March 26-27, 2014

Hello everyone!

Alfie:

He is a young, TWH colt who currently stands 13.2HH. He was found locked and boarded into his stall where he surely would have died. A local ACO seized Alfie and brought him to Heart of Phoenix. Alfie arrived drugged and extraordinarily frightened to be outside. When Alfie recovers from being gelded, he will be available to a home with training experience for an adoption fee of $150. If no qualified adopter can be found, his training fees will be extensive. Any contribution to Alfie’s rehabilitation (which will be costly) would be greatly appreciated!

He is a very handsome Appendix Quarterhorse. Memphis stands a stately 16.HH and is 7 years old. He has a friendly nature. He has had one short evaluation ride. He was obedient and had a very soft mouth. $400 adoption fee

Desperately needs placement in PA
AVAILABLE! 16 yr old, 16.2h TB Mare. Here’s a real nice calm gal, nice size and rode wonderful. Yes she has a tattoo, it has been intentionally altered to be made unreadable. It takes $350 to make her Miracle Happen. Horses located in Lewistown, PA.

I have to say thank you to the huge group that supports and understands the decision we have made to brand all future adopted rescue horses coming through HOP.

I have to admit, the benefits are massive and obvious to me, but I sometimes have to take a step back and realize most people do not look at this effort through a director’s or board member’s eyes.

Most look on as a supporter or adopter. . .

It is very difficult to understand how complex this effort is and how vital keeping these horses safe from that side. I know. . .I have to think back, but I’ve been there, too. . .

I’ve learned a lot. . .all the hard way.

So let me address the questions that have been raised:

First: Is branding Humane?
Yes, this is a freeze brand. It is not a heat brand. It is considered very humane. It is very common in Europe. I am shocked we do not see more of it in the USA, really.

Second: Moon has a brand, and it hasn’t helped her. How will this brand help?
Moon did have a typical alpha-numeric small neck brand. All registered Standardbred foals have them. They do not stand out, they are not connected to an owner (just a breeder who typically sells the horse), they are common and place no ownership with HOP. They are seen frequently at auctions and on craigslist. The mere sight of one, if even noticed due to the inconspicuous placed, would tell NO ONE that horse belongs to anyone or that he/she is stolen.

Third: Will it make the horse less likely to be adopted?
No. We only seek adopters with a heart to love a horse forever and respect the horse’s past and the rescue’s effort. We do not believe for a moment we will lose the qualified adopter base we seek because the rescue places a hip brand on the horse. We very rarely adopt to show homes, but no show win could reasonably ever be lost over a brand. Many Warmbloods are branded, esp. in Europe, as an aside.

Fourth: What are the real benefits to the horse bearing the rescue’s brand?
A. The horse carries a state registered proof of ownership to HOP that will give us even more weight in a court of law
B. The horse carries a brand other groups and supporters will come to know and recognize should the horse run through a large auction, end up on a broker page or on craigslist.
C. The brand will be searchable, in time, online and if anyone that is honest ever came into contact with an illegally sold rescue horse of HOP’s, a buyer could track the rescue down from the brand.
D. The brand will give the adopter another reason to rethink ever selling or giving away a rescue horse because the horse will so easily be identified as a HOP horse.

This step is something that costs very little, takes 9-20 seconds and can give the horse a lifetime of protection.

These horses have already come through hell and made it back, so understand that any step to keep them safe and carry out a promise to keep them safe is never extreme. Branding to keep horses from unsavory hands is hardly a new idea. It is a tried and true method dating back to the founding of the USA. It can work. Nothing can make these horses 100% safe, but I assure you, we will take every step we can that is within reason the honor the promise we make when they come to us. . .and that is we will not let harm come to them again.

My only regret? We didn’t start it sooner.

15hh Gelding for adoption – 10-13 years old
– twh / paso cross

Willie has been abused, and he is very afraid of men. He is broke to ride, but he will need kind training to help him regain confidence in people.

He is located in Boone county, WV

He has no fee to an approved home (Application required)

This guy is amazing and so resilient

The Ulcer treatment has worked and now the rehab is going super
fast, like we are used to seeing!

Memphis!

This share photo here reminds me of a rescue we did in 2010. . .

A girl had 6 Arabians.

She needed help with them as she couldn’t make it out to the land she kept them on to feed and handle them properly.

A mare was there with her 5 offspring. One born every single year for 5 years. . .

None of the offspring were very handled and most were in less than ideal shape (though not emaciated). . .

None wanted to stand for a farrier, be caught in a field, load in a trailer. . .

The youngest needed gelded, and yet that girl had taken that mare, year after year, to be bred. . .her unregistered Arab mare to a stallion of no worth. . . over and over and over again. . .

And we had to clean the mess up. . .as much as she would allow, which wasn’t enough. I always imagined the mare was bred again in 2012. . .

Typical, sadly.

Horses we have either directly taken into rescue or directly moved or placed into safety

141 and counting!

Lilo (HHH – closed)
Happy (Second Wind)
Big John
Teka and Taro (West Wind)
Phoenix
Bubba
Jimmie
Prince
BEBE
Billie
Starlight
Ranger
Kate
Honey
Amber
Coco

Mustang Mare (Iron Gait)
QH mare (Iron Gait)
Rebel, Arab gelding
Amber

Blaze
Indy
Mirage
Winky (Gentle Giants)
Dan (Rainhill)
Palomino QH
Lance (Triple O Eqine)
Elmer
Donkey
Jet
Dior
Stormy
Niteza
Sky
Black National Show Horse
Checkers
Dodger
Eclipse, foal
Mia, foal
Orion
Carson (Lilly Pond Foal Rescue)
Thumper (Lilly Pond Foal Rescue)
Dexter
Summer
Tiny
Black TWH mare, blind in one eye
Zip
Patriot
Zane

Freedom – QH
Scarlett
Beauty
Rhett
Bella and in utero foal
Sara/Shortcake
Twister
Nemo
Freedom
Snow
Grace
Pocket (rest in peace)
Lola
Liz

Walter
Arab Gelding from CL
Rebel/Diesel, QH gelding
Kate
Quinn
Rocky Mountain Gelding (Dumas)
Arab mare and foal (Dumas)
Paint gelding (Dumas)
Brownie
Cody
Glory
Luka
Turner
Alex
Rowan
Blake

Moon
Ally/Bee
Prince
Jane/Vicky
Reece
Addy/Kris
Chism
Wyo
Little Donkey (rest in peace)
Alice
Skye
Atlas
Dahlia
Batman (EPU)
Cash (EPU)
Molly and in utero foal (EPU)
Gandalf
Miss Em
Pecos
Marty

Buttercup
Memphis
Ellie
Ferris
Buckshot
Alfie
Clover
Sandy
Poppy
Kismet
Tara
Wynn
Ruth (Hope Reins)
Naomi (Hope Reins)
Bettie
Sparky (Morgan Safenet)
Ariel (rest in piece)
plus Hampshire herd of 21 SE Arabs plus in utero foals