RH Farm Rescue and Stables, Burlington, NC (2025)

12/22/2025

If you don't keep up with our Youtube you might have missed a few fun riding videos from some of our visits to a off-the-track Thoroughbred placement facility. We have been helping out for over a year, exercising and evaluating new horses, and getting the resident horses out on trail.
(Yes, trail riding in an English saddle!)
If you enjoy the view from up in the saddle, you'll enjoy watching us work through things like crossing water and not rushing hills.

Each horse has a different personality and different way of moving, it's always a fun challenge for the body & mind to connect with these horses, and so rewarding to help them transition to life after the racetrack!

It's unfortunate we don't have footage from all the fun shenanigans since the beginning but you can definitely enjoy *fall vibes* in these 2 videos.
10/10 leaf crunchiness.

Although this particular facility has been transitioning out of active placement, there are many organizations that help ex-racehorses find homes. Consider a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredited organization if you're looking for an athletic equine partner! (We also get a few here and there 😉)

12/17/2025

The "gremlins" (Ralph, Buddy & November) have been ADOPTED!🎉
JUST in time for Christmas too!

They have been doing well in their training, progressing slowly but we can now pick out 2 of the 3's hooves and touch them all over - a HUGE improvement from how they started! They are still developing balance so can only hold their feet up for short periods but they are well on their way to their first un-sedated farrier visit!

They all led without too much trouble and got loaded into the trailer much more calmly than when they were brought here. We backed the trailer up to a hill so their little legs could just walk on instead of having to jump. They even stood tied nicely for the ride!

Buddy & November will be used in .acres new Equine-Assisted Learning program, and Ralph just gets to enjoy life in the field (he's a biter, so not suited to much interaction with new people). Congrats to the Lokahi Acres team, we know they will be well loved and cared for!

12/15/2025

Rescue mini horse buddy is a model for our BeThere holiday giving campaign!
Buddy was surrendered along with his mother AND father - their little family was pretty feral and hadn't had much handling; they needed to be sedated for any vet or farrier work!

We are continuing to work on both their trust and training, and have come a significant ways in a long road to being cooperative equine citizens. As every horse learns to pick up it's feet, they learn how to balance on 3 legs. But these *extra* small miniatures can have joint problems, making it even harder for them to accomplish this task. A wonderful viewer gifted us a hoof stand that we can use to help support these horses as they learn a new skill.

Sponsoring hoofcare are is another great way to BeThere for a horse in need! Will you support Buddy and his family?

You can give through our holiday donation page:
https://donorbox.org/bethere2025

Or our website: https://rh-farm.com/donations
Or Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/5175417

*All donations are tax-deductible as well!

12/06/2025

Rescue mini horse Ebony is a model for our holiday giving campaign!
We saw her and her sister Berry on Craigslist and quickly offered to take them to prevent an unmentionable fate - Berry was 27 and had a developing case of ataxia (we believe EPM) when we went to pick them up, and unfortunately we had to say goodbye fairly soon.
But miss Ebony has a manageable case of Cushing's Disease (PPID) and is now nearly 27 herself!

Ebony is a permanent resident here, and has been given the special job of Rescue Ambassador because of her kind and gentle, unflappable nature. She gets to be loved on by kids at any events we visit, and is a favorite for Sponsorship Sessions here at the farm. Ebony shows how amazing rescue horses can be!

Because of her Cushing's, Ebony doesn't naturally shed her very thick winter coat and needs to be shaved several times a year so she doesn't overheat and get sick. That's a great way you can BeThere for Ebony - by giving towards her yearly clips! Ebony can be cool in the summer thanks to YOU!

Will you BeThere for Ebony, so she can keep showing people how rescue makes a difference for horses just like her?
You can give through our holiday donation page:
https://donorbox.org/bethere2025

Or our website: https://rh-farm.com/donations
Or Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/5175417

*All donations are tax-deductible as well!

12/03/2025

Rescue horse Willow is another model for our holiday giving campaign - we ended up purchasing her at an auction in 2024 she had a split lip, uveitis, horrible scarring over her body but mostly on a back leg that ended up having a bone chip..and she ended up being 9 months pregnant!

From the beginning she had such a calm sweet demeanor, and always very respectful. Our rescue community came together to help fund special hay for her to eat - pregnant mares can't eat the grass that grows in our area as it can cause issues with the birth and milk production. That's another way YOU can BeThere for a horse in need! Horses eat about 25lbs of hay per day, and at a minimum $8/bale it sure can add up!

Willow is currently serving as a pasture buddy and nighttime sight guide for another rescue, Whinny, so she is a long term resident at the moment.
Will you BeThere for Willow and ensure her care is fully funded as she serves this important role?

You can give through our holiday donation page:
https://donorbox.org/bethere2025

Or our website: https://rh-farm.com/donations
Or Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/5175417

*All donations are tax-deductible as well!

12/02/2025

Rescue horse Whinny is one of our models for our BeThere holiday campaign this year - she has been our most expensive horse to rehab, with her first months costing over $700/month just in feed as we worked to refeed her starving body and encourage her to eat.
Whinny has also been the horse who has received the most support! Against all odds she's pulled through and is still thriving, and that's thanks to our wonderful rescue community!

Whinny is currently wearing a blanket donated by one of our supporters. That's a perfect example of how YOU can everyday for a horse in need. Every dedicated donation is tracked, and that goes towards her costs each month (now about $400/month excluding veterinary needs) - but her care still isn't fully sponsored.
Will you BeThere for Whinny and help us continue to give her the best life possible in her golden years?

You can give through our holiday donation page:
https://donorbox.org/bethere2025

Or our website: https://rh-farm.com/donations
Or Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/5175417

*All donations are tax-deductible as well!

12/01/2025

This December we are launching BeThere - a holiday donation campaign that highlights the essential, integral part that YOU, our rescue community plays in the healing journey of our rescue horses.

We often receive comments like "I wish I could do what you do", "I know it's not much but I hope this ___ is useful", and "I'm sorry I can't be there to help".
We want you to know that every gift, be it $10, or a bottle of fly spray, or sponsoring a hoof trim - makes you a part of rescue! This is a TEAM effort! You ARE helping rescue a horse in need. Together, we can make a real difference.

We invite you to BeThere for a horse in need this season. You can give through our holiday donation page:
https://donorbox.org/bethere2025

Or our website: https://rh-farm.com/donations
Or Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/5175417

*each donation level receives a special sticker with one of our horses - collect all the stickers to receive a special gift from us in the mail!

11/27/2025

All the happy horses here at the rescue want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

To our donors, giving of their resources, our volunteers giving of their time, to our wonderful vets and farriers who make sure these horses feel their best, we want to share our gratitude and appreciation for your commitment to these precious souls.

From the bottom of our hearts, Thank You ❤️🐴
Rescue is a team effort!

11/22/2025

In case you missed it - we did a 2-month post-weaning update on Willow & Xena (and of course Whinny who was a deciding factor).
Watch over on our YT channel!

We think Willow looks "over yonder" towards Xena because she doesn't feel quite fulfilled with just Whinny as a pasture companion. Hopefully another horse in need will come along and we can change that.
Xena's case is a wonderful demonstration of what a natural mare/foal bond looks like when allowed to flourish without human interference.

Look at how weaning is done in the wild, and how many nervous behaviors like cribbing, weaving, stall walking, wind sucking and separation anxiety are induced by an industry that weans at 4-6 months. It's crazy! If mare is in good weight and baby/mom are not being adversely affected by remaining together, why not consider separation after at LEAST 1 year?

If Whinny hadn't needed to be separated for her own safety (she is too fragile for rough yearling behavior) we would have continued to keep all the mares together, and continued building up increments of time spent away for both mom/foal. As it is, we're very lucky all involved have adjusted quite well!

What do you think about traditional weaning practices? Is there a need for change?

11/14/2025

"Time and again, horses have suffered and died in New York City’s notoriously inhumane horse-drawn carriage industry.

Most recently, an elderly, emaciated horse named Ryder collapsed on a Manhattan street in August. Witnesses even reported seeing the carriage driver abusing Ryder as the horse lay helpless on the ground. A quick-thinking bystander caught the incident on video, and the resulting news reports shocked and outraged animal advocates in New York and beyond."

Ryder's Law bill, which would END horse drawn carriages in NYC is in danger of stalling and being blocked by the powers that be. One of our own rescues, Zeus, was a carriage horse (not in nyc) who was tossed away at auction when his feet developed painful abscesses from repeated concussion on surfaces like concrete and pavement. He couldn't work so they didn't care. Despite his excellent manners and kind nature he no longer had any "value" to his owners. They didn't bother to give him just a few months to heal up and be perfectly sound again.

PLEASE visit the link below to add your voice to the petition to ban carriage horse use.

photo and quoted text from https://aldf.org/project/ryders-law/

11/06/2025

PJ is a coming 7 y/o 16.1hh ottb gelding who is super sweet and a good mix of whoa/go.
I purchased him as a 4 y/o to work on for my Intermediate lesson students, but shortly after ended up downsizing my program. He loves jumping just as much as he loves getting out on the trail.
For intermediate+ rider with soft hands, who either has experience with young horses or ottbs as he's fairly typical of the breed. He's still learning so not for beginner or child. Perfect for an adult ammie to bring along a personal horse either English or Western.
I've waffled about keeping him but I recently experienced severe shortness of breath while riding him and turns out I have scar tissue from rib injury etc. Etc. I don't want to see him just sit while I work on my lung capacity!

Videos available. Stands good for vet/farrier, utd on everything. mid four figures.
Trial depending on location. Will consider lease or lease to own to the right situation.
Please text the farm 3️⃣3️⃣six2️⃣7️⃣0️⃣nine7️⃣2️⃣7️⃣.

10/31/2025

Not Buddy with his lil' tongue 😍
The GREMLINS have been progessing slowly, of course Buddy being the youngest and most comfortable around humans has been the easiest to work with.
Ralph DID put a single foot on the platform the other day so it"s starting to click for him too.

We did however, have another bite incident with Ralph a few weeks ago...I was minding my own business mucking their pen when he charged and bit my thigh very hard. With a GIANT bruise about the size of a softball, I was limping for a few days due to the location over a key muscle. We thought we had isolated Ralph's aggression triggers, but he gave no warnings, no ears pinned or body language cues that he felt threatened by me. Just turned and chomped.
We believe he may have been a little hyped up into "stallion mode" from horses across the fence. Unfortunately we now have to label Ralph as a biter for future adoption, knowing he could decide to react at any moment.

We have never harmed Ralph, or even touched him without him initiating contact, and always checked for consent. Just a few days prior to this incident, Ralph put his head in my lap begging for scratches for a full 20 minutes. Every few minutes I would stop so as not to overwhelm him, and he would rest into me clearly indicating a desire for more touch. Regardless of the trust progress we have made, it wasn't enough to counteract his deep set fear-aggression.

We are now using a grazing muzzle as a protective measure as work to get Ralph ready to accept farrier work. He is being a very good boy about putting it on! He can be very sweet when he feels safe, but we feel his bite trigger is not something that can be overcome given his age and late gelding. But we don't give up! We adjust, knowing the possibility of that danger is there.

This is the real, and the tough part about rescue. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, and loving our horses into being well behaved. It takes real work to overcome defensive issues and reaction triggers. It takes many months of building trust through consistency. It can be hard, but we believe the horses are worth it! EVERY horse has value.

RH Farm Rescue and Stables

12/22/2025

12/17/2025

12/15/2025

12/06/2025

12/03/2025

12/02/2025

12/01/2025

11/27/2025

11/22/2025

11/14/2025

11/06/2025

10/31/2025

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