Horses that Help provides FREE horseback riding and horsemanship training to special needs children, at-risk youth, veterans and their families, using rescued and rehabilitated horses.
“Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something”
Max Lucado
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24,267Horses That Help
A non-profit 501(c)3 equine rescue and sanctuary. A safe landing for at-risk horses.
Two years ago, we partnered with Tough1 and were able to help dozens of horse owners impacted by Hurricane Ian. Well this weekend, Jack, the founder of Tough 1 called Holly and wanted to help again so we are boots on the ground and ready to distribute brand new, quality products being donated by Tough 1 to help Floridians replace what was lost during Helene and Milton! Our hearts hurt for everyone affected and we’re happy to be able to bring some joy and ease a little bit of the burden. Please help us by sharing and getting the word out and if you’ve been affected by these storms, please send us an email at [email protected] with your *contact name, farm address, and phone number along with a description of the damage and your “wish list” of products needed… i.e. halters, fly sheets, fly masks, along with size estimates. We’re trying to keep everything organized so once we receive the donations we can effectively sort and deliver quickly. Thank you and God bless and please join me in thanking Tough 1 for their heart to help! A blessing indeed!!! ❤️OMG, this is the video recap Cheyne Ranch made of the rescue of our two senior fosters. Made me cry and shocked at the amount of rushing water they drove through! They had angels guiding them for sure! 🙏Yesterday’s swift rescue was nothing short of miraculous and proved how good people getting together can do anything! Two of our foster horses were hit hard by #Milton and in standing water. Their foster was a lovely lady but overwhelmed and as soon as we saw the photo knew we couldn’t leave them there, especially at their age. Several people offered to go down from Ocala but traffic southbound was a standstill and it wasn’t looking good but then Sally Ann Cheyne of Cheyne Ranch (a great non-profit we befriended several years ago when they adopted one of our horses) offered to go in the from the east and when looking at the roads it looked sketchy but promising. Sally and 3 teenagers hooked up the trailer and drove the 2.5 hours to Plant City, waded through water to reach Smarty and Beau, loaded them safely and drove another 2.5 hours to Ocala. In the meantime, Dirty Boots LLC Home & Farm Services and Nadia Plante offered to house them temporarily while we get ducks in a row! Sally and team dropped the geldings off at 8:30pm and then started the track back to their farm 2 hours away. Heroes indeed! Huge thank you to everyone that shared and everyone that donated! It takes a village and the village sure stepped up for these sweet boys! Thank you!!!**Update: horses safe and loaded and en route to Ocala!!! Thank you Cheyne Ranch!!! Help* We need a unique, tough team with a big truck and small trailer (2 or 3 horse) willing to get into Plant City to remove 2 of our foster horses out of standing water and bring to our farm in Ocala near WEC. Beau and Smarty have been offered emergency permanent retirement with Retirement Home for Horses Inc and while we don’t have much space here, we can keep them safe and dry until space opens up with them. I say tough because you’ll need to park your rig about a half mile away and walk through water to get them and lead them out. They’re old retired reiners and have perfect manners so they’ll be gentlemen for you, but the logistics and environment may be rough. Please PM the page if you can get out today hopefully 🙏 Any donations towards helping pay for gas for the transporters and hay/grain while they’re with us is a blessing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Venmo @Horses That Help Zelle 561-281-8599 Horses That HelpToday I met an older couple who were heroes for their horses. They called us to donate all their horse supplies because 3 days prior they laid their last two horses to sleep, together, at the ages of 34 and 28. Both had health issues and were slowing down and instead of waiting for an emergency or a really bad day, they did the hardest thing ever for horse owners and gave them a planned euthanasia… together, in peace, on a good day. The pain for the humans was unimaginable and their eyes were puffy and red from all the tears they shed these past days but I assured them they were heroes for putting their horses wellbeing first, despite how hard it was for them. Hugs to the hero horse owners that ensure their horses are safe till the end ❤️(Photo is of two of our boys, who will also be safe until the end 🙏)
Our Mission
Using horses to break through physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and cultural barriers.
Early on at Horses That Help, we learned that everyone needs help in one way or another. Everyone has a story, everyone has a past, a hurt, or tender area and everyone needs love and to feel they belong.
What started as a ministry for special needs children has evolved into so much more. I think in the day and age, most children are “at-risk” and we aim to provide a safe, wholesome, loving environment where these kids can let down their guard and simply be kids. A child lights up when you point out their potential and they rise to the occasion when they are trusted to help. Something amazing happens when you take a kid from their everyday environment and expose them to nature and horses and hard work. They get to groom, ride, and wash down the horses but the best is when they are entrusted to help a special needs child that comes to ride. Now you have a kid that gets to experience the amazing feeling of helping and making a difference in the lives of others and instead of a victim of circumstance, this kid is a hero, an overcomer, a vital part of something special and that’s when the real miracles happen.
As the children heal, their families heal too. And it all starts with a kid and a horse.
Vision
Dream big… there’s a lot of people to help.
We currently serve 80-200 children a month. Kids with special needs, teens that are facing crossroads, youth that are considered “at-risk”, and teens in foster care. In this supportive, safe, caring environment, these kids are thriving and are empowered through each obstacle they overcome. They become family. These kids come to the ranch for mentoring, food, fellowship and learning. Learning not just about horses but life skills as well. But I envision even greater growth… I see mentors in place to teach mechanics and carpentry and sustainable gardening. I see teams fixing the cars of single moms and special needs families. I see teams building tables where families gather to eat the food we all prepare with the organic produce they helped grow.
I see hurting, starved, abused horses being loved on tenderly by kids who’ve been through the same. I see abandoned animals and people being made whole and given a new purpose and hope for their future.
I see good people in bad situations being helped.
I see urban youth going camping, roasting marshmellows, and riding a horse deep into the woods. Healing happens on long, quiet trail rides for both horse and rider and neither return unchanged.
I see kids that feel hopeless rising above their circumstance and becoming leaders and mentors.
I see community support and resources available to help their families and a network of people joining together to help however needed. I see lives changed for generations to come… and it all starts with a kid and a horse.
Horses
Just like people, each horse has a story…
Alvin
Mustang
Color: Bay
Age: 8 Years
Weight: 1200lbs
Moses
Tennessee Walker
Color: Blue Roan
Age: 19 Years
Weight: 1100lbs
Gus Gus
Tennessee Walker/Mustang
Color: Black
Age: 9 Years
Weight: 1500lbs
Pepper
Quarter Horse
Color: Grey
Age: 21 Years
Weight: 900lbs
Icee
American Shetland Pony
Color: Black
Age: 20 Years
Weight: 450lbs
Teddy
American Shetland Pony
Color: Black & White Paint
Age: 25+ Years
Weight: 600lbs
Rosette
American Shetland Pony
Color: Chestnut
Age: 5 Years
Weight: 500lbs
Simon
Mustang
Color: Chestnut
Age: 5 Years
Weight: 900lbs
Frisco (Cocopuff)
Mini Pony
Color: Black & White Paint
Age: 5 Years
Weight: 200lbs
Photos
Sponsors
We could never do what we do without all our amazing sponsors!
Help
Please fill out the contact form or call 561-281-8599.
Horses That Help is always looking for volunteers to help!
Ocala, FL
(561)281-8599
[email protected]
www.horsesthathelp.org