Kataluna Horse Rescue

Kataluna Horse Rescue Learn about donating, volunteering, merch and more by getting involved with our page!

🐴Kataluna Horse Rescue
Registered 501(c)3 nonprofit | WA
Rescuing, rehabilitating & restoring trust and love in neglected horses & donkeys in the auction pipeline. This page was created to share our horses life changing journeys through rescue of slaughter bound horses. As well as embark on the amazing opportunities to allow humans be the student, and learn from the horses point of view.

11/26/2025

My favorite part is that the ball shaking continues to get more and more aggressive the longer you watch😂 Rado in all his glory!

WE ARE SO CLOSE! I know it’s a little early, but our most recent fundraiser to help cover the initial intake expenses of...
11/26/2025

WE ARE SO CLOSE!

I know it’s a little early, but our most recent fundraiser to help cover the initial intake expenses of our recent rescue group Ringo, Henry, Hudson, Sampson, Ophelia, Cosmo, Atlas, Astro, and Dipper, is SO CLOSE to being complete! We had some *amazing* donors offer to help take a few more steps towards our goal over the weekend, but we have $3224 LEFT TO RAISE! Originally I was hoping to reach the goal by Thanksgiving, but we’ve decided to extend it to Giving Tuesday which is *one week from today* as we felt that might help!❤️‍🩹

Please consider helping us continue to help horses in need this year, so we can reach our goal to ensure the safety and best possible care for these animals! I know we can do this but we can’t do it without your help❤️ we are a 501(c)3 Non Profit so every donation is tax deductible as well!

TO DONATE:
-DonorBox (for Apple Pay & Card payment): http://DONORBOX.ORG/DONATE-TODAY-257
-Zelle: [email protected]
-Venmo: @ Katalunahorserescue_ (UNDER CHARITIES)
-PayPal: @ Kataluna Horse Rescue (UNDER CHARITIES)

THANK YOU❤️

Imagine, just for a moment. He is you. Think, if your whole world had been turned upside down overnight. Everything fami...
11/25/2025

Imagine, just for a moment. He is you.

Think, if your whole world had been turned upside down overnight. Everything familiar is gone. The sounds, the faces, the routines that once anchored you have vanished and you don’t know what comes next.
Now imagine, all of that, except only that you’ve been here before—crowded sale pens, trader trailers, fear echoing off metal walls. An endless cycle that tells you not to trust, not to hope, and not to believe you matter.

But this time, someone saw you. Someone chose not to give up on you.

These animals aren’t just a body pulled from a pipeline. He is a soul who has endured defeat. She is a baby who suffered abandonment. They both have faced uncertainty too many times. But now, with patience and compassion, he finally has a chance to rediscover safety, she can learn what it means to feel softness, and they can live a life where they are no longer disposable.

Imagine, just for a moment, she is you. And imagine how much her story changes when someone finally says, “You’re safe now.”

Some souls give their whole lives to humans without ever asking for anything in return.This old mule is one of them.For ...
11/24/2025

Some souls give their whole lives to humans without ever asking for anything in return.
This old mule is one of them.

For years, he worked.
He carried the weight he was given, went where he was pointed, and said “okay” every time.
Even when his body ached,
Even when the job was too heavy,
Even when it took every ounce of strength just to take the next step.

He didn’t question.
He didn’t complain.
He just gave.

But when the years finally caught up,
when age bent his back,
when his joints stiffened,
when he needed the same care and compassion he had spent his entire life offering,
his loyalty wasn’t returned.

Instead of comfort, he was cast aside.
Sold off to a kill buyer with a failing body,
quietly waiting to walk onto that trailer and disappear forever.

This is the fate of far too many like him.
The workers, the faithful ones, the “good” ones who never once said no.

But this time, his story didn’t end there.
Because we stepped in.
We saw the worth still shining in his tired eyes,
the gentle heart that never stopped trying,
the life that still matters.

He is safe now.
He is finally loved.
And for the first time in his long, hard life, he will get to rest. Not because he earned it, (because he earned it long ago), but because he deserves it. Every animal does.

Your days of being forgotten are over sweet old man.

📸

11/21/2025

Sampson❤️

Our severely underweight senior gelding who we took in, in honor of the emaciated bonded pair Chance and Shadow who never got the opportunity to make it home to Kataluna. Sampson was found abandoned at a sale yard local to where our long distance hauler is based. When he first met him at the yard, he shared with me that Sampson was even more underweight then to where he was now and felt so bad someone had just left him there, so took him in and started his rehab. With Sampson being such a big rehab case, our hauler asked us if we wanted to step in and help, so of course without hesitation I said bring him on over.

Sampson is settling in to the routine well here, but these emaciation cases can be so so fragile so we are doing our best to monitor him closely and helping him take these first few steps into his new life and the depth and happiness that will come with it. I can’t wait until his “Day one” turns into his “Can you believe this was Sampson before?”

Ringo’s enucleation went *so* well, honestly as well as it could have gone which is always the best news! Once the eye ...
11/20/2025

Ringo’s enucleation went *so* well, honestly as well as it could have gone which is always the best news!

Once the eye was removed we were able to get a closer look as to what happened, this was a serious puncture wound that was unfixable, and likely caused this sweet guy unimaginable pain as it grew infection, to then be sold off to a kill buyer.

Thanks to our incredible veterinarian who worked carefully and efficiently to ensure his procedure was handled with the best care, and our team who was there to support throughout the process, you can already tell Ringo is feeling SO much better, despite the healing journey he is just starting. He just has such a big heart to him too, it hurts knowing he was tossed aside when he became someone else’s “burden”. I am just so glad he is here and finally getting the care he needs.

The FREEDOM JUMPS!!This is without a doubt, the best part of every auction weekend, is helping them step off that traile...
11/19/2025

The FREEDOM JUMPS!!

This is without a doubt, the best part of every auction weekend, is helping them step off that trailer into the first part of what will be their new life. A new life where they never have to worry about missing another meal, not knowing what it’s like to have a family of their own, and never wondering why someone didn’t choose them.

They went from numbers to names. Our big Belgian, Henry, and his buddy Hudson the mule. Our surprise gelding Sampson who was actually rescued by our hauler and ended up on our trailer in honor of the emaciated bonded pair Chance & Shadow. The gelding with the horrifically painful eye that was caused by someone and then cast aside, Rango. Our little orphan baby, Ophelia. And the four sick donkeys, Cosmo, Dipper, Astro, and Atlas. Eleven lives that may not have all made it to Kataluna, but made it home.

Thank you 📸 4Strides Photography for capturing such special moments!

11/17/2025

They made it😭❤️‍🩹

After a long week of ups and downs, our herd made it here safely. I am so so so beyond grateful for our incredible hauler who has put just as much time, effort, and love into these horses as we have. They wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him and for that I am eternally grateful❤️

We hit the ground running with our vet & team as soon as they arrived. Good news and not so good. The orphan foal is doing well all considering, she’s eating drinking and just so so sweet despite where people had left her. The donkeys are all sick, but we’ve got them on antibiotics and monitoring them closely. The gelding with the bad eye we were hoping to be able to save that eye by some miracle, but upon further evaluation it appears to be a major puncture wound that has just left a mess of the eye that is still in there. Poor guy is probably so painful and was sold to a kill buyer that way. His eye will need to be removed.

The Belgian and the mule have bonded quite a bit on the trip together. Once they settled in, they have just been so kind and enjoying lots of scratches and attention. The Belgian overall checked out well, however his buddy the mule, we were gutted to learn his poor body is riddled with arthritis. This arthritis is so bad to the point he can’t bend his head down to the graze or turn left or right. He will be here on hospice while we keep him on heavy pain medication for the next few days.

Lastly, the little red dun you see at the end of this video. Our little surprise gelding. Many of you saw my recent post of our bonded emaciated pair who sadly weren’t strong enough to make it on this trip. Well, this little gelding was found by my hauler, in worse condition than those two, abandoned at an auction yard a couple week back, basically where he was left to die. Our hauler took him under his wing. As you can see he needs quite a bit of rehab being at least a good 250lbs underweight to where every bone is protruding. After we lost our two, he asked me if we would be open to taking this guys in, so of course my response was bring him on up❤️

Everyone is on 24/7 monitoring as they settle in to this new life of love❤️

We see you❤️‍🩹 (Warning: last image is graphic)The herd is on their final stretch home. Immediate love, care, medical at...
11/16/2025

We see you❤️‍🩹

(Warning: last image is graphic)

The herd is on their final stretch home. Immediate love, care, medical attention, and endless feed, never having to set foot in another auction yard ever again, is only moments away for them. Our eleven sweet souls (two of which our heavenly herd gained before they could make it to Kataluna🪽), are ready to be welcomed from a place when no one else chose to see them, we did. YOU did. And you all helped make this possible.

I will share names with everyone as soon as we get to meet their personalities more, but I did have a lot of questions on if the two emaciated horses that passed together got names. It was the last thing I felt we could do for them in them finding their freedom, no more numbers, just a name to forever be remembered the way they should have been. We named them Chance and Shadow (re my last post) and will hang a memorial heart for them together in Lunas garden, to be honored as more than just shadows in the dark.

24 hours of rescue, is still rescue. I am heartbroken to share with you that the emaciated bonded pair we pulled last mi...
11/15/2025

24 hours of rescue, is still rescue.

I am heartbroken to share with you that the emaciated bonded pair we pulled last minute from the auction grounds did not make it before they could come home to Kataluna.

In case you missed our stories this weekend, at the end of the auction as we were getting ready to load the ones coming home with us that night, a horse trader brought two outside horses into a pen right by the loading docks. These horses were some of the most emaciated I’d ever seen, stuck side by side together. I debated in my head what to do, everything was happening so fast as our guys were loading, it was 3am and no one had slept in nearly 24 hours, our hauler was getting the others settled, but I knew what their fate would look like had I not started the conversation. I walked over to the trader and asked three simple words “Are these yours?”…

Next thing I knew my rescue partners were walking back over from the other side of the building, my hauler came out from the trailer, they saw me shake hands, and we all got these two on our trailer to safety.

I knew the condition they were in. I knew the risk was high, especially with how emaciated they really were. But I saw them in that moment, and by saying “yes” we gave them more of a chance than anyone else who saw them and turned their backs. I gave them both a pet on their faces, and was ready to show them exactly what Kataluna love meant.

What I didn’t know was that would be the last time I saw them.

My hauler took everyone back to his place to evaluate before making the trip up to us, and we went back home to get everything ready and continue routine care for the other animals. Within 24 hours, I received a call that I knew was not easy for him to make. One of them had passed in the night, and the other went down shortly after the loss of their buddy and couldn’t get back up. He tried absolutely everything he could to help, but they were just too far gone. Once their bodies reach that point, the internal organs start to shut down so quickly. The damage that was there, was done. I just wish more than anything we could have met them sooner.

He buried them on his farm, together in a final resting place, which was so incredibly kind. I believe they knew they were in a place of safety. They weren’t going to die in any hell hole, or any auction yard, they went together in a place where someone gave them a chance. I wish more than anything we could have done more. We found them in the shadows, where most are afraid to go, but I believe where ever a shadow is cast, it simply means a greater light is shining nearby. For them, that was enough.

11/13/2025

But right now, this is their reality💔

I cannot wait for these guys to have their transformations here with us at Kataluna, but for now the first step is just getting them home. What a 48 hours this has been. 48 hours with zero sleep, high anxiety, a little trauma bonding here and there, but all worth it because we were able to save TEN lives!! TEN!! Are you kidding me?! That is flipping amazing! All ten of these horses and donkeys needed a helping hand, and thanks to this amazing community we were able to step up and help.

HOWEVER, we still need to reach our goal. In order to continue to help horses and donkeys moving forward, fundraising is *vital*. It seems like money should be the last thing someone should focus on when it’s a matter of life and death, but in these situations, it’s sadly just the facts. Horse care is not cheap for a healthy horse, let alone the horses who are coming home with us on this trailer who need so much more. In the past, we try to raise at least $3000 per horse to help cover the bail cost, immediate intake expenses like vet, farrier and feed, and that three thousand usually goes pretty quick. For all ten equines, we still have $17,210 to raise. I know this is huge, it really really is a big ask, but if we all come together, even just $1, $5, $10 or more, every little bit adds up. We are setting a goal to hopefully complete the fundraising for all ten equines by Thanksgiving day, as we share so much gratitude in this season of giving back to those who make this possible❤️ Thank you for being apart of this passion, and sharing this mission.

Today is auction day. We need your help. They need your help NOW. We are attending an auction tonight in hopes of helpin...
11/12/2025

Today is auction day. We need your help. They need your help NOW.

We are attending an auction tonight in hopes of helping horses who need our help now more than ever. The ones that are cast aside, forgotten, needing urgent medical care or freedom from an endless cycle pipeline.

We have the room to help take in seven, right now we have only fundraised enough for two horses. We appreciate everyone who helps support, if you can’t support please consider sharing because it may literally may mean the difference of life and death.

Last night as we were getting ready for bed (which doesn’t actually involve much sleep because of all the anxiety that comes with the waiting), I had people from our Kataluna family sharing with me that something truly magical is happening. A rare sighting of the northern lights was shining so brightly over our farm last night. The last time this happened was right before we brought our sweet Aurora the big Belgian mare home. I choose to believe it was our entire heavily herd letting us know they were with us. They were ready. And that we are going to do some good.

This sweet little gelding with the bad eye is first on our list to come home. He was timid in the pen with a couple other horses pushing him around where he can’t see, but so sweet when we were able to approach him.

Now is the time to help more horses just like him.

TO DONATE:
-Venmo: @ KatalunaHorseRescue_ (under CHARITIES ONLY)

-PayPal: @ Kataluna Horse Rescue (under CHARITIES ONLY)

-Zelle: [email protected]

-DonorBox (Card & Apple Pay for ease!): https://donorbox.org/donate-today-257

Address

3807 324th Avenue SE
Fall City, WA

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Our Story- Living through Liberty

This page was created to share the amazing opportunities that allow humans be the student and horses to be the teacher, and for us to learn from their point of view.

I grew up working with rescue horses using the “typical” type of horsemanship training, until when I was twelve years old one horse in particular came into my life and turned all that around. These methods that I always considered to be the only way of working with horses, were being shut down left and right. This horse was scared, frightened of humans and not ready to trust. Others had tried their methods on her, some helped, some did not, but I was at a loss. Honestly, I was scared. I had made all the choices I thought I knew how, until I soon came upon this idea of letting the horse choose, and letting the horse be completely FREE rather than forcing her to engage. I will admit, I was hesitant. I was scared if I took off the ropes, she would run, that if I gave her the choice, she would choose no. But that is the reality we had to face. Five years later, by using this method of FREEDOM, we developed a trust, a team, and most importantly a friendship. My ways of working with horses changed forever.

Since then, I have come across so many amazing horses through fostering, adoption from feed lots, etc. I am currently working in Washington to grow and exploit this “training” technique to share with the world of equine. We appreciate everyone who comes through to our page and hope to inspire you and your four legged friend to try something new in honor of them!