Horse Shelter Heroes – Episode 22 – May 21 – 27
This week’s episode of Horse Shelter Heroes is everything we love about rescue work—heartfelt goodbyes, powerful saves, late-night dedication, and the promise of new beginnings.
🎥 Watch the full episode here: Horse Shelter Heroes – Episode 22 – May 21 – 27
A Little Pony’s Big New Life
The episode opens with pure joy: a once-very-sick pony who went through extensive rehab at the shelter is finally heading to his new home. His transformation has amazed the vet team, and now he’ll be loved by the five-year-old boy who calls him “my daddy love you pony.” It’s the emotional fuel that keeps rescue work going.
Feeding the Future
With rain finally letting up, a fresh load of feed arrives from the Co-Op. The team jumps straight into unloading—it’s the little behind-the-scenes moments that keep the entire operation moving.
Quarantine Makeover: A Tour of the Healing Grounds
Because auction rescues paused during COVID-19, the quarantine area grew a little wild. But now it’s coming back to life:
- Barns with covered areas for horses arriving in large groups
- Dedicated quarantine stalls for critical cases or small animals
- A stunning 10-acre pasture—a true “vacation field” where cleared horses graze, splash in the pond, and simply be horses again
This peaceful pasture is where many traumatized auction horses finally feel safe.
A Long Auction Night Begins
As the sun goes down, the rescue team heads to the auction determined to save as many horses as possible. While they work through the night, staff back at the office answer messages, coordinate donations, and prepare for incoming horses.
Throughout the evening, Tawnee steps outside between bidding rounds to update supporters:
“Keep the donations coming, we’re rescuing horses tonight and more in the future!”
Dozens Saved…And the Real Work Begins
When the auction finally ends, the team has saved many horses, including a heavily pregnant mare who needs special transport. As trucks roll homeward, the shelter gears up, stalls filled with fresh shavings, water buckets set out, microchips, vaccines, and medical supplies lined up on the intake table.
The New Arrivals
Once at the shelter, the real assessments begin. Each horse receives a full veterinary and farrier evaluation, x-rays when needed, and immediate care.
Some of the cases include:
❗ A very pregnant mare
She’s rushed into a spacious, cushy stall. Everyone holds their breath—will the baby arrive tonight?
❗ A severely skinny gelding
Coughing, runny nose, weak. He needs rest, meds, and gentle care.
❗ A sweet horse with alarming lumps
Multiple masses raise concern for cancer. Tissue samples are taken and sent to a state lab.
❗ A horse with a possible gunshot wound
A puncture between the eyes could indicate someone tried to shoot the horse improperly. Vet exams will determine the truth.
❗ A donkey with painful, overgrown hooves
X-rays show no rotation—good news! Under anesthesia, the farrier reshapes his hooves so he can finally walk comfortably.
❗ A mare with severe founder
Despite corrective trimming and imaging, chronic lameness makes recovery impossible. She’s given peaceful, compassionate euthanasia.
It’s the hardest part of rescue—but far more humane than the slaughter pipeline she escaped.
Surprises, Lessons & Care
Not everything is as it first appears—like a mare thought to be pregnant who, after an exam, turns out not to be expecting after all.
Meanwhile, lice treatments begin (a summer auction rescue tradition!), and the horses prepare for freedom.
The Best Moment: Turning Them Out
After medical care, documentation, and plenty of patience, it’s time for the rescued horses to run free in quarantine pasture.
As they trot, buck, roll, and explore, you can see the transformation happening already.
For many, this is the first taste of safety they’ve felt in a very long time.
From the Auction Pen to a Second Chance
This episode highlights the lifeblood of Horse Plus Humane Society:
tireless rescue, compassionate care, transparency, and giving every horse, no matter their past, a chance at peace or a humane ending.
Your donations make nights like this possible.
Your support gives them hope.
And hope is what every horse deserves.
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 22 – May 21 – 27
Your donations and shares truly make a difference — one horse, one rescue, and one story at a time.