Holy Spirit Farm & Horse Sanctuary

HSF is ultimately working to better our community - both the equine one, and the human one. We believe that while we rescue animals in need, we can also educate the public and provide meaningful services to those that would not otherwise be able to afford them.

Holy Spirit Farm is first and foremost, working to reduce the number of horses and equines untimely euthanized, in addition to saving horses from neglect and abuse situations. The latter half of our primary goal also involves education of owners so as animal cruelty cases are lessened and less horses negatively impacted. So far, our work has extended to off-track thoroughbreds, feral horses, aged horses, chronically ill/horses with disabilities, and average horses who suddenly find themselves without placement for one reason or another. Some of our cases have been brought to our attention by vets and humane leagues, but ultimately, it is the general public or owners of the animals who reach out to us. When individuals reach out, instead of working against them, we work with them to ensure the best path for the horse is taken. For new owners, we maintain a certain level of support to ensure that the new owner is aware of how to properly care for the equine now in their possession.

In addition to working to better ensure equine care, we strive to make horseback riding and the services surrounding it, affordable as possible. By providing individuals and families with an opportunity to work and care for horses, we see that we make a positive impact in the lives of many.

To reduce the number of horses untimely euthanized, we work with vets and humane leagues. Our cooperation with both types of parties has enabled us to save a great many number of horses who have had many years left. By working with the general public and remaining friendly instead of being condescending, we have found that the number of surrenders/placements prior to neglect occurring has declined in our region. We maintain a public presence, but do rely on word of mouth, as sometimes, people may not know we are an option.

When it comes to enabling people to have a chance to work and ride horses, we offer several different programs. Our lesson program involves free ride time if the students elect to volunteer, our hippotherapy programs are set at an affordable rate, and all veterans' services are free. Volunteers also have the opportunity to help groom and care for the horses when they are present, enabling them to have completely free time with horses.

Holy Spirit Farm has a knowledgeable team of horsewomen working the farm on a daily basis. Having this team ensures that the horses are well taken care of. When problems arise, the team puts their heads together to create a well-thought out and researched solution. Beyond our daily team, we have a wonderful network of equine vets, dentists, and farriers who work with us to right the wrongs the horses have experienced.

To serve the people of our community, we are always learning, always growing, and always looking for new ways to involve people at the farm. Our team attends clinics, classes, and other events to better learn how to work with horses and people. This makes sure that we stay fresh and up to date with happenings in our community and the horse world.

So far, we have placed upwards of 15 horses (that's just 2 years, and not including the rescues that have become residents!) and have begun working with townships, schools, churches, and adult therapy programs.

Over the next few years, we hope to continue our work with the above, but want to increase our awareness among other areas of our community. We hope to be able to include parolees more, in addition to raising awareness of our veterans' program.