Willie Nelson is known for being one of the most iconic country music stars of all time. What many people don’t know about him, however, is that he is also an animal lover who has done a lot to help horses in need.

When Nelson is not performing, he can typically be found on the farm he lives on with seventy horses that he rescued just before they were sent to the slaughterhouse. In a recent interview, Nelson said that his ongoing rescue mission is part of the reason why he named his 700-acre Spicewood farm “Luck Ranch.”

“When you’re here, you’re in Luck, and when you’re not, you’re out of Luck,” Nelson said. “My horses are probably the luckiest horses in the world. They get hand-fed twice a day, and they were just ready to go to slaughter is probably the last thing they remembered, so they’re happy horses.”

Though he is about turn 87, Nelson still tours extensively, and he’s on the road 200 days a year.

“It’s a lot of traveling and being away from home,” Nelson said of his schedule. “But that’s what we do.”

Though he is now at an advanced age, Nelson is not even considering retirement.

“I retire after every show,” Nelson said. “I say, ‘That’s it, I’m not goin’ no more,’ but then we hang out awhile and people (his band) feel like playing, and so we go play again.”

Find out more Nelson’s work with horses in the video below.