Saving Draft Horses from Slaughter.
Giving Them a Life of Peace.
Not every horse comes from the same place.
Some are pulled from slaughter pipelines at the last moment.
Others are surrendered by owners facing difficult circumstances.
At Big Hoof Foundation, we take them in, heal them, and give them something they’ve never had before:
a permanent home where they are safe for life.
Two More Girls Standing Between Slaughter and Retirement
Some rescues hit differently, and this one is one of those.
Right now, sitting in the McLean kill pen, are two mares who have absolutely nothing left to give and everything left to lose. Lot #1368 is a 9-year-old Percheron mare, standing a solid 16.2 hands. She's young by draft-horse standards, but her body already tells the story of a hard life. She's underweight, run down, and days away from a trailer ride to slaughter in Mexico if nobody steps in.
Standing beside her is Lot #1381, a senior Brabant mare at 17.1 hands. A true gentle giant who has clearly spent years working for people who gave nothing back in return. She's underweight too, and she's tired in the way only a horse who's earned real rest can be tired.
These girls aren't looking to start over somewhere new. They're looking for something simpler and, in a way, harder to find: a soft place to land where nobody will ever ask anything of them again. At Big Hoof Foundation, that's exactly what we offer our seniors and medically fragile rescues. Full retirement, real veterinary care, and a herd to belong to for the rest of their lives.
But we can't get them out of that pen without help. Every dollar donated goes directly toward their bail, safe transport off the lot, and the groceries it will take to put healthy weight back on two very hungry mares.
If their story moved you even a little, please consider chipping in today. It's the difference between a trailer ride and a real retirement for Lot #1368 and Lot #1381.
Fundraiser Details
Bail
Lot#1368 - $1800
Lot# 1381 - $1700
Transport - $200
Medical - TBD
Total Fundraiser - $3700
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Feeding the Herd
14 round bales every 3 days, here’s the monthly breakdown:
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30 days ÷ 3 = 10 feeding cycles per month
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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 69 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.
Lives Changed Through Rescue and Care
400+ Horses & Donkeys Rescued from Slaughter or Owner Surrender
→ Each one now receives safety, daily care, and lifelong sanctuary at Big Hoof Foundation
140 Bales of Hay Needed Every Month to Feed the Herd
→ Hay is our largest ongoing cost and essential to keeping every horse healthy and nourished
200+ Animals Currently in Lifelong Care
→ Once rescued, they are never rehomed, sold, or returned to risk.
This is their permanent home
Help Us Build a Better Future for Our Herd
With over 200 horses and donkeys in our care, we've outgrown what our property can support. To protect the animals we've saved and continue our mission, we urgently need:
🔹 Existing barn renovation with a dedicated quarantine area
🔹 A new 80x80 barn
🔹 Additional pasture shelters & waterers
🔹 A secondary backup well
We've applied for grants without success, and the reality is that construction costs are steep while daily care expenses continue to grow. These aren't upgrades, they're necessities.
We are actively seeking corporate sponsors, donors and community partners. Financial contributions, materials, services, or connections all make a difference.
This is a pivotal moment for us. If you or someone you know can help, please reach out. Together we can build something worthy of every animal that calls this place home.
Why it Matters
These horses were once part of someone’s life. They are victims of circumstance, hardship, and systems that leave them with nowhere to go.
Each week, thousands enter auction pipelines where their futures become uncertain within hours. Some are at risk of slaughter, others face neglect, and many are surrendered when care is no longer possible.
At Big Hoof Foundation, we step in at that critical moment before uncertainty becomes irreversible loss.
Without rescue, many horses face:
❌ Slaughter transport
→ Long, stressful journeys with no return
❌ Neglect and starvation
→ Lack of food, medical care, or safe shelter
❌ Abandonment or uncertainty in the slaughter pipeline system
→ Sold repeatedly, or placed into unknown hands
Your support changes the entire outcome of their story.
Instead of fear and uncertainty, they receive:
✔ Immediate rescue from dangerous pipelines
✔ Veterinary care, nutrition, and rehabilitation
✔ Safe, open pastures and daily care
✔ A permanent home where they are never at risk again
Because of this support, horses who once had no clear future now live with dignity, safety, and peace.
They are not rotated through systems of risk—they stay here for life.
UPDATE: The EquiSculpt PEMF Machine is Coming Home!
FUNDED!!!
Some days, this work reminds you why we do it and today is one of those days.
A generous donor has stepped forward and covered the full cost of our EquiSculpt PEMF machine. Because of them, every horse and donkey in our care will have access to this healing tool...no fundraising left to do, no dollar amount standing in the way.
This means real relief is on its way for the ones who need it most: the seniors carrying stiff, aching joints, the ones still healing from neglect or injury, every animal whose body has been through more than it should have.
To the donor who made this possible — thank you. You didn't just fund a machine. You gave our whole herd a gentler path forward.
And to everyone who shared, commented, and rallied behind this cause you are just as much a part of this. This is what happens when a community shows up for animals who can't ask for help themselves.
What is PEMF?
PEMF stands for Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy. It uses gentle electromagnetic pulses to stimulate cells, encouraging better blood flow, reducing inflammation, and supporting the body's natural healing all without needles, medication, or discomfort. It's used in both human and animal rehab to ease pain and speed recovery.
For our herd, this means real relief for the ones who need it most:
✨ Eases joint pain and stiffness in our older horses and donkeys
✨ Supports circulation and speeds healing for animals recovering from injury or neglect
✨ Reduces inflammation without added stress on fragile bodies
✨ Gives every animal in our care a gentler path to feeling good again
