The horses and other equines of Bagaduce River Equine Rescue in Brooksville will be having a mare-y Christmas. Kelly Sanders and her team have rehabilitated and given new homes to many of their hoofed friends, while others will stay at the rescue and have warm stalls and soaked sugar cubes for the rest of their lives.
The rescue first began in 2018 after Sanders adopted Blossom, a donkey who was saved from a kill pen in Texas. Sanders began searching online to see what other horses and equines needed to be rescued. At the time Sanders had no intentions of starting a non-profit rescue, but she quickly realized she wanted to save more. Since then, roughly 60 horses and equines have been given a second chance. Although some have traveled from other states, she tries to help those within Maine.
All rescues are first quarantined, seen by a veterinarian, and given time to adjust to their new surroundings. If a rescue has potential to be rehomed, adoption inquiries are vetted.
“All of the horses that we rehome always have a home here,” Sanders said. “They have to come back to us if the people can’t take care of them. They’ve gone through enough at that point.”
Sanders said many of the rescues have been shuffled from place to place, ending up with owners whose hearts may be in the right place, but they aren’t properly trained or equipped to care for the animals.
Shiloh was one such horse, Sanders said, passed around until one summer when Sanders noticed the Blue Rhone at different auctions in the state. In February, a vet reached out to Sanders regarding a hoarding situation. Sanders drove to the location with the intention of rescuing one horse. She found Shiloh on the site in a 10 x 12 dog kennel with a wound on his withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades). She also discovered Nellie, a horse who was tied to a minivan. Both Shiloh and Nellie were taken in and evaluated. Nellie’s forever home is at the rescue. Shiloh’s withers eventually healed and he now lives at Spirits Place Cat Sanctuary in St. Albans.
Shortly after rehoming Shiloh, Sanders agreed to take in Jimbo, a Gray Gelding. After having two teeth removed and time for a wound on his withers to heal, Jimbo is heading to his forever home his month.
Bagaduce River Equine Rescue has a following of supporters who fundraise, donate, and share Facebook posts.
“If we can reach one person who can learn about horse care through our posts, who can financially support our mission, it just snowballs after a while,” Sanders said.
To learn more, follow the rescue on Facebook or visit their website at bagaduceriverequinerescue.weebly.com.
