On average, AHFEH member organizations find forever homes for over 1,000 horses on an annual basis. In 2022, there was an estimated 7,829 horses being cared for at AHFEH rescue organizations. 1,241 of those horses were adopted into their forever home. Celebrate with us by recognizing 4 of those 1,241.
Bonanza
This lovely mare showed up malnourished and underweight, with a horrible abscess in her frog that caused a lot of pain and swelling in her leg. On top of that, she had elevated liver enzyme levels. We were unsure if she would make it. Our dedicated staff spent days carefully soaking and wrapping the foot until the abscess finally started to heal.
With her abscess healed, Bonanza wasn’t out of the storm yet – her liver enzyme levels were still elevated, and she wasn’t putting on the weight she needed. Then, during one of many vet visits, we found the cause of her elevated enzyme levels: gallstones! We were able to quickly get her health under control after this diagnosis. Before we knew it, Bonanza’s health had improved immensely, and she was ready for her forever home!
Compared to her arrival, Bonanza’s departure from Longmeadow was as smooth as ever. She found an incredible home with a great family.
Charm
This horse was out of a mare, Lucky, that was removed from a horrible neglect situation. She grew up at the Ranch and was a joy to be around. She had a fun personality and kept staff members on their toes. As she grew up with the other equine, we realized that she was the top mare in whatever pasture we put her in. Although Charm’s personality was that of a little troublemaker, she passed our groundwork classes and farrier trims with flying colors. She was great for her medications and treatments and didn’t mind being led around and doted on by staff members. The day Charm left the Ranch, she politely loaded onto her new trailer as if she knew exactly where she was going.
Now, Miss Charm gets to experience a new home outside of Longmeadow for the first time in her life. She was born at Longmeadow, grew up here, and is now starting her new chapter in her forever home. How “lucky” is she!
Santana
The sweet donkey, Santana, came to Longmeadow in October from an abandonment case. We don’t know how long he had been living there without humans, but it was obvious he had been neglected for years. He had grossly overgrown hooves and could barely walk. Our veterinarian took radiographs and luckily his hooves were in a manageable condition. With such long hooves he had been unable to stand properly, and his tendons, ligaments and muscles were sore from supporting his own weight at such abnormal angles.
Thankfully, our dedicated farrier (and miracle worker) Tom worked his magic, gradually trimming his curling feet down week after week until Santana could stand like a normal donkey. It still took time for his legs to adjust to carrying his weight correctly and to be able to move without pain. Before we knew it, he was moving and shaking like a normal donkey! He was able to be turned out with new friends and enjoy his new life without pain.
Now, Santana gets to go to an amazing home with his adopter Mike! He’ll get to live out the rest of his life with new feet and new friends, in a place where he’ll be loved and cared for.
Waco
Our Waco came to us seven years ago as an unhandled stallion and has spent almost every day with us since. He was scared, timid, and lacked confidence. But as time went on, his true potential began to show. Slowly but surely, his groundwork started to progress. He started to become desensitized to new surroundings, and his confidence grew. And eventually, his true personality peaked out.
Fast forward a few years – Jen walks through Longmeadow’s doors ready for a new adventure. She had told her husband she couldn’t volunteer at a dog shelter because she would come home with a dog. They both agreed Longmeadow would be a perfect place for volunteering, because she could never come home with a horse…HA!
But Jen took one look at Waco and fell for him. She spent hours of her time every week with him and got to know him well while he was on stall rest recovering from an injury. They became pals, and Jen knew from the moment she began working with him that he was the horse she was taking home.
And, without her even realizing it, the day she decided to give him that forever home was his seven-year anniversary at Longmeadow. To. The. Day.
Longmeadow Rescue Ranch
Nestled among 165-acres of woodland near Union, Missouri, the Humane Society of Missouri’s Longmeadow Rescue Ranch is haven for hundreds of abused and neglected horses, cows, goats, pigs, ducks and other
farm animals.
