Rescued from slaughter
Here at the farm, we have a big heart for helping horses and donkeys from the kill pen. While Slaughter is not legal in the U.S., kill pen buyers are. Kill pens hold horses until their "ship date" when they're sent to Mexico or Canada. The whole slaughter process is inhumane, from being passed around at auctions, to fighting for their life at a kill pen full of anxious horses, to being stuffed on a trailer way to full, the long haul across the border, and ultimately death. We can't change it for all of them, but we can sure change the life of some! Many people have the misconception that horses in the kill pen are all old and broken, but many of them are young, pregnant, working horses, healthy horses that just ended up in the wrong spot at the wrong time. No matter what the age or condition, it's not fair to end their life that way. We try our best to help when we can!
Moses & Rumour's Kill Pen Rescue Journey! This video shows our first look at them in the kill pen, their "Midnight Train to Georgia" ride home, their arrival, and now!
Charlie Brown - rescued at 6 months old from a Carolina kill pen. He couldn't trot or canter when we got him (like a baby should) due to sticky stifles. He had a cold and shipping fever. But with a little love and care, he is now 1.5 years old and thriving. He is training to be a therapy pony.
Moses - rescued from an Oklahoma Kill Pen in February. He has Chronic Progressive Lymphedema. His back left leg is the size of a tree trunk. However, he has good circulation through his leg, so other than feeling awkward he is not in pain at this time. We will monitor his leg closely. He needs a couple hundred more pounds. However, he is learning love and freedom
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Update April 2021: Moses leg had a flare up and was in extreme pain, we chose to give him the last act of kindness. We sure loved him, and we are happy he knew love for the short time he was here
Rumour - saved from the Kansas kill pen. She is heavily pregnant. Many of the pregnant mares don't make it or abort their babies due to stress. We are happy to say she is at the farm now and doing well. Baby should be here within the next week or two. Other than being underweight and experiencing some skin issues that we are treating, she is doing great!
Update April 19, 2021: Rumour had a beautiful filly (baby girl) named Jubilee! She's so sweet adorable and healthy!
Hank, Willie, and Curtis are three donkeys we pulled from a Texas kill pen the night before they shipped to Mexico. Unfortunately due to being shipped around, and lack of care, they have to all be treated for pneumonia. Hank, the youngest passed away from the sickness. Curtis is improving wonderfully, and Willie is good! We are sad we lost Hank, but it is the reality for most horses and donkeys in kill pens. They hold on so long that as soon as they feel safe their body shuts down. These donkeys are incredible sweet and kind.
Hank
Curtis
Willie
Skeeter & Ronnie
Skeeter & Ronnie (not slaughter cows) are a Jersey Milk Cow/Steer. They were owner surrenders to the rescue when the owners could no longer care for them. We loved having them at the farm and are so thankful they were adopted together to a forever family.
MYSTIC
We saved Mystic from a kill pen in July 2021. She had one eye, but overall looked to be okay with a little weight to add. She had a lot of wounds from the kill pen, but those healed up quickly. We soon found out she suffers from epilepsy and will be a sanctuary horse here at our farm. She is named after the song "Into The Mystic" by Van Morrison. She is so sweet, kind, and loving.
Honey
We saved Honey from the kill pen with Mystic. She was severely abused. At only 12 years old she has arthritis in every joint. She has major permanent scars. We assume she was a pack horse and has worked very hard all her life. She has the kindest eye, and loves being loved on. She looks for the joy in everything.
Dutton
Dutton was saved from a kill pen in Texas this November. He is completely blind in his right eye. He has scars from pulling/working hard his whole life. He's likely an Amish work horse. He was very sick and feverish when he arrived but with lots of love and vet care he is now doing well. He will be out of the quarantine pasture in a couple weeks. He will then get to join a herd at the farm!
Before & Afters
More Rescues!
Daisy
Daisy was born premature, her horse mama rejected her. She needed a lot of extra care, so her human owners surrendered her to the rescue. She had a tough road to overcome. She lived in the house and was bottle fed, along with getting medicine and shots multiple times a day to overcome her health issues. She is now thriving and still doesn't know she is a horse! lol
Chief
Chief is our oldest rescue at 34 years old. He was our worst starvation case. At the kill pen, he was stated to be "dead broke" but it was more like "half dead". We did not know if he would make the trailer ride here, but he did. The vets would not touch him as his heart rate was doubled and his organs were assumed to be failing. We did not want to give up on him. A couple months later he started gaining weight, his heart rate went back to normal, and his blood count was normal. He is now thriving.
Steele
Steele was at the kill pen and stated to be "lame". No one wanted him due to his severe limp. However, it turned out to be an abscess (so not a huge problem!). The major concern was Steele arrived way skinnier than expected. We quickly put him on a good food regimen, and treated him for ulcers. He know looks wonderful and is so sweet! He is in training to learn to ride.