It seems the right people always come along at the right time at Red Bucket.
Every now and then there are people who come to Red Bucket to volunteer their services, and they become a part of the Red Bucket mission. And then there are those who join our organization and take us to another level; they LIVE our mission and we become a part of their life. Jessica Macvicar is that rare breed that comes along and truly GETS it. She IS Red Bucket!!
“Our volunteers are very special and we have become what we are because of them,” explains Susan Peirce. “Every now and then a volunteer comes along who truly embraces our philosophy and embodies our spirit, the volunteer who truly LOVES the work and believes in our mission with a passion. Jessica stepped up quickly to fill a need and is in training to run the weekend feed crew which is a critical role. She is responsible, reasonable, and has great common sense. More importantly, she embraces the beauty and meaning of our work with no ego, and her leadership skills are emerging as a result.”
Jessica stumbled upon Red Bucket online when we most needed her. After researching horse rescue groups in Southern California and viewing dozens of websites, she noticed a fascinating similarity: “I spent at least an hour or two reading through dozens of different rescue sites, all of which were in the Riverside County area. I noticed many of these sites had little or no contact information, but had giant $$$DONATE$$$ buttons. While I didn’t have much money, I had time and heart that I was willing to invest in the right place. The Red Bucket website was, by far, the most organized and straightforward. I read through each section of the site. I remember the ‘Thank You Donors’ video was my favorite! I could feel like this was the right place for me. Without hesitation, I filled out the volunteer application and signed up for the first available orientation.”
After jumping in with both feet, Jessica made it known that she would do absolutely anything that was asked of her: filling water troughs and feeders in turnouts, turning horses out, hand walking, grooming, minor wound treatment, applying packs, syringing meds, wrapping polos, making a trip to the feed store, helping others. Once she was asked to massage Callum’s bad knee while hosing it with ice cold water and they both seemed to enjoy it! “It’s instant gratification when I see a horse appreciate what I’m doing,” Jessica explains. “Jenon Mathes has been instrumental in my growth. Everything I am capable of is because of her. She’s like my second mom and Red Bucket my second family/home! I am so thankful to have been placed by her side from day one. She made me feel welcome, took the time to make conversation and get to know me, and never once lost her patience with me. She always invites me to tag along with her and learn something new, which I absolutely love! It means a lot to me that she is constantly taking the time to teach me things and give me additional responsibilities. I am blessed to have learned, and to continue to learn, from Jenon. She has a special way with the horses, and I like to think of her as Red Bucket’s very own horse
whisperer. Without Jenon’s endless encouragement and thanks, I wouldn’t be the volunteer that I am today.”
Jenon describes how her prodigy came to us at a crucial time. “Jessica joined us last September and was evaluated by Linda Rose as a handler, although when I met her I knew there was something special, something different about her. I could tell she got it…the Red Bucket culture, the mission, and what it meant to serve. She didn’t have a ton of experience but she had something more valuable, natural ability. She was nervous the first day we worked together and made a few mistakes, but more importantly, she learned from those mistakes and never repeated them. She is like a magnet; anything that is said regarding handling our horses sticks!”
“Jessica’s first day with me began at 11:00 am and ended with us saying goodnight at 7:00 pm.” Jenon recalls. “Instead of parting ways, she asked ‘What else can I do to help you?’ Who does that? She is dependable, hungry for knowledge, and a true team player with a tireless ‘can do/will do’ attitude. With my recent hiatus there was a void to fill on Sundays, and Jessica never batted an eye but simply dove into a role that was more challenging than any I would have chosen to give her AND she handled it remarkably well!”
Jenon continues to explain why Jessica is such an integral part of our team. “The weekly and daily changes that occur at the Ranch can be overwhelming, and Jessica is able to keep up with them as well as any of us. She approaches every task with determination and she has the ability to work around the challenges we face without compromising the safety of herself, others or our horses. Her calm approach, welcoming and friendly attitude, positive energy and overall giving nature is inspiring to our residents as well as to our volunteers. We are lucky to have her! I am truly grateful that Jessica has found us and I look forward to every opportunity I have to work with her again.”
The true testament of Jessica’s innate abilities lies in her genuine compassion; she helps by offering the horses her affection, care, patience, time, and understanding, and she offers the team her dedication, friendship, reliability, and support. The residual return came as a surprise to her. In Jessica’s words: “The Red Bucket culture is most rewarding. The reward, for me, is the feeling that I have found somewhere I belong, that I have a purpose, that I am valuable, the joy of finally reconnecting with horses, the peace I find when I step onto the property, the satisfaction that I leave with, and the hard work in between. Red Bucket has given back to me just as much, if not more, than I have given to them. It is my happy place, my sanctuary.”
She is also grateful for the time she gets to spend with a certain handsome Quarter Horse gelding. “I can name something I find special about each horse at Red Bucket, but Turner is my favorite,” Jessica gushes. “He has been my favorite since the first time I groomed him. His eyes are kind, yet curious. Whenever he’s assigned to me, I save him for last, when I have the most time. After his groom, I like to put lotion on his dry scars and Cowboy Magic in his mane and tail. If he needs more thrush buster, I apply it. Then I give him treats and tell him he’s a good boy. Whenever he isn’t assigned to me, I sneak into his stall to give him a hug and an apple, and spend a couple of minutes with him. The way he repeatedly and softly asks for attention and treats melts my heart.”
When asked why she chose Red Bucket, Jessica shares her insight: “The most important thing Red Bucket does is what they do for the horses, righting the wrongs and transforming lives. The most significant transformation I had the pleasure of witnessing is one still in progress. Callum came to Red Bucket abused, cold, guarded, neglected, sad, and scared. He pinned his ears and showed the whites of his eyes to anyone that would come near his stall. Three weeks ago, he allowed me to groom him in his stall. Two weeks ago, as I walked by his paddock and greeted him, I noticed he did not pin his ears. Later that day, I entered his paddock to groom him and he did not pin his ears. I greeted him again, while offering a treat. He cautiously moved toward me, ears forward and eyes gleaming full of innocence, and took the treat. During his groom, I watched him. His ears were forward and he found interest in many things that were going on around Red Bucket. Last week, in the early afternoon, I was passing by his new stall in the Mare Motel and I stopped. He was laying in the shade, fast asleep. He was on his side with his head resting in the fresh shavings. It was touching. Red Bucket makes healing possible.”
Not only are horses transformed, but also humans. We are grateful to Jessica for touching all of our lives, and we are thrilled to see her blossom into such a confident and fearless team leader. Thank you, Jessica, for all you’ve done and all you’ve become!