Robert "Bob" McCarter

How long have you volunteered with DEFHR?

I'll have been volunteering about 4 months, beginning in November of 2022.

Do you have a favorite DEFHR herd member, past or present? If so, who?

I have favorites among the mares and the geldings. Among the mares, Eva and Upendi, and among the geldings Murphy and Nanook.

How did you initially find out about us?

My daughter urged me to work with horses during my retirement and around that time my wife went to a volunteer fair at Glenelg Country Day School and Days End had a booth there. She brought back a brochure that provided the website and that allowed me to connect and schedule an orientation and training.

Did you have any previous equine experience(s) before volunteering with DEFHR? What was it?

I spent a few summers in my youth, around age 15-16, at Delaware Park, where some of us got to know an apprentice jockey who took my friend and me back to the stables where he worked to meet a couple of the horses. I was amazed at how tall they were and generally how friendly they were especially when we gave them a treat. After giving one horse a treat, I turned to answer a question and the horse apparently wanted more attention and so nipped the shoulder of my sweatshirt catching a bit of skin. The horse won a race next time out and I told friends that I had a little skin the game.

What's your favorite part of volunteering with DEFHR?

Spending time with the horses, especially once when we were out in the gelding field, it was nice to see the horses come to be with us enjoying being scratched and pet.

There is another aspect of volunteering – connecting with staff and other volunteers. Staff have been endlessly patient with questions and with rough spots as us newbies learn the ropes. Perhaps the most important part is seeing, especially young people, make commitments of time and energy on cold and rainy days all for the benefit of the horses. It gives me optimism for the future.