Capturing Their Playfulness, Beauty And Grandeur

After a huge snow storm delayed our photoshoot at Hapi Trails Horse Rescue Rehabilitation Ranch in Teton Valley Idaho we were finally able to get on the property this month to photograph the horses with local photographer Rebecca Vanderhorst. In our opinion every animal should have the right to a loving home and these regal animals are no exception.

Rebecca Vanderhorst had a natural ability to showcase each of these sweet beings through her lens. She captured their playfulness, beauty and grandeur. Each horse has a long history and story to share with the world. We found out from one of the directors of HAPI Trails, Julie Martin that many of these horses had loving homes but different circumstances forced the owners to give the horses up. When living situations change or a family emergency happens and the funds are no longer there to take care of your pet, heartbreaking choices must be made and in many cases these horses lost their homes.

 

We are happy to help spread the word on these sweet souls and help them find sponsors, fosters and people to adopt them. If you feel like adopting is too much at this time consider fostering or sponsoring one of the horses. Your help will improve the lives of these incredible horses and help the chances of them getting adopted sooner.

Check out these incredible characters and consider sponsoring, fostering or adopting one of them today. Even consider visiting the ranch to get better acquainted with them all and volunteer to truly experience what HAPI Trails has been doing successfully since 2009.

Thank you to Rebecca Vanderhorst, Julie Martin and the HAPI Trails crew for showing us your creative expression of love for these incredible creatures!

George, 19 YO, Missouri Fox Trotter 

He was headed to slaughter because his owner couldn’t keep him and because of his age. A.k.a – Foxxy. We call him Foxxy George cause he’s foxxy cute! A good looking 19 year old Missouri Fox Trotter. He is a lover and a giver. This is a horse anyone can ride! We are working on beefing him up and smoothing out a few ‘kinks’, but once he’s done, he will make someone a fantastic horse. He is gentle on the ground and under the saddle. He has seen and done it all and melts in your hands when you give him the love he deserves. We love George! George has a new sponsor who is helping to pay for his care. His sponsor along with a new inquiry are both interested in adoption!

Gypsy, 17 YO, Black Mare

Gypsy was originally relinquished to us in 2010 and was adopted soon after. But this beautiful little Missouri Fox Trotter has found her way back to us – no fault of hers! Life & circumstances change and sometimes a heart breaking decision has to be made. That’s  the case for Gypsy and her previous owner. Gypsy is in her late teens, is healthy and strong and an easy keeper. She hasn’t been ridden in a while, so we are working on that with some of our volunteer trainers. She is a bit head-shy, especially after being porcupined in the face. Poor girl! But she has a big heart and is willing to learn when given the chance. We’ll keep you posted on her progress. But if your looking for a ‘Black Beauty’ she may be just what your looking for!

Baby, 9 YO, Sorrel Mare

Baby/Sariah is a beautiful and sweet little Sorrel QH mare. She is the perfect age, with the perfect temperament. Between 8 and 9 years of age, she is the perfect little horse. Fantastic manners, knows a lot and is an easy keeper. She is strong and healthy, but had a crack in her front hoof. After some corrective shoeing and a little extra TLC/Massage by Jim Culver, she is up and running sound again. Her owners lost their housing and ran out of time finding her a new home. 

Asspen & Jasper, 20+ YO Molly Mule & 20+ YO QH Gelding

The dynamic duo of Mule and Gelding. These two are being offered as a package deal as they have been together all their lives and LOVE each other. They came into HAPI Trails a bit on the chubby side, so we have been watching their food and now they are looking fantastic. Both are in their early twenties and both have been ridden, just not in the past 8 years. Now that they are healthy, we have begun determining their riding levels. Jasper was out on the trail this past week with one of our volunteer trainers and seemed to really enjoy being back under the saddle. We will keep you posted. Both are sweet, healthy, strong and with nice ground manners. Asspen is a bit of hodini!

These 2 have a Sponsor who is helping to pay for their care.

Miranda (not on website, yet)

We don’t know Mirandas age or history, just that she was found walking along the highway in Felt. After months of searching for her owners, we finally had to come to terms with the fact that she was not going to be claimed. Such a shame! She is a beautiful Bay with a heart of gold! We think she is around 12 and knows a lot about being a horse. We have ridden her in the arena, she halters, does well with the farrier and the Vet and is very easy to handle. But when she was found her hooves were very long (months on neglect) and she had an old injury that had not been cared for. We are in the process of healing that injury and once she is cleared by the Vet, she will be available for adoption. I’m sure when that happens, there will be a line around the block for her!

Auburn, 7YO, Sorrel QH Mare

Auburn is pending adoption. One of the many horses from a hoarding situation and one of the worst we’ve seen. She was extremely emaciated with elf-life hooves from years of not being trimmed. And she had a hernia, but we have since had it removed and she is now completely healed. She is strong and healthy with some training under her belt. She just needs the right owner to give her the time and attention she deserves. She loads in a trailer, stands for the farrier and vaccinations, is not herd bound, is smart, calm, curious and loving! This young horse is going to make some one an amazing partner! 

Lily, 20+ YO, Gray Mare

A 20 year old, beautiful, little quarter horse mare. She was seized by the State along with her colt & yearling and filtered to HAPI from a rescue in Blackfoot, Idaho. She is incredibly sweet, healthy and strong, but there is a catch… we were told Lily was injured in the rodeo. No one cared for her injury, thus creating even more of a health/soundness issued. She can not be ridden and doesn’t allow anyone to work with her injured hoof. She gets along beautifully with other horses, humans and other animals and will make a great companion horse. Lily really deserves a loving home where she can be pampered and cared for. She has a solid mind and has been used in Equine Therapy (non-ridding).

Buddy Love, 7YO, Black Morgan Gelding

Buddy is a favorite of our volunteers. Why? if you visit you will know! This is an incredibly beautiful 7 year old gelding. Big, solid and a glossy black. Has been under saddle a few times, but needs a lot more work! One of our volunteer trainers has been working with him in the arena, clicker training and jumping, but not under saddle.  He is smart (smart!), healthy, strong, fast, extremely curious and engaging. His problem? He is pigeon toed and was headed to slaughter as a 3 YO when HAPI Trails was asked to take him. If you can get past the curve, you’ll have a gem of a horse. This horse is strong and really wants to learn and be loved.

Vinure, 25YO Icelandic Gelding

Vinure is pending adoption. Vinure – Icelandic for “friend’. What can you say about an Icelandic pony except this little guys has it all! He is stout in structure and personality. He may be small but everything about him is big! He is a little older at 25, but in the Icelandic world he is the perfect age, as they live into their 40’s. He was trained when he lived Iceland (yep – he is the real deal!) and then had extensive training in the States. Ever heard of a ‘Tolt’?  We understand it is the Cadillac of ‘trots’. He was relinquished to us by a devastated owner who could no longer physically care for him – but she visits when she can!  Even though we’ve had numerous inquiries and application filled out on this boy, he is not your average ‘Pony”. His abilities seem to exceed his potential adopters, as does his speed on the trails – thus leaving his companions in the dust! He is excellent in his manners, loading, trimming and dining. Oh speaking of dinning, if you want to visit this handsome boy – you must bring cinnamon bread!

Nephi, 10 YO Paint Gelding

Nephi does have an adoption pending and has been a hot item since he set foot on the property! He is an incredibly good looking paint with the personality to match. Confident, strong and easy to keep. He is the leader of his herd, all pasture mates from the same previous owner. He has a sound mind and a strong body, so of course he has someone who wants to keep him forever. He is pending adoption and we couldn’t be more pleased with the match! fingers-crossed.

Kate, 17 YO Paint Mare

Pending adoption… and soundness.

Need another ranch horse? A quarter horse paint mare. Kate has been a pack horse and riding horse in the Wind Rivers, a ‘go-to’ horse on the ranch and an all around good little mare. She is, however recovering from founder, so she will be available later this summer, unless you are willing to foster her while she continues to recover. She also needs a little refresher under the saddle. She is sweet, gets along with other horses, healthy and strong!

Pearl, 13 YO Black Mare

Pearl is a ‘pearl’ of a horse! A registered Quarterhorse mare who was raised and trained by a loving owner. But after hip surgery, her owner could not longer physically care for her. Pearl has a solid mind and body. She has 2 adoption applications pending on her, so we are confidant one will be a great fit! She is so incredibly sweet and is a confidant learner. She has been used for some therapeutic riding and seems to adjust to the abilities of her rider. She has had some hoof issues in the past with thin soles and is slightly pigeon toed, but with a proper diet and regular hoof care, she is healthy and sound.

Leah, 9 YO Gray Mare

Leah is a looker! She is a Thoroughbred through & through… with the fine bones, sweet eyes, beautiful confirmation and smooth movement, but she has big hooves! She is perfect in so many ways! Which of course, caught the eye of our volunteer trainer. While brining her back under saddle after years of not being ridden, our trainer and Leah fell in love. She was then ridden as a safety horse during our Annual Trail Competition and that sealed the Adoption deal! Leah gets to stay with her buddies while her new owner works with other horses at our facility, making it a turn win-win for us all! Leah’s original family lost their housing and their ability to keep her.

NOTE: All the horses below were NOT part of the photoshoot as they were all off location in Foster Care. We have added other photos that Rebecca was very generous to let us share.

Nanook, 7YO Buckskin Mare

Nanook is in foster care to continue her training and to get some one-on-one time with her foster family. We could not ask for a better foster situation for her and are keeping our fingers crossed that this may become her furever home!

Nanook is also from a hoarding situation, and this little mare is a show stopper. She has beautiful coloring and beautiful lines. She was completely unhandled when she came to us, having never been touched by people, haltered or trailered. She has since been worked with by one of our volunteer trainers and is coming along beautifully. She is now halter broke, enjoyed peoples company and has been under saddle in the arena, proving she is a fast and confidante learner. She will go quickly, if her fosters’ choose not to keep her (this Spring/2018) so let us know now if your interested!

Lonely Boy

No info that this time, as he is pending Law Enforcements direction on his (hopeful) future with HAPI Trails.

Our Older boys

Both are in their later 20’s early 30’s

Cal

A handsome older Grey, flee-bitten gelding. Cal is about a sweet as they come, but holds his own in the heard. He is big, health and loving. He just can’t be ridden because of a long standing leg ailment. But if your looking for that ‘pocket’ big boy – he’s your guy.

Cal has a sponsor as well and is in foster care.

Boots

Boots was adopted, but because of no fault of his own has returned to us. He is our resident senior at about 30 years of age. He can’t be ridden, but please don’t count him out – he’s got lots of love to give!