Horse Shelter Heroes – S4E22
Life at the shelter doesn’t slow down for the holidays! Even with the Fourth of July around the corner, our team has been working overtime to ensure every animal gets the care they deserve.
From long-time friends returning to the barn to a special road trip across the Midwest, this week was a true testament to the power of rescue.
🎥 Watch the full episode here: Horse Shelter Heroes -S4E22
A Familiar Face Returns
We are beyond thrilled to welcome back a fan favorite from Season 1 of Horse Shelter Heroes! Todd, an incredible horse trainer, has returned to help us with training and evaluating our unhandled rescues.
With nearly 30 horses currently at the facility, many of them needing significant groundwork, Todd’s expert hands are a huge blessing.
Todd immediately got to work with Murray, the horse with a distinctive growth on her hoof, to see how she handles basic cues. Having that extra support allows our head trainer, Kory, to focus on the more complex cases while we get our rescues ready for their forever homes.
Meet the Team: Kory O’Connor
Since it’s a quieter week with some of the crew away, we wanted to spotlight our Head Horse Trainer, Kory. Kory has been with us for nearly two years and manages a rotating schedule of about 12 horses a day. He’s a California native who found his “second home” here in Tennessee.
Whether he’s working with neglected animals or enjoying a bit of disc golf on his off hours, Kory’s passion for seeing the behavioral change in rescued horses is what keeps our training program thriving.
Volunteers: The Unsung Heroes
Monthly volunteer day brings extra energy to the shelter. Cleaning, grooming, and supporting veterinary care, the volunteers make a huge difference in keeping the environment safe and welcoming for all animals. Their efforts, combined with the staff’s dedication, ensure every horse, cat, and puppy gets the attention they deserve.
Progress & Challenges at the Vet Barn
It was a big week for Glimmer! We performed his weekly ear treatment, and Dr. Nancy is pleasantly surprised by the progress. While the margins of his ears are taking a bit longer to heal than the centers, the medication is clearly working.
We’ll be keeping him in his fly mask to prevent sunburn as we continue this long but hopeful road to recovery.
However, rescue work always has its hurdles. During a training session with Harvest, Kory noticed a significant limp. It turns out she has a deep split in her hoof that was causing her quite a bit of pain.
Harvest is now on official stall rest with a regimen of daily foot soaks and pain management.
Kittens, Puppies & Happy Tails
It wasn’t just about the horses this week! We had a surprise surrender of two adorable puppies and our vet team spent the day getting several kittens, including the feisty Dusty, caught up on their vaccines and rabies shots.
The best part of the week was seeing so many happy tails head home. Dapper and Willow found their perfect match and went off to start their new life with their loving family.
Meanwhile, Tangerine the cat was officially adopted by our very own Caitlin and Kory! A foster-fail in the best way possible, Tangerine is now heading home to live with his mama, who they also adopted.
On the Road with Horse Rescue Heroes
While things were buzzing at the shelter, Tawnee and Jason headed to Missouri and Kansas to film for Horse Rescue Heroes. They visited Hope in the Valley Equine Rescue and Peaceful Pastures Donkey Rescue, where they witnessed the heartbreaking reality of neglected hooves.
Watching a donkey with hooves so overgrown and hardened they felt like steel was a sobering reminder of why specialized rescues are so vital.
Despite the heat, humidity, and a few storms, the team captured incredible footage of innovative feeding setups and large herds of rescued equines. It’s been a busy month of travel, but seeing the work of other organizations keeps us inspired to keep pushing forward.
Because of You
With over a thousand animals helped already this year, every adoption, donation and volunteer hour contributes to brighter futures. Watching these animals run free in green pastures reminds the team, and all of us, why this work matters.
Twenty years in, Horse Plus Humane Society continues to transform lives, one hoofbeat at a time.
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: Long Bad Hooves – Horse Shelter Heroes S4E22
Your donations and shares truly make a difference — one horse, one rescue, and one story at a time.