, although many are owned by boarders and are not part of Horses4Heroes, according Jon Muir, who helped bring the program to End of the Trail last year. He said he has been a ranch volunteer and regular boarder at the facility for some time, but during a business trip to Las Vegas last year everything came together.

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“I met Sydney and was very impressed,” Muir explained. “She came up with the idea of Horses4Heroes when she was still in high school. I think she was pretty moved by 9/11 and wanted to do something for first-responders.”

Horses4Heroes targets families of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and active-duty military, Muir explained. The program, including the one at End of the Trail Ranch, is member-based.

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“We have free membership for families who have lost a loved one in the line of duty,” Muir explained. For all other military and first-responder families, there is a one-time membership fee of $25, which goes directly back to Horses4Heroes, he added. Deeply discounted horse-care classes and riding lessons are also available beyond the membership, but they are not required, Muir said.

“We want families to just come out and enjoy the ranch,” he explained, adding that a relaxed atmosphere is the facility’s biggest attraction. Cookouts and family get-togethers in the rustic setting are regular affairs, Muir said.

“You see the effects on kids when they touch the horses for the first time,” Muir said.

The core group of Horses4Heroes members at the ranch numbers at about 25, according to Muir, and most volunteer and help out when they can.

In order to get the word out about the Horses4Heroes program, the ranch is featuring a Poker Ride on Feb. 11, with all proceeds going to Horses4Heroes, Muir said.

On Feb. 18, the ranch will also feature an open house and everyone is invited.

“We are hoping for a good turnout,” Muir said. “We want to spread the word that we’re here. Horses can make a difference in peoples lives.”

For more information, visit www.endofthetrailranch.net.


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