They surely are good friends
This is a beautiful thing for Marlee who was tied on a hill and without an equine friend for 4 years
True friends…
—— UPDATE ——-
From Lisa N.
She has met him and haltered him and plans to pick him up Tuesday to take ownership and have him gelded!
Thank you so much, Lisa N.!!
____________________________________
An Elderly couple have him and cannot care for him and handle him.
He is NOT halter broke. He is a stallion. He is young.
He will need an experienced person to capture, load and train him.
He was scheduled to be put down today, but I’ve told their son, stationed in N.D who reached out to us, we will try so please give us a few days to see if someone may take him.
If nothing is found in a few days, he will be put down by the elderly owners.
We would love to make Great Non-Profits Top Rated Charity list.
Please take a moment to leave a review if you’ve had a positive experience as a donor, volunteer or adopter!
http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/heart-of-phoenix-equine-rescue-inc/
Please do not forget our HOP show the 25TH!!!
This will be Fun for horse owners, horse lovers and just folks looking for something fun to do that weekend!
I think this photo of Schmidtty from last week with HOP volunteer, Gena, shows just how huge this boy is!
Miss Blake is one nice mare for the experienced Western rider
HOP volunteer, Suzanna, took a very short test ride on Grace the weekend of the Pumpkin Festival. She is green, but she is a very lovely mover and will eventually make someone a beautiful riding partner!
How Much interest would there be a Rescue Clinics?
We are considering, starting in early 2015, hosting 4 clinics a year.
The subject matter could be The Ins and Outs of Equine Rescue, Beginner Horse Ownership, Equine Nutrition and any other subjects of interest.
We would likely offer these as Donation only type classes in central locations close to Huntington, WV or Charleston.
Though the quality of this video is very poor (we only had a child available to be the camera person) the progress is sooo exciting that we had to share it anyway! After 19 days Arizona can be caught in her field!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuyrWYCSk7E&channel=UC4rjEmx__dtcgfitgiAD6aQ
If this pony does not touch your heart. . .
Well, that just isn’t possible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p6DewDpfbA&channel=UC4rjEmx__dtcgfitgiAD6aQ
BEFORE you watch the current update, watch his before:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szXi_Z4jPV4
OWNER PLACEMENT NEEDED
“They were both retired due to suspected knee problems, but since retirement they haven’t shown any discomfort. Bawdens had his chips removed years ago via surgery, and was retired to ensure proper healing. Smokey issuspected to have chips as well, but he shows us no issue.
Their names are Sneakin’ A Smoke (Smokey), and Bawdens who is a stakes placed racer.
Smokey is 7 at 16.1 hands, and Bawdens is 10 at 16 hands.
I need to get them relocated as soon as possible. We were asking $500.00 for the pair or $300.00 a piece.
They are located in Newell, WV.
Time is of the essence.
Equinerescue@live.com
Please include your facility photos and vet and farrier references
I am waiting to hear from the owner as to whether they are sound for riding at this time

For all of our new followers that have joined us recently, despite our name, we are NOT in Arizona. We are named after the first horse that our founder rescued. We are mostly in WV but have some fosters in KY and Ohio
Phoenix…..
Her importance cannot be stressed enough here.
Because our director found her, met her, loved her.
The lives of so many others have been changed- have been saved.
So she lives on in them. . .
A Phoenix – Rising from the ashes, always reborn.
Rest in Peace 2010

Each day, Heart of Phoenix receives an outpouring of emails and calls asking for help for horses in need. We work tirelessly to be able to help as many of these desperate cases as possible. We believe that there is no place in the Nation with a greater need of rescue than HERE in the economically depressed area of Appalachia. Poverty is overwhelming. Our team is constantly faced with situations even those in equine rescue outside of our state would look at and say, “There is No Hope.” But time and time again, we have seen horses overcome odds that are near miraculous. We have been able to oversee rehabs that defy ALL odds. We believe, with Your Help, there is hope in even the most dark and bleak of situations.
We remind everyone that the horses, ponies and donkeys that come to Heart of Phoenix were not simply kept in less than adequate conditions or at risk of auction, they were almost way at the end, having used all mental and physical reserves hanging on, at the last hour. . .
The number of equines in need in the Tri-state area is hard to pin point due to the rural location of many homes; however, our director estimates that for each horse we are able to help, twenty or more calls or emails begging for help must go unanswered due to lack of funding and space, and sadly, there is no other working non-profit equine organization covering these areas.
While Across the United States, over 100,000 horses are sent over our borders to slaughter, here in Appalachia, there are fates worse than slaughter that await those neglected; those not rescued. It can mean years of beatings, dark and filthy stalls with little food or water until they simply cannot carry on. It sometimes means being turned out in winter on an old and dangerous mine site to scrape out an existence as a feral horse on inhospitable land. It means being bred year after year, passing from auction to auction and being purchased by only the worst of buyers because their skin is hanging over a bony frame: They are worthless. No one sees Them. We implore you to hear their story, and allow us to come to their rescue.
Heart of Phoenix is helping change the outlook for horses in the West Virginia, Southern Ohio and Eastern Kentucky area. With YOUR Financial support, we work ceaselessly to see horses that are shells of their former selves, skeletons barely clinging to life, rehabbed with quality vet care and love and given a SECOND chance. We assure them the best shot possible at a forever home.
We have helped save the lives of over 150 horses to date. Most of these horses, once vetted, rehabbed and evaluated, proved to be Sound, Sane and Lovely riding companions with many years left to offer their new families!
A high standard of rehab and care requires a very large financial budget and many hours of volunteer time. We are committed to sound financial management, so we will not take in more horses than our funding allows. This means that while we are able to help many horses, many others must be turned away. We want to see Heart of Phoenix, one day, able to offer HOPE to every horse in need in the area! We believe this is possible with your support!
When you donate to Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, not only do you help save the lives of severely abused and neglected horses…Your donation goes back into the equine community in this economically depressed area in a tremendous way!
Last year, we were able to put a much needed $38,000 into the local economy: Local feed stores, vets, farriers, boarding facilities, trainers, farmers and others were able to see the economic impact of having an honest rescue effort in their community!

s rescuers so many times we are encouraged to keep one of our rescues because of the relationship we have with them. Though it is tempting, a true rescuers heart has a special component to it. We give our all to these broken or starving creatures and the healing could not fully come about if we didn’t pour love into them daily. But if we let ourselves give in to our feelings and keep one, we have then permanently filled the spot where another battered soul could be helped. If we were rich people with vast holdings of land and endless pockets, our barns would be filled. But we are not so our rescuing hearts must hold an extra dose of practicality. In honor of Skye (now adopted) who was our first foster and forever holds a place in my heart, Alfie (SOMEONE surely will adopt him soon) who lived locked up for so long and now knows what a joy the outside world is, and Arizona (whose mind will take a long time to mend) I post this so the followers will understand that though the heartstrings are all tangled up around the rescues we love dearly, for the good of future damaged and tortured creatures, we must let them go.
It is important to remember that a free OR cheap horse is NEVER free or cheap.
A free horse costs you more than adopting or purchasing a horse UTD on everything.
If someone is focused on the horse people free or VERY low cost, that is a HUGE red flag. If they plan to do what the horse will need done, WHY the stress on the horse being free, free, free?
You may find a horse for low cost, but you will immediately have to come up with more than most adoption fees to get the horse current on what he/she will need, negating the free “price tag” right off.
You are far better off to pay an fair adoption fee and have a horse UTD on everything. A farrier visit, vet assessment, fecal, worming, coggins, vaccines and dental float (if that is all that is needed, and usually it isn’t) will run more than most any rescues adoption costs are.
Teddy (Now called Arther) with his adopter, chasing rainbows

Female Horse – call shelter for more info . Adoption fee is $150.00 each
This animal will be given ten days from its intake to secure safe placement. Anytime on or after the 11th day this animal is subject to be euthanized.
Adopt at Mercer Co Animal Shelter (Princeton, WV) 304-425-2838 or 304-425-2880. Stacey Martin is the rescue coordinator and rescues can reach her at 304-887-0614. Open Mon-Sat 12-6. Be sure to use ID# when calling about an animal. The adoption fee covers shots, worming, and neutering. 85$ for dogs, 50$ for cats .

3 of the 4 – call shelter for more info , Adoption fee is $150.00 each
This animal will be given ten days from its intake to secure safe placement. Anytime on or after the 11th day this animal is subject to be euthanized.
Adopt at Mercer Co Animal Shelter (Princeton, WV) 304-425-2838 or 304-425-2880. Stacey Martin is the rescue coordinator and rescues can reach her at 304-887-0614. Open Mon-Sat 12-6. Be sure to use ID# when calling about an animal. The adoption fee covers shots, worming, and neutering. 85$ for dogs, 50$ for cats .

Dahlia (now Katniss), Buckshot and Alex with adopters on a trail ride in Logan, WV today
The cool part of these three rescues is that they came from ALL different situations, were adopted by different people and here they are nearly 1 to 1.5 years after rescue doing well and proving rescues can work for anyone.
Dahlia’s adoptive family were new to horses, and this mare has been a lovely fit for their teenage girls!
Our vet just saw Dahlia in her adoptive home and remarked to me when she was here on a call how loved she is!
Spicy says she is excited she has an adoption pending — with Jenny Moore Sutherland.
Tara is just the most difficult mare to get a photo of. . .
She usually looks pretty grouchy!
Boone Is looking amazing
Alfie got a trim today and his teeth floated a second time. Arizona had her overgrown front feet returned to normal, but she was not ready to have her back ones handled yet. Slow and steady! Fortunately, they are not in bad shape like the fronts. We were impressed she was able to tolerate the presence of the farrier given her mistrust of humans!
We’ve had little to say about Tara lately, and unfortunately, it is because we’ve been working on some chronic lameness she has been dealing with for a long time.
While our vets felt that is may be navicular, they were not certain, and time with corrective shoeing has given her real relief.
We are going to make an appointment to take her to either Rood and Riddle or OSU in the next few weeks.
As it stands, she is not even pasture sound.
We so hope the experts at one of these world class facilities will be able to give us some answers and her some relief.
Her visit stand to be quite expensive, so if you can donate, please consider doing so at http://www.wvhorserescue.org/donate.html
“Then I’ll raise you like a Phoenix”
– Lyrics from Fall out BoyBlake’s rehab over a year later
— with Jessie Smith Hardesty.
Willie Adopted
Bettie and Clover!
Arizona enjoying this beautiful fall day.
Alfie was also enjoying the lovely weather!
About 7 different versions of this prayer exist and the original author is unknown. We have chose one and put it in a video featuring some of our rescue horses. Feel free to share if you like this one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz3ZT9KR9Bw&channel=WVHorseRescue
Please consider donating to help us out with the coming winter. Hay donations are always greatly appreciated and help tremendously.
Thank you so much for your continued support!