By Tommy Brannon
Dark Horse Rescue (DRH) held an Open House and Adoption Day August 10, 2013 at their facility near Byhalia MS. Fifty potential and already pre-qualified adopters, as well as foster caregivers, gathered to tour the facility, which was opened less than a year ago. Christy Gross, Director of Dark Horse Rescue, said that one of the purposes of the Open House was to introduce people to all of the miniature horses that are now available for adoption and to solicit volunteers. Nine horses were adopted or fostered at the event and applications were taken for new adopters.
Christy explained the procedure to qualify for adoption: “The firststep is for potential adopter to complete/submit DHR's Adoption Application & Contract. Once sent to us, we then contact the veterinarian to confirm other horses on the property where the adopted horse will be kept are current (within 1 year) on vaccinations and negative Coggins, and if their veterinarian recommends them as a horse owner. Once a good report is received, we schedule a visit to the property (where the adopted horse will be kept) to ensure the fencing is safe/secure and other animals are in good health/well cared for. If we are comfortable, at that point we schedule a visit to DHR (or foster home, if horse is fostered) for the potential adopter to view the horse(s) they are interested in. Other than events open to the public, we do not schedule visits to show our horses unless approved for adoption.”
Foster care volunteers are “vetted” in a similar process, but the foster care persons do not keep the horses; they rehabilitate them for later adoption. There are several foster care volunteers who have rehabilitated multiple horses.
Adopted horses are not to be sold or given away. If the horse does not work out for the new adopter, it is returned to Dark Horse Rescue.
Horses adopted at this event were:
Gidget: a black and white miniature mare adopted by Talana Vogle.
Tia: a 10-year-old black and white mini mare, along with Clyde, a 13-year-old strawberry roan/white Pinto mini gelding. They were adopted by the families of brother and sister Elizabeth Belue and Robert Barden of Hernando, MS. These siblings live next door to each other on the same farm and have previously adopted horses from Dark Horse Rescue.
Olivia and Zoe:, two mini mares who were taken in to foster care By Talana Vogel of Collerville, TN. They (Olivia and Zoe) are still available for adoption.
Hidalgo: a 10-year-old paint gelding, along with Rio, a registered 7-year-old Paso Fino gelding, were adopted by the Whatley family of Hernando, MS. These horses are being held at the Dark Horse facility while the Whatley’s are having their barn built.
Rain, a 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare got a new foster home (with the potential to adopt). She is living in Collierville, TN with the Rogers family, in a beautiful recently restored barn.
Dark Horse accepts horses that have been abused or neglected. Christy explained, “The general public needs to know – the first step to reporting cruelty or neglect, should you witness it, is to contact law enforcement. DHR cannot enter private property without law enforcement AND probable cause,” she emphasized. “We get contacted regularly regarding neglect cases, and the public often gets angry or frustrated as they feel we are not doing anything. We only have so much space and resources, so we are limited in what we can take in and do. We have a backlog of cases and currently are completely full. If we do not get horses into homes, we cannot help other horses. We normally have about a 20-horse capacity. Right now, we have around 40 horses.”
Christy said that the facility is manned by volunteers, and she is soliciting help for additional services and materials.
Christy said, “DHR has really grown beyond what one person can handle. I have great volunteers, but we need more. We feel that education is so important, as there are many horse owners out there who do not know what their horse is eating or how it should be fed. Educating yourself on the proper care is the best thing one can do prior to owning a horse. The commitment, responsibility, and cost can often be too much for one to handle and it may be too late by the time they find that out. DHR is researching educational programs that will benefit current and future horse owners.
DHR will be at the Germantown Festival Saturday, September 7 from 12- 2.
For more information, visit: www.darkhorserescue.org and link to their Facebook page for photos of horses rescued and their progress.
Dark Horse Rescue (DRH) held an Open House and Adoption Day August 10, 2013 at their facility near Byhalia MS. Fifty potential and already pre-qualified adopters, as well as foster caregivers, gathered to tour the facility, which was opened less than a year ago. Christy Gross, Director of Dark Horse Rescue, said that one of the purposes of the Open House was to introduce people to all of the miniature horses that are now available for adoption and to solicit volunteers. Nine horses were adopted or fostered at the event and applications were taken for new adopters.
Christy explained the procedure to qualify for adoption: “The firststep is for potential adopter to complete/submit DHR's Adoption Application & Contract. Once sent to us, we then contact the veterinarian to confirm other horses on the property where the adopted horse will be kept are current (within 1 year) on vaccinations and negative Coggins, and if their veterinarian recommends them as a horse owner. Once a good report is received, we schedule a visit to the property (where the adopted horse will be kept) to ensure the fencing is safe/secure and other animals are in good health/well cared for. If we are comfortable, at that point we schedule a visit to DHR (or foster home, if horse is fostered) for the potential adopter to view the horse(s) they are interested in. Other than events open to the public, we do not schedule visits to show our horses unless approved for adoption.”
Foster care volunteers are “vetted” in a similar process, but the foster care persons do not keep the horses; they rehabilitate them for later adoption. There are several foster care volunteers who have rehabilitated multiple horses.
Adopted horses are not to be sold or given away. If the horse does not work out for the new adopter, it is returned to Dark Horse Rescue.
Horses adopted at this event were:
Gidget: a black and white miniature mare adopted by Talana Vogle.
Tia: a 10-year-old black and white mini mare, along with Clyde, a 13-year-old strawberry roan/white Pinto mini gelding. They were adopted by the families of brother and sister Elizabeth Belue and Robert Barden of Hernando, MS. These siblings live next door to each other on the same farm and have previously adopted horses from Dark Horse Rescue.
Olivia and Zoe:, two mini mares who were taken in to foster care By Talana Vogel of Collerville, TN. They (Olivia and Zoe) are still available for adoption.
Hidalgo: a 10-year-old paint gelding, along with Rio, a registered 7-year-old Paso Fino gelding, were adopted by the Whatley family of Hernando, MS. These horses are being held at the Dark Horse facility while the Whatley’s are having their barn built.
Rain, a 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare got a new foster home (with the potential to adopt). She is living in Collierville, TN with the Rogers family, in a beautiful recently restored barn.
Dark Horse accepts horses that have been abused or neglected. Christy explained, “The general public needs to know – the first step to reporting cruelty or neglect, should you witness it, is to contact law enforcement. DHR cannot enter private property without law enforcement AND probable cause,” she emphasized. “We get contacted regularly regarding neglect cases, and the public often gets angry or frustrated as they feel we are not doing anything. We only have so much space and resources, so we are limited in what we can take in and do. We have a backlog of cases and currently are completely full. If we do not get horses into homes, we cannot help other horses. We normally have about a 20-horse capacity. Right now, we have around 40 horses.”
Christy said that the facility is manned by volunteers, and she is soliciting help for additional services and materials.
Christy said, “DHR has really grown beyond what one person can handle. I have great volunteers, but we need more. We feel that education is so important, as there are many horse owners out there who do not know what their horse is eating or how it should be fed. Educating yourself on the proper care is the best thing one can do prior to owning a horse. The commitment, responsibility, and cost can often be too much for one to handle and it may be too late by the time they find that out. DHR is researching educational programs that will benefit current and future horse owners.
DHR will be at the Germantown Festival Saturday, September 7 from 12- 2.
For more information, visit: www.darkhorserescue.org and link to their Facebook page for photos of horses rescued and their progress.
