'We are so thankful': Winter Haven horse rescue gets some hope in the form of new wheels

Paul Catala
·4 min read
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd meets Lily, a rescued horse at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven on Friday. Polk Sheriff's Charities donated a new Polaris 4x4 farm vehicle to the nonprofit, which rescues and rehabilitates horses, mules and donkeys.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd meets Lily, a rescued horse at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven on Friday. Polk Sheriff's Charities donated a new Polaris 4x4 farm vehicle to the nonprofit, which rescues and rehabilitates horses, mules and donkeys.

WINTER HAVEN — The site is 10 acres of care, compassion and potentially new beginnings for 40 to 50 neglected horses, mules and donkeys.

And it takes a lot of walking to get across the site of Hope Equine Rescue to tend to those animals’ needs.

That situation was somewhat alleviated Friday afternoon when Polk Sheriff’s Charities donated a new Polaris 570 two-seat 4x4 ATV with a dump bed to Hope Equine Rescue.

Hope Equine Rescue is a nonprofit equine rescue and rehabilitation center organization established in 2008 by Dani Horton and the Horton family after they took in their first rescue horse, named “Hope.”

Rescued horses at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven.
Rescued horses at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven.

To help the staff at Hope become more mobile and expedient in their care for the animals, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office stepped in through its Polk Sheriff’s Charities. Formed in 2006, the nonprofit supports activities, charities and organizations such as Hope that benefit the community.

During a 1 p.m. ceremony at the Hope stables, 3805 N.E. High St., Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd turned over the keys for the new Polaris to Horton. McKibben Powersports of Lake Wales sold the ATV, which retails for about $15,000, at a discounted price.

Speaking on the lawn between stables, Judd called Horton and her nonprofit “life savers,” adding the organization is one of the most “loving and hardworking” nonprofits Polk Sheriff’s Charities has assisted.

“(Horton) does this without any fanfare, without asking for anything. We have asked her, ‘Hey, what do you need?’” he said. “And she told us her 4-by-4, her side-by-side, had finally given out.”

In 2020, Polk Sheriff’s Charities donated a tractor to Hope Equine Rescue through partnerships with area businesses, organizations and other nonprofit outreach groups.

“Everything about animal control is a partnership. It’s those silent partners that make all this possible for us,” Judd said.

Horton said PCSO deputies had asked what was most needed at the moment to make taking care of the horses and other equines easier. She said getting a new or more reliable ATV was high on her list. She said its primary use would be to feed the horses, haul hay, drag the pasture, maintain the pasture and pen fences and tote supplies.

Luigi, a mini donkey at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven.
Luigi, a mini donkey at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven.

In addition, Horton said all horses that come to the Sheriff’s Office by abandonment or escape from corrals generally end up at Hope Equine Rescue for rehabilitation and medical care. After training or behavioral issues are worked out, they are put up for adoption. She said to “get this job done,” she and her volunteer staff of about 70 needs reliable equipment to manage the farm.

“We need the equipment to manage a farm this size. We needed this stuff to make sure that we get our job done efficiently so that we can get these horses taken care of and get them adopted out into the community," Horton said. “We are so thankful to be able to work with a county that knows that animal neglect is not ok and will make sure that these animals are taken care of and get them into a facility that can take care of them.”

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In addition to the Polaris ATV, in 2020, Polk Sheriff’s Charities donated a tractor to Hope Equine Rescue, which is still in use. Judd said Polk Sheriff’s Charities donates about $100,000 to meet community needs each year through fundraisers and donations.

For information, see www.polksheriff.org/about/polk-sheriff%27s-charities or call 863-298-6200.

Horse 101

Hope Equine Rescue also plans to start a program called Horse 101. The program is a four-month series of educational clinics for new horse owners, focusing on veterinary care, farrier care, nutrition, basic horse-handling skills and other things you need to know to prepare for your first horse. The course will run from June to September and is free for 4-H and FFA students.

Rescued horses at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven. The nonprofit has program that lets kids read to the rescues. It's also starting a four-month series of classes for first-time horse owners.
Rescued horses at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven. The nonprofit has program that lets kids read to the rescues. It's also starting a four-month series of classes for first-time horse owners.

For more information, call 863-287-7503 or email dani.horton@hopeequinerescue.com.

Reading with Rescues

The nonprofit also offers a reading program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. In Reading With Rescues, the students read to a horse, donkey or mule for 20-25 minutes. Snacks, drinks and an activity station are included, and students can bring their own reading material or borrow a donated book, the nonprofit said. After reading, students get a “petting experience” with a pony and can ask handler questions about the animals.

To sign up go to https://hopeequinerescue.com/reading-with-rescues. It requires a $5 donation, and the program is limited to 25 students per session.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Hope Equine Rescue gets much-needed new wheels from sheriff's charity