Willie Nelson’s ‘Luck Ranch’ Has Over Seventy Rescue Horses Who Now Live Better Lives

May 14, 2020

With legions of fans, thirteen Grammy Awards and ten Country Music Awards, Willie Nelson was a legendary singer and guitarist. While most people might know Nelson for his music, long hair and iconic beard, the singer was also a major activist and philanthropist. Along with fellow music stars John Mellencamp and Neil Young, Nelson established Farm Aid in 1985, assisting family farmers to avoid foreclosure. 

Throughout the decades, Nelson had performed at charity concerts, raised money for the victims of terrorism and thrown his support behind political candidates. Nearest and dearest to his heart, however, were animal charities.

The singer even offered refuge to dozens of horses at Luck Ranch, his 700-acre paradise outside of Austin, Texas. Luck Ranch currently houses over 70 horses, ABC News reports, many of whom were rescued from slaughterhouses by Nelson.

Nelson jokingly says that he came up with the idea to call the ranch “Luck Ranch” because when you’re there, you’re in luck and when you’re not there, you’re out of luck. Joking aside, Nelson told ABC News, "My horses are probably the luckiest horses in the world," Nelson said. "They get hand-fed twice a day."

Where they were once near death, they now happily roam the Texas countryside. Each year, Nelson hosted the Luck Reunion, a music festival for people to see the ranch and even feed some of Nelson’s horses.

Additionally, Nelson wrote of his love of horses in his recent hit Ride Me Back Home.

For his activism on behalf of horses, Nelson was honored with the 2015 People’s Telly Award, according to Classic Country Music. The award was given because of Nelson’s video The Love of Horses, which showed the country music megastar meeting with Jerry Finch and members of Habitat for Horses to convince lawmakers to enact legislation ending horse slaughter.

In recent interviews, Nelson shrugged off questions of if he was contemplating retirement. Nelson jokes that after every tour, he feels like hanging up his guitar and calling it quits. Soon after saying he’d never tour again, Nelson and his band realized the joy that comes from performing to adoring crowds.

What do you think of Luck Ranch and Nelson’s activism on behalf of horses? Do you have any favorite Willie Nelson songs? Show this story to those of your friends who are Willie fans or just love horses! They'll surely be happy to hear about this.