Bluemont Equine Sanctuary, Colts Neck, NJ (2026)

01/09/2026

Taters Journey so far! I’m reluctant to post this kind of longer educational content because it leaves you open to a million random suggestions, other orgs tagged, armchair vets and farriers… you name it. It can be daunting. We have an excellent care team working on Tater but his case is not a simple one. Doing a dramatic trim, yanking that joint straight and slapping on disks (foal extensions) has significant risk. As you can see in the video Tater went sideways after his initial correction in the hospital. And that was with pain meds and around the clock care. Theres no rule book for these guys and their care is tricky. But let’s start at the beginning…

Tater lived in a rural area for 10 years with his friend, another dwarf stallion. We believe his companion became immobile as his feet were even worse than Taters and sadly he eventually passed away.

Tater was then offered for rehoming. We saw his pictures, his feet and that he was a stallion. Hundreds of people wanted him for breeding, “therapy” work or a petting zoo. That’s when we stepped in and offered immediate help.

Tater arrived and we quarantined him here at the sanctuary. After he was cleared he headed to the hospital for his castration, radiographs, orthopedic work up and his first corrective trim. You can’t really tell in the pictures but his hoof was at least 8 inches long, completely swept to the left and crushed. Any practitioner will tell you that these cases are really difficult to navigate. We know there are crazy before and afters on the internet and some do rebound quickly, especially younger horses. But that type of corrective work is very painful. When he came home his joint and hoof became inflamed and he was in agony. He required intensive management to keep him going and an immediate removal of his shoe. We regrouped as a care team.

We decided that a more gentle approach with micro adjustments and a slight hoof extension was the next step. Tater experienced immediate relief. The problem is the hoof is so sideways that any extension continues to crush that inner wall. We’re now trying frequent barefoot trims to open his hoof up for an extension.

So far this plan is working. Hopefully by Spring his hoof will be ready for another extension. Regardless this boy is thriving. He has so many friends here in sanctuary who are just like him. He’s such a character and even though he was castrated he still kept his very distinct stallion call. Which we all love. ❤️

Be sure to follow Tater’s journey here in sanctuary. The best is yet to come.

01/08/2026

It’s time for some updates and to get back into the swing of posting again. We have lots to tell you about. I took a much needed sabbatical from Social media as I processed all we’ve been through in 2025, both personally and as a sanctuary team. I’ve never done this before but it was absolutely needed to take the pressure off and go inward during a difficult time. But I’m back and I want to show you how good our new Georgie looks! I’ve missed all of you so much !

Georgie is an angora goat who was networked into our care. As a runt he was quite lucky to pull through at the farm he came from. They did do some husbandry but he needed quite a bit of TLC when he arrived to us. Tagged as a fiber or meat goat, given his small stature and extremely gentle nature he would’ve never survived in a larger herd. There’s also a misconception that people don’t eat fiber goat’s, this ends disastrously for so many breeders trying to rehome their senior breeding/fiber goats. People don’t care what the goat was used for. For many, goats are for dairy and meat.

I transported georgie 2.5 hours home to quarantine at our farm. These little guys can go sideways from the stress alone so we stayed diligent in every step of his care. We immediately started b-complex injections to keep him perked up and help prevent polio. We also started treating his leg mites and lice infestation. He saw our vet for a once over and a f***l which revealed coccidia. Which wasn’t surprising. We took things slow but stayed the course. He required multiple leg washes and clips to get through his deep matting. We had to use shearers on his last go as the clippers just couldn’t get through the mats.

Today, Georgie’s doing really well. He’s had his hooves trimmed. He’s lice and mite free. He loves Walter and Tater and really anyone he meets. He’s the most gentle deserving soul on earth and we’re so grateful that we could save him.

Thankfully most of his care was hands on by our team. His costs were treatment supplies plus his vet and farrier visit.

If you would like to sponsor his healing journey please consider a donation towards his intake.

Also! Let’s tell Georgie how cute he is in the comments!

12/27/2025

Herd dynamics are a good thing. Our hands on experience with lots of different breeds, ages and backgrounds allows us to see all sorts of interactions. We believe hierarchy is more fluid and not as black and white as some trainers and behaviorists say it is. But also you can’t deny, there is a clear pecking order in herds. Even in twosomes. Skipper is the clear leader of their small herd. Prior to being partnered with Skipper Sam struggled with interpersonal relationships with other horses. He was neglected for a very long time. There were few resources and he was dominant over his friend Charlie at his previous home. Here he bullied his companions. Mare, gelding, big and small. He even tried to bully Skipper when he first arrived. Skipper is a senior and the move to our sanctuary jarred him. Just like other species, elderly horses take change hard. We worried at first… would he settle in and would he find the right companion. We tried for a month and right about the time we were going to move Skipper to a new herd and shuffle things around we saw a change. Skipper stepped into his leadership role and gently directed Sam around their pasture for a solid week. My fretting over Skipper quickly moved to Sam. Was he ok ? He’s old and fragile too…

But Skipper, a natural born leader with a good brain didn’t overdo it. He moved Sam’s feet and took over guiding him but he was kind about it. Once Sam conceded to this power play they fell in together. As friends. ❤️

Now, the only time we see any subtle dominance from Skipper is around treats or occasionally at mash time. These two have access to lots of resources. Free choice hay, excellent shelter, multiple waters. All of it is even and plenty. We also have several hay stations to ensure no single horse gets kicked off the hay. This is a critical to managing a herd. There should never be the perception from the herd that there isn’t enough of anything. This is what causes serious aggression and injuries. Additionally, access to hay is crucial to prevent colic and keep a horse warm in winter.

Sam needed a leader to show him what acceptable behavior is and how important peace is to a herd.

12/16/2025

Wren was so happy to have a nakey roll in the snow 😍

12/15/2025

Don’t worry! Chip’s having the time of his life! Supervised by his Mama and us of course. These experiences are so important for baby horses and he had so much fun playing in the snow!

After his fun they were tucked into a cozy stall with mashes and lots of hay. Chip and Vida both have thick water resistant coats that can absolutely withstand a roll in the snow ! They were inside the barn for the actual storm.

But you see how easily he got cast in the snow. This is why we have constant eyes on these guys.

12/02/2025

This Giving Tuesday please consider a donation towards the beautiful lives that call Bluemont Home. Whether it’s a one time donation or a sponsorship, your contribution enables us to continue our life saving work.

True sanctuary in the equine world is rare. Our focus is to rescue, rehabilitate and offer forever to the animals that walk through our gates. Most of them experience stability for the first time in their lives here with us.

We honor bonds and keep babies with their Mamas. Many of our seniors eat 20lbs of mash a day. They all get warm grain tea and a toasty blanket on a cold day and fly control, hose downs and fans on a hot one. We give out way too many treats and braid way too many manes 😅. There’s also lots of kisses on the nose. The thing is… the horses here don’t FEEL like they’re at a rescue. We have a dedicated team that helps us take on the tough medical cases. We complete a 4 hour med pass each day, which doesn’t include daily chores. I don’t think people realize just how rare all of this is in the equine space. It breaks my heart to think that all horses don’t have this kind of love and care with no strings attached.

We’re able to accomplish all of this because of our community. Because people believe in our mission and that animals deserve better. Because of all of you.

We would love to hit our social media goal of $5k this giving Tuesday! Can you help us?

We also have some exciting give aways this giving season. Please note these items are also available in our merch store.

Giving Season Monthly Sponsor Gifts

From now through Friday, December 19th, when you make a one time donation of $300 or set up a monthly sponsorship of $25 or more, we’ll send you a 2026 Residents of Bluemont calendar as a thank-you for your support.

Supporters that make a one time donation of $600 or commit to a $50/month (or more) sponsorship will receive a 2026 calendar AND a copy of Bluemont Tails. This beautifully illustrated book highlights our very first Resident- Roxy, and her sanctuary friends. Our beloved Thor has many appearances in Bluemont Tails as he welcomes our first save to the sanctuary.

We cannot thank you enough for your support

11/26/2025

This is extremely difficult for me to write. I know I’ve been quiet over here. I would normally post, celebrate and get excited about hosting guests for Thanksgiving but we were given a crushing blow about our most beloved boy Thor.

Thor has an osteosarcoma on his front leg, which is an aggressive bone cancer with no cure. There is amputation and chemotherapy but this would only buy him on average 10 months. Thor is 9 years old, as a mastiff he’s a senior for his breed. He’s 143 lbs and very front heavy. He has arthritis in his thoracic spine and he absolutely hates going to the vet. Cries, pants, laments and spends the rest of the day exhausted from the stress. I thought about if I were in his shoes. Would I want my limb amputated and chemo to be my last season of life to only buy me months? We decided not to put Thor through this. We have spent our evening and nights with Thor, managing his pain and sleeping on the floor next to him.

We call Peanut the mayor of Bluemont but Thor is the real Mayor. He’s watched over this magical place before it was ever Bluemont and was just a dream in my heart. He was here when we broke ground, when we welcome our first- Roxy, when we brought our own human babies home from the hospital and he’s stood by us in the freezing rain, the snow and in the heat as we’ve said both hello and goodbye to the deserving equines that find sanctuary with us.

Thor loves his self appointed job as greeter, emotional supporter and protector of all things Bluemont. This impending loss will without a doubt be the hardest we’ve ever endured, leaving a massive hole on both the farm and within our family. I’m extremely worried for Zoli who’s relied on Thor since his spinal cord stroke in the spring of 2023.

I have spent yet another year bawling while putting up our Christmas tree up so that our kids can enjoy the Holiday. Sometimes I wonder if I’m truly strong enough for this work.

Please say a prayer/send love and light to the best boy Thor-Thor. Our son Cole would always say his name twice when he first learned to speak and it stuck. Our entire family calls him Thor-Thor or Tor-Tor now.

Bless him and all he’s given to everyone here. ❤️

11/14/2025

As a sanctuary founder and rescuer you aren’t supposed to have favorites. But we’re human and our souls connect with another and sometimes you just can’t explain why. Skipper reminds me of a beloved horse named Nelson who we lost just before Christmas in 2022. Nelson was a tall black standardbred with a Roman nose and hardened eyes. He was a buggy horse and was worked hard. He fought his heart out pounding the pavement pulling a family to and fro. He was sent to auction after years of service. When he stepped off the trailer here at Bluemont he gave me a glance that said “absolutely not” when I greeted him. He was strong and stoic and had accepted his fate for all those years. It took about 6 months but his eyes softened. He fell in love with a beautiful mare named Glowy and he knew and felt real kindness.

His second Fall with us hit him hard and his body began to unravel again. Seasonal changes can trigger all sorts of problems in senior and medically fragile horses. First it was a lyme flare up, then hoof abscesses and then his heart. All within a matter of weeks. We released him from his body in the middle of the night, in the freezing rain on an emergency call. Carl was out of town for work and I was very ill with the flu. When I walked into the house after tarping his body I tripped over a large grocery order that had been delivered. I remember crying while I shoved food into the freezer thinking I would never give my heart to another again. That I would rescue but I wouldn’t allow myself to get so close, so invested. Ofc these were just fleeting thoughts while I was in the throes of grief. I love every single animal that calls us home.

But Skipper. While his transformation isn’t exactly the same as Nelson’s it’s profound in its own way. Nelson softened and gave and received love. Skipper arrived jarred, a bit broken and didn’t have a real zest for life. Looking at these current photos of him…he almost looks like a Mustang. Like a wild man. Strong, bold and intelligent. He shines like a copper penny and he has real autonomy but in a domesticated setting.

Somehow skippers transformation is healing the hole in my heart that Nelson’s loss left behind ❤️‍🩹.

Bluemont Equine Sanctuary

01/09/2026

01/08/2026

12/27/2025

12/16/2025

12/15/2025

12/02/2025

11/26/2025

11/14/2025

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