Virginia Equine Welfare Society (VEWS)

15/12/2024

🎶It’s the most wonderful time of the year.🎶 And what a year it’s been! Our milestones included aiding in our largest owner surrender to date (14 horses), running our first horsemanship camp, providing care to our toughest medical cases to date, and finding loving homes for 29 horses.

None of that would have been possible without the leadership of our board of directors. THANK YOU to (left to right): Mary Lynn Booker, Lisa B***a, Tim B***a (aka Santa), Freda Cavallaro, and Bonnie Hoffmann. Not pictured: Kathleen Bobbio.

We look forward to all that the future has in store for VEWS and know we can face anything with this team leading the way!

(Photo credit to JR Creative)

13/12/2024

In honor of National Day of the Horse, we invite you to learn more about our horses who are in training and rehab: Pearl, Frankie, JoJo, Ginger, Piper, and Firefly (jc Zupita)! Visit our website below for more information and let us know if you have any questions.

https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-3/firefly

12/12/2024

Please join us in celebrating Andrew Breneman, our VEWS Volunteer of the Month for December!

Andrew has been a volunteer with VEWS since August 2023. He is a vital part of our Monday evening crew. His shift lead shared the following comments: “Andrew has a wonderful, calm demeanor with the horses and is always open to learning. He is reliable and detail oriented, so I always know I can count on him”. Thank you, Andrew, for all you do for VEWS horses!

In Andrew's words: "After Covid, I wanted to find a way to give back to my community. I thought about the mantra “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life”. Well, I love being outdoors and I love animals. I was beyond fortunate to find VEWS, where I spend every Monday evening working with incredible people helping horses. I hadn’t handled a horse since I was five - and now they are the favorite part of my week. You don’t have to be a “horse person”, but you will become one!"

12/12/2024

The Holidays are busy, but a perfect time to thank those who help us achieve our mission of "Rescue, Rehab, Rehome." Today we thank Ashley Oliver, our awesome trainer!
Ashley joined us in March. She rides and assesses our horses with this goal: "I want to create a safe space for horses and riders to grow their understanding of one another."
Ashley focuses on natural horsemanship,and as a certified riding instructor, she works with members of our Riding Group who keep our horses ridden on a regular basis. She also works with our companion horses.
Ashley led a volunteer education event this Fall too, instructing our volunteers on the basics of horsemanship and how we assess horses' training.
Thank you Ashley for sharing your talents, experience, and positive attitude to help the horses of VEWS find forever homes!

11/12/2024

Has it really been 6 months since our sweet ole man 🐴DUNCAN🐴 moved to his forever home? His adopter reports that Duncan is doing great! Duncan loves his snacks; especially graham crackers, and he loves wearing his fleece blanket. Duncan has really settled into his forever home and enjoys the routine of being out in the pasture during the day and in the barn at night.

We love to see updates like this! Congrats Duncan and family. Continue to enjoy life together!

VEWS will have more horses looking for their forever homes in early 2025! Consider opening your heart and home 🥰 https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-3

10/12/2024

Looking for a Holiday gift? VEWS rescue alumni cards are still on presale for a pack of 8 for $14.99! Order your set today: https://fs27.formsite.com/vablonde25aolcom/azxwiubcdm/index

10/12/2024

🐴MYA🐴 is celebrating one year in her forever home! We remember Mya as a sweet and very energetic mare who never went anywhere slowly. She continues her zest for life that is now embraced by her adoptive family.

Mya’s adopter reports that she is a fantastic trail partner. Mya's adopter also enjoys riding her or working her in the round pen at least once a week.

We’re so glad to hear success stories like this! We have several horses in training/rehab who will be seeking their forever homes in the new year:
https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-3

08/12/2024

VEWS got a visit from Santa!! 🎅 We had a blast this afternoon for our Holiday Open Barn hosted for our volunteers and their families! The horses got a chance to meet lots of new people and take pictures with Santa as well! With great holiday food, music and time with friends, it was a lovely afternoon! Thank you to everyone who helped coordinate, set up decorations, donated items for the event and to everyone who came to visit with each other! Last but not least, a huge thank you to JR Creative Photography and Design ( | www.jrcreativephotography.com) for doing our Santa pictures this year!!

06/12/2024

🐴DUKE🐴 is celebrating 6 months in his forever home - and he learning so much! So far he’s learned about building fence, learned what a surcingle is, and swears he found buried treasure in the middle of a round bale!

Duke’s family says: “Duke, aka John Wayne continues to grow like a w**d. He is still butt high at roughly 16.2H and we expect him to top out around 17-18H!! He is every bit the gentle giant, and enjoys hanging out with his best friend Domino who has done a great job teaching Duke horse manners. Duke has taken to his in hand work like a pro, took a surcingle the first time like he had been wearing one all of his life. Duke also enjoys playing over the fence with his big brother CJ, taking saddle pads for walks and popping Jolly balls lol. The fuzzy picture is Duke supervising a fence repair with Bill who is 5'8" and barely visible in front of Duke lol. Every bit a toddler but extremely sweet and gentle to handle. We look forward to starting his ground driving over the winter in preparation for breaking him to saddle when he is old enough.”

Congratulations, Duke and fam!!

Keep an eye out social media and website for horses who will be looking for their forever homes soon! https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-3

05/12/2024

Keep up with Zupita’s journey at Equine Welfare Society!

🫀Zupita’s Story

Zupita comes to us from Virginia Equine Welfare Society (VEWS). She is a young OTTB whose namesake is a cholesterol medication…. no side effects to this pretty filly.

04/12/2024

Horse rescue can both warm and break your heart. Today we honor Hope’s memory. She impacted all of our lives while we treated her “big leg,” which was affected by advanced CPL. Hope was a gentle giant who loved to rest her massive head on your chest to receive face scritches.

One of our volunteers said, “[Hope] had a grace that touched my heart. She was the first VEWS horse I worked with. She was so special that I do believe a little part of me left with her. She made me want to come back to the barn. She definitely was the best equine teacher I’ve had while at VEWS so far.”

We gave Hope months of love and tried to make her as comfortable as we could with the help of our vets. While she’s no longer with us, Hope steeled our determination to continue helping sick, neglected, and unwanted horses. We hope you’ll help support us in that mission.

https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/support-us

03/12/2024

Dec 3rd is Giving Tuesday. Please consider donating to VEWS today. We need help to get a jump on our winter preparations as we head into the harshest season of the year. This week's weather has been a preview of coming attractions.

With 3 newly-arrived rescues, our barn is full. Please find it in your heart to make a donation today to help us help the horses. We can't do it without you. Thank you!

https://www.facebook.com/donate/965735258919641/980047044148666/

02/12/2024

Continuing our stroll down memory lane, we honor Red! Red recently found his forever home with fellow VEWS alumnus Levi. His kind, gentle, and affectionate spirit drew in our volunteers. We loved him instantly!

From one of our volunteers: “I teared up when Red left for his new home because, although I was happy for him, I couldn’t help but remember how we met.

“Red was part of the largest owner surrender VEWS has been a part of. When I first found him in a dark, dirty, dusty stall where he had spent way too much time, he nickered to me. Fast forward to helping move Red & his friends to VEWS. I led him to the trailer out in the sunlight and open air he had seen too little of. I had no idea if he would load but he touched his nose to my shoulder and walked on with me. Red was always affectionate and kind, even when treating his abcess. I feel good knowing he has his own little cowgirl now but boy do I miss him!

(PS - He was such a good sport for our Halloween shenanigans!)

We can only help horses like Red through the support of our donors and volunteers! Thank you helping us keep up this work! https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/support-us

01/12/2024

Our nostalgia continues today with our favorite mother-daughter duo - Eva and Annie! This picture might sum up motherhood in one photo 😂🥰😬

When we rescued Eva, now called Levian, from a kill pen, she was neglected, emaciated, and very pregnant. Our volunteers rallied around her with love, learning, and around-the-clock care. Little Annie’s birthday was an emotional day for everyone who was waiting to meet her. It was amazing to watch Eva and Annie settle into their new life, but it was equally as amazing to watch volunteers be so willing to learn new skills along the way.

Thanks to our supporters and volunteers, Eva/Levian and Annie were given a second chance at beautiful lives; Levian with a woman who has a soft spot for opinionated mares and Annie with a family who is helping her grow into a well-mannered mare with limitless potential. All thanks to you, two lives were saved that day and many more were touched forever.

Consider supporting the VEWS herd this holiday season! https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/support-us

30/11/2024

This time of year makes us a little nostalgic 🥰 So join us on a trip down memory lane!

When Clyde and Bonnie came to us in 2023, they were joined at the hip. She was patient and made her limits known. He was anxious and as sweet as could be. We hoped they’d find a home together, and were a little sad when they were adopted separately; the goodbye between the two of them was hard to watch. But no one could have written a better ending for them!

Bonnie, now called “Pickles” is a 4-H partner to a young lady who adores her. It’s been amazing to follow their journey. Clyde is a companion and loved by a little girl with whom he was smitten from the get-go. When they met, he kept his head low and was so calm for her, letting her do all the things a budding horsewoman should do.

In the rescue world, finding the best happily-ever-after for each of our horses is our top priority. We couldn’t possibly love our memories of Bonnie/Pickles and Clyde any more 🥰

30/11/2024

Follow along with Zupita’s (VEWS Firefly) training journey at Equine Welfare Society 🤩

Welcome Zupita!

28/11/2024

Happy Thanksgiving from the VEWS crew!

We usually thank our volunteers, leadership, vets, farrier, and supporters. We *are* grateful for them and for you! Today, though, we want to thank the 🐴horses of VEWS🐴! We are grateful for all that they teach us. Each one has a different story that has made them unique and we have to listen to them and learn from them. They teach us the importance of patience and communication among so many other things. For the lessons the VEWS horses have taught us this year, we are immensely grateful.

We still can’t believe that we have rehomed 29 horses in 2024 - as many as we rehomed in 2022 and 2023 combined! It warms our hearts to know that the horses pictured here found safe and loving homes.

So hug your animals (and humans) extra tight today! Thank them for everything they teach you, give you, and do for you 🥰

From our crew to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

27/11/2024

Good Morning!

VEWS is fortunate to have such talented volunteers! Bre is one of our resident photographers/volunteers and we are offering printed cards with two of her pictures shown below, just in time for the holidays!

Card packs will be in sets of 8 and will include the two photographs of two of our alumni horses.

This is a pre-holiday sale which will run until December 20, 2024 for $14.99 per set. Quantities are limited so grab yours today!

On December 21, 2024 the price will go up to $19.99 per set.

Order Your Set Online Today!

https://fs27.formsite.com/vablonde25aolcom/azxwiubcdm/index