Mountain View Farm Rescue Animals

Jorg

Jorg is a senior, Standardbred gelding who found himself on a common path that many Standardbreds come to be on, which is racing and upon “retirement” used as an Amish cart horse until their body gives out. With their bodies deemed of no more physical use, they are then left at auction with their fate usually dire.

Rescued from the kill pen (slaughter) by our friends at “Gerda’s Equine Rescue”, Jorg’s tireless work is behind him, and he is ready for his well-deserved retirement.

We are honored to provide this time of sanctuary for him.

He is another horse who worked tirelessly for humans, only to be discarded when he had no more to give. This is our time to give back.

His physical body tells the tales of his sordid past, but yet the bold and determined look in his eye still has faith in life.

Here at the Sanctuary, we strive to see, honor, and appreciate each resident for who they are. Jorg is a noble soul. He is strong-willed and resilient, but yet there is a softness and grace beneath that glows. We know that everyone who his presence touches will sense his grandeur and depth of expression as well.

Cooper

Cooper is a senior Paint horse gelding who spent his life in various homes, serving humans as a loyal riding horse. He is a very sweet and mannerly guy, big in stature but kind in heart. As a lesson horse, he took excellent care of the children and was a favorite in the barn.

Cooper came to us when his owner fell on challenging times, and had a need to rehome a number of the horses used in her program. Many of the horses in need of rehoming were capable of going on to homes where they could continue to serve people, but with many health issues and already years of service, Cooper was truly ready for a soft landing.

His health conditions include “heaves”, which are similar to human asthma and require regular treatment and specific management practices. Additionally, Cooper has a degenerative hoof condition known as “navicular”, causing pain and needing specialized hoof care. He is also suffering from arthritis and has other underlying health conditions that we are addressing for treatment plans.

Cooper’s health issues come with a high price tag and extra care, but we couldn’t let that stop us from stepping up to provide him with the love and quality care that he deserves after many years of serving humans. 

It is time for us to serve him.

SPIRIT

Spirit is a beautiful and sweet senior Tennessee Walking Horse mare.
Spirit was initially rescued by her owner from a kill pen (where horses on their way to slaughter are held) and spent the past few years prior to coming to us living solely with her human owner.

When her loving owner began to struggle with her health, as well as being able to supply Spirit with good nutrition due to lack of availability and all other home options fell through due to Spirit’s age and her vice of cribbing, her owner asked us to take her on for her safety. Spirit is a horse that could very well be susceptible to ending up in a kill pen once again, and we are grateful to be able to offer her sanctuary.

Spirit has a very kind and gentle, yet spirited persona; not to mention her beautiful black coat and striking white markings. She is slowly winning the hearts of all who meet her and we are happy to have her with us.

BUCKY

Bucky came to the sanctuary in January 2015 with two other miniature horses. All three were starved and grossly neglected. They had very poor body condition, rotten and overgrown hooves, skin problems, and major trust issues; especially Bucky. He has since been rehabilitated to full health and is learning to trust humans again. He is very smart and sweet, but takes some time to get to know new people and is frightened of quick movements.

SASSY

Sassy was part of a family of miniature horses rescued in January 2015 during a violent and cold blizzard. She and her herd-mates were emaciated and very neglected, needing months of rehabilitation to return to full health. Sassy is now very happy and healthy, and living up to her name! She demands the respect and attention of humans and loves to be told how beautiful she is.

DESTINY

Destiny is an older Rocky Mountain horse mare with an inquisitive nature and a zest for life. She came to us after being rescued from a situation of neglect. Upon arrival, Destiny was quite scared of humans and was especially fearful of being haltered or having her head touched. After many weeks of patient, dedicated and compassionate care, Destiny recovered physically and is very well on her way to emotional healing as well.

TOAD

The lovely, Toad, is the daughter to Sable. Toad is a Quarter horse mare in her 20s, that spent all but one year of her life at her previous home. When her owner fell on hard times, she reached out to us to assist in placement of two of her horses that were the least likely to be sale-able. Those two horses ended up being Sable, a senior mare with presumed arthritis, and Toad. Toad, had endured an injury to her hoof years ago when she stepped on a nail, which rendered her chronically unsound. Without being able to be ridden, there was far less of a chance that Toad could find a home, which made her high risk.

Toad has a very sweet nature. She looks to people for connection, and that is helping her adjust to the big change in life of leaving her lifelong home.

We are happy to be able to provide a safe sanctuary for Toad to peacefully live out her life.

BROWNIE

Brownie is a very friendly brown and white pinto pony gelding. He came to us after he lost his usefulness as a competitive pulling horse, and was no longer wanted. Brownie has many physical ailments, some chronic and others a result of earlier mismanagement.

To keep Brownie in good health, his diet must be carefully maintained and he occasionally requires supplements and medications when he has flare-ups from his insulin resistance. Brownie is also permanently blind in his right eye and has a respiratory restriction that is noticed when he gets excited or runs around a lot.

Despite his physical challenges, Brownie maintains an energetic, joyful outlook on life.

JONI

Big J – or Joni is a Standardbred gelding who was initially rescued from the kill pen by our fellow rescue, Gerda’s Equine Rescue”, and then found his way to us. Although he bears the scars of many years tirelessly working for the Amish community as a carriage horse, he is still full of life.

Since coming to us, J has blossomed into a healthy, exuberant, and goofy horse. He prefers humans and miniature horse friends over those of his own likeness. He has a quirky personality and loves to frolic and play.

We are happy to be able to provide him with a place that he can let go and express himself, without the need to do hard labor. Just be a horse.

ZIP

Zip came to us along with his buddy, Chad, following their owner’s passing and the impending sale of the estate that they lived on.
Zip is a gorgeous red-headed Quart Horse gelding. He is very inquisitive and playful, yet cautious and a bit anxious about new situations.

It is our understanding that Zip was destined at a young age to become a performance horse, racing barrels at competitions. That was until he began exhibiting explosive bucking episodes when attempts were made to ride him. The cause is still unknown, but it is suspected to likely be due to a physical issue with his back known as “kissing spine”; a condition in which the vertebrae in the back touch and pressure on the location causes pain. He does seem comfortable and pain-free at this time, however, we will keep a close watch for signs of discomfort and see if we can find out a bit more about this health issue. Zip is otherwise a very healthy boy.

Due to his physical issue and his unrideable condition we felt strongly that he was a very high risk for being placed in an unsafe situation, for both him and the humans involved. “Unrideable horses” are typically the last to be considered by homes and companion situations are hard to come by; especially this year in light of the pandemic and limited hay supply due to poor weather conditions.

Horses like Zip can also easily find their way into auction houses and the slaughter pipeline if they fall into the wrong hands. None of the scenarios are what we would wish for on any horse, and we are thankful to be able to offer Zip safety and understanding.