Polo Pony Rescue

01/10/2026

Another rescuer and I were talking about this just the other day. We don't cheer like most of the comments section when we see these posts. We think, what a shame that horse has an owner who can't bring themselves to make the call that so desperately needs to be made.

The body outlasting the legs is probably the #1 reason we decide to euthanize here. We might start to see signs like a horse who gets down to roll but the struggles and staggers trying to get back to their feet. Maybe they try to stop hard and the hind end just gives out. Maybe their level of arthritis escalates to where you can tell the horse isn't sound even at the walk and they quit even trying to canter. The others in the herd group run - but they slowly trot behind, sometimes whinnying because the gang left them and their body just can't keep up. So, we call it.

I'm sure this will make someone very very very mad in the comments section, but 2026 is the year of the horse and it's time to put the horse's welfare first and foremost, every time, not just in the ways that make you feel good.

This applies to other aspects of equine welfare too - isn't this the year that you figure out how to get your horse out in turnout all day instead of in a stall, no matter where you live? Maybe it's the year that you stop ignoring your horse pinning his ears while being girthed up and treat the medical condition that causes that. Maybe it's the year that you educate yourself about equine fitness and conditioning and stop letting your horse sit for weeks and then going on a two hour trail ride. Maybe it's the year that you truly learn what a hoof is supposed to look like, and how things like contracted heels and too small shoes put your horse in constant pain while working.

If there's any year that we should all strive to do better - 2026 is it.

https://www.facebook.com/WASART/posts/pfbid0gLLECUsGNXVj1pBGwgQmxZVkXwafyM2qiJi657qpfsuBasePz1bTcV4pjGYkvp4cl

12/31/2025

I can’t believe it’s already the last day of 2025!

We are so grateful to all of you who have supported us, whether that was volunteering, making a donation, or just sharing our posts so that more people can see what we do!

I still go out to feed sometimes and I’m so amazed that all the horses are here at home and I don’t have to run all over Los Angeles turning horses out and checking on them at various boarding stables. After 2 1/2 years, I still feel incredibly blessed to have found this place. The horses are so happy here! We have been lucky to have a lot of community support in our new neighborhood, including a lot of volunteers from the neighboring high school.

The only thing that could make this better is if we were able to buy the adjacent 15 acres and have even more room for elderly horses to enjoy their best lives. It’s not for sale yet, but I think it will be eventually. Crossing my fingers when that day comes we are able to move forward!

We hope that 2026 brings all the blessings to you and your families, both two legged and four legged. If you’re in Los Angeles, send a message and come for a visit! We always need more volunteers, especially experienced horse people who can do things like grooming.

Have a very happy new year and remember to call an Uber tonight if you’re drinking because your horses, dogs and cats can’t support themselves so we need you alive and working! ❤️

And of course, I will put the Venmo in the comments in case anyone is still looking to make a tax deductible 2025 donation!

12/31/2025

Whiskey and Lucky since December 2022 - two old Griffith Park pony ride ponies, both mid-30's - enjoying the retirement they TOTALLY deserve!

12/30/2025

Second last donation day of 2025! Unless our luck changes today or tomorrow, it looks like we are going to be substantially less than we usually received at the end of the year. I haven’t seen checks from a couple foundations that are usually good for about $24,000 total so we are really hoping they are just running late and might be in tomorrow’s mail. If you can help feed the old guys in 2026, our Venmo QR code is in the pics or Zelle or PayPal is [email protected] ❤️🐴❤️ Pictured is horse Jerri!

12/29/2025

I was at a party last night talking to another equestrian about a serious riding accident they had this year. It was completely predictable and avoidable - caused by poor trail riding etiquette on the part of another rider. I don't think we've talked about this here today so let's do that!

Whether you're riding in a group or riding by yourself but in an area where you may encounter other riders, there are some common sense rules you should always use. Just as you should not be the dingdong in the white Kia (why it is always a white Kia?) zig zagging on the highway at 100 mph, late for their own funeral and trying to cause someone else's on the way, you should not be riding in public in a way that creates havoc.

1. Trails are for walk/trot and maybe a controlled canter up a hill. They are never for racing. With the often uneven footing, you're just asking for your horse to trip and somersault. If you encounter another rider, you're going to spook their horse. If you encounter people hiking on mixed use trails, you may not be able to stop in time. Speed is for the arena or your own field on your own property that you know is safe and private - not shared riding areas.

2. When riding in a group, you always ride at the comfort level of the group, not your own. Suddenly taking off in front of someone is a terrible idea and may even leave you legally liable in the event of an accident. There are riders who are looking to mosey along and riders who want to re-enact The Man from Snowy Rider and group #1's wishes should always prevail when riding together.

3. If someone's horse is freaking out and yours is not, JUST STOP. It's not that difficult. You have the good broke horse, you stop and stand and rest and let the person who is having trouble get control of their horse or have a chance to get off. Your horse standing calmly will tend to de-escalate things and you can spend a few minutes doing that.

4. If your horse is freaking out and you believe things are going extremely south, this is why you should know and use an emergency dismount. You can do it in any saddle. You kick both feet out of the stirrups, plant your hands on the withers or pommel and dismount in one quick movement. I've seen it taught hanging onto the horse's neck but I would never do that - I feel like that gets you stepped on. I actively push myself AWAY from the horse with my hands any time I've had to do this. I cannot tell you how many times I've escaped what could have been a serious injury and a hospital stay by just bailing off and dealing with the freaked out horse on the ground. I know some people think this is not cool but I think anything that keeps you out of the ER is very cool! You won't end up with a loose horse zooming down the trail getting everybody else dumped and you might also save your horse's life as freaked out horses who dump their riders are usually the ones people are searching for with drones three days later - and sometimes they are not found alive. If you have a good shot at bailing and landing on your feet, still holding the horse, I think that's always going to be the best outcome - especially on a trail where falling off can mean falling into rocks, trees or even off a cliff!

5. Do not bring your loose dog on a public trail. I know people have every excuse in the world for this and I still say you shouldn't do it. Even a well trained dog may react suddenly due to some stimulus he just can't resist - I know people whose dogs have died because they HAD to chase a squirrel. This is something where people say they do it all the time and have never had a problem, but I can't count how many accidents I've personally heard about caused by loose dogs on trails.

6. Never trail ride without your cell phone on your body, not on some holder on the saddle. If you get dumped and your horse runs off, that phone is the only way that people can find you, whether or not you are able to call for help. Phone on your body, GPS enabled, every time, even if you're with a group. You may not still be with that group if your horse gets spooked.

7. For those of you not on a horse - hikers, mountain bikers, etc. - the #1 thing you need to know is horses are easily frightened by speed and noise. You need to avoid both of those things. If you encounter horses, stop and stand and let them pass you. Move to the side on narrow trails and give them as much space as possible to pass. If you can step off the trail easily, do that. Making friendly conversation with the riders is a good thing as it helps the horses understand that you're just humans with wheels. Understand tht scared horses move quickly, spin, etc. and their riders may not be able to stop them, so if you can give them a wide bubble of space, that will always be the safest option.

Happy trails in 2026 - and let's make sure those trails end back at the barn, enjoying a cold beer with friends, not with an ambulance ride!

12/28/2025

Paris ( November 2020) is here to tell you that we're on the last three donation days of the year! We're having a rainy winter, which means additional costs for fill and DG as we ensure the horses have dry places to hang out no matter the weather and keep the internal roads in the property solid so we don't get our work vehicles stuck. If you're still looking for a charity to donate to in 2025, you don't have to believe me that we are one that deserves it and truly helps horses - come on out and see us! I'll be home all day today and happy to give you a tour.

12/26/2025

Mudslide, now Zesty - by Erin and Sariah in September 2024! We are going to wind down this year showing you follow up pictures of our adopted horses. Let us know if there’s one in particular you would like to see!

12/25/2025

Loved seeing this pic of horse Rocket (on the left) come across my feed this Christmas morning! Rocket was adopted in July 2023. He has a happy home with his friends and his new mom Evelyn in the Tehachapi area. ❤

12/25/2025

12/22/2025

Unfortunately, the story detailed below is extremely common and it is the reason that you see all of us traditional rescues begging you not to donate to the kill pen brokers. Please, if you are going to donate, send that donation somewhere it will actually help horses. Send it somewhere that is not scamming. It doesn’t have to be us! It could be LTH. It could be The Golden Carrot. It could be Falcon Ridge. Just send it somewhere that isn’t fundraising for horses they don’t even have! And yes they ALL do this crap. We have been watching it for over 20 years. There are no good kill pen brokers and I will die on that hill.

12/17/2025

Beautifully written!

This is what many people don’t want to deal with: aging, the slowing down and the extra steps it takes each day to keep an older horse going. It’s sitting in the barn long after the rest of the chores are done, waiting patiently while they work through their warm mash, knowing their teeth aren’t what they used to be and their body needs more time than it once did. It’s listening to the steady sound of them chewing while the world slows down around you. It’s realizing that what used to take minutes now takes patience.

It’s watching joints stiffen on cold mornings and standing there longer than planned, giving them time to loosen up before asking anything of them. It’s layering blankets just right, checking weather reports more closely than ever, adjusting and readjusting because comfort matters now more than convenience. It’s scooping supplements, soaking feed, scheduling farrier visits more carefully, and noticing every small change, because the small things matter most.

It isn’t always easy. Some days it’s exhausting. Some days it hurts to see the years written so clearly on a body that once felt unstoppable. But they gave you everything they had. They gave you their best year, their strength, their soundness, their heart. They carried you when they didn’t have to. They trusted you without hesitation. They showed up on days when you didn’t deserve it and forgave you when you made mistakes. They taught you patience, courage, and humility long before they ever needed it in return. They gave without question or complaint.

So when their steps slow and their needs grow, this is where we show who we really are. This is where love looks like time, like consistency, like choosing them even when it’s inconvenient. Love looks like staying late, spending more, doing more, and asking for nothing back.

The least we can do is give them patience, kindness, and dignity in their twilight years. To make sure they are warm, comfortable and safe. To let them age without fear or neglect, surrounded by the same care they gave us so freely.

Because they carried us.
Because they earned It
Because they deserve nothing less.

12/14/2025

Those of you who have set up a horse property from scratch - what would you tell folks who are about to do that? One of our board members just bought her first horse property, which came with fairly minimal horse facilities and she's going to be putting in a barn, fencing, feed storage, etc.

This is a flashback of what I started with! I would say my #1 thing to think about is an intelligent layout that makes things like feeding, mucking, getting a vet truck near a sick horse, feed deliveries, etc. easy. I have seen so many horse properties that look like they were laid out by drunk squirrels. A design where you have to walk in with loose horses to feed is going to be a problem the first time you are sick or out of town, for example. You'll also regret any design where you have to do things on foot instead of by golf cart/ATV the first time you get hurt. You'll be so happy if you just make things easy for yourself, and if you sell the property, it will be more attractive to buyers if it's designed with convenience and ease in mind.

What else would you tell a first-time farm owner about how to set things up?