Virginia Equine Welfare Society (VEWS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping horses in need. Thank you for supporting horses in need!
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By partnering with us, you help save at-risk horses. 100% of donations go toward the ongoing feed and care of our rescues. To contribute, please visit our website or you can find us via PayPal / Venmo. PayPal: PayPal.Me/VEWS
Venmo: -WelfareSociety
**EDIT: Thank you so much for the incredible support you have shown! We are humbled and grateful for the many inquiries and all of the encouragement. At this time, we are working through those who have already reached out.**
VEWS has the opportunity to help a group of owner-surrendered horses in our community. Horses have been vet checked, immunized and received new Coggins. If you can open your home and heart to helping us help the horses, let's talk today!!
🐴LEVI🐴 is wondering where his forever home is! If you are looking for a middle-aged babysitter for any age horse - mare or gelding - Levi is your guy!
Levi is a 12-year old, 16.1hh, dark bay OTTB gelding and is available as a companion due to a kissing spine diagnosis. He is comfortable on a daily anti-inflammatory. He has great ground manners and a great personality to boot. This boy loooooves his scritches!!
If Levi sounds like someone you want to meet, please submit an application: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2/levi. The adoption fee for this lovebug is only $500. He is at our rescue barn in Ashland, VA.
We are so happy to share 🐴BONNIE’s🐴, now called Pickles, 6-month update - and glow-up! Pickles was with us over the winter months and was super fluffy. We had no idea what a gorgeous girl she’d be during the warmer months!
Pickles’ family says: “Bonnie aka Pickles the Princess is doing great!! She will be making her debut at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington Sept 5-8th now that her and my daughter qualified for 4H Stare competition!! She is a sweet pony. Very bossy but willing to work with the humans she likes ♥️♥️♥️ “
Congratulations, Princess Pickles and fam! 🥇🏆
Check out our other adoptable horses on our website: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
We’re celebrating 🐴LB/Long Black🐴, now named Kona, being in his forever home for 6 months! Thank you to our friends at Equine Welfare Society for helping him prepare for his new family!
Kona’s adopter says: “LB (now called Kona) is making huge progress. He is a very sensitive and frequently high strung horse but he also has a very sweet and friendly nature. I go out every evening at dusk to remove his fly mask and he always walks across the field to me to be petted and scratched. One evening I discovered that a neighbor's newborn calf had gotten under the fence and decided that Kona was his mother. Kona was being very protective and even allowing the calf to try to nurse!”
Way to go, Kona!🥰
We have more lovely horses looking for forever homes of their own! Check them out at https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
*CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW FULL and we have started a waiting list. Please contact us to be added to the list.*
We still have space available for our free Adult Horsemanship Camp on Saturday, September 21st! Our focus will be on working with horses from the ground. You’ll also learn about VEWS and how to connect with your horse. Lunch will be provided. Email us at [email protected] with your name and phone number to register. Please let us know if you have any questions!
🐴TUCKER🐴 is celebrating 6 months with his forever family, including fellow VEWS alumna Izzy! His family adores him, saying, “Tucker continues to do great! He saw the farrier a few days ago, along with our other horses, and as always he stood very well. He is a safe pair of hands and actually a real asset to me around the property. I can whistle him over and he will move the other horses for me if I need him to; like say away from the 12-foot gates if I am moving equipment in and out. That’s a big help! As we have noted to you, he and Izzy have deeply bonded and it is heartwarming to see. I include a couple photos of Tucker after his midday hose down today, and one in which you can see Izzy next to him rolling after her hose down. When it was cooler, he would canter and even gallop for joy in the big pasture, and also show off his gaited walk, which is exciting to see. We look forward to more displays in the Fall and Winter! He sure can get about!”
Live your best life, Tucker!!
Check out our other horses who need their own happily-ever-afters: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
The VEWS alumni updates continue! Congratulations to 🐴COJAK🐴 (aka CJ) on finding his forever home with one of our very own volunteers one whole year ago 😍
CJ’s new family says, “CJ is doing fantastic. He’s a calming influence for his herd mates and the sweetest most gentle soul. He continues to be sound under saddle and enjoys ba****ck walks around the pasture, sleeping in the hay pile. We love him to death and are looking forward to some small schooling shows in Western Dressage when it cools off.”
Congratulations to CJ, his herd mates, and his family 🥳🤩
Learn more about adoptable horses on our website: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
🐴MOLLY🐴 is still looking to adopt a human of her very own! This petite Arabian princess is friendly and calm, with excellent manners. Molly is 20 years young and 14.2 hands, the perfect size for taller kids (under 100 lbs). She is happiest bitless, so lead line or a hackamore would be best for her. If Molly sounds like your perfect match, please submit an application: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2.
We love hearing about our alumni from their forever families! Today’s update is about 🐴IZZY🐴, one of the sweetest mares we’ve ever had 🥰
Her family says, “Izzy is doing great. She is quite healthy and happy, and is closely bonded to Tucker. We continue feeding her high quality supplements, and her heaves and navicular syndrome seem to be in remission. But, we continue to watch her closely. She is in excellent physical condition overall, as she seems to be more muscular than before, and with no excess fat. Today the farrier was here, and he confirmed that her hooves are fine. Please see the attached picture, and below as well.”
Congratulations Izzy, Tucker, and family! 🥰🤩
Check out our adoptable horses on our website:
https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
Check out 🐴LEVI🐴 in his glory days! 😍 This 12 y/o playful gentleman is retired from riding due to kissing spine, but that hasn’t hindered his sweetness. ♥️ He keeps our barn shifts laughing at his antics and we can’t wait to meet his forever human who will love him and his goofiness as much as we do. If you’re looking for a 16.1hh ☀️ ray of OTTB sunshine ☀️, visit our website to submit an application to meet him. ✨🤩 https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
We’re starting the week off right with 6-month updates on 🐴MIRACLE🐴 and 🐴DAHLIA🐴, now called Angel. We hope their update gives you all the warm fuzzies it gave us 🥰
“Both Angel and Miracle are doing fantastic living and loving life! Both girls have turned into wonderful trail riding horses and love to swim in the river. They were hesitant of crossing the river at first, but with the extreme hot days, I think they both decided the river was a good thing and now both will, without hesitation, walk into the river and swim across where you can see the bottom. We are able to give them baths and they love it now. You can ride them ba****ck or with the saddle, with a halter or a bridle or without. I have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure I am not dreaming as these two horses are a gift from heaven. They are so easy to handle, train, hug on, ride, talk to, and just be around. My farrier loves them and says they are the sweetest horses ever. I met a friend that used to own Arabian horses and they all died of old age, so she was grieving not being able to have a horse to ride. I found this out and told her she needed to trail ride with me so we have hit the trails with Angel and Miracle and are having the time of our lives.
“Angel used to be more fearful but not anymore; she is there at the gate waiting to greet you and eager to be hugged and groomed. She will do anything you ask her to and enjoys doing it. She has taken to the rope training nicely. I am currently fine honing leg command training so you can ride her with leg commands without the bridle. She is smart and does everything you ask her to do with eagerness to do more. When Angel spooks from a deer or a bear sighting while on the trails, she will wait for your command and follow through with what you want her to do. The trust level is high and Angel takes care of her rider. This horse is a thinker and oh so smart! And, she still loves to jump! She goes over every felled tree with ease on the trails licking and chewing the whole time. I am able to mount and dismount on the left side now where in the beginning she didn't want you touching her too much on the left side. Angel lets my friend ride her, too, and we have put children on her for lead line rides and she takes careful slower steps with the children. Angel is a gift from above!!!
“Miracle is still my shadow and I adore this beauty. Miracle also takes care of her rider on the trails and likes to play in the river. My husband and I laugh because when we first got them, they both hated and wanted nothing to do with water and now they both play in the water trough and when we get near the river on the trails, they pick up the pace to eagerly walk/jump into the river. Miracle is a very nice hardy trail horse and will keep going if you let her. You can ride Miracle with or without the saddle, with the bridle or the halter, and she is fine tuned to listen to every command you give her with quick follow-through. I am currently giving riding lessons to a little girl who lives down the lane and Miracle takes extra care of this little rider. I also do a lot of riding to music with Miracle and we dance. The Dressage movements have suppled Miracle to a floating, fluid moving horse. She is my Dressage star and my shadow! I love her! Miracle is also a gift from above!!!
“Thank you so much VEWS for the opportunity of having Angel and Miracle. My heart was broken when I lost my riding horse and best friend over two years ago and although I took in older horses that needed a home, I still grieved not having a horse to ride. My heart has mended now and the joy I receive to just be able to sit on a horse like these two takes my breath away! God heard my prayer and I am blessed! THANK YOU!!!”
Congratulations, Miracle and Angel 🥰🥳🤩
Learn more about our adoptable horses on our website: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
Meet our 🐈⬛ Cat Care Coordinators 🐈⬛ Jeannie and Susan! We wanted to give a big shout out to these two ladies who have taken on the care of our two barn cats, Inky and Dinky! 👏🏻 We appreciate all their time and effort to keep our two precious kitties fit as fiddles and give them all the TLC they need! You two are the best! 🫶🏻
AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION: 🐴MOLLY🐴
Molly, a petite 14.2h, 20-year old Arabian mare, is ready for her forever home and would make a great child’s lead line pony! This chestnut beauty with that gorgeous, Arabian head, arrived at VEWS in May. Molly was underweight and out of shape after years of neglect. However, she has blossomed with the TLC of VEWS volunteers and is ready for a home of her own.
Molly is an angel to catch, groom, pick hooves, fly spray, lead, and handle. She is very easy to saddle but will not take a bit. Nothing mean about it; she clamps her teeth closed and the usual tricks haven't worked yet. This could be remedied with consistent practice. We have ridden her with her halter and reins. She is suitable for an advanced beginner or intermediate child riding independently, with adult supervision. We recommend a rider and tack weight limit of 100 pounds, due to Molly's age and petite frame.
Molly will shine as a lead line pony, or pony your child/grandchild from your horse. Molly is not spooky or reactive, stands well for farrier and vet and is up to date on all care, including a current Coggins.
Want your youngster to learn how to groom and handle a horse on the ground? Walk through an obstacle course? Molly is your girl! Please complete an adoption application today to meet this pretty little mare: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
🐴LEVI🐴 and his derpy sweetness has won us over here at the barn. 😍 He is available as a companion horse due to a kissing spine diagnosis and is as adorable as they come! ☺️ He is a 16.1hh 12 year old OTTB gelding who had 11 racing starts and even did a couple years as an eventer. In his post-riding retirement, he does well with his herd mates and enjoys being with people, standing for all the scratches and pets you’ll give him! 🥰 We love this gentleman and can’t wait to see what lucky human will get to be Levi’s forever home!
Apply here: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
Calling all adults! Horsemanship Camp on September 21, 2024 from 9AM-3PM. Lunch is on VEWS. Come learn about the herd, basic groundwork and horse connections. Space is limited, please email us today to sign up at [email protected]
“Is that my future forever human I see over there?” 🥹🙏 We can only imagine that’s what 🐴LEVI🐴 is thinking everyday🥰
Levi is a sweet, handsome, calm 12-year old, 16.1h OTTB gelding who is seeking a forever home as a companion. He’s good with mares and geldings. He has excellent manners for all care - vet, farrier, loading, grooming, temp check, blanketing, fly spray, daily hoof care, catching, leading, etc. The upside to Levi’s mild stall anxiety is his goofy faces in his stall while he works out his mild stress 🤪 Aside from the basics, Levi takes a daily anti-inflammatory for his kissing spine diagnosis. He seems to be pretty neutral in a herd but will put his hoof down if he gets picked on or pushed around.
So if you’re looking for a steadfast pasture mate for your horse(s) that also has a long, happy life ahead of him AND is easy on the eyes, Levi is your guy! We absolutely adore this gelding and want only the best for him 🥰 Adoption donation $500
If you’d like to do a meet-n-greet with Levi and see for yourself what a catch he is, complete an application on our website!
https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
Let’s give a big 🙌🏻👏🏻WELCOME 👏🏻🙌🏻 to two of our newest herd members, 🐴FIREFLY🐴 and 🐴HELENA🐴. They are 4 y/o and 5 y/o OTTBs mares and settling in nicely. We are still learning about them, so stay tuned for updates! 🙌🏻
https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-3
🗓️ MARK YOUR CALENDARS! 🗓️
Our 🐎VEWS BBQ Fundraising + Silent Auction🐎 is on October 19th in Ashland! Visit our website for more info on how to get tickets as we get closer!
Knowing your time together will be shorter than you’d like doesn’t make goodbye any easier. Hope told us suddenly on Friday that she was ready to cross the bridge and we were able to give her the compassionate final act. 🌈💔
Hope, a 17-year old, 17.2 hh Percheron mare, worked for years dutifully bearing tourists, couples, and families in her carriage. She came to VEWS in March 2024 with advanced chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL) in one of her hind legs. VEWS volunteers loved her from the start, which made caring for her and her condition an honor not a chore. Hope truly enjoyed human interaction and affection, often leaning her massive head against volunteers and enjoying pets. Her kind eyes and soft muzzle melted our hearts.
Hope knew love, peace, and rest in her four short months at VEWS. Thank you to our volunteers, leadership, and vets, Dover Equine Veterinary and Woodside Equine Clinic, for the selfless care you provided. Hope has left a gentle giant hoof print on our hearts. 💔🌈❤️🩹
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Good morning VEWS supporters! We are doing an online auction fundraiser to help raise money to support our mission. Auction opens on May 13, 2024 at 8:00AM and ends on May 31, 2024 at 5:00PM. Local pickup or shipping options available, more items will be added so bid early and often! https://www.32auctions.com/vewsmaydayhayday #vews_horses
🐴OUTLAW🐴 is ready for his forever home! Outlaw is a 16h, 2004 bay registered Thoroughbred gelding who never raced. This guy is 🤩AWESOME🤩! Outlaw is easy-going, sweet, and playful. He’s a pretty easy keeper and doesn’t require any extra maintenance. He stands well for everything - haltering, grooming, tacking, mounting, vet, farrier, blanketing, fly spray - you name it. Outlaw has been out of work for at least a few years and will need consistent work at the walk/trot to help him build muscle. UTD on Coggins, vaccines, float, and farrier. Outlaw is currently relearning how to focus on his rider instead of the ground handler. He is smooth-gaited and collected. He seems most comfortable in a round pen under saddle for the time being. He was most comfortably ridden in an English saddle due to his high withers. Outlaw would probably be best pastured with other geldings. His playfulness comes out with his herd mates, though he’s respectful when they tell him off. Read more about Outlaw and find his adoption application on our website: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2/outlaw.
One of the most important tools we use to keep the VEWS horses healthy and happy is HAY!!! And we’re running low on our supply, so we’re asking for help to fill our hay feeders! How many bales can you buy at $10 per bale? Every little bit helps! https://www.facebook.com/donate/767798655368501/?fundraiser_source=external_url
Check out 🐴BONNIE🐴 free lunging! This mare has the cutest trot! Bonnie is a 14 hh, 21-year old non-gaited Mountain Pleasure Horse cross with a great WTC. She is a 🤩superstar🤩 for grooming, hoof care, and hand walking! Bonnie hasn’t been ridden consistently in quite a few years, but she has done great on lead line and still has a lot of potential. Bonnie has a slight aversion to being saddled, but we’ve learned that she’s much better if it’s done calmly and gently. Makes sense, right? Bonnie will do best with a small rider - up to 120 lbs for now, moving up to 150 as she gets back in shape. She’ll need an intermediate rider, but she’d also be great as a child’s pet with adult supervision if saddling. Want to meet Bonnie? Fill out an application and email it to us ☺️ The application can be found on her “Read More” page: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
As 2024 kicks off, we’re taking a look back at all the wonderful horses who found their way to new homes and futures through VEWS in 2023. It was a GREAT year!!!
If you’re looking for a companion pony with character, have we got the pony for you!! 🐴🎁🎄 🐴YOSHI🐴 has character for days and is ready for his forever home! This Arabian cross gelding has so many little quirks, you can’t help but love him! For example, here he is hanging out in his stall sucking on his tongue 🤣 Yoshi is easy to catch, fun to watch, and always ready for a treat. He’s a great companion for your gelding(s)! Check out Yoshi and our other adoptable horses on our website: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2/yoshi. Fill out an application and this guy could be yours before the holidays are over!
Hi! I’m 🐴Annie🐴! I’m a TWHx filly and I’ll be 4 months old soon! That means I’m almost ready to find a home all my own! (I’m excited, can’t you tell??) I have unlimited potential; you just need to raise me right. If you’re interested, let my people at VEWS know. 🥰🏡🐴 #vewshorses #virginiaequinewelfaresociety #horserescue #rescuehorse #rescuehorses
Hi! I’m 🐴Annie🐴! I’m a TWHx filly and I’ll be 4 months old soon! That means I’m almost ready to find a home all my own! (I’m excited, can’t you tell??) I have unlimited potential; you just need to raise me right. If you’re interested, let my people at VEWS know. 🥰🏡🐴 #vewshorses #virginiaequinewelfaresociety #horserescue #rescuehorse #rescuehorses
3-month old 🐴Annie🐴 (TWHx) is learning to walk between and around obstacles, an essential skill to help her prepare for a variety of disciplines when she grows up. She is also giving to pressure on the lead rope and being respectful of the human on the other end of it. Thank you to our volunteers for working with her! 🐴Annie🐴 should be weaned in the next month and will be available to the right home that will help her reach her potential. Until then, she is available with mom 🐴EVA🐴, a gorgeous 17-year old 16 hand TWHx who we’re still learning about under saddle. Visit our website (https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2) or the link in bio to learn more about Annie, Eva, and our other adoptable horses! #vewshorses #virginiaequinewelfaresociety #horserescue #rescuehorse #rescuehorses
Big, beautiful red man 🐴MAJOR🐴 is still looking for his forever home! Due to an old injury, he is no longer rideable. However, he deserves a peaceful retirement after years of being a faithful partner to kids and adults alike 🤗 Major is a 19-year old, 16.1 hh, Tennessee Walking Horse mix gelding, who came to us earlier this year as an owner-surrender. He is just the sweetest! He will generally choose to be close to people when we’re in the field with him and loves being loved on. He’s also stands calmly for grooming and hoof care. Just like some pets in the shelter may seem less adoptable from a glance, you just need to take a moment to get to know a horse like Major to see how much love he has to give. Please let us know if you have any questions about Major! https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
This post has been a long time coming and we’re so excited to be writing it! Beautiful Eva was ridden at VEWS for the first time on Tuesday! Since she came to us heavily pregnant from a kill pen, we had no idea of her history and didn’t want to rush her after having Annie. Eva (17-y/o, 16hh, TWHx) stood calmly for mounting and rode quietly on the lead line with a snaffle, even with her 3-month old filly, Annie, running around outside the pen. We’re so excited for Eva’s future now that we’re learning more about her under saddle! We’ll continue to work with her and provide updates. Now to find the right person for her… Could that be you? https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
If you hear “companion” and think “slow poke,” think again!! 🐴REBA🐴 was leading the charge for dinner tonight! Reba is 15 years young with plenty of pep in her step and is available as a companion. This 14.2 Arab cross mare would be a great groundwork partner and gorgeous addition to your family. If you’d like to learn more about Reba (or her buddy in the back, Major), complete an adoption application today! https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2/reba
🐴MIRACLE🐴 is still looking for her forever home! This gentle mare stands quietly for grooming, tacking, and mounting. She’s responsive to her rider and will move forward when asked. If you’re looking for a partner whose potential includes trail-riding and/or showing, then 14.1 hh, 17-y/o Mountain Pleasure Horse cross ✨Miracle✨is the horse for you! Learn more about Miracle and complete an adoption application on our website: https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2
🐴MIRACLE🐴 is now available for adoption! Miracle is a gaited rider's dream! This beautiful mare is 17-y/o, 14.1 hh, and a Mountain Pleasure Horse cross. She came to us as an owner surrender and hadn’t been ridden in a few years. We’ve worked with her under saddle since then and have no shortage of good things to say about her! Not only is she an incredibly smooth ride, she tunes in to her rider well and stays at the speed you put her in. On the ground, Miracle is easy to handle and is great to groom, pick hooves, and fly spray. She gets along in a herd and while it might take a bit of time for her to warm up, she enjoys and seeks out human companionship. Miracle is healthy and happy and requires no maintenance. She would be a lovely horse to take out for a nice ride or even do some showing! Please complete an adoption application today to meet her! https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/team-2/
Reba is back at VEWS and we are excited to see what forever home is in store for her! Even though she is available as a companion only, she is an excellent groundwork partner and couldn’t be more gorgeous. (Just look at that trot!) If you are interested in Reba, fill out an adoption application for a chance to meet her! https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/adoptable-horses-new
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Annie!
Lacey is a rockstar⭐️ under saddle! With a history of hunter/jumper, western and even jumping for fun on her own in the field, Lacey has tons of potential! She is great at the walk and trot. Due to ground conditions, we haven’t cantered her under saddle yet, but she lunged at the canter beautifully. She would need an intermediate to advanced rider who had big plans for Lacey to keep her brain and body working, perhaps as a lesson barn horse or even show horse! If you think you might be the perfect match for Lacey, check out https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/adoptable-horses-new for more about her and how to adopt!
Lacey is a rockstar⭐️ under saddle! With a history of hunter/jumper, western and even jumping for fun on her own in the field, Lacey has tons of potential! She is great at the walk and trot. Due to ground conditions, we haven’t cantered her under saddle yet, but she lunged at the canter beautifully. She would need an intermediate to advanced rider who had big plans for Lacey to keep her brain and body working, perhaps as a lesson barn horse or even show horse! If you think you might be the perfect match for Lacey, check out https://www.virginiaequinewelfare.org/adoptable-horses-new for more about her and how to adopt!
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The Virginia Equine Welfare Society, Inc. (VEWS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit all volunteer based Virginia corporation working to prevent equine abuse and neglect. Our mission is to rescue and rehabilitate equines in need and to prevent equine abuse and neglect through community awareness. We provide safe housing, medical and rehabilitation services to abused, neglected, abandoned, unwanted and other at-risk equines and eventually, at the appropriate time, place them into caring, compatible adoptive homes.
