This beautiful horse had a goiter.  For that reason, the dealer couldn't sell him, and he was going to go to a well known slaughter auction in Lancaster Co.  Despite that he is an *incredibly* smart, athletic, and gifted horse?  And had all his papers with him?  And that the goiter doesn't seem to bother him?  Such is the fate of a horse; that is, until we stepped in...  He clearly had barrel racing or some sporting in his past, and knows his "job" because when he is in a ring (especially with barrels)?  He wants to *GO!*   He is so incredible too, that he free-lunges the way some trainers put as advertisements.  He is amazing!

Update (May 2019):  Leo's goiter has disappeared! It's just vanished!  Could it be that with the stomach issues calmed, and stress relieved, it has helped to make the thyroid stop over-reacting??

Update Feb 2025:  Leo is having difficulty peeing...  Which is very unusual for a horse.  He had a bladder ultrasound and the next steps are uring sample, catheterization, and possibly a procedure to clear the bladder of some free-floating "sediment" that could be blocking the urinary tract...  More to come...  

Want to Sponsor Leo?
Leo has stomach ulcers (common in performance horses, particularly high-stress sports like barrel racing...), and poor feet.  In addition to his regular feed, he requires Ulcer Guard and Hoof Supplements.  He gets them every month through Smartpaks (link to Wishlist!), and sponsoring him entirely - or at least his supplements ($68 per month) - would be greatly appreciated!  Careful though: Leo may not only steal your heart... he may also steal your gatorade!  (no kidding!)

Off the track thoroughbred (what is commonly referred to as "OTTB") rescue.  Ohio was picked up in the kill pens in New Holland.  Identified by his racing tattoo, this horse won over $63,000 in purses on the track, had a jumper career (as evidenced by his ability and form at jumping), and then unceremoniously landed in the kill pens?  He was pulled by another rescue group (in 2007, we adopted him on July 4, 2008 -- what more appropriate way to celebrate America's birthday than rescuing a horse?!).  Ohio was our second rescued horse ~ and a true Black Beauty!  He is the dominant male in our herd, and we refer to him as our "Athletic Director" since he loves causing mischief and keeping everyone in line!

Want to Sponsor Ohio?
Ohio is high-strung -- and he is now considered "geriatric" in horse terms, because he is 28 years old. So we have a hard time keeping weight on him.  He gets a special "senior feed" with low sugars (at ~$20 per bag, which we go through 1 per week/4 per month just for him), and he also gets an oil supplement.  Each bottle lasts a month, but at $30 per bottle, that adds up...  Sponsoring him would mean so much to us!  He is also known to give "hugs" when he is getting his blankets put on -- maybe if you sponsor him he will even send a hug to you? 

Rainbow Bridge Update:
Ohio crossed the Rainbow Bridge on December 21, 2024, after nearly 17 years with us.  RIP old friend.

This sweet, sweet girl came off a truck on the New Holland parking lot.  A rescuer grabbed her before heading into the meat pens because she had "kind eyes."  She was also more than 300 lbs. underweight when we took her in -- and that was after some time re-feeding her at another rescue facility!  When she arrived, she was afraid of drinking heated water (clearly had been electrocuted from someone not checking the water heaters), and would tremble and shake for 15 minutes before building up the courage to literally *plunge* her head into the water to drink.  After nearly a year, she began trusting that she was not going to be shocked like that, but it's a sad, sad story.  She also trembles (literally, her whole body shakes) when some men speak around her -- their voices clearly resembling the voice of a man who must have just terrified her...

Want to Sponsor Ginger?
Ginger is a pretty "easy keeper" as far as weight and hooves go, especially for an old girl like she is -- a whopping 36 years young!  But because she is old, and very low in the herd dominance order, she is constantly getting cut from skirmishes with other horses -- not little scrapes either like most of the rest.  No, she usually requires vet care and weeks of dressings for her wounds.  That's lots of bandages and antibiotics...  Plus, we keep her in blankets, which often get ripped when she is picked on by the other horses.  Replacing them is ~$100 per blanket (one or two a year...), so sponsoring this sweetheart would be a tremendous blessing to her!

Rainbow Bridge Update:
Ginger crossed the Rainbow Bridge in September 2024.  RIP, Ginger.

This horse is a prime example of racing "sport" cruelty.  He is an OTTB, raced only three times and because he didn't win (or even place), he was starved, whether it was as punishment, or because he wasn't "worth the cost" of the feed, we don't know(?).  What we do know is that he was surrendered at 730 pounds to authorities.  He is now 1230 pounds!  Think of that, if we were without 40 percent of our body weight?  We would die... (!)  While Tazer is safe now, his starvation when he should have been developing left him with bad hooves and poor vision.  He still to this day (even 15 years after his rescue!) paws at his food, so fearful that he either won't get fed at all, or that it will be removed from him while he is eating...

Want to Sponsor Tazer?
Tazer's history left him with such bad feet that he gets abscesses.  A LOT.  Not only is that terribly painful for him (and for us to watch), but making him comfortable becomes pretty expensive.  Between the pain meds and poultice bandages, and the special supplements we have him on to make his hooves stronger and boost his immune system, that adds up.  His monthly Smartpaks bill alone (link to Wishlist!) is $62 per month, in addition to the other care of vets coming to help him, his pain meds ($6 per tube), and his bandages ( Animalintex Pads, $7.39 or STAYONS, $12.99).  This sweet guy would also love to be ridden -- but due to his constant foot problems, we have trouble keeping him in work.  Anyone interested in helping him financially or coming to work with him would be greatly appreciated by this sweet, sweet, gentle giant!

We believe the cribbing and food aggression issues are why the owner wanted to rid herself of him.  Not only that, but he has a twisted leg, is swaybacked, came to us *incredibly* underweight, AND he is also missing half his left butt cheek, presumably why he started cribbing in the first place (on stall rest while recovering from whatever terrible accident resulted in such massive muscle loss and scarring).  Again, probably related, he refuses and then "charges" or "rushes" through doorways -- and indicates to us the life-altering accident happened in a doorway-type setting (we are working on this!).  That said, Chewie is only approximately 9 years old, and has already had a rough life; hear-tell he had been in the kill pens - TWICE!  This handsome "throw-away" will serve as a wonderful ambassador to people who feel (or were made to feel) the same about themselves...

Want to Sponsor Chewie?
Chewie initially responded to the Ulcer Guard medication we gave him, and his cribbing habit got better for a while.  But after worming him, he went right back to it.  We also had to get him special, soft plastic corrective shoes (not metal) for the hoof on his twisted shoulder.  But his feet were so bad, the nails wouldn't hold!  So we also have him on hoof supplements, bringing his total Smartpaks bill (link to Wishlist!) to a whopping $81 per month (in addition to new shoes, $39.50 per pair (size 2N), every 4 months).  His cribbing habit also brings down A LOT of wood from our fencing... so his expenses add up quickly too.  That said, this handsome boy so much appreciates being rescued and made to be comfortable, and would love if you sponsored him! 

We named him to honor his heritage.  It's unfortunate his heritage did not honor him... 
We have no idea what awful treatment he received in his life (we do know he was bred in Mexico, and given that there are potentially different "humane" standards could explain some of his fears -- but honestly, in our experience, the horrors the horses suffer here in the US where there are supposed cruelty laws results in the same fear...).  He somehow landed in Texas, theoretically used on a ranch.  In 2016, he was transported to Maryland where we found him (recovering from shipping fever).  In Chaco's case, he is scared of really almost everything, and mainly by humans.

Want to Sponsor Chaco?
Chaco.  Poor, abused Chaco.  When we  touched him, he flinched.  So we started him on a Magnesium supplement, thinking it would help at least his skin and nerves calm down.  They only help a little, but made a BIG difference when trying to blanket him (Note: he thinks the blanket is someone trying to kill him!).   He seems to also have poor vision, at least the lower portion of his eyes.  He is on Smartpaks too (of course!), and his supplements (link to Wishlist!) total to over $57 a month as well.  Do you need some Chaco-love in your life?  If so, consider sponsoring this traumatized boy!   If you speak Spanish, he may respond to you in person as well, since he came from Mexico...

Poco had been bred and trained by her former owner (double-registered, have all her papers, etc.).  But in his mid-70's he was ready to get out of horses, and she being merely "Breeding stock" ended up with us. However, she is headshy, and shows lingering proof of mistreatment in her past.

Want to Sponsor Poco?
Poco was not given the best care before coming to us.  For her age (29!), she has terrible arthritis which was derived from years of VERY HARD Riding, on trails, and mountains (and who knows how many times she was bred...).  We give her special supplements to keep her comfortable, in addition to glucosamine, chondroitin, HA, and of course, the ever-popular "Mare Magic!"  She is the lead mare in the herd, so keeping her happy is necessary! 

Surgical Update: 2021:
   Poco had to undergo colic surgery and endure 29 feet of her intestines being removed!  We had a Go-Fund-Me page up to raise money for this extremely expensive surgery -- and she is a TRUE MIRACLE horse!  She pulled through and despite some medical complications, she is back to being my main trail horse and camping companion.  How could I NOT try to save her life when she was my roommate, after all??!

But, with all that and arthritis, etc., her supplements alone (in addition to feed and other care) total to over $158 per month (through Smartpaks - link to Wishlist!), so this pretty girl would love if you sponsored her!  (She promises to even bat her white eye lashes at you if you do, too!) 

Sarge's owner was selling him "as a punishment" to her son, to teach him not to lie to her.  We can only be so thankful that we found his ad that day -- as he is one of the safest, and most reliable riding horses we have in our whole herd!  Our equine dentist ages him in his mid-to late 30's -- maybe 36?!  Wow!
Sarge was not well cared for before he arrived with us, in his mid-twenties...  He had never had a sheath cleaning as evidenced by the HUGE bean that was removed (thankfully under sedation when his teeth were done!).  He is a small horse (a pony horse) and is pre-diabetic, so he not only is on a special diet for that, but he has COPD, bad hooves and weak ankles (you can see in the pictures his special sport boots to help him remain comfortable while riding).  He also has suffered from acute laminitis, so we have to VERY CAREFULLY restrict his sugar intake (by restricting his diet and soaking his hay, etc), and give him special supplements!

   UPDATE 2021:  Sarge can no longer bear weight on his back right leg; it pops out to the side with each step and does not cause him pain without a rider, but with a rider, he doesn't want to walk.  He's been SUCH AN ANGEL for us: deserves retirement!

Rainbow Bridge Update:
   Sarge crossed the Rainbow Bridge in November 2021, after his hip progressively worsened and then was displaced.  We will miss our dear littlest horse with the biggest bravest heart ever!

After 10 years of serving them, her Amish owners were going to sell her to "the nice auction man..." if you can believe (at her ripe age of 25, that was a sure death sentence for slaughter).  We got a desperate call to help her, and low and behold, we took the chance.  (It turned out great, btw!)  Her entire life was spent running, first at the track (harness racing), and then for the Amish.  Especially by the Amish, who routinely ran her 7 miles one-way, and then home again, her heart was weakened by all the work, and her valves now weep a little, and she can become weak easily.  She is enjoying a retirement of light exercise (to keep her heart going), and being Ohio's girlfriend.  She is 33 years young this year (2021).

Want to Sponsor Daisy?
Daisy's heart required that we have her on a special Senior feed, plus an "energy booster" supplement which helps supplements the amount of iron in her blood, which in turn carries oxygen for the poor girl.  She was also recently diagnosed with Cushing's disease, a metabolic disorder in older horses.  In addition to her supplements (which cost $42 per month), she is now also on a daily dose of Prascend ($72 per month). Daisy is very happy with her home here -- when we brought her to our farm from her Amish home, and when we introduced her to her new pasture and took her off the lead rope?  She looked back at us as if to say, "Really, is this all For ME?!" When we said "Yes, it is, go ahead Daisy!" she took off with such a look and feel of FREEDOM that was awesome to watch!  If you want to feel the same joy, please consider supporting Daisy's freedom and wonderful retirement, here on our farm! 

Rainbow Bridge Update:
Our sweet Daisy girl crossed the rainbow bridge peacefully, and was laid to rest on our farm on October 1, 2021. 

His mom had cancer, and her family could no longer keep him.  (more to come... we are still getting to know Sterling...)
What we do know:
Apparently, Sterling had once been a trail challenge horse, and he was not afraid of much -- his owner was even wheelchair bound and he did not flinch about the wheelchair.  However, since his former owner fell ill, he was left to stand, and seems to have lost most of his skill -- and confidence, it seems.  Something must have happened (we are told, an overly aggressive pasture mate...), but he is now very, very fearful, and easily startled.  He cant even be cross-tied as he literally flipped up and over backwards before we took him and when he was in cross-ties, so we need to be very careful about how we progress with Sterling...  He also CANNOT TOLERATE ANYTHING around his mouth (even a hackamore, much less a bit).  
  In April we had his teeth floated for the first time (under *heavy* sedation!)  His teeth were TERRIBLE!  His jaw was all cut, and we definitely found the source of his headshy issues.

Want to Sponsor Sterling?
In 2022, Sterling got cancer too, in the corner of his left eye, and had to undergo surgery.  They were able to save the eye, and he recovered great -- and was especially happy to see his girlfriend Ginger when he got home from the vet hospital!
We would LOVE to have a sponsor help us to care for Sterling... he's already had such a string of bad luck... Won't you be Sterling's Silver Lining? 

Rainbow Bridge Update: 
   Sterling crossed the Rainbow Bridge within days of his sweetheart, Ginger, passing suddenly.  We will miss you, old blue eyes!