Horse Rescues

Last update:

February 22nd, 2010

Page views since

March 28th, 2006

Below are some of our experiences with horse rescues. With so many horses being dumped and neglected, adopting a horse from a rescue organization can be a rewarding experience. It can also be hard work as many of these horses have significant health issues, are malnourished and may not be very trustful of people in general. We try to adopt a rescue horse every year or two, nurse them back to health and then find great homes for them. You can find out more about available rescue horses on-line by searching for horse rescue or by joining one of the many equine forums, such as Trot.org which specializes in American Saddlebreds.

Apache Sweetheart is a 3 y/o registered American Saddlebred mare we first learned about on the asbsporthorse group on Yahoo. She was owned by an elderly man whose wife had recently passed away. In his 80’s, Sweethearts well-intentioned owner simply had to reduce the number of horses he was caring for. Sweetheart was sold to a broker and was likely headed to a Canadian slaughter plant. Another Chance 4 Horses spotted her and added her to their Broker Owned program. MORE

Forrest was a sucking colt on his dam Maybelline when we found them at an auction in June 2008. Maybelline was body condition score 2 when bought her and that was likely an improvement in her condition from when she had been seized by a county sheriff in SE Missouri earlier in the year. Maybelline is a registered Missouri Fox Trotter. Forrest was not registered and the previous owner refused all attempts to get more information on them. After six months of care and proper nutrition, Maybelline proved to be a stunning golden Palomino and a decent riding horse. Forrest was in better shape, Maybelline was giving him everything she had while he was at side. Forrest is a friendly and curious colt. We gave Forrest to the young lady in the picture who has fallen completely in love with him. Maybelline is in her new home in southern Missouri with an elderly couple who own a large farm.

Fizzy was a smaller, extremely shy mare purchased by a neighbor who knew absolutely nothing about horses, but had a kind heart. They could not lay a hand on her and she eventually broke through an old fence. We found her on the road and were able to coax her back home. Sometime later these neighbors suddenly moved, abandoning Fizzy. We again gathered her up and green broke her. Fizzy learned to trust people, at least a little and has since been a good broodmare for a couple of gaited ponies for her new family.

We received a call from the Webster County Sheriff requesting assistance with an abandoned horse. This mare had been chained to a tree and left with a bucket of water. Over a period of several weeks, neighbors saw this horse and would take it food and water occasionally. Finally someone called the sheriff saying they could no longer care for the horse. We we arrived with the sheriff, we found the horse to be badly dehydrated, very thin, quarter cracks on her hooves, numerous open fly-infested wounds from the chain, and where she was pulling on her halter, and suffering from Strangles. We took “Jackie” home and nursed her back to health, but she was not sound to ride. About 5 months later, Jackie was adopted by an elderly couple that was able to provide her a retirement home with a couple of other horses. The man who abandoned her was prosecuted and convicted of animal neglect.


	For more information, please contact us via e-mail at john@c-dhorses.com or call us at 417-473-1152.