Hope Equine Rescue, Inc

06/19/2026

We apologize for not providing horse updates this week. It has been a tough week, and our team is worn out. We will post more details later once we can process everything.

Bryant had a freak accident on Tuesday evening. He spooked and slipped in the wash rack, and he was immediately non-weight-bearing on his left back leg.

We have been in constant contact with our veterinarians. Heartland Large Animal Services did his initial evaluation, and then we had Laurel Oak Equine Veterinary Services take radiographs. They both worked us into their slammed schedules and we are so appreciative!

We don't know what the outcome will be, but we are going to fight for him. Please know we would only do this if we believed we could give him a good quality of life. We face many obstacles, and everything must go perfectly, but we believe in trying for him. He has come too far and is too young not to try.

We also want to say a huge thank you to the donor who sent the camera off our wishlist. We installed it on Tuesday night and have been able to watch him 24/7!

L.A. Gonsalves has been with him, making sure he gets everything he needs.

We could use all the prayers we can get for this guy. He has made such amazing progress since he came in last year, and this can't be how his story ends 😪

06/18/2026

🐴❤️ EAT. TREAT. GIVE HOPE. ❤️🐴

We are excited to announce a partnership with GroupRaise to support Hope Equine Rescue with TWO easy fundraising campaigns that help provide feed, veterinary care, rehabilitation, and loving homes for horses in need!

🍖 Sonny's BBQ Fundraiser
Enjoy a delicious Sonny's BBQ Big Deal Combo while supporting rescued horses. Purchase through our fundraiser, and a portion of every sale will be donated to Hope Equine Rescue.

🍩 Krispy Kreme Digital Dozens Fundraiser
Treat yourself, your family, friends, or coworkers to Krispy Kreme doughnuts while making a difference for horses in need. Digital Dozens can be redeemed for fresh doughnuts at participating Krispy Kreme locations nationwide.

⏰ Both campaigns end in just 89 days, so don't wait!

📍 The best part? Your Sonny's BBQ and Krispy Kreme fundraiser purchases can be redeemed at any participating location, making it easy to support Hope Equine Rescue no matter where you are.

👉 Support our Sonny's BBQ fundraiser:
https://www.groupraise.com/oc/81294

👉 Support our Krispy Kreme fundraiser:
https://www.groupraise.com/oc/81293

Every purchase helps give rescued horses the care, safety, and second chances they deserve. Thank you for supporting Hope Equine Rescue and helping us change lives—one horse at a time. 🐎💙

Help Hope Equine Rescue fundraise by ordering delicious Krispy Kreme Digital Dozens today! Enjoy mouth-watering dozens & share to support their Krispy Kreme Fundraiser!

06/17/2026

I think Dora likes the fan 🤣

06/15/2026

Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our volunteers Logan and Ronnie, the misters in the pasture are up and running again! The horses can't wait to cool off under them. We really appreciate your help, guys!

06/13/2026

Thank you to the donor who dropped off a Tractor Supply gift card this week. We picked up a few items for the new guy.

Fly spray, because it’s June in Florida 🪰

Electrolytes and salt—almost every starvation case is deficient in both. He will also get some plain white salt.

De-wormer—we'll do a f***l test, but we also want to ensure we get a dewormer that covers tapeworms, as they often don’t show up in f***ls.

Detangler to tackle that terrible knot in his tail! L.A. worked on it for about 30 minutes this week and managed to untangle only a few inches. We want to save the tail if possible; he needs it to swat bugs!

He has gained 22 pounds in the week since he arrived. We will weigh him weekly to monitor his progress.

Gift cards and purchases off of our wishlists are such a huge help when we are consistently managing over 50 horses 🐎

Check out the comments below to see all the different ways you can send one of our horses some love ❤️

06/12/2026

Scarlett and Leigh Ann Webb showing off their side pass skills 😍

This lively redhead is available for adoption, standing at 41 inches of pure dynamite!

When people talk about Chestnut, pony mares, she's the reason why.

If you're looking for a confident, bold, spirited pony that isn't afraid of anything, this is your girl.

06/10/2026

This post is a bit long and may be confusing, but I’ll do my best to explain.

First, a huge shout-out to the Paso Fino Horse Association. They have been amazing to work with while we identified the Pasos that came into the rescue over the past year. They’ve helped us identify four of the seven, and now we can get their papers! We are so thankful for their help.

Second, a big thank you to the donors who covered the cost of the DNA tests, which we don’t typically do unless a donor steps in and we’re confident about the horse's breed.

In May of 2025, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Agriculture unit picked up a Paso Fino Stallion wandering a neighborhood. He was thin, had knots in his mane and tail, and was in really bad shape overall. No owner was located, and he came to our facility for rehab. We named him Pepe’ Le Pew and sent off DNA testing. The test identified him as Pizarro De Ropa. We sadly had to lay him to rest due to a huge cancerous mass that was causing swallowing issues. We were heartbroken, and he was a great horse and loved everyone.

In June 2025, following the May rescue of Pepe, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Agriculture unit removed six horses in a neglect case. Four of those horses came to us in June, while one stallion and one pregnant mare remained in County holding as the owner contested the removal. Finally, in August 2025, those two horses, along with the baby born while in holding, came to us.

We finally sent off DNA for the stallion (now gelding) and the mare. The gelding had no results on file, which may mean he isn’t a full Paso Fino or that his parents were never registered. The mare had no registration on file, but had possible sire and dam matches. I was stunned to see Pizzaro De Ropa as a possible sire. I double-checked, and yes, it was Pepe! Margery with the Paso Fino Association is amazing—she sent off for further testing, and today we learned Tormenta’s sire is Pepe. We can now register Tormenta, thanks to the Association's dedication to identifying their horses and maintaining their registration papers, unlike many other breed associations. I won’t lie, I might have shed a tear or two when finding out. Now, when I look at Tormenta, I can see the resemblance!

We were devastated to lose Pepe, but we will do our best to give his daughter and granddaughter the amazing future we had hoped for with Pepe.

06/09/2026

Last week, we received another horse from the Sheriff's office. He's a brave guy, though he had some serious issues with his teeth that caused some pretty painful wounds in his mouth. Dentals are so important for keeping our horses happy and healthy!

If you'd like to join us in making a positive difference for all the wonderful horses that come into our care, you can choose to make a one-time donation or become a monthly supporter. Every bit of kindness helps us provide the best care possible!

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/become-a-monthly-supporter-of-hope

Paypal: [email protected]

Standing at 15.0 hh he only weighs 800 pounds.