Serenity Farm Equine Sanctuary

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Serenity Farm Equine Sanctuary At Serenity Farm Equine Sanctuary
People Heal Horses
and Horses Heal People Serenity Farm Equine Sanctuary (SFES) is a Virginia Non-Stock Corporation501C3.

We incorporated on May 27, 2016, and filed for non-profit status with the IRS on May 31, 2016. While there are many organizations in the state that are involved in equine rescue, there is critical need that has come to our attention while assisting Virginia Rescue Organizations. SFES’s mission is to prevent equine neglect, abuse, abandonment and to keep equine from suffering from starvation, negle

ct and euthanasia. Our vision includes efforts to prevent neglect, abuse, abandonment, and kill pens. We plan to do this through education and outreach by providing future and current equine owners and other relevant groups with information and resources. We also will offer programs to teach basic horsemanship to help support our organization.

Yesterday afternoon, we had the most amazing visitor. Our visitor was a little girl, virtually non-verbal, who was able...
14/09/2025

Yesterday afternoon, we had the most amazing visitor. Our visitor was a little girl, virtually non-verbal, who was able to recite The Wonky Donkey song by Craig Smith. It's one of our favorites so we were delighted.

Then we learned that she had never met a real donkey. WELLLLLL, off to the donkey pasture we went. Watching the donkeys gather around her and seeing the amazement and joy on her face made our week. Isabella was her favorite donkey. Jose and Mambo really liked her and stayed right beside her the whole time. Isabella demonstrated her ear-breaking bray and this little girl danced in pleasure.

She's from far away, but I suspect she will remember the donkeys.

With a lot of wonderful help, the round pen changed from a pile of metal to a really nice round pen. Normally we put ro...
14/09/2025

With a lot of wonderful help, the round pen changed from a pile of metal to a really nice round pen. Normally we put round pens up by eye and fix them later if they're not round. Sometimes, they were an egg. Other times, they were an oval. We'd think we had it just perfect and to prove it, Bill would send up the drone only to see an egg.

Because these panels are so heavy (135 pounds) we measured and marked first. Then one by one, it took shape. The drone went up and IT'S A CIRCLE.

We had some wonderful help. Thank you, Jennifer, Roger, Erin, Eric! We train so many horses that our old round pen (13 years old) was very tired. And horses like Luka and Ellie tried to jump it so we knew we needed more height. Our dream was a Clinton Anderson round pen but was too expensive for us. This one, a Baird round pen is similar and NOT $8k. It's a foot taller and way stronger.

ps... unless you train feral horses, a normal round pen is just fine. We trained many horses in the old one but the untrained, wild horses always considered jumping out. We don't push them and use training techniques that help them calm and trust, but we ARE predators, and humans, and many horses come in terrified of humans.

ps.. the drone pictures shows that it's pretty darned round. You can also see what this darned drought has done to us. The pastures look like the desert.

13/09/2025

So how is the new barn? It's not here. Bill finished the foundation weeks ago and we're still waiting and waiting and waiting. sigh

Ok, it's not QUITE that bad but we've only had an inch of rain (total of 3 rains) since Aug 1. When the horses run, the...
11/09/2025

Ok, it's not QUITE that bad but we've only had an inch of rain (total of 3 rains) since Aug 1. When the horses run, the dust flies... which is in the barn.... and my house... and on our cars... and on everything! I hope it's better where you are.

10/09/2025

...and I just spent $633 on wormer! YIKES!

So Jack tried to cut his face off. He hates fly masks and got it off but also got this!!!! Paradocs Animal Hospital t...
09/09/2025

So Jack tried to cut his face off. He hates fly masks and got it off but also got this!!!! Paradocs Animal Hospital to the rescue. Before and after. Thank you Dr Light!

We truly believe that Serenity Farm Equine Sanctuary heals. But although we try really hard, sometimes too much damage ...
09/09/2025

We truly believe that Serenity Farm Equine Sanctuary heals. But although we try really hard, sometimes too much damage has been done. He was hete a few years bacj. Meet, or re-meet, Little Man. Little Man was a 40-year-old stallion who had spent most of his life alone... well separate from other horses.

He was starving when he came and had pneumonia. We fed him 6 times daily (small amounts) and amazingly, he began to gain weight. We treated the pneumonia, and we succeeded with that too.

Little Man was a hoot. He loved the ladies and other horses. He was too frail to actually be with them, but they visited one another in the barn. He sounded like a "dirty-old man" when he neighed at the mares with a breathy husky voice. He was a little guy, but he made it known that he was a stallion. He was so happy and excited to be with other horses even if a stall separated them. We had 2 colts here and he gently nuzzled them and they him.

But the damage was too great, and he began to fail. It was congestive heart failure. The starvation had damaged the heart and from that he could not heal. We were just broken. If only he had been found sooner. If only he had more time here. If only....

The only solace was that he had 12 good weeks where he was always full and was well taken care of. He's still here and is buried on the property. Those who knew him, will certainly never forget him. He made sure of that.

So today our new round pen arrives. We finally will have one that is safer than the standard tubular round pen. We've ...
09/09/2025

So today our new round pen arrives. We finally will have one that is safer than the standard tubular round pen. We've used the one we have for 13 years and it's not quite tall enough for the feral equine we train. After 2 near train wrecks, we decided to get a bigger one. Luckily no one was hurt; horse nor human BUT close is too close for us. The new one is much stronger. Standard panels like ours are about 65ish pounds each. This round pen has panels that weigh 135 pounds. It will be a 60' like we have but a foot taller with 2 gates.

This is a big purchase for us so everyone, please be excited for us.
Also pray that our tractor is high enough to pick it up from the delivery as we're told ours will be the first delivery and on the top. It's coming from NC so it's traveled quite a ways.

On another note: Jack managed to cut his face. While the round pen is being delivered, the vet comes to see what can be done for him. I'm been cleaning twice a day and packing it but I am seeing some granulation in the cut and you know what that means... proud flesh :(

Picture: Jack with silver sulfide on his face :)

(sigh)

I DID NOT KNOW... I did not know a horse could bring people into your life that end up meaning the most to you. I did no...
08/09/2025

I DID NOT KNOW...
I did not know a horse could bring people into your life that end up meaning the most to you.
I did not know a horse could make the hardest days of your life bearable.
I did not know a horse could teach you to put others first.
I did not know a horse could remind you time and time again that your gut is always right.
I did not know a horse could break your heart.
I did not know a horse could pick you up when you have fallen apart.
I did not know a horse could teach you to dream again, after you thought it was not possible.
I did not know a horse could make you believe in yourself.
I did not know a horse could teach responsibility, work ethic, and dedication.
I did not know a horse could make you believe in something when no one else does.
I did not know a horse could make you learn to forgive and forget.
I did not know a horse could humble you faster than you can say humble.
I did not know a horse could make you a winner.
I did not know a horse could also teach you how to lose gracefully.
I did not know a horse could instill patience in you.
I did not know a horse could make you listen better.
I did not know a horse could give you their heart.
I did not know a horse could change your life.
I did not know a horse could do all these things...
but now I know.
by Alissa Kelly

07/09/2025

Fall. Is it Fall? I want it to be Fall!
(Pounding hands and feet in a 100% tantrum)

Address

2854 Byrd Mill Road
VA
23093

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 12:00
16:00 - 18:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 12:00
16:00 - 18:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 12:00
16:00 - 18:00
Saturday 09:00 - 12:00
16:00 - 18:00
Sunday 09:00 - 12:00
16:00 - 18:00

Telephone

+15408421756

Website

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