Horses have been a hugely instrumental tool in the past few centuries before cars and other advanced technology made life easier. These magnificent creatures were used to plough fields, deliver mail, pull wagons and carriages, and bear soldiers to war. Now, though, these and many other uses have become obsolete, and the horse as a necessity has disappeared.

With this disappearance, the ethic of proper care and keep has deteriorated as well. Horses are now seen as a luxury or commodity, and many people that own or want to own one do not understand the level of dedication and do not have the sufficient skill or confidence it takes to care for one. Therefore, many horses suffer from forms of mistreatment simply because of ignorance. There are many stories of horses that “accidentally” starved to death, or slashed their hooves or flanks open on old barbed wire left carelessly in the middle of a field, or spooked and threw a rider and were beaten mercilessly for “misbehavior.” These accidents are not the horse’s fault; these are cases of human ignorance. Horses are not naturally vicious creatures, and the stories about horses that savagely kicked and bit their owners usually have another, darker back story: they were likely abused sometime in the past. Humans create horses like this; they are not born this way.

Harmony Farms and Horse Harbor Foundation aim to not only rehabilitate mistreated horses but also to educate people on the proper way to care for them. We believe that the more people that know about horse care and share that knowledge, the more horses will be saved from mistreatment or abuse and, ultimately, the slaughterhouse before a problem even arises. The number of horses in need is staggering, and organizations like this one are few in number. Horse care requires a lot of time and energy, but it can be done right and we aim to inform people of that way for the sake of both horse and human.