by Mary Martin
President & Founder, NEER, North Inc.
WEST NEWBURY – Valentine’s Day always reminds me of the broken-hearted horses I’ve been privileged to help over the years.
As founder and president of New England Equine Rescue North, a small non-profit in West Newbury, Massachusetts, I’ve worked with scores of horses and donkeys in dire straits, through no fault of their own.
Most of our rescues are from Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Some are former race horses who were pushed too hard and arrive at our barn with chronic injuries. Others are aging school horses with costly special needs. After giving their all to owners, too many horses are rejected when their peak years end.
Some equines are wrongly labeled “unmanageable” after years of deliberate neglect. Ponies and horses also come to us from parents who unintentionally neglect their care after their children lose interest or go away to college.
Most often, our rescues are simply misunderstood. A green horse in the hands of a novice can acquire bad habits, the beginning of a terrifying journey to a dealer, auction, or meat buyer. Dishonest, out-of-state dealers victimize adopters and animals by brokering bad-match adoptions on social media for large fees. When these adoptions fail, many animals are surrendered to rescues like NEER North, depleting already-stretched budgets and reducing our capacity to help local horses and owners.
Some of the suffering I’ve seen truly has been shocking. I’ve taken in animals who arrive with whip marks fresh and bleeding. What could a horse possibly have done to merit such brutal abuse?
No matter how unspeakable their prior treatment, almost all horses can learn to trust again. The process of earning back that trust is central to our work. This Valentine’s Day, instead of flowers and chocolates, please consider helping a horse or donkey in crisis.
Donate and/or get more involved at www.neernorth.org
Your act of kindness could help a frightened equine take its first tentative step toward trust and well-being. Whether you do it for yourself, or as a meaningful Valentine for a person or animal you love, you have our heartfelt thanks! ©
