HAPPY HORSE HAVEN RESCUE

RESCUE STORIES: 

Meet some of the nearly 500 equines rescued since 2005!

5 OLD TIMERS STARTED IT ALL:

This is Rooster, a hard keeper (their description-not mine). He came from the original herd I tried to save back in 2005.  Rooster is a Palomino.  Not a more loving horse will you find.  He follows you around, stares in-or opens- the back door if he wants to encourage a hand out of carrots &, apples or watermelon. Regardless of a bribe, out comes a big 'ole slurpy tongue.  Rooster will literally lick you like a dog.  When he arrived. he was about 700 lbs.  Due to his shaggy wintertime coat the total skin & bone skeleton was not quite as apparent until warmer weather encouraged a very slow shedding of his coat.  Rooster has a cresty neck & is insulin intolerant.  He is a blessing & has improved over the years to 1,000 pounds now, with minimal feeding.  He is loved by all & is a favorite for short rides.  He is like a man with a tall hat when you put a saddle on him-he becomes the leader of the ride.  Once the saddle is off, he goes back to lowest in the pecking order yet always high among humans!!!  Happy Horse Haven is Rooster’s forever home. 

NEW YEARS RESCUE 2007, 27 TEXAS HORSES:                            

This is Ms. Sassy Pants, a beautiful long lashed young wild mare.  Late in 2007 it was brought to my attention that a herd of 27 horses was being sold to slaughter. Oddly, these horses were not sick, just unwanted. The owner couldn't keep them & wanted a fast way out. This was my first "eye opening exposure to the senseless slaughter of sound horses". How could anyone slaughter young healthy horses?? Of course, I became involved in the rescue. At New Years, momentum was rallied for adoption and fortunately many were pre-adopted sight unseen. The remaining herd was brought to Happy Horse Haven. In a few brief weeks due to local newspaper exposure & support from the community, 8 were adopted out, with 4 more over time as well. Only one was not adopted - the young mare whom I named Ms. Sassy Pants. She gave birth to Equinox.  He was given the name Equinox (Equi for short) because he was born on the calendar day of the vernal Equinox. Another horse from the herd, a wild stud (whom we quickly gelded along with the other studs), was a stand out because of his gorgeous markings. He was immediately adopted & desired by many. Time passed & he was never picked up so he still remains at Happy Horse Haven Rescue. I later named him Cherokee. Equinox is gelded, halter broke, trailer trained and pad/saddled ready - just waiting for his forever home. Cherokee has had round pen time and has had a halter on. He is still wild, (more scared of humans than anything). 

 
NORTH DAKOTA RESCUE of NINE REGISTERED HORSES 2008:

This registered pregnant APQH mare arrived from North Dakota. She is a unique Cremello. Later giving birth to a sweet, registered buckskin foal, this deserving mare still resides at HHH. In 2008, Cremello was 1 of 7 registered pregnant mares headed for slaughter, along with 2 registered studs. Only 2-4 horses were to remain at HHH, but due to economics & the need for safe re-cooperation, the entire herd stayed. Sadly, upon arrival, one sorrel mare (who had dropped 3 times on the ride from North Dakota to Texas) was near death due to long term neglect. This sorrel, whom I later named Navjo Red, is now perfectly healthy & back to full weight. HHH found loving homes for 2 of the pregnant mares. Both had world champion backgrounds & both later gave birth to registered healthy foals. (Me Me & Thor). All 4 healthy horses reside within 30 miles of HHH. 

JOURNEY’S JOURNEY

Meet Journey, who had truly made quite the Journey in his life. This gentleman was found on the side of a Texas road in Waco. Journey was unclaimed and therefore went for rehabilitation at Happy Horse Haven’s rescue facilities. Journey was a unique story; not only was he emaciated when he was found, he also lacked the muscle to control basic bodily function. Through months of rehab; a new feeding program, teeth care, and hoof care he is now a working member of the equine society at Happy Horse Haven. He has made a full recovery because of the day he arrived at Happy Horse Haven.