The Whole Horse Place

04/23/2025

There’s a chance for The Whole Horse Place to win a $5,000 grant from Franz Bakery — and I could really use your help to get us nominated!
*You just have to live in WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, UT, AK (or a few parts of CA)
*Be 18 or older
*Fill out a quick online form
* Write 100 words about why you’re nominating us (I can help with that part!)
*One entry per person
The more people who nominate us, the better our chances! Let me know if you're willing — I can walk you through it or even help with the paragraph.
Thank you so much!

Franz Bakery is celebrating 119 years by granting wishes! 💙💛

We’re awarding $5,000 grants to five non-profits that positively impact their communities.

Help make a difference by nominating a non-profit and sharing how a grant will support the organization’s mission. To submit a nomination, visit franzbakery.com

All nominations must be submitted by Wednesday, April 30th to be considered.

04/19/2025

The real Board of Directors in a meeting at The Whole Horse Place.

03/23/2025

Stable Paths was so much fun yesterday. I can't wait until we get funding to do it again.

For those who haven't heard of it, it is a new program which addresses youth (and adults) at risk for or currently involved with substance abuse. It's free, and lunch is provided. It is facilitated by a drug and alcolhol counselor at the Women's Prison, and volunteers from NA and AA.

Every session has chores, lunch, open discussions about life during lunch, and ends with horse activities, focused on self control and team work. This is a youth directed event and it looks different every time.

We can take up to 10 people per session, and this past session was 4 sessions, twice a month.

We ended this one with a questionaire about powerlessness and life being unmanageable...EVERY. SINGLE. ANSWER. was the same but in the participants own words. Here is my summary for our grant report:

Participant Reflections – Stable Paths Final Session

At the conclusion of our most recent Stable Paths cycle, we asked participants to complete a reflection worksheet with two prompts:

“I am powerless over…”
“Because of this, my life is unmanageable. Examples:”

All nine responses centered around a single theme: feeling powerless over other people’s thoughts, actions, and treatment of them. Examples included:

“I am powerless over what others think of me.”
“I can’t control what people say.”
“I try to manage others so they’re happy with me—if they’re upset, I think it must be my fault.”
“I’m powerless over others’ decisions. Their words and actions affect my life.”

This common thread reveals the emotional burden these youth carry—and how vital it is for them to have a space where they can practice boundaries, learn self-regulation, and build their confidence from the inside out.

Throughout the two-month program, youth completed barn chores, worked closely with senior horses, and engaged in shared meals and discussions. The final session ended with a team drill ride, where emotional regulation and focus were key to staying safe and moving in formation. That momen; watching them manage themselves while guiding a thousand-pound horse, was a clear, visible outcome of their growth.

And please, contact us if you would like to fund a session!

Enjoy the drill team fun!

03/12/2025

We have one more story for you! This is a long one, but it's an important story about those friendships that are meant to last a lifetime.

Kody and Buddy have been inseparable for years, and now, they need a home...together.

Kody once soared over the jumps at Spruce Meadows, one of the most prestigious jumping venues in the world, but time catches up with even the greatest athletes. An injury in his late teens ended his career, leading him to a quiet, loving home where he became a teacher, friend, and steady presence for those who needed confidence.

That’s where he met Buddy 🐴👀

Buddy, a wise and gentle Quarter Horse, had spent years teaching kids to ride, fearlessly leading trails, and ensuring everything in his world ran smoothly. He even played games like Follow the Leader and Simon Says, listening SO well that beginners felt like pros in the saddle.

In 2019, he moved to Bainbridge Island for a very special reason: Kody needed a Buddy. And Buddy took his job seriously! Buddy keeps everything in order. He sets the barn routine, notices when things are out of place, and makes sure everyone is taken care of. If a water bucket is empty, he’ll dip his nose in it and stare at you until you fix it. If a guest arrives, he’s the first to announce it. He’s a horse who likes things just so, and he makes sure his home runs smoothly.

Now at 33 and 23, Kody and Buddy are facing their next challenge: their family has moved, and they have nowhere to go. Their owner loves them dearly and just wants to know they will be safe, cared for, and surrounded by people who will cherish them.

That’s where The Whole Horse Place comes in.

If we can find the funding, Kody and Buddy will come to us in April, where they will spend their golden years continuing to do what they do best...helping people feel safe, strong, and understood.

💛 But we can’t do it without you! If you feel moved by their story, please consider supporting their retirement so they can spend their golden years together doing what they do best: helping people feel safe, strong, and understood.

👉 Donations can be made here: https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/The-Place-Of-Horses

03/12/2025

It's your LAST chance to donate to the Kitsap Great Give! 🐴
💛Donate here: https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/The-Place-Of-Horses

Your support goes directly to our elderly horses to give them the love, care, and retirement they deserve

03/11/2025

A young rider wrote us an incredible letter a while back. It said,
"The Whole Horse Place is the best to learn how to own, take care of, and ride horses. It's great for beginners and experienced riders alike. Not only do you get to ride, you so chores. Mucking stalls, grooming, saddling, and feeding. If you buy a horse but don't know how to take care of it, Tina can teach you how. She will prepare you how to own a horse before you get it.

The horses are sweet and are amazing therapy if you are sad. They all have their own personality. Tina just lets you bond with the horses instead of just having you get on and get off.

It's truly special to go out there and love on the horses.

I love to go out every Friday and just be there, even when we aren't riding. Going there makes me happy. If I were an old horse, I would hope to end up at the Whole Horse Place."

03/11/2025

Senior horses deserve more than just “one last home.”

💛 At The Whole Horse Place, we provide that safe haven for elderly horses who might otherwise face an uncertain future. Some were beloved family horses whose owners could no longer care for them. Others were forgotten, neglected, or simply seen as "too old to matter."

With specialized feed, vet care, and a whole lot of love, we give these horses the retirement they deserve, and we need your help to keep doing it. Today is the last day of the Kitsap Great Give!

🐴 Every dollar helps provide hay, medicine, and daily care.
🐴 Every donation means another horse gets to spend their golden years feeling love.

Donate today and be a part of this truly special place!

💛 Give here: https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/The-Place-Of-Horses

03/11/2025

This year, for the Kitsap Great Give, we've been focusing on supporting our senior horses, but we want to take a minute to point out the incredible place this is for kids in our community 💛

03/10/2025

We know times are tough. Not everyone can make a big donation, but every small act of kindness adds up.

Here’s how you can help senior horses today (without spending a dime!):
📢 SHARE this post. Your share might reach someone who can give.
💬 Comment below. Engagement helps spread the word!
🐴 Follow us to stay connected & be part of our mission!

If you can donate during the Kitsap Great Give, even $5 makes a difference. Senior horses need our help more than ever, and your support helps give them the loving home they deserve.

👉 https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/The-Place-Of-Horses

03/09/2025

💔 Chico thought he had found his forever home. Rescued from a bad situation, he and his new owner, Randy, became inseparable, but just three months later, financial struggles forced Randy to make an impossible choice...he had to give Chico up.

Chico was devastated. He arrived at The Whole Horse Place confused, heartbroken, and slightly lame. On top of his heartbreak, Chico was slightly lame. At first, we thought it was arthritis, but it turned out to be a painful navicular bone issue. The condition meant his heel was deteriorating, making every step difficult. But with the right care-corrective shoeing, veterinary treatments, massage therapy, chiropractic work, and a whole lot of medicine and supplements-Chico started to heal.

Today, he moves like a new horse, pain-free and full of life.

Even so, his ongoing veterinary care comes at a cost far beyond what we can manage alone. We weren’t sure how we could keep him, but then, as often happens here, the right person stepped up at the right time. Josh, a Desert Storm veteran, and dedicated volunteer who connected deeply with Chico, refused to let him go. He stepped in to help cover Chico’s expenses, and now, they share something special. Chico helps Josh through his own personal struggles, and in return, Josh makes sure Chico stays right where he belongs.

Now, Chico is safe, but his medical needs are ongoing. If it wasn't for people like Josh in our community, Chico wouldn't be here with us. But other horses here don't have a "Josh."

There are only 2 more days left in the Kitsap Great Give. Your support goes straight to making sure our horses are loved and cared for, just like Chico!

03/09/2025

About our Horses

03/08/2025

💔 Yogi wasn’t really there when we met him. His body stood in front of us, but his spirit was gone. He had spent years in a busy lesson program, tied for hours, carrying riders, doing his best, but eventually, it was too much. He checked out.

No one wanted him. He wasn’t bright-eyed or eager. He didn’t have a spark.

But we saw him, and we refused to leave him behind.

It took time, but Yogi started feeling again. He realized no one would tie him up for hours and that his aches and pains were noticed. He learned that he was safe. 💛

Yogi has found himself again, and we are so lucky to be part of his story.

Help us continue to care for Yogi and horses like him. Every donation provides feed, medical care, and the retirement these horses deserve.

💛 Donate here: https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/The-Place-Of-Horses

03/08/2025

Carousel pony. Birthday party prop. A survivor of neglect. Cracker Jack has been through it all.

When we found him, he was living in a makeshift tractor-turned-chicken-coop. His past left scars...literally. His jaw had been shattered, his teeth were jagged shards, and his body carried the signs of years of mistreatment.

And yet, Cracker Jack never lost his heart. 💛

Now, this tiny but mighty Shetland pony is our barn’s wise old man, welcoming new horses, comforting nervous people, and soaking up all the love he can get.

Cracker Jack deserves a retirement of love, care, and endless treats. Donate to his treat fund here: https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/The-Place-Of-Horses

03/07/2025

Many of our horses spent decades giving their all as lesson horses, working horses, or beloved companions, but when they became too old to "perform," they found themselves without a home.

We are here to change that.

💛 We believe every horse deserves love, comfort, and dignity in their final years.

A senior horse still has so much to give if only given the chance!

This work is only possible because of people like you! Your support ensures that these incredible animals continue to receive the love and care they deserve.

Until March 11th, we're raising funds for our elderly horses! Keep an eye out for their stories over the coming days :)
📢 Donate here: https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/The-Place-Of-Horses

03/07/2025

Bart was left to fend for himself, malnourished and frail after the kids in his family grew up and moved away. He was near death when he was rescued, and no one thought he’d make it.

But he did! 💛

Bart found a loving home with Gayle, where he became a steady rock for her grandchildren, helping them through loss, grief, and life’s hardest moments. When their family moved away, Gayle had to make an impossible choice: stay near Bart or follow her family.

That’s when Bart came to us. And honestly? We got the better end of the deal. This sweet, gentle soul brings us joy every day, and we are honored to give him the retirement he deserves.

But caring for elderly horses like Bart takes resources! Specialized feed, vet care, and daily love. Help us continue to give Bart and others like him the home they deserve 🖤

03/05/2025

Did you ever read Black Beauty as a child? The founder of The Whole Horse place, Tina, did—over and over again.

The part that stuck with her the most? When Joe finds Black Beauty at the end of his hope and gives him a loving forever home.

And that's just what we do at The Whole Horse Place 💛

Old horses are often passed from home to home, discarded when they can no longer work. We provide a sanctuary where they are valued, loved, and cared for, just as they should be.

From now until March 11th, we’re raising funds specifically for our elderly horses. They have given so much and now need us more than ever! Stay tuned as we share their stories. If their journeys touch your heart, please consider donating to support their retirement.

👉 Donate here: https://www.kitsapgreatgive.org/organization/The-Place-Of-Horses

01/22/2025

I'm broken hearted to let you know that Dillon crossed the rainbow bridge yesterday. His PTSD escalated into full blown panic attacks and he was hurting himself, even on anti anxiety medicine. He was the best horse ever, and loved the kids here so much.