Feeding the Herd

14 round bales every 3 days, here’s the monthly breakdown:

30 days ÷ 3 = 10 feeding cycles per month
10 cycles × 14 bales = 140 round bales per month

About 140 round bales of hay every month

Round Bales are $140 each

Right now, nearly 200 horses and 67 donkeys call our sanctuary home. A place where they are safe, cared for, and finally at peace. But with so many mouths to feed, the daily cost of hay adds up quickly, and we need your help.

This fundraiser is dedicated specifically to the horses in our pasture and the round bales of hay that keep them nourished. This does not include the feed for the special needs horses in the barn.

To put it into perspective, a single draft horse can eat 20–30 pounds of hay every day, that’s about 2–3% of their body weight. Multiply that by hundreds of horses, and you can see how vital consistent support is.

Every bale you help provide means full bellies, healthier horses, and one less worry for our team as we continue this mission of rescue and care.

No donation is too small every contribution goes directly toward feeding the herd.

If you’ve ever loved a horse, visited the sanctuary, or simply believe in giving animals a second chance, this is your moment to make a difference.

Together, we can keep the herd fed, safe, and thriving. Thank you for standing with us.

We need your help to save a gentle soul who desperately deserves a second chance.

This sweet senior Brabant mare is currently at Bowie Texas Livestock and has been placed on the direct ship list due to lameness in her front leg. Despite her condition, her kind eyes and calm spirit tell a story of a horse who has given so much and still has so much love left to give.

She is not ready for her story to end like this.

Brabant horses are more than just a powerful draft breed they represent a rare and historically important lineage. While they aren’t widely listed on major endangered registries, their numbers have declined significantly over time as heavy draft horses became less needed in modern agriculture. Losing horses like this senior mare only makes it harder to preserve and protect this incredible breed.

Our goal is to bring her to safety and transport her to the farm, where she will receive the medical care she urgently needs. This includes a full veterinary evaluation and likely joint injections to help manage her pain and improve her mobility. With proper treatment and a safe environment, she has every chance to enjoy a peaceful, dignified retirement surrounded by care and compassion.

But we cannot do this without you.

Every donation goes directly toward:
• Bail and transport from Bowie
• Veterinary care and diagnostics
• Joint injections and rehabilitation
• Long-term sanctuary and support

Please consider being part of her rescue story. Even the smallest contribution makes a difference.

Let’s come together to give this deserving mare the soft landing she’s earned.

Fundraiser Details

Bail Lot #6985 - $1780

Transport - $300

Initial Medical - $500

Total Fundraiser - $2580

Each halter hanging on this fence represents a life lost to horse slaughter. A silent reminder of the horses who never got the chance they deserved. These halters stand as symbols of their stories, their trust, and their worth. We display them not only to honor the horses we couldn’t save, but to raise awareness and inspire action so that no more lives are taken this way. Together, we can be a voice for the voiceless and work toward a future where every horse is treated with dignity, compassion, and the chance to live safely.

Big Hoof Foundation is committed to giving vulnerable and abandoned horses a second chance at life. But we can’t do it alone. Your support, whether through sharing our mission, donating, or simply spreading awareness directly fuels our ability to save lives and provide the care these horses desperately need. Together, we can continue offering hope, healing, and a safe future for every horse that comes through our gates.

All Fundraisers Page

Horse Rescue vs. Horse Sanctuary Understanding the Difference

Not all organizations that care for horses operate the same way. Understanding the difference is important:

Horse Rescue:

Saves horses from abuse, neglect, or abandonment
Provides rehabilitation and training as needed
Aims to rehome horses in safe, permanent environments
Typically offers temporary care until adoption

Horse Sanctuary:

Offers a permanent, safe home for horses that cannot be adopted
Focuses on long-term welfare, including elderly or disabled horses
Prioritizes comfort, health, and quality of life
Provides lifelong care

In short:
Rescue = rehabilitate and rehome
Sanctuary = lifelong care and safety

Big Hoof Foundation is a True Horse Sanctuary

At Big Hoof Foundation, we provide a permanent, safe home for horses, no matter their age, background, or health. Unlike rescue organizations that often rehome horses once they are rehabilitated, our commitment is lifelong: every horse that comes to us stays for life.

Our focus is on the long-term welfare of each horse, ensuring they receive proper care, comfort, and respect throughout their entire lives. From elderly horses to those with special needs, we offer a safe haven where they can live out their days in peace.

Big Hoof Foundation = lifelong care, safety, and dignity for every horse.

Equines Saved since 2022

363

With your support, we have saved

217 Belgian Draft Horses

3 quarter horses

6 standardbred

3 Brabant

7 BLM Mustangs

Clydesdale

2 Shire/Clydesdale

37 Percheron

2 Mule

5 BLM Burrou

and

80 Donkeys

from shipping to slaughter and have given them a loving retirement home.

Currently, 204 horses and 68 donkeys are living on the farm and enjoying retirement at our sanctuary.

Rescue Records Updated 2.9.26.pdf

Fletcher Farms Amarillo Patreon

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Everything a horse needs...
Freedom, Friends and Forage!

Help save " Big Hoof " Horses

At the Big Hoof Foundation, we are devoted to rescuing and protecting Draft Horses who have given their strength and loyalty through years of service only to be cast aside, neglected, or sent to slaughter when they could no longer work. These gentle giants, after a lifetime of steadfast service, deserve compassion, dignity, and peace not abandonment or suffering.

With the support of our dedicated volunteers, board members, and veterinarians, we provide these majestic horses with a second chance. We rescue, rehabilitate, and offer them a peaceful, permanent sanctuary where they can enjoy retirement with compassion and rest. Most of the horses in our care are seniors with medical conditions and physical ailments that make rehoming no longer a viable option.

Our commitment to them is lifelong. We ensure they receive the highest quality care both medical and alternative therapies so they can live free from pain, fear, and hardship. Through education, outreach, and advocacy, we aim to inspire lasting change in how Draft Horses are valued and treated.

We believe every horse deserves a lifetime of love, care, and protection. To us, every horse is worthy of being seen, loved, and safeguarded not just for a moment, but for a lifetime.

Our Mission

To rescue and rehabilitate Draft horses.
To provide a facility where no animal will endure the pain and suffering caused by a life of abuse, neglect or abandonment by giving the horses the proper medical care required to live a healthy life.
To sponsor or host events that promote awareness of the neglect and abuse of the Draft Horse Breed.
To create an equine therapy program to assist people suffering with mental illness.
To bring awareness to the community about horses being released into a slow feral death or dropped at a dealer who sends them to auction then slaughter.
To form relationships, share information and work towards a collaborative effort to solve problems that lead to the inhumane treatment of these big hoofed gentle giants.