We would like to introduce Carly as our volunteer of the month of February. Each month, our volunteer team votes on a volunteer that is the “Volunteer of the Month.”
Carly was nominated by multiple people for the passion and drive she brings to the rescue. Carly is one of our newer volunteers and while she is not a current horse owner, she has previously ridden dressage with her previous horse, Chief.
Carly had approximately two days of training before I was diagnosed with COVID and as the saying goes, she was “baptized by fire.” Carly stepped up and was at the farm every opportunity that she could be here to help ensure that the horses were cared for.
On Carly’s volunteer inquiry, her answer to why she wanted to volunteer was because she was really missing the connection with horses that she had after losing her horse in July and moving to the area in October.
Carly continues to be a huge asset to the rescue in her dedication to their care and also assisting in training of new volunteers as they come in. Please join us in not only welcoming Carly to the CVHR team but also in being nominated and chosen as our Volunteer of the Month of February!
In late 2018 we pulled a dapple gray BLM Mustang mare we named Fable and her little baby colt from a kill pen in Oklahoma. The colt we named Chase and we watched him grow alongside his mother at our farm in Kenbridge.
Baby Chase with his mother in 2018.
Chase was moved to our Fredericksburg farm location in June of 2020. When his pasture mate was adopted we sent him on a training foster with one of our volunteers. At that time, Chase was unable to be handled in the slightest bit. His halter remained on at all times with a lead dangle at the bottom so that you could grab him if you needed to. The sound of the clip from the lead line would cause him to bolt. Cindy had made great progress with him before his gelding but the gelding process set him back again and we were starting over with gaining his trust.
Chase at his foster farm morning February 7, 2021.
Chase has remained with his handler until today when we were able to successfully move him from their barn to the Advantage Horsemanship barn in Stafford. Moving Chase to the Advantage Horsemanship barn was a task but with a lot of teamwork from both locations we were able to get him onto the trailer and then off of the trailer and into the corral they set up specifically for him.
Chase has proven to be an incredibly intelligent horse through his training however that also makes his training a little more difficult. Chase remembered his touch training that he had been doing with his handler today with Scott during his initial meet once we got him to their barn. He was curious enough to want to come up to us while we had him corralled and would continue to take treats or his feed from our hands. Eventually, after a lot of patience and work, Scott was able to get the final clip attached on Chase’s halter and we all decided to leave things on a good note with him at that point.
Scott’s initial work with Chase on his halter.
We are looking forward to seeing Chase progress further with Scott at their facility. You can follow his progress on their Facebook page, Advantage Horsemanship with Scott Purdum. Additionally, we will be sharing progress reports through our website and social media. We know great things are in store for Chase and we are excited to give him this opportunity to advance his training.
You can sponsor Chase’s training through PayPal, Facebook or Venmo.
Sugar is our Standardbred Christmas pony! When Sugar arrived at the Rescue, she was underweight and anxious/shy of humans. With patience and time from our volunteers, Sugar has gained weight and slowly learned to trust. She willingly lets our volunteers approach her in the pasture and loves a good neck rub! Last weekend was Sugar’s first day under saddle and she did great! She is now available for adoption!
Spice is our 11 year old Quarter Horse! When Spice came to us we had very little information on her and didnt know if she had ever been under saddle previously. We have now had her under saddle twice and the determination is that she is still very green. We have worked with Scott Purdum at Advantage Horsemanship to come up with a training plan to prepare her for her adoptive home.
Spice handles very well on the ground with the exception of wanting to pick up her feet for grooming and the farrier. Before she can be made available for adoption, she will need to be able to do the basic things. Our volunteer team continues to work with her on these items.
Spice is looking for sponsors for her training. If you are interested in being her sponsor, please click the links below.
There have been a lot of ups and downs in the last 4 weeks since the Christmas ponies have arrived at CVHR. We never really know what kind of issues a horse is going to have when we bring it in. We have a lot of experience in dealing with horses that are starving and need rehabilitation. We know how to kick start their recovery. What to feed them. What happens when they lay down and can’t get up. It never seems to fail though that one of them will always keep us on our toes.
St. Nick – The Choking Quarter Horse
We saw his pictures online. We saw the complete defeat and lack of will to live in his eyes and we knew that you would want us to save him. Nick is an 8 year old quarter horse. They tell us he came from a lesson barn in New York. He looked like he was involved in a train wreck. Who could have allowed him to become so beat up?
Unhealing ulcers developed inside of Nicks mouth.
On the very first day that Nick arrived, after we took his intake photos we fed him and he immediately choked. With the guidance from our vet, Dr. Moga, and our founder, Cindy, we were able to get him through the choking episode and started providing him UlcerGard to sooth the ulcers that we determined were the cause of his severe discomfort. I’ll never forget watching him and trying to understand why he was giving ALL of the signs of a colicking horse that was not colicked. There was no way. He had maybe two bites of his food. He had pooped yet here he was in pain and discomfort kicking at his stomach and all he wanted to do was lay down.
We took him out of his stall and walked him and massaged his throat. We gave him some meds to relieve the discomfort and pain and we comforted him the best we could. He was moved to an all soaked alfalfa diet with UlcerGard treatment daily and waited a few days for the UlcerGard to work and then put him on a feed specific for horses who tend to get ulcers and tried again. Exactly one week after his first choke, he choked again! This time it was clear that he was not going to be able to pass it on his own and Dr Moga came to the farm and tubed him. We determined his esophagus was swollen. He had multiple clogs in his throat and all of his food was removed for the rest of the night to give him time to rest his throat from the tubing. The next night, he choked again but this time on soaked alfalfa.
Nick eating his soaked pelleted feed.
After his third choke we made the decision to send him to the clinic to get scoped. Maybe there was something anatomically wrong with his throat causing him to choke? 8 year old horses don’t choke. The scope revealed most of what we already knew. He had stomach ulcers. His esophagus was swollen. They even performed a barium swallow to see if they could find anything that would be causing him to choke and they could not. He was sent home with very specific instructions for feeding and a new medication to be given after the UlcerGard.
Fast forward to today…. Nick has consistently choked at least once a week. In all of our reviews of what exactly happened each of the days he choked there is nothing consistent that we can pin point that is causing it. During each vet exam we did notice something curious and that is an unhealing ulcer that has been there for roughly 3 weeks now. We also discovered 3 more in subsequent exams of his mouth. This added a new piece to the puzzle and we added yet another medical treatment to his day. He was to get an antiseptic mouthwash after each meal. He had a visit from the state vet and the USDA vet this week to test for one virus and a biopsy on another day to test for an autoimmune disease. We have built him a round pen dry paddock that he can stay in next to his friends and even gave him a friend to hang out with during the day.
Nick in his round pen with cushings pony Angel
Nick’s medications and treatments are totaling into the thousands. The months worth of UlcerGard is close to $1000 and we aren’t sure how much longer he will be on it. The surgeon suggested starting him on a medication for megaesophagus that runs approximately $300 a month. His vet bills are currently in the thousands. Nick is in desperate need of sponsors. If you are able to assist with a monthly sponsorship, please use the link below:
Christmas …. The starved Christmas Pony
While Nick has been a lesson in patience and perseverance, Christmas has continued to thrive at our Brodnax barn with Cindy. We saw his photos and we knew he was in rough shape but we didn’t know how bad until he arrived at the quarantine barn and we got the initial intake photos. He was a body score of 1. He was so weak that he could barely walk after the 30 minute trailer ride from the auction lot to the quarantine barn. He stayed there for about a week and at that point we determined he was strong enough to make it to Brodnax where he would get his dental, rest a couple days and then make it the rest of the way to Fredericksburg. We couldn’t have planned for what happened next but it must have been in God’s plan.
The day after Christmas arrived in Brodnax, I became ill and went to get tested for COVID. With the test coming back positive, I was quarantined from the Fredericksburg barn and unable to be of any help to the volunteer team taking care of the horses at the farm. We made the decision to leave Christmas in Brodnax until I was cleared and able to get him. During this time, Christmas was settling in and finally felt comfortable enough to lay down. This was excellent! Except when he laid down, he couldn’t get back up on his own. When a horse has nothing to eat, it’s body will start to sacrifice its own muscles for energy. That is what happened to Christmas. He had no muscles left and his hind end couldn’t pick his body up off the ground. Thankfully for him, he wasn’t the first horse that has come to CVHR with this issue. You may remember Hope from the Nottoway seizure.
Chistmas lays down for a nap.
Cindy called for back up, rigged up a sling, and picked him up off the ground with the help of Jordan. Christmas was grateful and went on to walk around and eat the rest of his alfalfa. This process would continue for two weeks. There were days he laid down in his stall and they had to find ways to get him out and then pick him back up. We purchased a cattle lift that was installed in the barn that made the process easier. He would lay down for a nap in the paddock and then we would wait and pray that he was able to get back up on his own. The day finally came this past week when we watched him stand back up on his own completely unassisted. His body condition was slowly improving. His muscle was coming back. He was eating as much as his little heart desired. He was on the right path to recovery!
Next week, Christmas will be making the trip to Fredericksburg where his journey will continue.
Christmas continues to gain weight and muscle.
Improvement Continues
While Christmas and St. Nick have been the most needy of our six Christmas ponies, the rest continue to show great progress. Each of them gaining weight and showing us more of their personality. The latest measure of success was the day that I had to adjust all of the straps on Frosty’s blanket because it was too tight and wouldn’t easily go back on him. Frosty is still roughly 300 – 400 lbs underweight but he has gained quite a bit in the last 4 weeks since his arrival. With dedication and hard work, the team has managed to get all of the caked on manure off of his coat and he is actually a white horse again. He still has to learn to pick his feet up without stomping them back down and that the proper way for him to walk on a lead line is behind his person. But he is getting there. He has a willingness to learn and has begun to trust his care team.
Sugar we found is not actually a morgan saddlebred cross as we were told but she is a branded Standardbred. We have pulled her brand and found her race history. She will be turning 21 years old this year and is now back in a proper body weight. Sugar is still learning to trust her people but if you come offering neck rubs or treats, she becomes your best friend.
Solstice and Spice also continue to thrive. Spice is incredibly easy to catch in the field. She has a bit of anxiety that we are going to be working through. Once we are able to handle her feet without issue, she will be evaluated for riding. Even when she is scared and trembling she is very willing to work with our volunteers for her care. Solstice is on a weight gaining plan. She continues to have a never ending supply of alfalfa and a special feed just for senior horses with bad teeth. She will remain with Cindy at the Brodnax farm for now.
We want to thank everyone for their prayers, support and donations. We continue to pray for Nick and Christmas that they will continue to improve. Even if we have to take a couple steps backwards before we can go forwards again, we are making progress. Until the next update…… Thank you for all you do.
The decision to close Miracle Meadows was a difficult one but also a necessary one. Never would we have imagined that we would soon after be relocating the Horse Adoption Central to Fredericksburg! Central Virginia Horse Rescue was founded by Cindy in 2010 when Rosebud entered her life. That was when she knew that she had a new purpose, rescuing horses from the worst fate imaginable at auction, rehabilitating them and finding them a new loving home where they would have a better chance at life. Rosebud was the start of something that has grown into a successful and respected organization 10 years later.
In 2019, Cindy was diagnosed with cancer and her health has declined in a way that she knew that she would be unable to continue to provide the care needed to continue the rescue herself. The decision was made to close Miracle Meadows and the search for homes for the residents began. Shortly after, the opportunity arose to move the rescue to a farm that was not in use that would be the perfect new home for Horse Adoption Central under the new management of Cindy’s oldest daughter, Stacy.
The move got off to a rocky start due to the challenges that COVID brought to the state of Virginia. Between state shutdowns and health concerns, the negotiations and move took slightly longer than expected however in May of 2020, the lease was signed and the first horses arrived! As the farm had not really been in use or maintained properly for a few years, there was a lot of work to be done. The fences were in rough shape, the barn needed to be cleaned out and fixed and the equipment needed repairs but we were determined to bring the farm back to life and once again be able to start saving neglected and abused horses.
The first two residents of the farm were Coco and Hope. You might remember Hope from a seizure in 2016. She was so emaciated that she was unable to stand on her own 4 legs. Six years later, Hope found her very own little girl! Coco is still waiting for her forever home but until then, she loves to greet visitors at the farm and is always fond of treats. While Coco and Hope may have been the first two residents, they certainly weren’t the only ones. Through the support of the community, we built a solid core base of volunteers at the Fredericksburg facility enabling us to save a total of 26 horses from a variety of places including abuse/neglect cases to auction horses saved from kill buyers.
Between August and December we had 12 adoptions with 8 of those adoptions happening in December! In addition to Hope, who had been at the rescue the longest, we were able to find homes for 2 horses that came from an animal neglect situation, 2 mules who were surrendered to us when their owner passed away, multiple horses from auction and one owner surrender.
As we move into 2021, our Fredericksburg team needs your support to help not only the resident horses in our care but also the six Christmas ponies that have landed with us at HAC in Fredericksburg. The number of horses that we are able to responsibly care for at our new farm is dependent on the volunteers who spend countless hours helping to take care of the horses daily and donors who ensure that we have the necessary resources. You can help us continue our mission of making sure that every horse has a loving home by donating, volunteering and sharing! Every volunteer makes a difference in these horse’s lives.
Frosty George – Underweight senior Percheron
We need you to help make Horse Adoption Central successful! Please consider volunteering or sponsoring a horse today.
Our Unicorns need your help to magically get their horns for the Unicorn Festival! Each of our unicorns will get a horn made specifically for them. Sponsors will receive a digital portrait of them once they have gotten their horns. You can sponsor a Unicorn with any donation amount and can choose either a one time or monthly donation.
Sassy came from a hoarding situation in Person County, NC in 2012. She has been a resident of CVHR since then. She needs a sponsor to turn her into a Unicorn!
Beauty came to us this week from Labrador Hill Sanctuary that has been closed. She is a sweet older girl who is truly looking forward to becoming a Unicorn with your help!
Peanut is so adorable with his wonderful blue eye and crew cut. He is in his 20s and also came from Labrador Hill. He is going to be quite the unique Unicorn. Please consider sponsoring him!
Star is a cute little bay roan gelding who despite his contrary look in this picture is very sweet. He is 20 yrs old. He was another one of our Labrador Hill Gang. Please help him get his Unicorn Horn by sponsoring him.
Riptide is our smallest mini. He also came from Labrador Hill and he is not only the smallest but the youngest of our mini herd. He wants to be first to get his horn and become a unicorn. Please consider sponsoring him.
I have watched at risk horses be bailed and placed over and over again. Many find great homes but the danger when horses are given away is real. Well meaning donors often bail the horse and give it to someone who says they will give them a great home but when that falls through there are very few options available for that horse and they often end up neglected or back in the slaughter pipeline.
The CVHR Safety Net program is a pilot program right now and depending on funding and the ability to find good homes, we will continue it. It’s fairly simple and offers both the adoption and foster option. We feel strongly that adopters should have “skin in the game” and so an adopters will be required to pay QT fees as well as vet/farrier, etc. If they do not have funds available for that then they should Foster and can have the option to adopt for a nominal fee.
Our goal is not only to help more horses but ALSO to ensure their safety long term.
If we can find an ADOPTIVE home, CVHR will
?Fundraise for all fees. ?Approve Home ?Place Horse on our Lease contract for 90 days & then convert to first right of refusal contact. ?Take horse back at any time after 90 days.
?Adopter is responsible for QT, and all farrier/vet/dental fees in lieu of adoption fee or they can QT with us and ✅Adoption is final when horse leaves Tarheel.
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If we can find a FOSTER home, CVHR will
?Fundraise for all fees ?Pay for QT, initial farrier, vet and dental fees. ?QT horse in Brodnax, VA for 30 days. ?Pay for vet care at foster home. ?Horse will be available for adoption after QT
?Foster will be responsible for feed, hay, trims. ✅Foster can request 30 day evaluation period before horse made available for adoption.
Adopter/Foster must be approved by CVHR. This includes a reference check and any other requirements must be met before taking possession of the horse.
Foster/Adopters are encouraged to apply in advance to avoid last minute and rushed approvals.
Horse must be “adoptable”. This means that we cannot take horses into this program that have chronic health issues or lameness that renders them hard to adopt. Horses over the age of 25 would also not be accepted into this program.
Horses can be nominated by Fosters, Adopters, or Sponsors but final approval remains with CVHR. It’s not about the money, it’s about our capacity to make sure that we can do the best we can for each horse that comes under our umbrella.
”A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.” – Jack London
Donate
Donations to CVHR are always appreciated. At this time, we are incorporated as a Virginia Non Profit and have received our 501(c)3 status. All or part of your gift may be tax deductible as a charitable contribution. Please check with your tax advisor
Cash donations are always needed to provide feed and medical care to the horses, however ‘in kind” donations are also accepted. You can send a check to
Central Virginia Horse Rescue
31262 Eagle Hill Trl
Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Or Donate by PayPal
We will accept donations of just about anything that we can use or sell especially tack and horse equipment which will be sold to benefit the rescue horses.
