USA women's soccer wins 2015 World Cup

Former USA women's soccer star Michelle Akers loves her horses

On Sunday, July 5, 2015, the USA women's soccer team defeated Japan, 5-2, to win the World Cup in a sterling performance in Vancouver, Canada.

It was the first World Cup won by the USA women since 1999, and, no doubt, the entire country is proud that the team has finally brought the trophy home to the United States.

So, what does this have to do with horses and horse racing?

Well, from the "Did you know" file …

Michelle Akers, one of the stars of the 1999 USA women's team, and one of the greatest players in the history of sport, runs a horse rescue on her eight-acre farm in Powder Springs, Ga., near Atlanta.

Founded in 2007, Akers's horse rescue is a 501(c)3 charity.

She has a number of horses at the farm and, from the information provided on her website and facebook page, she truly loves doing what she can for the horses that she loves.

"I started my horse rescue in 2007 after I took in Zoe, a starved horse found in Sanford, Fla., and soon discovered there were a lot of horses in need just in my local community," says Akers on her website. "I was compelled to do what I could... and with one stall open in my barn, I decided to focus on saving one horse at a time and ask my neighbors and community to do the same.

"To that end, that's what I've continued to do and along the way, each one of the animals I take in, give me much more than I could ever give to them. I hope after hearing their stories and looking them in the eye, you might feel compelled like I did, to help in the way that you can with the resources you have. We all can do something and that is all that is asked."

Akers talks specifically about Zoe one her site, and how she got started with her horse rescue.

"She's (Zoe's) the horse I was asked to help and later inspired me to begin my horse rescue," she says. "She was starved and near death and I was hesitant to take her as I'd never cared for a near death animal before...but the moment she walked into my barn, I realized the only thing I had to (do was) try. And that was what I did.

"Doing horse rescue has turned out to be one of the greatest adventures and biggest challenges of my life. Every day is different. Every horse is unique. And with every animal takes their own place in my heart. Sometimes, I am heart broken and other times I am overflowing with joy. Either way, I am always blessed.

Akers is currently trying to raise money for a project to upgrade her barn, which is subject to flooding.

According to her website, "Due to many factors, the barn which houses the horses and animals for Michelle Akers Horse Rescue is vulnerable to flooding and needs funding to keep the horses and animals safe and healthy. This project will enable the barn to be rebuilt and relocated to higher to ground, as well as, making changes to the property, i.e. pastures, driveway, and surrounding barn areas, to ensure the best environment possible to maintain horses."

For more information on Akers horse rescue and ways that you can help her out by donating money to her rescue, check out the following links:

Michele Akers Horse Rescue website: www.michelleakers.org
(Note: This site talks about her horse rescue, and also talks about her fundraising and soccer clinics)

Michele Akers Horse Rescue facebook page: www.facebook.com/michelleakershorserescue
(Note: There are photos of some of her horses on her facebook page)