![\"\"](\"https://americanlifestylemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/horses-intext1.jpg\")
![](\"https://americanlifestylemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ryerssfarm-main-300x158.jpg\")
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How big is Ryerss, and how many equines do you have?
\nWe own around four hundred acres and eighty stalls. At any given time, we have from seventy-nine to eighty-five equines living here\u2014not only horses but also mules and donkeys. We\u2019ve housed just about every equine other than zebras.
When we settled into our current location, we preserved the land for agricultural use only to support as many animals as we could. We now have a huge main stable, several other buildings, and some other structures. We even grow our own hay, straw, and corn.
\nDo you accept horses from all over the country?
\nWe do; a couple of them even arrived from Alaska last year. However, the majority come from the East Coast, especially the Philadelphia tristate area. We also get a wide variety of horses, including thoroughbreds, racehorses, polo ponies, show jumpers, and trail horses. The equines must be at least twenty years old to stay at the farm, and around 12 percent are rescues.
Are you open year-round?
\n365 days a year, from 10:00 to 4:00, with free admission. We\u2019ll sometimes close for a holiday, although people have been known to just show up to see the horses on Christmas morning.
![\"\"](\"https://americanlifestylemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/horses-intext2.jpg\")
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What\u2019s it like to run a year-round organization that cares for dozens of equines?
\nThere\u2019s a huge amount of work involved. Our farm manager, Cory Mowrer, takes care of all the farm operations, doing so much of the overall work. But it\u2019s also handled by a few other full-time employees, including an on-site, live-in veterinarian, and around one hundred volunteers. It\u2019s basically like running a retirement home for horses. However, none of the people who do it would say it\u2019s work because they all love caring for the animals. That\u2019s why we have almost no turnover.
Would you share some of the biggest challenges?
\nYou\u2019d probably get a different answer from every person here. For me, it\u2019s financial because I wake up every morning thinking about how we\u2019re going to make ends meet. For others, the biggest challenge is keeping the farm in order. In addition to caring for our animals, we have a lot of buildings with a lot of roofs and plumbing, for example, and it\u2019s always a roll of the dice every year determining what crops to sow and where\u2014all the worries of a farmer. Cory\u2019s an excellent one, and he approaches it very intelligently.
![\"\"](\"https://americanlifestylemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/horses-intext3.jpg\")
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Do volunteers and employees alike get attached to the horses?
\nYes. And that\u2019s the sad part of what we do because we\u2019re here to let them live out the remainder of their days. It\u2019s inevitable, but everyone understands our purpose: to give our four-legged friends their best possible life. Frankly, the horses don\u2019t know they\u2019re old; they just feel a little achier, like to lie down more often than usual, and can\u2019t always feed themselves.
How do people react when they visit the farm?
\nThe overwhelming sense I get from visitors is that it\u2019s a wonderful place for them to find contentment. Many aren\u2019t country folks, so they\u2019re here to feel some solitude and let their kids experience the open country and see big animals.
What does Ryerss mean to its community?
\nThat\u2019s a good question. This part of Chester County is becoming suburbanized, but Ryerss will always be evergreen. People here know we\u2019re never going to move, which provides a sense of stability in changing times. And, of course, because of the influx of visitors we get, it\u2019s great for the community as a whole.
![\"\"](\"https://americanlifestylemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/horses-intext4.jpg\")
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What\u2019s the best part of this venture for you?
\nI grew up with horses; my grandparents and parents had them. I was a rider from a young age, which I enjoyed immensely, and I was always very attached to our horses. In fact, I was retired when some friends of mine on the board here asked if I\u2019d like to join them, which was a no-brainer. I do this because I love the farm and its residents.
After all, equines work most of their lives for us: they learn how to carry us, how to jump for us, and so forth. I think we should return the favor, which is why Ryerss exists. Once they arrive, they will never be worked or sold again. We make sure that their shoes are off for good\u2014they get to just live like a horse, barefoot and out in the fields. It\u2019s a nice way of saying thank you for everything they\u2019ve done.
\nFor more info, visit ryerssfarm.org
\nThe post A Horse Haven appeared first on American Lifestyle Magazine.
\n", "content_text": "Photos courtesy of: ryerss farm for aged equines\nSamuel Griffin, president of Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, discusses what it takes to run his organization, the country\u2019s first horse rescue and retirement farm and the oldest nonprofit horse sanctuary in America.\n\n \nHow big is Ryerss, and how many equines do you have?\nWe own around four hundred acres and eighty stalls. At any given time, we have from seventy-nine to eighty-five equines living here\u2014not only horses but also mules and donkeys. We\u2019ve housed just about every equine other than zebras.\nWhen we settled into our current location, we preserved the land for agricultural use only to support as many animals as we could. We now have a huge main stable, several other buildings, and some other structures. We even grow our own hay, straw, and corn.\nDo you accept horses from all over the country?\nWe do; a couple of them even arrived from Alaska last year. However, the majority come from the East Coast, especially the Philadelphia tristate area. We also get a wide variety of horses, including thoroughbreds, racehorses, polo ponies, show jumpers, and trail horses. The equines must be at least twenty years old to stay at the farm, and around 12 percent are rescues.\nAre you open year-round?\n365 days a year, from 10:00 to 4:00, with free admission. We\u2019ll sometimes close for a holiday, although people have been known to just show up to see the horses on Christmas morning.\n\n \nWhat\u2019s it like to run a year-round organization that cares for dozens of equines?\nThere\u2019s a huge amount of work involved. Our farm manager, Cory Mowrer, takes care of all the farm operations, doing so much of the overall work. But it\u2019s also handled by a few other full-time employees, including an on-site, live-in veterinarian, and around one hundred volunteers. It\u2019s basically like running a retirement home for horses. However, none of the people who do it would say it\u2019s work because they all love caring for the animals. That\u2019s why we have almost no turnover.\nWould you share some of the biggest challenges?\nYou\u2019d probably get a different answer from every person here. For me, it\u2019s financial because I wake up every morning thinking about how we\u2019re going to make ends meet. For others, the biggest challenge is keeping the farm in order. In addition to caring for our animals, we have a lot of buildings with a lot of roofs and plumbing, for example, and it\u2019s always a roll of the dice every year determining what crops to sow and where\u2014all the worries of a farmer. Cory\u2019s an excellent one, and he approaches it very intelligently.\n\n \nDo volunteers and employees alike get attached to the horses?\nYes. And that\u2019s the sad part of what we do because we\u2019re here to let them live out the remainder of their days. It\u2019s inevitable, but everyone understands our purpose: to give our four-legged friends their best possible life. Frankly, the horses don\u2019t know they\u2019re old; they just feel a little achier, like to lie down more often than usual, and can\u2019t always feed themselves.\nHow do people react when they visit the farm?\nThe overwhelming sense I get from visitors is that it\u2019s a wonderful place for them to find contentment. Many aren\u2019t country folks, so they\u2019re here to feel some solitude and let their kids experience the open country and see big animals.\nWhat does Ryerss mean to its community?\nThat\u2019s a good question. This part of Chester County is becoming suburbanized, but Ryerss will always be evergreen. People here know we\u2019re never going to move, which provides a sense of stability in changing times. And, of course, because of the influx of visitors we get, it\u2019s great for the community as a whole.\n\n \nWhat\u2019s the best part of this venture for you?\nI grew up with horses; my grandparents and parents had them. I was a rider from a young age, which I enjoyed immensely, and I was always very attached to our horses. In fact, I was retired when some friends of mine on the board here asked if I\u2019d like to join them, which was a no-brainer. I do this because I love the farm and its residents.\nAfter all, equines work most of their lives for us: they learn how to carry us, how to jump for us, and so forth. I think we should return the favor, which is why Ryerss exists. Once they arrive, they will never be worked or sold again. We make sure that their shoes are off for good\u2014they get to just live like a horse, barefoot and out in the fields. It\u2019s a nice way of saying thank you for everything they\u2019ve done.\nFor more info, visit ryerssfarm.org\nThe post A Horse Haven appeared first on American Lifestyle Magazine.", "date_published": "2026-08-12T08:00:01-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-08-05T16:53:35-04:00", "author": { "name": "jshaw", "url": "https://americanlifestylemag.com/author/jshaw/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/82c9132115b5cb74c8d4fb20cf990f4e3fb8822fa552fdc3e362ead755a6b041?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "https://americanlifestylemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/horses-featured.jpg", "tags": [ "Equines", "Farm", "Horses", "Nonprofit", "Pennsylvania", "Editorial", "Family & Pets", "Life & Culture" ], "summary": "Take a trip to Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines, a Pennsylvania nonprofit dedicated to senior animals." } ] }