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Because Every Horse Matters
We share the story of every horse we’ve helped because every horse matters and their stories deserve to be told.
We celebrate every gelding procedure knowing they will have better lives and won’t be contributing to the unwanted horse population. We honour every horse who was given the Last Act of Kindness knowing they were given a peaceful dignified ending. It means they were spared the horrors of the slaughter pipeline, which no horse deserves.
Some of the stories may be hard to read but please know they all knew love, even if it was only in the last season of their life. Many stories are heartwarming, a testament to the love between a horse and their person.
Thank you to our donors for making a difference in the lives of horses across the country.
Much loved bonded pair
While some stories are hard share, others are a joy. These beautiful girls were blessed to live their long lives together with the same owner, one since birth and the other since she was a yearling. It is hard to imagine anything better for a horse. It fills our hearts with so much gratitude, a joyous reminder of the deep love and commitment people have for their horses. When the time came that their aging bodies were catching up with them, they were lovingly given the Last A
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Handsome Jack
There are just some stories that are hard to write, but they need to be told, for so many reasons. The story of Handsome Jack is one of those, because his life mattered. In August, Freedom's Gate Equine Rescue Society was contacted by their local Stockyard about a horse who had been dumped there over the weekend. They told them that if they could come and get him he was free, but warned that he was a skeleton. They hooked up the trailer and headed out. He was in such poor sh
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 142 min read
Whiz
Whiz came into the care of The Parsons Animal Rescue Foundation as an owner surrender in 2021. Her owner could no longer afford to provide for her but she didn't want to send her to auction. We are so grateful she reached out for help instead and that Parsons Animal Rescue had room. Whiz had spent most of her life as a reining horse, competing at various competitions on a variety of levels. She had a lot of life experience to offer the younger ones at the rescue and she embr
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Buck
This poor little guy was recently rescued at auction. Just a yearling, he already suffered an eye injury and he was very skinny. No one was bidding on him, which never bodes well for a horse's future. Thankfully came to be with Horseheroesalberta and they have given him the care and feed he needs. When it came time for him to become a good citizen we were so pleased to provide them with our Gelding Grant.
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
A responsible breeder
A beautiful Tennessee Walker, this boy was sold by a breeder who they ended up taking back due to incompatibility. We recognize that there is a place for responsible horse breeding and we salute those who are committed to ensuring quality offspring. We are especially pleased when breeders take back their horses when things don't work out as planned. That is responsible breeding at its best. It was time for this guy to become a good citizen. We were so pleased to support his o
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Thatcher
It is a miracle this little guy is still with us. Pregnant, extremely skinny and weak, his dam was rescued at auction. It is so hard to imagine sending a very pregnant mare to auction. What is perhaps even harder to imagine is neglecting and starving a pregnant horse. Thankfully she was rescued by Horseheroesalberta and soon after gave birth to Thatcher in the safety of their farm. Sadly, despite good care, three weeks later she passed away due to an internal rupture. Poor T
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Skipper
Skipper is a stunning pony with great bloodlines. Sold as a yearling to someone as "a project", the match didn't quite work out. Skipper is highly sensitive, shy and very smart, a combination that takes a very skilled horse person to know how to properly start young colt. He was also forced to live alone due to being a stud and the behaviours that go along with that. Thankfully he was taken in by The Heart of Horsemanship , people who know all about ponies, gentle training an
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Petey
This beautiful little boy, Petey, was rescued at auction along with his dam, Portia. She was so scared she would lash out, striking at whoever got too close. With time, patience and gentle handling, Portia is now halter trained, comfortable with people and nice to be around. And her little colt? He is has been gelded and is available for adoption with his dam. Thanks to Horseheroesalberta for saving them and giving them a chance at a good life. We were so pleased to have bee
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Another very fortunate horse
This beautiful mare used to pack people around the mountains of Alberta. Then she found herself with a family who had hoped to be a good mount for them and their children. But soon after she arrived they realized she was struggling with her vision. She became quite spooky and difficult to catch. Thankfully, that did not put them off and she stayed with them for another 5 years, enjoying lush pasture, grooming and lots of love. When the time came that her ailing body caught up
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Violet
Every horse steals our hearts but there are always some that we have a special soft spot for. One of those is saved for seniors but another one is saved for minis. Both are often not rideable and in the horse world that sadly can often mean they are not valued. A horse that isn't valued is at high risk of neglect and being sold into the slaughter pipeline. We were especially saddened to learn about Violet. She arrived at Hopeful Hooves Equine Rescue Society in very poor cond
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 142 min read
A very good life, one blessed horse
Some horses are fortunate to be blessed with good lives. This beautiful mare spent the last fifteen years of her life at the same home with her human and animal family. She had been given to them by another family whose daughter had outgrown her and moved on to a more skilled horse. They chose to responsibly rehome her instead of taking her to auction. At her new home she taught another generation all about horses and riding. When the time came that it was clear her body was
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Ellie
Rescue is really hard, and when the animal you have rescued is so traumatized by their experience with humans that they fear everyone, there is a whole other aspect to the emotional journey of rescue work. There is the rabbit hole of imagining what they had been through, which is never a good place to put one's mind to. But then with time, a safe, calm environment, they decompress, you begin to see them relax and the light come back into their eyes. The emotional high of bein
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 142 min read
Libby
Every horse is special but there is something extra special about the ones who are part of any therapeutic riding program. Libby was with Pony Pals Therapeutic Riding Association since its inception in 2002. Such a good pony, she helped hundreds of children gain mobility, freedom and a sense of true confidence and joy. She helped children to discover and experience independence as well as a place where they belong in this world. The children she helped were from 4-12 years o
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Sage
We don't normally share photos with people in them but this time we have special permission. Leslie and her family started Sage Stables in honour of Sage, the horse who started it all. I think many rescuers can relate, there was that one horse that started it all. For me it was Hope and Horse Aid Canada would never have happened without her. It is a legacy of her love and all she taught me. Leslie wanted to share Sage's story. "She had been taken to a cattle auction in northe
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 143 min read
Angus
Angus was rescued at the auction in Westlock, Alberta by 5 Freedoms Ranch Rescue in 2022. He thin, had lice and a bit of a crooked leg and arthritis. Once he was treated and on a good diet he got his spunk back. He could often be seen bucking and playing with the younger horses. His rescuers always said of Angus that he was the perfect specimen of a horse, one that took care of his riders, but was likely started too young. This summer it became clear he was struggling and at
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Duke
Duke was rescued by 5 Freedoms Ranch Rescue at the Tofield auction in Alberta in the summer of 2000. He was standing in the corner of a pen, his head hung low, thin and clearly in pain. Once back at the rescue he was seen by a vet and started on medication for ulcers. With that and good food, Duke quickly became a happy healthy horse once again. We are so grateful to 5 Freedoms for rescuing Duke. He was a kind, gentle soul who found his groove loving on the young baby horses.
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
PMU farms = unwanted babies
PMU farms, where urine is collected from pregnant mares (for the medication Premarin, a hormone replacement therapy for menopause), were once part of a major industry in Canada. That industry has declined drastically since its peak in the 1990s, for a variety of reasons. One of the consequences was hundreds of horses (maybe thousands), mares and babies, were brought to auction. The lucky ones founds new homes. Many were sold for slaughter. There is so much more to this subjec
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Unplanned babies
These beautiful boys were the result of a couple of young rescued stallions at Horseheroesalberta escaping their pen and having some fun in the night. Managing stallions isn't always easy, even for experienced rescuers. All the more reason it was time for these two, Stimpy and Vector, to become good citizens. We were so pleased to provide them with our Gelding Grant. Our grants mean so much to horse rescue organizations. It eases the financial strain of veterinary expenses,
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Andy
A very caring person with good intentions rescued a very pregnant mare at auction. Soon after Andy was born but his mom was in such poor condition, she wasn't even able to produce any milk. She was given the Last Act of Kindness. Realizing she was in over her head, when Andy was only 5 days old she reached out to Horseheroesalberta for help. They took him in, bottle fed and raised him well. He is now a healthy yearling. It was time for him to become a good citizen and we wer
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
Remington
Remington was purchased at auction by a kill buyer. Later he offered him to Horseheroesalberta if they were willing to pay more than what he did. Thankfully they said "yes" and this sweet boy was saved. But he arrived as a stallion so he needed to be gelded. We are so pleased to have been able to provide them with our Gelding Grant. Now Remington can live his life as a good citizen. Horses have much better lives as geldings, for so many reasons. Breeding should only be done
Horse Aid Canada
Mar 141 min read
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