The buckskin horse was covered in oozing sores and was nothing more than a rack of bones at the boarding house where Kathleen Schwartz-Howe was boarding her own horse in the late 1980s.

Why isn't this illegal, she wondered, and what can I do?

Spurred by the desire to rescue starved and neglected horses such as Toby, Schwartz-Howe founded Days End Farm Horse Rescue in 1989.

On April 26, Days End celebrated a milestone in its nearly 20-year history.

That day, the equine rescue and rehabilitation organization moved from its 18-acre farm in Woodbine to its new 58-acre farm in Lisbon, right around the corner.

The reason for the move? The organization needed a bigger facility to better care for its 56 horses (a number that is subject to change) and expand its services.

"We were busting at the seams at the old farm," Director of Development Sue Mitchell said.

The celebration was marked by a "Movin' on Up" parade, led by Schwartz-Howe on horse Captain Jack, and followed by other spit-shined equines from the older location to the new farm; a ribbon-cutting ceremony; an open house that included a tour of the new facilities; and refreshments.

County Executive Kenneth Ulman was on hand to celebrate, along with a crowd of about 150, according to Mitchell.

Some of the most vital participants in the festivities, however, were the 15 paid staff members and many of the 1,200 volunteers, who helped to make the difficult, several-month-long move happen.

"The farm has just been overrun with phenomenal volunteers," Schwartz-Howe said.

Funds for the startup of the rescue organization were provided by Schwartz-Howe and her then-husband, Allan Schwartz. In the farm's nearly 20 years of existence, the $1 million needed to run it has been funded chiefly by donations supplemented by fundraising events and revenue generated from various training classes such as rescue training programs for animal control, police and fire, and rescue personnel, Mitchell said.

The organization also helps conduct large animal rescue, like the horse found stuck upside down in a gully in his pasture in 2005.

There are also first-time horse owner clinics for a charge as well as other free education programs geared toward informing the public about proper horse care, an area Days End hopes to expand in the future, Schwartz-Howe said.

Days End looked at about 50 locations before they selected the farm they believed would best meet the farms current and future needs. The organization did not want to lose its nearby core volunteer base, and did not want to move very far from the first location. A seven-year lease with the option to purchase was signed. Mitchell is hopeful.

"We will buy this farm," said Mitchell.

The new farm, which until now housed cattle, had to have its facilities modified for horses. A lot of the buildings, such as the stalls and barns, were built by volunteers, added Schwartz-Howe.

Volunteers Samantha Hindman, 21, and Alex Mowder, 12, were excited about the new facilities, particularly because there is significantly more grassy areas compared to the old farm, which they described as "mucky."

None of this would have been possible without inspiration from the first horse Toby, whom Schwartz-Howe purchased from his original owners and brought back to good health with help from a veterinarian.

Still, there is a lot of work to be done, Schwartz-Howe said.

"There are many horses that need homes and many funds that are necessary ... . Anything anyone can do would be very much appreciated," Schwartz-Howe said.

E-mail Medina Roshan at mroshan@patuxent.com.

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