Meet Our Clients: New Hope and a Bright Future for Days End Farm Horse Rescue

New Hope with her adopter, Ali.
Photo courtesy of Days End Farm Horse Rescue

During this season of gratitude in a particularly challenging year, this month’s featured client is a renowned equine rescue organization, Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR), located in Woodbine, MD.

What started as a tiny non-profit organization in 1989 has grown over 31 years into a successful and well-regarded 501(c)3 equine welfare facility, sheltering up to 150 horses every year.

Thanks to the support of loyal donors, local volunteers, dedicated staff, and skilled trainers, DEFHR has rescued, rehabilitated, and successfully rehomed more than 2,600 horses to date.

New Hope

This year, DEFHR didn’t escape the challenges of COVID-19, especially when a small, round mare, Oodles of Opals, arrived at the facility. Oodles was pregnant, but because she was a stray, the size of the stallion was unknown and as a result, her pregnancy was considered high-risk. Under the watchful eyes of experienced veterinarians, Oodles delivered a miniature foal on April 15, 2020, as the pandemic was first surging across the country. 

Though born in a dark time full of unknowns, the filly represented new beginnings filled with hope for a brighter future, and as a result was named ‘New Hope.’ Fast forward seven months, New Hope is now in her forever home with her doting adopter, Ali.

New Hope is one of thousands of success stories from DEFHR, but her story uniquely symbolizes the light and optimism that horses give to people. Recognizing what horses give to us, DEFHR’s mission is to be a voice for these special animals and stop neglect and abuse in its tracks.

A Bright Future

There are many factors that can lead to situations where horse owners require intervention, but in many cases, the seizure of a horse can be prevented if the owner is properly educated about horse care and is aware of resources and assistance available to them.

Photo courtesy of Days End Farm Horse Rescue

This lack of education about horse care is the driving force behind the next phase of evolution for DEFHR. While DEFHR already takes an active role in educating the general public through a wide variety of experiential programs, internships, and online resources, the organization plans to begin expanding the facility starting in 2021, including growing the organization’s critical care and rehabilitation capabilities and developing a larger space that will allow for classroom education and a welcome center for tours. With the goal of breaking ground in the summer, the vision is that the facility will become a learning center akin to that of an interactive science center, which is an exciting, new step toward bringing more people into the fold in the fight for equine welfare.

This year, we express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to DEFHR’s hardworking volunteers and staff who have worked tirelessly¬–not just amid a pandemic, but for 31 years–to be a voice for the voiceless in an effort to put an end to equine abuse and neglect.

For more information about Days End Farm Horse Rescue, or if you plan to participate in Giving Tuesday on December 1 and would like to consider a healing gift, visit DEFHR.org.