“Absolute Tough Talk” (Stitch) is a registered 6 year old, ASB gelding who stands 16.1 HH. We have his papers in our possession. He was shown before falling into a bad situation and coming to us. Stitch will require a kind and knowledgeable rider, but he does well if someone with light hands steadies him. He is a very curious and friendly fellow who loves to play with objects! The first video is of him being shown on October 25th, 2014 by a HOP volunteer where he won a 3rd!
This elegant, 18 year old, Arabian gelding’s name will stay “Zaam”. It is the name he came in with. After looking it up, in Arabic it means “respected general” which seemed to fit his lovely self.
Therefore we decided to keep his original monniker.
Welcome Zaam! (pronounced Z A M)
Wynn and Pecos in their Middleburg, VA adoptive home today in the snow
One of our very own volunteers, (our baby Minion at 16) Raven, will be in the Chicago McDonald’s Parade starting here in just a few minutes! You can watch for her (Company B Drill Team, KY) on WGN, the Chicago channel.
She rides, My Bugatti, a 12 year old, American Saddlebred Gelding
The following is the tribute she wrote to her sport of equestrianism.
“In honor of Bug and I hitting the pavement for the McDonald”s Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago.
Some people dare to tell me that what I do is not a sport; that horses cannot be teammates. That being an equestrian is “easy”.
They have obviously never stared into the eyes of the horse, and seen the fire that burns within them. They’ve never slept in a barn with a foal, waking up every 45 mins to feed it, only to have it die in their arms. They’ve not eaten dirt and been congratulated for “joining the dusty butt club” and then remounted. They’ve not slept two hours and been thrilled about it cause it meant it was a show day…
Nor have they experienced the frustration of trying to communicate with a teammate who speaks a different language. An animal who’s first instincts are flight or fight. They may of been hit hard, punched hard, thrown down hard; but they haven’t been kicked, fallen on, or trampled by something that weighs more than five times more then them.
With that said; Bug has now been one of my teammates for a little over a year. He’s carried me through parades, competitions, rodeo’s, and grand flag entries in my newest found love, Equestrian Precision Drill Team.
He’s charged into arenas that he’s truly frightened of because of the trust he has in me. He’s remembered where to turn in patterns when I completely forgot; and stuck with me when patterns were forgotten and had to be fixed by winging it. He’s successfully run a different spot than usual with no notice. He’s graciously taken hits, bumps, and kicks from countless numbers of horses whose patience is not nearly as great as his.
He’s been my shoulder to cry on, my reason to smile, my inspiration to keep trying even when I thought I could not. He’s spent countless hours with me in the irons; learning, practicing, perfecting. He’s been an ambassador for the American Saddlebred Horse; doing what some said could never be done. He’s allowed hundred’s of kids to pet his nose, and taken little boys and girls on their first horse ride.
I know as I walk (or rather prance) the route; I’ll hear little kids yell at their mama how they want to be a “cowgirl like that girl!” But if they knew what I knew; they’d know it was not me they wanted to be like; that I was nothing to look up to. For without me My Bugatti is still a wonder horse. But without him and the hundreds of other horses that have and will continue to teach me to ride; I am nothing.”
Raven Elisabeth -November 2014
Check out our youngest HOP volunteer leading her drill team in the Chicago Thanksgiving day parade!!!
Raven and her team in the staging area waiting for her turn in the parade. She looks cold!
Brass Bell Pottery was kind enough to donate two pieces of pottery to HOP for an auction item at the Christmas Gala!
Christy Berry will be holding her Open House the 28th-30th, beginning at 9 am in Saint Albans, WV.
Head on over to her Facebook page and say thank you or visit her in person for some beautiful artwork!
Local Business owners, Consider donating a gift card or item for our gift bags for the attendees of our Christmas Gala! This is a great way to let a lot of people know you support the area’s only equine rescue and get the word out about your products or business!
Thank you to Dawn Oliver, part of the management team of the Mountain Rose Inn, a gorgeous Bed and Breakfast in Virginia for their donation of a gift certificate worth $350 for our Christmas Gala https://www.facebook.com/MtnRoseInn
Beautiful Moon will be returning to HOP next week.
This mare is a STB, coming 7 and has been just the sweetest girl in her past with us!
Her adopter has worked hard to make this placement work, but it has proven to be a poor fit after she
(and we) learned Moon was, sadly, in foal (this is the mare the previous adopter sold illegally on craigslist and we tracked down for months to regain, so whoever purchased her on CL bred her, as well).
Cheryl P., Tara’s last foster, will take Moon and keep her through foaling. Moon will be adoptable once the foal is born and weaned, so expect her to be adoptable early Summer.
On a positive note, Cheryl always had a very soft spot for Moon, and she is looking forward to caring for her through the pregnancy. Moon’s adopter is going to accept Willow on a trial adoptive period, and we are thrilled with this, as we know it is a wonderful home for the RIGHT horse.
Moon’s right home is out there, and we will find it
‘There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man’ – Winston Churchill
Horses have played a prominent role in mythology, inspired countless books and stories, and served as some of the most beloved family members of people across the globe. Many argue that there is no better example of both gentleness and power in nature, a combination that instantly leave us feeling lighter in their presence and free to explore the world we live in. Science aside, there’s no denying this magical and moving quality they possess.”
(HOP’s president’s mare pictured below)
Local Business owners, Consider donating a gift card or item for our gift bags for the attendees of our Christmas Gala! This is a great way to let a lot of people know you support the area’s only equine rescue and get the word out about your products or business!
So far, we have items from Brass Bell Pottery, Blenko Glass, The Enchanted Bath, Pauley’s Rowdy Acres, Deborah Debra Sarkozy – Fine Watercolors and Artwork, Freedom Farms, Terry Quentrill and are hopeful to see more local items soon!
Also, we have a handful of tickets left to this event! It will be a do not miss, so DO not wait!
People often wonder where the horses in need we save come from, how we make the choices from the masses and so forth. What do we know about them before they arrive?
Take this horse. . .we received a PM today from someone who has helped us get quite a few horses into rescue that were in need. She hears about them through various channels in her area.
We never have any real info on these particular horses (Grace, Claire, Schmidtty). We get a PM to see if we have space and a photo. She wasn’t sure when she messaged me if this was a mare or gelding. I believe we have determined she is a mare, and yes, we are trying to get her to HOP.
We are only able to say yes because Wynn and Tara were adopted this week, and we are fortunate enough to have a new long term foster on board.
Let us hope and pray this girl makes it through the channels and to US soon!
His family suffered the loss of a job requiring them to relocated to Illinois.
He is a 10 year old National Show Horse. This boy is GORGEOUS!
He is 16.1hh. He requires a confident rider.
His fee is $400
Happy Wynn and his new guy!
Needs rescue!
We have learned the black mare we posted last night has a pasture mate that needs placement, as well. She is a 4 year old mare. We HAVE NO OTHER INFO.
We can have this horse hauled along with the black mare (the mare we are taking is in much worse condition) to Ashland, Ky possibly.
Otherwise, she could be picked up not too far from Portsmouth, Ohio.
If interested, send an email to equinerescue@live.com with your vet and farrier information, facility photos and overview of your home. This may be a young, green horse for all we know at this point.
Teddy in his adoptive home Well loved
Update from Alex’s adopter today.
An intake photo (actually about a month after intake, giving you an idea of how bad he was the day I got him) is next to the current shot.
Shania (one of Calli’s foals that we networked to Raiderhollow Farm, KY) got adopted yesterday. Here she is pictured with her new pasture mate!
Colin and Wynn are a perfect match!
Old Snow, this grand gal. . .she is hanging in there and enjoying bed in breakfast at Ferrell Hollow Farm-Senior Horse Sanctuary in TN almost 3 years after her rescue and rehab by HOP.
She didn’t want to get up this morning so she got breakfast in bed! Last night she was down and got dinner in bed – what service!!
What an Improvement in the short time the 3 Musketeers have been here!
Gemma, the black or black washed Bay mare, is the most friendly, people loving girl!
Lettie, the chestnut, is quiet and kind. . .allowing us to put gel and drops over and over in her problematic eye.
Sienna, the Bay, is an inquisitive, willing girl who will need some ground training soon!
As soon as Gemma saw me a bit ago at the barn, she came barreling off the mountain to say, “Hi!”