We are a nonprofit 501.c.3 registered in the state of Texas and serving equines throughout the southeast United States.
For anyone who knows anything about horses, you have a pretty good idea of our expenses. It costs about $2,000 a year to feed and keep one horse, plus we pay a trainer who spends time ensuring each horse is safe and rideable. As of 2012 we have had as many as 30 horses at our ranch.
ALL DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED
We originally come from the UK where we started collecting a family of horses. When we decided to move permanently to the US, the big question was, what to do with our 4-legged family? While making arrangements to have them FedEXed across the Atlantic (yes, really, and Louise was going to travel in the cockpit jump seat) one of the horses died and we decided to find them all good homes in the UK.
Once here in the US, it didn’t take long to start collecting horses again and our main source was a sale barn just north of Houston. The condition of some of the horses there shocked us. We wondered how people could have the gall to bring emaciated and clearly abused and neglected animals into public view like that. Well, we did our bit and bought three ex-race horses ourselves and started the slow process of putting some meat back on their bones, treating them with respect and helping them get over whatever trauma they had suffered. What stories could these horses tell?
At that time we only had five acres but more recently we moved onto a 100 acre property and that's when things really started. We were just getting over Hurricane Rita and building a house after living in a travel trailer for a year, when Louise first got involved with Habitat for Horses. At that time we already had four of our own “boys” and in the period of a few months acquired another 10 rescue cases. This often meant going to a ranch in company with the local Sheriff and taking away the mistreated animals. The owners invariably faced fines or even jail time.
At one time we had five mares who we were told could all be pregnant. Great! That would mean five foals in a few months. One by one the mares came into season so we knew they weren’t pregnant, except one whom the vet examined and declared was not pregnant. You can guess what happened next, can’t you? I let the dogs out one Saturday morning a couple of months ago and one stayed out barking and barking until I went to see what was up. Sure enough, it was a newly born foal, everything in order, and we named her Margo after my mother who passed away last year.
We foster these horses and once they are fit enough to move on we find them permanent adoption homes. They are much easier to move on if rideable, so we train them to make each of them is as useful as possible in their future homes. We do not sell them but a small adoption fee is payable.
For anyone who knows anything about horses, you have a pretty good idea of our expenses. It costs about $2,000 a year to feed and keep one horse, plus we pay a trainer who spends time ensuring each horse is safe and rideable. As of 2012 we have had as many as 30 horses at our ranch.
We have a strong relationship with Habitat For Horses, so many of the horses we foster are HFH rescues as well as those that we rescue ourselves. Habitat for Horses is a nonprofit 501.c.3 registered in the state of Texas and serving equines throughout the southeast United States.
For more information about Habitat for Horses, please visit their website at http://www.habitatforhorses.org
GAULT
Gault got adopted! He has a great owner, who adores him.
BUTTON
Button was a seizure from Hunt County - 75 horses all running together, no food. Some did not make it. She got lucky and came here and is now adopted into a wonderful home teaching her owners' grandchildren how to ride.
MIRROR IMAGE
Mirror Image is 33 years old. His story is like many others, he was left to starve and almost did. He is a Habitat For Horses rescue and a Sanctuary Horse and not adoptable. He lives here in the Geriatric Pasture with his pals.
BARB
Barb is 31 years old and a Habitat For Horses rescue. She was part of a large seizure of 75 Horses in Hunt Co. She is up for adoption as a companion only, but she will live here with the other older horses for as long as she can.
COLT 45
Colt 45 was a stray just wandering the streets. He is in training and up for adoption. He is a large horse in a mini package! So very adorable.
This video was taken Sept 2, 2011:
ANGELIQUE
Angel is what we call her! She was adopted by a really nice family, but, they were concerned because of the hay shortage and fires, so they relinquished her. Too bad really, 'cos the daughter rode her beautifully. She is up for adoption.
WOODY
Woody is a very fancy mover. Loves jumping. He is a bit standoffish with strangers, but what a great ride. He is up for adoption.
KATEE BUG
Katee Bug actually came from a wonderful home. Katee was donated to HFH because the owner became ill and could not look after her in the manner to which she was accustomed. Katee has had the same owner since she was 18 months old. She is a dream to ride and a been-there-done-that type of gal. She is very well trained and will not tolerate it if you get in her mouth. She is in excellent health and an easy keeper. She does need to be kept off grass because she did get laminitis once, but it wasn't severe. We feed her a pelleted feed once a day and she gets ad lib hay. Also, she is an ear-pinning gal when it is feed time! Even though she is in a paddock on her own, she still tries to run the other horses off over the fence line and stall! She is definitely more bark than bite. She will put her head in the bridle and help you out, stands for baths, farrier, vet, scratching, you name it, she is great.
Katee Bug is a Missouri Foxtrotter/Paso Fino Mare who is smart, experienced, an easy keeper, in great health. She is a pleasure to ride and is a nice companion as well. She is up for adoption.
ATLANTA (MIKE)
We don't have a a lot of history on Atlanta (his real name is Mike). He was bought by a trainer off the racetrack in El Paso when he was 10. He was trained as a jumper and participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Apparently the trainer kept him until he died last year (2010). The story goes, he was given to a friend of the dying man. This friend could no longer look after Mike and called Habitat for Horses. He was driven to the Ranch and then came to us as a Sanctuary horse. The HFH ranch was no place for this boy. He is blind in one eye and has only partial sight in the other.
Mike came to us in very poor condition but is slowly gaining weight and feeling better. Unfortunately, he now has a condition called anhydrosis, which means he does not sweat. Not good in these Texas summers, especially this one. We are doing all we can for him. His breathing has improved but he may never sweat again. This video was taken after he and his best friend Jeb had been here for a month:
JEB Jeb was a recent seizure. He had been tied to a tree with no food and no water. He is lucky to be alive. He is Mike's best friend and he is here with us as a Sanctuary Horse. He is gaining weight but his condition was so much worse than Mike's and it's taking a long time.
We originally come from the UK where we started collecting a family of horses. When we decided to move permanently to the US, the big question was, what to do with our 4-legged family? While making arrangements to have them FedEXed across the Atlantic (yes, really, and Louise was going to travel in the cockpit jump seat) one of the horses died and we decided to find them all good homes in the UK. 
We foster these horses and once they are fit enough to move on we find them permanent adoption homes. They are much easier to move on if rideable, so we train them to make each of them is as useful as possible in their future homes. We do not sell them but a small adoption fee is payable. 
