On Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, Haven for Horses Rescue, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its second rescue location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony here in Phelan. They offered tours of the facility, a meet-and-greet with some of their horses, a petting zoo, and refreshments for all who attended. They also received not one, but three certificates of recognition from the County of San Bernardino, Congressman Jay Obernolte, and the California State Senator Scott Wilk. Founder Vena Rodriguez shared that she was overwhelmed by the response and the number of people who came out in support of the new location. The event was co-presented by the High Desert Chamber of Commerce and the Phelan Chamber of Commerce.
Haven for Horses Rescue, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Rodriguez and is run by her and two of her children, son and horse trainer Dakota, and daughter Shila, along with a number of dedicated volunteers. While their first location opened in Hesperia in 2022, Rodriguez has been rescuing horses since the organization was founded. Their mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome abused, neglected, and slaughter-bound horses and other animals, as well as provide a sanctuary for unadoptable horses due to sickness and age. Their hashtag #savedbylove says it all. One key aspect that sets Haven for Horses Rescue apart from other horse rescues is their willingness to take in sick and injured horses.
“My goal is to save horses, help people, and be involved in the community,” said Rodriguez
The rescue takes in horses for a variety of reasons in a variety of ways, from owner surrenders to raising funds so they can adopt two per month from the Jurupa Valley Auction. While California is a “no-slaughter state,” it is common for kill buyers to attend these auctions hoping to get cheap horses to be slaughtered for a large profit at out-of-state meat markets.
There are currently 18 horses housed at the rescue between the Hesperia and Phelan facilities.
“Every horse that comes through gets a vet check,” says Rodriguez.
As horses come to the rescue, they are quarantined at the Hesperia location, then moved to Phelan to be trained by Dakota, evaluated, and, if everything checks out, they will be ready to start the search for their new home. If you are looking to add a horse to your home, there are currently three horses available. There is an adoption application you can fill out with the rescue. The adoption process includes a meet-and-greet as well as a home check to ensure you have the space and capability to care for a horse. Haven for Horses Rescue reserves the right to take back the horse if you can no longer care for it. Should an adopter find themselves in hardship, the rescue encourages them to reach out if there is any way they can help care for the horse during that time.
“In one year, we rescue 40 horses and rehome about 30,” shared Rodriguez.
The love for horses runs deep within the Haven for Horses Rescue family. Rodriguez’s son Dakota has also started his own business, High Desert Cowboys, in which he trains horses, not only for the rescue but for anyone who may need help training their horses.
With the new location up and running, Rodriguez and her team jumped into action and were able to help with the evacuation of not only a herd of horses but also turkeys, chickens, and dogs during the Bridge Fire. Cezar from GR Feed, a local small business, donated 40 bales of hay to the rescue for horses in need due to the fire.
Not only does Haven for Horses Rescue help horses in need, but they also offer a variety of classes and lessons at their Hesperia facility. If you have a horse or work with horses, you may be interested in one of their educational classes in horse first aid, grooming, safety, and vet care clinics. If you are a horse enthusiast, they also offer pony rides for kids, riding lessons, and horsemanship lessons.
Haven for Horses is big on community and also offers free programs and services to active service members, veterans, first responders, special needs children, and their families. They offer special needs therapy for kids to connect with the horses, as well as their veterans program—Heroes Healing with Horses. This is a therapeutic program for veterans, active duty, and first responders, completely free of charge. The horses used for these programs are trained therapy horses. Horses have the ability to understand the attitude and behavior of humans.
“A horse can hear your heartbeat from 400 feet away,” Rodriguez shared, explaining that they can sense whether we are calm or nervous and feel our energy before we are even in front of them.
There is a unique connection between horses and veterans. Horse-human interactions have been shown to be impactful on one’s health.
The rescue also hosts an international volunteer program. So far, they have had two volunteers from France and three from Germany. If you love horses but don’t have the space or ability to own your own, you, too, can volunteer at the rescue. You will have the opportunity to bathe, brush, care for, and even ride horses in exchange for your time and commitment to helping the rescue continue its mission. Children can also volunteer with parental supervision.
As we enter the fall season and the holidays approach, there are a number of fundraising events that the rescue will be holding at their Hesperia location.
- Oct. 27, from 1 to 7 p.m., they will have a Halloween Fest that will be free to attend. There will be a costume contest, horse rides, a petting zoo, food vendors, and more.
- Nov. 10, Veterans Day, they will host a free luncheon for all service members, past and present.
- Dec. 7, at 10 a.m., they will have a Pancakes with Santa event that will be $6 per child and $8 per adult.
All proceeds raised from these events are used specifically to rescue and train horses for their therapy programs.
For more information on all things Haven for Horses Rescue, Inc., you can follow them on Facebook at Haven for Horses, Inc., on Instagram @haven4horses, or visit their website at haven4horses.org. For more information on High Desert Cowboys, you can follow them at www.facebook.com/ridewithfaithhdc.
