Bluemont Equine Sanctuary

01/22/2025

Animals Angels and their reporting on notorious kill buyers, auctions and even the “rescues” that keep them in business is top tier. Their investigative work is known worldwide and they are highly regarded.

Ask yourself how a “rescue” can list one of the Rotz on their 990 as a contractor and pay him over a million dollars in a calendar year. Scary what a man like that can do with that kind of money. For example Barn expansions, funding more animals suffering… the list can go on and on.

URGENT CALL TO ACTION - Bruce Rotz violated NY anti-horse-slaughter law - Join Animals' Angels complaint to finally hold this large scale kill buyer accountable!

On December 13, 2023, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed bills A5109/S2163B into law, banning the slaughter of horses throughout the state and making it illegal for any entity to transport horses in or through the state of New York if the horses are intended to be slaughtered for human or animal consumption. The law went into effect in April of 2024.

Animals' Angels has found proof that between April and September 2024, Rotz shipped over 200 horses to slaughter in Canada, using the Champlain border crossing in New York. We have provided this evidence to the NY Attorney General and the NY Commissioner of AG, asking them to launch an official investigation into the matter. Rotz’s business could face a penalty of $2,500 for each horse he transported to slaughter, which means he could be facing fines totaling $500,000 or more for these violations.

YOU CAN HELP!

Please join us by reaching out to the authorities in charge. PLEASE call, email, or write to them today. Tell them how passionately you feel about this law and its enforcement, and make sure to ask them to investigate Bruce Rotz and hold him accountable.

New York Attorney General Letitia James
1-800-771-7755
https://ag.ny.gov/contact-ag

New York Department of Agriculture and Markets
Commissioner Richard Ball
(518) 457-2771 |
[email protected]

New York Governor Kathy Hochul
1-518-474-8390
https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form

Read the full report here:

https://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horses/bruce-rotz-violates-ny-law-call-action-support-animals-angels-complaint

01/21/2025

This is so incredibly important.

Equines and losing their herd mates.
Most equines don’t process death in the same way we do, but its important to understand how they look at it.
Firstly its they way they understand it, they can watch it but it does not mean much, it’s the smell that tells them. So horses should be allowed to smell their departed friend, this is two part, firstly its for them to work out they have died, second part is they will be smelling for adrenalin and endorphins. Generally animals don’t fear death but they fear pain and the process of dying, which if most people are honest is the same for us, most people don’t fear death it’s the getting there, when its your time most people just hope its instant or they go in their sleep, animals are often the same.
You can put a horse down with another one watching and they will often finish their bucket of food before they go to investigate why their mate is laying down. Then they smell a lot around the dead one and if there is no adrenalin or endorphins then they died quickly and were not attacked, so nothing to worry about, even though they saw it the nose overrides all other senses, (hence why horses dislike the wind, stops them smelling in one direction)
So how do we help the horses, ponies etc accept the death of a herd member.
Time is the most important thing, giving them long enough to investigate.
The best thing is to put down the horse in an area that’s safe to let their heard mates into afterwards loose.
This is because some horses run “tests” to check they are dead, this will involve walking in arcs up to them, running away in short bursts (trying to get a flight response) grazing next to dead ones head, pawing with hooves, sometimes biting. If there is some blood they will often put on their nose or taste it, again checking for adrenalin or endorphins to ensure that they are safe and it was not a lion hiding in hedge that killed it. They will then walk away grazing and return about 3 times, after this they accept it and just walk away.
The time it takes varies on the position in herd of the one that’s dies, (one that has been pushed out of herd due to being ill the others will only take 20min to accept as they were expecting it, on other hand if it’s the leader of herd that unexpectedly died, accident etc, it takes far longer as no one is giving instructions so the upset is 2 fold this might take a hour and a half to accept whilst sniffing)
Also the breed is big factor, Shetland ponies for example only take a few minutes (they appear hard and uncaring often due to this) where a thoroughbred or Arab takes on average 45min to accept.
Leading a horse up to dead one tends to slow process down or sometimes they don’t understand at all as they will try to feed of body language of the one who’s leading them and we are not good at horse body language. If there is no choice due to are its still better then not showing them at all but its best done with long lead rope and keeping it as loose as possible to allow the horse to jump around as remember this is partly how they work it out.
The more horses in the herd the quicker they will figure out that’s one died but its nothing to worry about as they will look to each other.
Some special cases, donkeys are terrible at being so attached they one died they will pine to death, so they need another animal for company when their mate goes and we find they should have a least 12 hours with their deceased friend, this is why when we put down donkeys we recommend they we put it down one day and we will come back next day to collect, even trough this means 2 trips.
Mares when they lose their foals (or if foal pts ) again if we have put foal down and you are not going to foster mother then its best to do it and leave foal in stable for example where mother has free access, it can take her up to 48hr to realize her foal is dead and not just sleeping at which time she will bury it and its then safe to remove it without causing any upset.
All of this is why we allow at least a hour and a half for every horse we are putting down but are prepared to wait even longer if needed, 2 part it ensure the euthanasia is never rushed so we can ensure its instant and best as it can be but also the grieving process is vital to any other horse that are part of hear if they were attached. And the more time they have with their field mate who passed on the better.
If you have very closely bonded herd I’m always happy to discuss what’s the best way not only for the one who’s going but also for what’s best for their companions.
This photo shows a group of horses checking out their sadly deceased field mate, no stress just working it out and accepting it.

*edit*
I will add that the times I have said are different horse to horse and it's the time it takes them to normally understand the their friend has died and not just injured or sleeping.
Once they accept this they will then start to greve, like people some horses will take a few hour, some a few days and some a couple of weeks to get over a major change to their herd. But it's much better when they know what's happening to the other option my friend is missing and they will keep looking sometimes for months..

01/21/2025

01/07/2025

😐

01/04/2025

Charlie we love you ❤️. We rescued Charlie from a feedlot back in 2020. He was listed as a young blind gelding. He was blind from hyperlipidemia and was medically urgent. The employees at this place knew none of that but I could tell. We had him picked up and transported to an excellent clinic in NC.

The Doctor called me as soon as he worked him up and told me that Charlie was a stud in his late twenties and that he had less than a 20% chance of survival. But Charlie had fight in him. He was still spunky and the treatment for his condition was very straightforward. IV Hydration, stabilize his organs and keep him eating. All of which they accomplished. Charlie survived!

When he arrived to the sanctuary he pranced off the trailer and greeted me with a not so little nip. He was a PITA 🫠. He would literally watch my truck leave and proceed to run through our 3 rail horse fencing to try and get to Eva & Juna. When he was finally healthy enough for castration we sent him to the hospital for his surgery. He calmed after his 🥜 ✂️ and did well for close to 4 years. But hyperlipidemia can damage the liver permanently. We watch Charlie closely and he’s on an herb called Milk Thistle to support his liver but he was starting to slow down. We ran blood work and his liver enzymes were off. We knew this would eventually happen. We started turning him out on grass for a couple of hours a day. Older minis need to be kept in a dry paddock (grass free). The free grazing gave Charlie something to look forward to. He would run around and pretend to open a can of whoop 🍑 on some of the other boys here. Safely through the fence of course. And the omegas in the grass were great for his inflammation.

Years ago Charlie bonded with Rue and then Silver Song by proxy. Charlie and Silver spent months trying to figure out who the Alpha was in their little herd. Silver finally won but let me tell you… Charlie’s right on his heels. Rue has two Dads, who certainly annoy her at times. Awesome and Snowy eventually joined the trio. So now there are 5. This is ideal because if someone passes the herd grieves together.

We cherish everyday we have left with this ginger boy. 🧡🐴

12/23/2024

Sam’s before and after. 1.5 years in sanctuary. What a strong boy 💪🏼❤️‍🩹

12/21/2024

Just a few headshots of a small % of our herd to brighten your Saturday. About a month ago, Tara one of our valued board members came out to take new headshots of the animals that call Bluemont home. Our target was golden hour but with how large our herd is that was hard to maneuver. It took a long time for us to make our way through the sanctuary. The only horses we had to halter and hold were the babies who were just a little too wiggly to capture a clear shot. The others were photographed right in their paddocks, just living their lives.

Tara was on her way out for a date night after spending her afternoon with us and it got me thinking about all the individuals who contribute hands-on to Bluemont. We have a large team, 65 volunteers in total. Equines require a tremendous amount of care. From haying close to 50 horses, to manure removal, feeding, a 4 hour med pass, barn cleaning, blanketing, watering and more. We have a core group of 20 who come rain or shine, snow or blazing heat. These people are crucial to our operations. They are the heart of the organization. On the flip side, accounting, website management, social media, intake requests, merch, sponsorship management and fundraising is equally as important. Without the brains of the operation there would be no funding for Bluemont. We’re so grateful that a group of like minded people love and dedicate themselves to our mission and animals.

Looking through these photos was profound. I know every horse here inside and out. Seeing their progress year over year, their healing… both mentally and physically is why I can endure the heart break and grief that this work brings. Sam in particular, his eyes, neck and rich coat color had me 😭😭🥰🥰. This boy really got his power back.

The animals who find their way to us (over 100 in total) form deep bonds with the humans here and vice versa. While we are an organization with oversight and a mission, the animals here are family. You can see it in these photos. Don’t they look loved? ❤️

Feeling pretty mushy right now. Think I’ll go have a grateful cry and a hot cocoa. ☕️

12/20/2024

Cosmo’s glow up is 🤌🏼😘

This boy came to us as a “bottle baby”. He was born on a breeding and meat farm and was a poor doer. This is why the farmer was willing to release him to us. He had no mentally value. He came us to very ill, battling coccidia, lice and parasites with a body score of 1. When babies arrive in this condition it’s very difficult to save them. We hovered over him for weeks monitoring every bite he took and carefully treating him. This involved daily injections of a b-complex and thiamine. He was so dull and felt so awful that he didn’t even react to the injections.

Cosmo still has an altered gate from neurological damage from malnourishment but he’s bright, spunky and ready to play! His best friend in the whole wide world is the one and only baby Cora and the mischief is strong in these two 😅.

Cosmo is looking for a sponsor! If you would like to contribute to his care please send us a DM. 🖤 🤍

12/09/2024

This photo may not seem like a lot but it’s one I’ll cherish forever. Our team member Angie saw Beau try to trot in his field. He had a big spill and went down behind his run in shed. His paddock has a few wet spots but by and large is very dry. It’s been a dry Fall and start to Winter and the grading in our paddocks is excellent. But Beau has a condition called DSLD which has advanced dramatically in the last year. Angie called us right away and Carl ran over to assess Beau. This assessment started with a big reassuring hug, one that Sam joined in on. I might be anthropomorphizing here but you can see that Beaus pride took a beating and his knees are covered in dirt. This reassurance from one of his caretakers meant the world to Beau. This is what sanctuary is all about.

After we checked Beau over the girls went to work on cleaning him head to toe. There’s no need for him to walk around with the evidence of his fall all over his body further injuring his pride. Beau is a strong stoic boy who deals with his pain quietly. Two young women who love horses very much doted on this old boy showing care to both his ego and his aching body. He stood quietly as they got all the dirt off and tended to his coat and sore parts.

Beau will unfortunately need to cross the rainbow bridge soon. These types of falls can end tragically and DSLD is very painful. He’s on a daily pain management cocktail along with an ulcer preventative but he’s ready to join the love of his life Winnie in a better place where he can leave his earthly body behind. As I personally schedule the steps that are involved in offering our horses the final act of kindness my heart breaks yet again.

Caring for a horse like Beau is our highest honor. Beau’s owner passed away and the family members in charge of the estate sent Beau to auction. He travelled from the East Coast to the West Coast and then all the way back to NJ into our loving arms. The alternative for Beau was grim and he is the type of big bodied horse that actually ships to slaughter.

All we can do for Beau now is honor his wishes and love him over the bridge next week.

We will be hugging this boy non stop until that day comes.

11/21/2024

How about a Sunday Spotlight but it’s actually Thursday? As a Mom to 4 humans and a sanctuary founder who’s responsible for many lives all the days tend to run together. Today is cold and rainy so last night we had to unpack the blankets from storage for every horse at Bluemont. This is a massive task and we can’t thank our team enough for making sure every animal is warm and dry for 2 days of colic weather on steroids.

But let’s talk about our boy Walter pictured above. This photograph taken by is particularly meaningful to me for several reasons. I know the exact location it was taken. It’s the spot where sweet Riley took his last breath while I stroked his mane and told him what a good boy he was. There’s a little mushroom statue I placed there in remembrance. This area is all the way on the other side of the farm which means Walter had to travel a good distance to hang out in this tree line. Why does that matter to me? Because that means Walter’s composite shoe to correct his luxated joint is doing its job. Without this shoe Walter can barely move. And finally Walter’s favorite pastime is to scratch himself on the roughest tree bark he can find. He shifts back and forth scratching every part of his body with his lip hanging and bottom teeth jutting out. When I saw this photo I knew the click of Linda’s camera is what pulled his attention away from his important task.

Walter came to us when he was 8mo old with a very sick best friend, baby Odie. These two were in a petting zoo because people love dwarfs and baby animals. I won’t go into detail on their condition upon arrival but they both had to fight for their lives. Against ALL the odds they’re both here being total goofballs. Many of you have asked if Walter and Odie are still friends. Unfortunately the answer is no. Odie is massive now and shows dominance towards Walter. He could seriously injure him. Walter free grazes during the day and hunkers down with Puffin, Moshi and Pumba in a cozy stall at night. Puffin is obsessed with Walter and oftentimes you will find them cuddled up.

They’re all happy and safe here in sanctuary because of your support. Thank you for loving them too❤️

11/18/2024

11/15/2024

Birdie 💓
It’s amazing how life can change in the blink of an eye. Birdie is a 12 yr old paint miniature horse with a small stature and sweet disposition. She’s what most families are looking for when they want a mini or pony for their kids. At one point I believe she was loved because she adores people. If you’ve been following us for any length of time then you’ve heard us educate on how many “owners” (we like the term guardian) the average horse has throughout their lifetime. Seven is the number but through experience we’ve found that minis, ponies and OTTBs have more than double that number. At some point Birdie changed hands into a neglectful home where she didn’t receive even the most basic medical care. Her feet grew long and her teeth became sharp and painful from a lack of dental care.

Her feet have been overgrown for so long that her coffin bones have started to disintegrate and her front left pastern joint has collapsed and turned sideways. Her radiographs tell a sad story, one of agony and abandonment. She endured such betrayal and to be honest it’s been hard for me to talk about. After all of this she was sent on to auction. A dear friend of our sanctuary Silvia sent me her photo. Silvia was at a notorious and disgusting auction and saw Birdie peering through the slats of the pen she was standing in. Birdie was trying to keep her balance on her long feet because the concrete floor was slick with urine and f***s. We immediately said yes to her rescue. Only horse traders were interested in Birdie so her fee was low. If you look back on her previous posts you will see the heartbreaking footage of her inhaling her first meal at Silvia’s barn. She was so hungry and thirsty.

Birdie is on daily pain management and a special diet. She’s had bloodwork done to check for Cushings which was negative. I’ll be posting her radiographs in our stories. I’ll be frank, if she were a full size horse euthanasia would be her only option. Minis are lighter and do much better with hoof rehabilitations. We’re going to try for this girl. She deserves humans who will rally behind her and champion her healing. If we fail she will pass with dignity in our embrace.

10/10/2024

Guardian and Sidekick en route. These two tiny ones named after the two beloved stallions from the Theodore Roosevelt National Park are small in stature but still have the same needs and desires as a large equine. They’re special needs but they don’t know that. They still deserve a horses life and autonomy. In sanctuary with us they will never be a commodity at a circus or petting zoo and they will get the crucial medical and farrier care they deserve.

Welcome Home boys. You’re already looking so much better. ❤️

10/08/2024

This was his second of the day 🙈

Even though Moondog was an owner (guardian) surrender he was a former working horse sent to auction. His guardian told me that when he was walked through the ring he was wide eyed and trembling. She wasn’t looking for a Clydesdale but her heart was broken for him. She kept Moondog safe for over a decade.

As her health failed she knew that he couldn’t go just anywhere and contacted another rescue nearby who networked Moondog to us. This is our absolute favorite kind of rescue. Directly from loving arms into more loving arms. No middle man who makes money, no trauma, trailering or illness. I’m so grateful that Moondog’s guardian knew the industry well and the type of situation that a horse like Moondog could fall into. She told me that she would’ve sent him to heaven before she placed him in a “free to good home” situation. I commend her for her fortitude.

There are times that I try to educate horse owners on free to good home ads online…about the dangers out there for their horses. Oftentimes I’m met with resistance and told to mind my business. These people know, they just don’t truly care. Or they’re actively practicing cognitive dissonance.

Either way sanctuaries and rescues can only absorb a small % of the equines facing homelessness. The way we make change is through education and a shift in the trade up equestrian culture. Just like diamonds, horses are forever.

Keep your horse, it’s not safe out there for them.

09/16/2024

I've probably forgotten a few, but these are some of the ridiculous things people say to me regularly. I could definitely get a full house every week.

09/10/2024

RIP Beautiful Ferra 🐴 🌈
We laid Ferra to rest yesterday surrounded by her friends in the most gentle way a soul can leave this earth. As our vet administered the sedation Ferra’s face finally relaxed and I saw relief wash over her. She was ready, this was a gift for her aching body and soul. Pain had changed Ferra and I don’t just mean physically. Pain like Ferra’s runs you ragged and wears down every last bit of you. It steals your dignity.

Ferra was a warrior, she fought her heart out pounding the pavement. Pulling humans to and from for almost two decades. She is the face of a horse worked too hard, for too long without any regard for her best interest. Her story and the plight of the domestic working horse is a critical one and one we can learn from.

Let Ferra be a reminder to us to treat animals as equals.

To skip the breeders and puppy mills and give a dog or cat at a shelter or rescue a loving home.

To skip the petting zoos and animal attractions.

To think about the horses in work and if they would actually choose this life. Do they live a horse’s life with friends, freedom and forage? Are their bodies being cared for like they will live for 30+ years? Are they being asked to do things that will ultimately cause pain decades later? Will they have a good forever home once their usefulness to humans wanes?

To think about where we spend our dollars. Do we want to support people and businesses who are actively exploiting animals?

And to consider all of the sentient creatures in our lives, not just the animals who share our homes with us. Ferra was someone, not something.

When Ferra arrived she immediately gravitated towards Moondog. He was a safe space for her and she clung to him for companionship & protection. He leaned into this roll willingly. He stood guard as she took her last breath and stayed with her after. He’s a sad boy right now 💔. We’re spending extra time with him and giving him all the treats and hugs he wants. He was her angel.

If you would like to contribute to Ferra’s end of life expenses and legacy please consider a donation. We’re so grateful that with your help we could give Ferra what she’s always deserved, love ❤️

09/10/2024

I hear this often. “They’re big animals, they wouldn’t do it if they didn’t want to”

Sadly, nothing to be further from the truth.

CAN YOU FORCE A HORSE TO DO SOMETHING THEY DON’T WANT TO?

I often hear "If he didn't want to, he wouldn't do it”. There seems to be a growing number of people on social media saying that you can’t make a horse something they don’t want to do. These comments could, for example, be in response to a film showing a horse displaying behaviours that indicate they are stressed (rushing, nipping, fidgeting, licking and chewing, showing the whites of the eye etc) when they are asked to jump, load, stand still or hack out alone.

It is clear many people don’t recognise the subtle (or even not-so-subtle!) signs of stress or fear in horses and they believe that if their horse didn’t want to do something there is no way anyone could make them, but it is not that straightforward.

It is actually very easy to make a horse do something they don't want to do. That's one of the reasons we can do so much with them, they are very tolerant of us and more often than not do as we ask. Therefore it's extremely important that we consider whether what we ask is right for them or not, that we learn to read our horses behaviour and body language and make sure they are confident and well-trained before we ask too much of them.

How a horse behaves in any situation depends partly on his past experiences. For example, a frightened horse who tried to escape being clipped for the first time could have been hit, then been tied fast in a pressure halter. So now their fear of experiencing pain is greater than their fear of clippers and so they stand still – they freeze.

Sadly, this is an all too common way of training horses. Rather than teaching the horse the clippers aren’t going to hurt by introducing them gradually and rewarding them for trying, increasing pressure is applied to force them to stand still.

The result is that the horse is still frightened of the clippers, but they are now also frightened of the pressure halter, the handler and perhaps even the environment they were clipped in. They will also have learned that their attempt to escape meant they would be hurt, so they may be less likely to try that tactic again in future and instead put up with the situation. The horse may actually end up in learned helplessness and give up trying to escape from other difficult situations too.

If we humans are frightened and don’t want to do something, surely we understand that adding extra pain, discomfort or fear to force us to face that situation won’t magically fix our original fear? So why do we believe it will fix a horse's fear?

Learning to recognise the early signs of fear/stress/anxiety/discomfort in your horse is vital. Potential Indicators of acute stress can include a raised head and neck position, tail swishing, pawing at the ground, shying, whinnying, increased oral behaviours (eg. mouthing the leadrope when led), the four Fs (flight, fight, freeze, fidget), tension in the facial muscles, showing the white of the eye, triangulation of the upper eyelid or an inability to concentrate.

If your horse starts to perform an unusual behaviour, take note! If the behaviour occurs because of something you do, does it stop when you stop, and then start again when you resume your behaviour? Watch your horse to see when it happens, notice what you are doing and what is going on the environment.

Always consult a vet if your horse’s behaviour changes suddenly and if they are clear of any physical issues then a certified behaviourist can help you.