Western Montana Equine Rescue & Rehabilitation Inc.

15/07/2025

Herd behavior is fascinating to watch. It's interesting to see the different groups that horses choose to hang with and make their closest friends with. This picture is a snapshot from the big pasture that shows a few groups of horses. You will notice the different groups, but also keep in mind that they have 40 acres to roam and they choose to be this close together in their groupings, most of the time.

Horses are highly social herd animals. They depend on the herd for social stimulation as well as a sense of security. Safety from predators may not be an issue for most domestic horses, but that need is still deeply ingrained in the horse as a prey species. Horses are a quiet species and they prefer calm, and learn most efficiently in tranquil, familiar settings. An equine’s happiness directly effects his/her health as well. Horses are most comfortable if they can touch another horse. Touching, nipping, grooming and swishing tails is important to a horse’s overall well-being. Horses can develop anxious behaviors for a few reasons such as lack of exercise, limited turnout and management practices that don’t align with a horse’s nature, such as highly concentrated feedings and lack of socialization being common contributors to equine anxiety. With horses being herd animals, they depend on the herd for survival. There is no way for us, as humans, to be a surrogate or make up for lack of being with their own species as company. I think many of us have dealt with “separation anxiety” in horses to some degree at some point along the way. Serious separation anxiety can lead to self-injury in the horse and can be dangerous for the human involved. In the long term, separation anxiety can lead to chronic exposure to the stress hormone cortisol. Over time, this can be detrimental to the horse’s immune, cardiovascular, and digestive systems. In every horse’s life, some type of separation is necessary and unavoidable at points. Fortunately, it’s not always a source of significant suffering and is very temporary separation, such as joining a new group of horses when their home changes. When it comes to training horses to tolerate separation, sooner is always better than later. Horses can be conditioned to be separated from the herd and be okay with that. They know they will join them again and the temporary periods of separation they learn to handle well. It’s great when horses are taught that from a young age, as prevention of this behavior developing is the best, but we do not get the benefit of that having happened for some of the equines that come to us here at MHWF. This is one of the things we put a lot of work into with a lot of the horses that come to us who have some form of separation anxiety.

08/07/2025

You are missing out! Two seasoned trail horses here for you! These girls, half sisters, together since 2 days old for 18 years. Can be separated for riding if they share living space with other horse friends.

Ripley is the bay QH, 15hh, leader of the two, Quinn is the Paint, 14.3 hh.
Quinn had a small bout with Scaumous Cell Carcinoma, treated once then not needed since. She wears a UV mask during the day, and on Equioxx (both of which go with her). She can be a little hard to catch if out in pasture.

These two beauties are so easy to get along with! Love human time, grooming, excellent for the farrier. They both load well.

What are you waiting for?

23/06/2025

Did you know? In a natural environment, horses will typically eat about 18 hours per day.

While “meal feeding” is the common practice among horse owners, it’s important to take into consideration the amount of time between meals when there is no access to long stem forage.

At 6 hours, reddening of the stomach lining begins, and at 18 hours, full blown bleeding lesions can occur (ulcers).

Let’s say you throw hay at 7pm and it’s gone by 10pm, then it’s given again at 7am. That’s 9 hours per night, every night, of an empty stomach. Reddening can occur at 6 hours. Imagine you applied an abrasive/irritating lotion to a spot on your arm every night for a year. Over time that spot would worsen from a minor surface burn to a painful open wound.

It’s recommended that horses never go more than 4 hours without long stem forage passing through the gut. In the situation where free choice access isn’t a viable option, try utilizing slow feeders to help slow down consumption and drag out the time between feedings.

02/06/2025

13/05/2025

Make sure pets are included in your family’s evacuation plan.

02/05/2025

Celebrating our 14th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. We could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉
If you’re in interested in FOSTERING or ADOPTING, we have gems available!
You can SPONSOR a horse, or DONATE, any amount is greatly appreciated 😊
wmerr.org or email us at [email protected].

01/05/2025

The Subtle Art of Shutting a Horse Down 😎
(Because looking calm and being okay are not the same thing)

There’s an idea floating around the horse world that needs a little caution tape. 🚧
It’s the belief that when a horse lies down during a clinic—snoring gently into the sand—it’s a sure sign of success. That they’re relaxed, trusting, and deeply at peace.

But here’s the thing: not all stillness is created equal.

It’s easy to spot an anxious horse. They’re reactive, unsettled, practically bouncing off the environment. But what about the ones that go very still? The ones who seem calm—too calm—and begin to check out completely… even to the point of lying down?

I’m not talking about a horse standing quietly. I mean that eerie kind of stillness that makes you wonder if anyone’s home. The lights are on, but the horse is mentally halfway to Narnia. 🦌

Because overwhelm doesn’t always look like movement. Sometimes, it looks like sleep. When a horse can’t run or fight, the brain takes the third option: freeze. Nervous system in low-power mode.

And yet, people often celebrate it.
“Look!” they say. “He’s lying down—he must feel safe!”
Which is a little like saying, “My child just fell asleep under the table during a shouting match. She must feel really loved and secure.”

Let’s flip it.
Imagine your child is anxious about school. She walks in, curls up on the floor, and nods off.
Do you think:
A) Wow, what a chilled-out kid.
B) That’s… not quite right. 😬

Because when horses—or humans—get overwhelmed, they sometimes switch off. Not because they’re calm, but because they resign into helplessness. It’s not healing. It’s coping.

So before you frame your horse’s nap or stillness as a breakthrough, there is a test:
👉 What happens when you ask them to do something?

Do they respond with interest and softness?
Or do they blink, brace, or go right back into tension?
Does movement bring willingness—or resistance?

Because if your horse is still struggling to engage, they might not be letting go of stress… they might just be disconnected from it.

Shutdown looks peaceful from the outside—but it isn’t the same as peace on the inside.

Let’s not confuse dissociation with progress.
Let’s not reward collapse just because it’s quieter than conflict.
Let’s aim for a horse that’s present, curious, and confident—not one that’s curled up in the sand because that’s the only option left. 🐴

We owe it to them to know the difference.

🌟 Enjoyed this post? Feel free to hit the share button—it’s free, legal, and won’t trigger any awkward conversations about intellectual kleptomania. Please don’t copy and paste the whole thing—respect the work, respect the words. ✍🏼🐴

21/04/2025

🐴 Help Us Give Horses a Second Chance!

At Western Montana Equine Rescue & Rehabilitation, we believe every horse deserves love, care, and a safe home. From neglect cases to riding horses, we dedicate ourselves to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming these incredible beings.

But, we can’t do it alone! Your support helps to provide food, medical care, hoof care, and the rehabilitation they need to survive. Whether through donations, volunteering, or simply spreading the word, every action makes a difference.

📍Meet two of our Rescues: Quinn and Ripley
18 yr old bonded mares, 1/2 sisters, have been together since 2 days old. Ready to be your new riding horses! Adoption Application at WMERR.org.
$1K ea, must stay together 😊

💖 How you can help: Volunteer🪒 Sponsor 🐎 Foster 🐴 Adopt

📣 Share and Support: A simple SHARE can help us reach more horse lovers!

Together, we can rewrite their stories and give them the future they deserve. Thank you for being part of this journey.