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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center

This weekend there was an open house at the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center (click here).  It's a safe haven for horses that have been removed from an abusive situation by law enforcement officials.  The goal is to get these horses healthy, and to make them good candidates for adoption through training.


The facility was donated by the big-hearted owner of Harmony Sporthorses.  Talk about giving back.  It's 168 acres, and it's top notch.

Walking up to the Adoption Barn,
there are pens to the left.

Inside, there are stalls with attached runs.
Each horse had a sign with his name, photo,
and a bit about him.

There's also a huge indoor arena in the Adoption Barn.

Read no farther if you are a big softie like me, and can't bear
these horse's stories.

The horses all have heartbreaking stories.  I will spare you the worst.  Many were from foreclosures, where the owners moved out and left the horses behind. Some weren't found for months.

Pretty Harley here was one of 23 mares and stallions in a field.  In addition to starving, the stallions were trying to kill each other.  Harley was so terrified, he'd rather go through a fence than be touched.  And when the flight instinct didn't work, he opted for fight, attacking the rescuers.  I wish you could see him now, loose, following his trainer around like a puppy dog.  He was smitten.

This pinto was kept in a stall and never let out.  Not once.
And the stall was never cleaned.  Not once.
For 3 years.

I am so thankful for the good guys.
   

16 comments:

Dom said...

What an incredible place. Do they have a website to donate through?

Terry said...

Yes! Dom, your brilliant! (or maybe I'm an idiot, lol) I am updating my post to include the website. Thanks!

Lori Skoog said...

What a fabulous and meaningful facility. I could not be more impressed with it and the work done there. Kudos....big kudos!

Your header shot is so beautiful!

Dreaming said...

I hadn't heard the story of the pinto. How awful!
What struck us was that 90% of the horses are at Harmony because of ignorance on the owners' part. Once they are educated the horses are returned. It made me feel a little bit better that horses weren't being mistreated purposefully. But then, you look at the number of animals at Harmony, and understand that they are the 10% that can't go back - and you realize how huge this problem is! I just can't understand how people could be cruel to any animals.
The facility is absolutely beautiful!

Texan said...

What a nice facility for the horses. Animal rescue groups are so great!

Carly said...

My horse Skip was found tied up in a field with bailing twine with two other horses. The other two were dead from starvation, and you could see where the horses had resorted to trying to eat each others manes off. Skip was to weak to stand and had to live in a sling for the first few months I owned him, and some how he managed to survive.

This post made me bawl! Thank goodness for big hearted people. I'll def be sending a donation their way.

Lara Elizabeth said...

We visited the Harmony Center this weekend, too - what a place. I'm so happy that these horses are being given a second chance.

Oak Creek Ranch said...

What a wonderful beautiful rescue!

Oak Creek Ranch said...

Oh and I keep forgetting to tell you how much I love that header photo.

Terry said...

How awful! I have just started following your blog, and I had no idea of Skip's history. Kudos to you. David doesn't know it yet (he may suspect), but someday I'm going to have a rescue horse too. I want to do some good.

Terry said...

Me too, Lara. Next time, let's meet up!

Inger said...

What a magnificent place! Once you begin to work in animal rescue, the stories are so horrible, it's unbelievable to learn how badly some people treat animals. I worked at the donkey rescue next door here for a couple of years and it was the same horror stories concerning the donkeys. Thanks for sharing about this place. Anything that gives you some hope is good and this place looks great, the facilities, the horses, everything.

Ruth said...

Oh WOW! What an awesome place. Working at a place like that would be so satisfying - helping those poor horses.

Love the header :)

in2paints said...

What a lovely place, and what a wonderful thing they're doing for horses!

Jim said...

WOW! Like a resort! These horses are very fortunate to be here. What a kind soul to have made this all possible!!

thecrazysheeplady said...

Wow! What a great place!!!