Freedom Hill Horse Rescue
Whiskey
Whiskey was adopted in late 2023 by Ashley N. who fell in love with this big guy instantly! Whiskey was only a rescue for a few months, but in that time he bonded with his new mom. Whiskey will remain at FHHR as a boarder and will participate in programs and events.
El Dorado or Apollo (pictured on the right) was adopted in the Spring of 2024. He is now living happily with his new friend Brom. His new human dedicated a special space to him since he needed to be on a dry lot and we know he will be treated like a king. We're so happy for El Dorado!
Incredible Indy
Indy came to FHHR in the Summer of 2022 with her buddy, Jewel. She quickly bonded with her adoptive mom and FHHR volunteer, Linda; the rest was history! After several months of training with Linda and the FHHR Horsemanship Team, Indy was ready to move on to her new forever home. We're so happy for this spunky lady and her human!
Dan
We could not be happier Dan that two of our amazing volunteers, Katie and Sabrina, feel in love and adopted him! He is getting all the love and scratches that he could possibly ask for!
Handsome Jack
Itty Bit
Why have one FHHR horse when you could have two? Brenda W. adopted Itty Bit at the end of 2023. After fostering Itty for a few months, Brenda decided he fit in perfectly at her farm. Her other FHHR Horse, Jack, has become best friends with his new little buddy. We are so happy for the three of them!
Goose
Goose has found his forever home with Katie and her family. He has quickly made friends with Pockets and we couldn't be happier for them!
Brenda began her journey with FHHR as a volunteer! The moment she saw Jack it was love at first sight and she knew she had to adopt him.
“FHHR made a difference in Jack’s life by rescuing him so he could save me when I adopted him. Freedom Hill cares for their horses and make the process easy for anyone who wants to give a horse a happy life. Save two lives - yours and a horse - and adopt."
"I first saw Mickey Blue on my Wednesday morning feed shift. When I looked into those beautiful eyes, I fell in love immediately. He would snort at the other volunteers and I would ask him 'What is that all about?' He then looked at me as if to say 'I didn't do it.' I would always be the one to groom him and he would groom me while I was brushing him.
Whenever we had volunteer horsemanship training, I worked with Mickey Blue. He did everything I asked without hesitation and would lick my hand as if to say 'You did good, too.' I told Mickey Blue that we make a perfect match since he can not be ridden due to the damage from Lyme Disease and I don't ride anyway. He looked at me as if to say 'Yep, we sure do!
At first, I was his Horse Angel and then on-site foster. The best day of my life was 12/19/2016 when I received my approved adoption papers. Mickey Blue is not just my horse, he is a kind and gentle soul, my warrior, and my best friend. He knows how to make me feel good. Sometimes he won't walk to the pasture unless I walk with him. He comes to the fence every time I come to the barn, and watches me drive away. He knows that I would give him anything he needs and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him. Mickey Blue is the love of my life and he has been there for me in every step of fighting cancer. We have long talks, and when we are together nothing else matters but us two. He is a good sport when I put hats on him and pose for pictures. I call him my Bluester and I will be his mom and love him forever."
- Carol Brady
Honey
“Adopting Honey from Freedom Hill was a very fulfilling experience to say the least. Coming into the horse ownership world for the first time was an endeavor I could not have done without the guidance and knowledge of FHHR. As a teenager with a love for horses, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Freedom Hill guided me every step of the way. They made recommendations and provided me with resources to gain the knowledge and ability to become the horse owner I always dreamt of. With the recommendation of beginning with fostering, it was only about a year before Freedom Hill and I made the decision to move forward with adoption. I was nervous about this transition as Honey was quite popular amongst potential adopters; but what a seamless process! I am very thankful I made the decision in choosing Freedom Hill. I gained a best friend and the best companion a man can ask for :)”
Gabe a.k.a Rusty
“Our adoption experience with Freedom Hill has been wonderful! Freedom Hill is more than just a business, it’s family! They made my husband and I feel right at home. We are forever grateful for our wonderful boy Rusty! (Gabe) ”
The Dynamic Duo: Kirby and Miss E
Gold Story a.k.a Goldie
“Adopting Goldie through FHHR was one of the best decisions I have made as a horse owner! The entire group at FHHR are wonderful people and the care they give to the horses in need is nothing short of exceptional. I am so happy to have found Goldie and FHHR, we couldn’t be a better fit!”
Quater
Sara says her heart is full, she adores this guy and it was the easiest pasture transition ever. Quater fit right in, made new friends and is very happy in his new home. We love to hear that! It's what it's all about! Quater was a collaboration rescue, rehab retrain and rehome effort between Freedom Hill and Southern Maryland Equine Miracles.
Lisuras Gem (Jewel)
Lisuras Gem, now Jewel, came to FHHR in Summer of 2022 with her friend Indy. Jewel was a quiet lady but fell in love with FHHR's Vice President, Kate S. while she was at our barn. Jewel was adopted by Kate and the pair couldn't be happier!
UPDATE: After a long battle with cancer, Carol passed away in February of 2024. Mickey Blue is now owned by her sister, Debbie, and will live out his days at FHHR. We miss Carol everyday and we know that Mickey Blue misses her too.
“Adopting from FHHR was absolutely terrifying. The thought of having to be the best candidate out of many, and what I would need to do, or the impression I would need to make to the rescue made my nerves go crazy and heart pound. But the day I arrived ALL of that went away. From the warm welcome as soon as I arrived, to the moment my eyes saw Kirby. For the first time, I felt accepted. I was able to ask questions, be myself, and was welcome to be a part of the FHHR family from the very beginning. The process was simple and laid out in a way I could understand. They were prompt about staying in touch with me and where I was in the process. The genuine kindness and care for their horses showed by how they treated me. I will never forget the day I broke down in tears because they chose me to adopt Kirby. Because of this amazing experience, when I was ready to add another forever horse to my family, I knew where I needed to go. That is how I became Kirby and Miss-E’s human mommy!
Both Miss-E and Kirby are flourishing in their new home with me. They are loved by not only me, but my children as well! They are treated like royalty and I believe are starting to think that they actually are. I thank God every day for FHHR for bringing us into each others lives!”
responsibility of owning a horse. To prove to them I was ready for a horse, I worked every day after school at Dowell Farm to help pay for Lance's board. I was at the barn between 5 - 7 days a week doing various barn chores. After that year my parents finally signed the adoption papers, and Lance was officially mine! I continued to work board off throughout high school. Lance helped me with a lot of stuff. He was my therapist when I failed a test or when girls weren't nice to me at school. I would go for a ride or go and groom him when I needed to get things off of my mind. It always seemed to help.
Today, I do basic horsemanship with him. I've taught him flying lead changes, how to frame-up, how to bow, how to be a good trail horse on the trails, and how to be an English Pleasure horse in the show ring. I've started teaching him to go completely bridle-less, and it is a work in progress. I've done pony rides with him and kids usually love him. Well, once they get over the fact that he's 16 hands tall! I can trust beginners on him, and I never have to worry about him putting a hoof out of line. I am so glad that I get to call Lance mine!
Mickey Blue & Carol | Their Adoption Story
UPDATE: This story was featured in the Winter 2013 Spotlight newsletter. In mid-January 2015, Lance developed a large bump on his side. Shelby and her family were willing to give Lance whatever treatment he needed to be well again, but Lance lost his fight on February 16th. Lance will be missed and remembered by many of us at FHHR.
Giving Lance a Chance
By Shelby Cross
When I first looked at Lance, he had been with the rescue for four years. He was lame for three of those four years from a suspected track injury. He has had a limitation of no jumping and no excessive riding. I do actually believe he was advertised as a
companion horse for a while because the vet didn't expect him to be sound enough for any moderate riding. I had a very hard time working with him. He was the first horse I had actually trained on my own. It wasn't easy, that's for sure! And I used a lot of what Crandell's Horse Works had taught me. I rode with Joe two summers and learned SO much. Lance and I wouldn't be where we are today without everything Joe and Donna taught me. Lance had no professional training. He had a lot of bad track
habits and at times it was very discouraging. The first year I leased Lance from Judy Leavitt of Dowell Farm- bless her heart for everything she did for Lance and me.
My parents were not entirely sure they wanted to commit to such a large
FHHR Alumni
We keep in touch with adoptive families as much as possible and love to hear stories about our horses in their new lives.
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