Horse Shelter Heroes – Episode 11 – March 12 – 18
As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across Tennessee, the nation, and the world, Horse Plus Humane Society is putting safety first, while continuing to deliver unwavering care to the horses who depend on them.
🎥 Watch the full episode here: Horse Shelter Heroes: Episode 11
Putting Safety First During COVID-19
With a statewide emergency in effect, the shelter has made the difficult but necessary choice to close to the public and begin shelter-in-place operations. While visitors can’t come through the gates right now, the commitment to the animals hasn’t shifted an inch.
The horses continue receiving their daily veterinary care, feedings, and enrichment. The team remains on-site, masked up, careful, and devoted. Their message is simple: our thoughts and prayers are with everyone navigating this crisis, and our horses will still get the care they deserve.
Quarantine Challenges: Influenza in the Barn
Alongside the global pandemic, another health concern has touched the shelter. One of the horses in quarantine has tested positive for equine influenza, with a few others suspected. Out of caution, auction rescues are temporarily paused until the illness clears.
Layer COVID restrictions on top of quarantine protocols, and the team agreed: this is not the time to risk the safety of staff by attending crowded auction environments. Their energy is focused on the animals already in their care, and the ones who will inevitably need them soon.
A Promise Kept: We’re Still Accepting At-Risk Horses
Even with the shelter closed to the public, one promise still stands strong: they will continue accepting horses from owners impacted by the pandemic. Many families are struggling, and the shelter knows that more horses may need a safe landing spot in the weeks to come.
Four New Arrivals: Healthy, Sweet, and Ready for Evaluation
This week brought four new surrendered horses through the gates; all healthy, friendly, and previously ridden. Now they’re awaiting veterinary checks and training assessments so the team can chart the best path forward for each one.
Among them is 20-year-old Kinsley, a calm, kind-eyed mare who’s already winning hearts.
Building Trust with the Babies
In the training arena, the crew is spending extra hands-on time with the young ones. Soft brushing, gentle desensitization, and trust-building exercises are helping the babies relax and learn that people are safe.
Flickr, one of the little ones, arrived shy and unsure, but a few days of consistent care have her warming up fast.
Keeping Supplies Flowing
To reduce off-site trips, a local feed supplier has begun delivering grain directly to the shelter. It’s a small logistical change, but one that helps the team stay safe and focused on the animals.
Vet Day: X-Rays, Exams, and Tough News
With eight horses lined up for evaluation, the veterinary team rolled in with the portable X-ray machine. Some horses just needed standard checks. Others revealed deeper issues.
One particularly concerning case showed a coffin bone significantly eaten away, with attempts to regrow filling in the gaps, a clear sign of an old, painful injury. These difficult discoveries are part of the shelter’s mission: uncover the truth, ease suffering, and give every horse the best chance possible.
Want to help more horses like the ones in this episode? Visit the Horse Plus Humane Society website to learn how you can support rescue, rehabilitation, and healing.
Watch the full episode here: Horse Shelter Heroes – Episode 11 – March 12 – 18
Your donations and shares truly make a difference — one horse, one rescue, and one story at a time.