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Fundraiser to save a Belgian Draft horse mare and a gelding from shipping to slaughter
Yesterday (2/11/25), I think I got 20 emails and numerous tags on Facebook from our Big Hoof Foundation family about a Belgian Draft horse mare that was in bad shape at Wish Upon A Horse. Thank you for reaching out to me about these horses, I don't always see them! It looks from the pictures that she was starved and has an issue with her teeth. Not sure if they were previously knocked out or if there was another issue? The worst part is she looks like she was hobbled because she is missing the hair on the bottoms of her back legs. Hobbles are loops that tie a horse's front legs together, limiting its movement. They are used for a variety of purposes, including training, grazing, and keeping horses from wandering when used properly. From the picture, I don't think that was the case!
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The kill pen in McLean, Texas also has another facebook page called Panhandle Feedlot and Kill Pen Horses. On this page, there was a direct ship gelding that is probably 20 years old and looks just defeated. He is underweight as well and was dumped at the kill pen. He needs a retirement home!
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I put a hold on both of these horses last night! We are doing a fundraiser to cover the cost of bail, transport and initial medical for these two horses that so desperately need our help with a soft place to land!
Your donations are tax deductible and always appreciated!
Fundraiser to include...
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Bail Lot# 0141 Mare - $1150
Bail Lot# 1065 Gelding - $1250
Transport - $200
Initial Medical - $500 each
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Total Fundraiser - $3600
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Don't want to use PayPal...
Donate via credit card using
Zeffy or Givebutter
(FYI...tips on these credit card processing sites do not go to our foundation)
Fundraiser for medical care for all of the new rescued horses
Our foundation will always be transparent with where donations are going. Our board members do not receive salaries nor do donation dollars go to paying for vehicles, trailers, power bills, etc.
100% of your donations go to the horses medical care, feed or anything the horses might need.
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Since the beginning of September, we have rescued 41 Belgian Draft horses, 6 Percheron and 7 donkeys (pictures listed below) from shipping to slaughter. We did not include medical care into our fundraisers for all of these horses or donkeys because we knew some had medical conditions but to what extent was the question. We wanted to be financially responsible with donation dollars and get the exact amount for medical before we started a fundraiser.
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Below is a spreadsheet with a breakdown of what care each new horse received along with a copy of the actual bills from Mobile Veterinary Practice. Some of these horses have never received medical care and it definitely showed! We have treated pretty much all the horses for arthritis, 3 with EPM, 3 with eye cancer, colic, heart condition, laminitis, surgery, etc.
Persephone (the horse that went to slaughter and refused to get off the truck in Mexico) is back at the vet. She underwent a procedure to have a portion of her broken jaw removed and will still be there recovering. This poor horse had a jaw fracture, infection in her mouth/jaw bone and an eye injury needing constant care.
These horses will only receive the best medical care for the rest of their lives here on our farm!
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We need your support to cover the costs of the recent medical bills (over $44k) and still rising with Persephone still being hospitalized. Our medical fund is almost completely depleted and if we have an emergency with a horse we need to be able to cover the expense.
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Please consider making tax deductible donation to help cover the most recent medical bills.
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As always...we appreciate your support, kindness, love and generosity!
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Don't want to use PayPal...Donate via credit card using
Zeffy or Givebutter
​These are the 54 lives you have helped save from shipping to slaughter since the beginning of September 2024!
On October 11, 2024, while we were at Bowie Texas Livestock picking up a group of horses, King, sat in the back lot at the livestock yard.
He had come in on a truck the night before and was one of the horses that would not have gotten a chance to live because he was direct ship to Mexico.
We had room for one more so we squished him on the back of the trailer and took him with us as well!
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King is living his best life now!
Another rescue group had rescued a Belgian Draft horse mare and she was placed in a home with a new family.
The Belgian Draft horse was taken back to Bowie as few months later because the owner couldn't afford medical after she accepted the horse when she found out the horse had eye cancer. The horse was neglected and went without medical care for months.
When we found out she was back at Bowie and scheduled to ship to slaughter we couldn't let this poor horse suffer being at the kill pen for a second time!
So we brought her back with us as well! We named her Opal.
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Opal was missing her right eye and after getting her to the veterinarian her cancer in her left eye was already invading the bone leaving her in a lot of pain. The eye was horribly infected and the cancer was eating away at her eye.
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We gave Opal probably the best few weeks of her life filled with horse muffins, food, brushes, painting, love and kindness.
On October 7th, we set Opal free from pain with the last act of kindness.
Run Free sweet girl, you deserved so much more!
Buddy and Luna
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Another rescue here in Texas had rescued Buddy and Luna.
Buddy, was rescued from Bowie on November 11th, 2023. He is a Belgian Draft horse gelding approximately 18 years old and stands about 17.5 hands tall.
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Luna, a 15 year old Percheron mare who was surrendered with her Mom, Stella, from a transport from Missouri on April 10th, 2024. Unfortunately, Stella passed away due to severe hoof displacement.
After Stella passed, Luna bonded to Buddy.
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The rescue group that hd them needed to find a home together for them where they could be with other draft horses because these two picked on smaller horses.
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We offered to take them too!
Equines Saved since 2022
99
With your support, we have saved 78 Belgian Draft Horses, a quarter horse, a standardbred, 6 Percherons and 13 Donkeys from shipping to slaughter and have given them a loving retirement home.
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Currently, 69 horses and 9 donkeys are living on the farm and enjoying retirement.
Help save " Big Hoof " Horses
The Big Hoof Foundation is dedicated to saving Draft Horses that have spent their entire lives working only to be neglected or abused when they can no longer work and are eventually sold to slaughter or abandoned to perish.
Our dedicated volunteers and board members work to rescue, rehabilitate and if possible re-home these beautiful gentle giants to nurturing pastures while advocating for more humane treatment of the draft breeds through information and enlightenment.
By saving abandoned Draft Horses we are providing them a loving, humane environment free from pain and suffering as well as restoring their trust in humanity.
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Our orginization will do everything we can for the horses we rescue. Most of the horses we have rescued have medical conditions and can not be re-homed. They will receive the best medical care and alternative treatments we can offer them with help from our amazing veterinarians.
Our Mission
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To rescue, rehabilitate and rehome Draft horses.
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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.
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To sponsor or host events that promote awareness of the neglect and abuse of the Draft Horse Breed.
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To create an equine therapy program to assist people suffering with mental illness.
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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.
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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.
Our Board of Directors loving each and everyone of these horses!
Julie Fletcher
President/Founder
Cory Fletcher
Vice-President
Michelle Raney
Development Director
Jeannine Residori
Treasurer
Kara Starkweather
Secretary