Spring of 2022, I received a phone call from an old college friend, Mattie Alewine, in dire need of finding a home for an abandoned horse. After posting the horse in a local community rescue group on Facebook she had been claimed. I assumed she did not need my help anymore and that was the end of that. If only every story was so simple. 

Unfortunately, we found out that Cheyenne’s owners didn’t want her back. Mattie offered to haul her back home for them and they insisted it was impossible to load her on a trailer. Each additional suggestion was followed with more excuses. Even worse, their story led us to believe that Cheyenne didn’t escape their home, but she was placed on this ranch. They wouldn’t share their name, address, or any contact information. Mattie had then reached out to law enforcement, but we didn’t like their solutions either.

None of that mattered to either of us because we knew we needed to find a loving home for this sweet mare no matter what. Mattie originally asked if I would take her in because, like me, she’s a young girl with an animal addiction and spends most of her salary on feeding and caring for her many critters. We both agreed it was not smart for either of us to take on another horse.

Read More: Cattle Sorting with Rescue Horses

As the manager of A Home for Every Horse, I knew I needed to reach out to the rescuers nearby. Cheyenne had missing teeth, was a little thin, and had an apparent eye infection so it was important for her to not travel far. After reaching out to a handful of AHFEH rescue members, one rescue was willing to take her in. 

Horse Feathers Equine Center in Guthrie, Oklahoma offered Cheyenne a forever home and we are so grateful for that, but I didn’t want it to stop there. It didn’t feel right to send Cheyenne off empty-handed and our program sponsors agreed. Everyone was willing to help so off I went to my local Tractor Supply for a little shopping spree. Cheyenne got delivered with a month of Purina feed and treats, a WeatherBeeta blanket, Absorbine’s Silver Honey ointment, and Absorbine’s Thrush Buster. 

Now that paperwork was signed and goodies were picked up, the hard part… getting Cheyenne on a trailer. We had a group of people gathered ready for a challenge. Without hesitation or question, Cheyenne walked right on, further confirming the intentions of her previous owners. 

When I pulled into Horse Feathers Equine Center, they already had a quarantine pen set up for Cheyenne full of hay and fresh water. Cheyenne settled right in with no stress and went right to munching on some hay. 

A week later, I checked in with Cheri at Horse Feathers Equine Center to see how she was doing and was thrilled with her response, “She has a purpose. We use her for people that are new to horses.” Knowing that a lot of rescue horses come from abandoned and neglected situations, they often aren’t easy to handle. Having a horse that can be used to educate and train volunteers is priceless. Not only did Cheyenne find a forever home, she found a meaningful new career.  

Read More: No Longer Unwanted

Another week later, the dentist was out to do an exam on Cheyenne. When working on her, some teeth even fell out. The dentist estimated Cheyenne to be closer to 40 years old. This made Cheyenne a great fit for Horse Feathers “Senior Ole Timers Club”. The Ole Timers Club is a weekly program for the senior community to gather, socialize and spend time with horses. The seniors relate to Cheyenne in her elderly years and Cheyenne, in return, shows them love and patience. 

For any horse owners out there struggling to keep their horse, no matter the reason, the United Horse Coalition has many resources on responsible horse ownership. Check out this booklet, Own Responsibly, at the link below, so we can work together to help America’s Horses at risk or in transition. For more resources go to unitedhorsecoalition.org.

Horse Feathers Equine Center

Horse Feathers Equine Center is a 501(c)(3) non profit dedicated and committed to providing services to horses that are found to be in need of healthcare, nutrition, and rehabilitation. We will assist abused, neglected and abandoned horses in need on a discretionary basis by rehabilitating, training, and placing them in a forever home. Check out horsefeathersequinecenter.org to learn more. 

A Home For Every Horse

This content was provided by A Home For Every Horse, a resource for nonprofit horse rescues, sanctuaries, and care facilities. Rescue organizations involved with A Home For Every Horse are eligible for many benefits from program sponsors. Learn more at ahomeforeveryhorse.com.

It’s only thanks to our generous sponsors—Purina Horse Feed, Absorbine, WeatherBeeta, and Tractor Supply Co.—that A Home For Every Horse is able to provide necessary resources to more than 600 horse rescues per year.