Murrysville horse rescue ranch raises funds and festive spirits
There was some horsing around at the Pleasant Valley Rescue Ranch in Murrysville Sunday afternoon.
PVRR serves as a foster home, orphanage, retirement home and palliative care retreat for unwanted horses and ponies, regardless of age, breed or condition. A team of volunteers and ranch owner Rachelle Rizzo hosted a crowd of people for the “Rein In the Magic of Christmas” fundraiser on Sunday.
The afternoon consisted of live music by The Hawthorns, vendors, basket raffles, hot dogs, baked goods and meet-and-greets with the rescue’s horses. Attendees were charged $20 per car.
All proceeds from the event will be put toward the horses’ veterinary care, said volunteer and event organizer Helen Roble of O’Hara. She said this was the first event the ranch has hosted since 2018.
The horses are treated regularly by vets with physicals, horseshoe care and dental care. The ranch is a nonprofit and relies on donations and grants to be able to fund care for the rescues.
Roxanna Price, 65, of Murrysville, learned about the event online and saw it advertised again in the paper.
“We just thought it seemed like a good cause,” Price said. “I really didn’t know this place existed until I saw that ad. I thought we’d come out and see what it was about.”
Making a family day of it, Price was joined by her daughter Megan Malloy, 44, and her granddaughter Kate Malloy, 13.
“This is pretty cool, actually,” Megan Malloy said. “I enjoy being able to pet the horses, being able to see them.”
Price and Malloy agreed the horses stole the show. Handlers walked the festively dressed equines around the barn area of the ranch, allowing people to pet and learn about them.
Each horse at the rescue has a unique story. Some are retired racers, some are retired work horses, and others are recovering from injuries, said volunteer Alice Zdrale of Level Green.
“They’re supposed to have their best life here,” Zdrale said.
Zdrale is one of the volunteers who feeds and takes care of the horses. She’s been volunteering with the rescue for over two years.
Amy Campbell, of Level Green, attended the event with her son, Dylan, and grandson, Colson.
Colson “loves horses,” Campbell said. “So, when we saw horses and Santa — two of his favorite things — we decided to come.”
Campbell said Colson quickly warmed up to the horses by petting them and, when the horse neighed, imitating their sounds.
Roble said volunteers come to the ranch in morning and afternoon shifts to take care of the horses.
“There’s about 20 of us volunteers that work with the horses,” Roble said. “We clean and we feed them.”
She said organizers are hoping to raise at least between $5,000 and $10,000 to put toward vet care.
Haley Daugherty is a TribLive reporter covering local politics, feature stories and Allegheny County news. A native of Pittsburgh, she lived in Alabama for six years. She joined the Trib in 2022 after graduating from Chatham University. She can be reached at hdaugherty@triblive.com.
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